in diuinitie and minding well vnto you and desiring the safegard of your soule and that you should folow and beleue the doctrine of the Catholicke church as afore concerning the sayd sacrament of the aultar and whether you did not at al times since your sayd comming to me vtterly refuse to follow and beleue the sayd doctrine concerning the sayd sacrament Whether can you nowe finde in your hart and conscience to conforme your selfe in all poyntes to the said fayth and catholicke church concerning the sayde Sacrament of the aultar faythfully truely and playnely without anye dissimulation beleeuing therein as our sayd soueraignes with the Nobilitie Clergie and Laytie of this Realme and other Christian realmes and other persons aforesaid and also the sayd Catholicke Church haue and do beleue in that behalfe In case you so caÌ„not what ground haue you to mayntaine your opinion and who is of the same opinion wyth you and what conference haue you had therein with any what comfort and what reliefe haue you had therein by any of them and what are their names and surnames and their dwelling place Their aunsweres to these articles were not much discrepant from Tomkins and other like Martirs aboue mentioned as here followeth to be seene ¶ The aunswere of Steuen Knight and William Pigot to the aforesayd Articles TO the first article they beleue that the contentes of this article is not agreable to scripture Answeres to the Articles aforesayd To the second they answere and beleue that their parentes and other expressed in the sayd article so beleuyng as is contayned in the same were deceiued To the thyrd they aunswere that they so beleued but they were deceiued therein as they now beleue To the fourth they say that they haue heretofore beleued as is conteined in the said article but now they do not so beleue To the fift they say that if they so beleue they are deceiued To the sixt they beleue the same to be true To the seuenth they answere and beleue the contents of the same to be true To the eight they aunswere that they can no whyt confourme themselues to the fayth and doctrine contayned and specified in this article vntill it be proued by Scripture To the ninth they say that they haue no grounde to mainteine their sayd opinions but y e truth which as they say hath bene perswaded by learned men as D. Taylour of Hadley and such other These aunsweres being made and exhibited they were commaunded to appeare agayne the next daye at eight of the clocke in the morning and in the meane while to bethinke themselues what they would do An other appearaunce of the sayd prisoners before Boner An other appearaunce THe next daye in the morning being the 9. daye of February before their open appearaunce the Bishop sent for William Pigot and Stephen Knight into his great chamber in his Pallace where he perswaded with them to recant and deny their former profession Who answered that they were not perswaded in their consciences to returne and abiure theyr opinions whereunto they had subscribed Within a while after they were all three with Thomas Tomkins and William Hunter afore named brought openly into the Consistorye the ix day of February aforesayd and there had the same articles propouÌ„ded vnto them which were before propouÌ„ded vnto the foresayde Thomas Tomkins as appeareth in the discourse of his historye and therto also subscribed these wordes I do so beleue Talke betweene Boner and Iohn Laurence Priest Iohn Laurence sometymes a Fryer The Bishop also vsed certayne talke vnto Iohn Laurence onely Whereunto he aunswered in this manner That hee was a Priest and was consecrated and made a Priest about eightene yeares past and that he was sometime a Blacke Fryer professed that also hee was assured vnto a mayd whome he intended to haue maryed And being agayne demaunded his opinion vppon the Sacrament he said that it was a remembraunce of Chrystes body and that many haue bene deceiued in the beleeuing the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament of the Aultar and that all such as doe not beleue as he doth doe erre After this talke and other fayre wordes and threatninges they were all of theÌ„ commaunded to appeare again at after noone The third and last appearaunce AT the which houre they came thyther agayne there 〈◊〉 the accustomed manner were exhorted to recant and reuoke their doctrine and receiue the fayth To the whiche they constantly aunswered they woulde not but would sticke to that fayth that they had declared and subscribed vnto for that they did beleeue y t it was no errour whiche they beleued but that the contrary therof was very heresy When the Bishop sawe that neither his fayre flatteringes Steuen Knight William Pigot Iohn LaureÌ„ce condemned Iohn Laurence disgraded Steuen Knight burned at Mauldon W. Pigot at Braintree March 28. nor yet his cruell threatnings would preuayle he gaue them seuerally their iudgementes And because Ioh. Laurence had bene one of theyr annoynted priestes hee was by the bishop there according to their order solemnly disgraded the maner whereof you may see in the history of Maister Hooper afore passed pag. 1435. Their sentence of condemnation this degradation once ended they were committed vnto the custodye of the Sheriffes of London who sent theÌ„ vnto Newgate where they remayned with ioy together vntill they were caryed downe into Essex and there the 28. daye of March the sayd William Pigot was burned at Brayntree and Stephen Knight at Mauldon who at the stake kneeling vpon the ground sayd this prayer which here followeth The Prayer that Stephen Knight sayd at hys death vpon his knees being at the stake at Mauldon O Lord Iesu Christe for whose loue I leaue willingly this life and desire rather the bitter death of his Crosse with the losse of all earthly thinges A godly prayer of Ste. Knighâ— at his Marâ—tyrdome then to abide the blasphemye of thy moste holy name or to obey men in breaking thy holye Commaundement thou seest O Lorde that where I might liue in worldlye wealth to worship a false God and honour thine enemy I chose rather the torment of the body and the losse of this my lyfe and haue counted all thinges but vile duste and dounge that I might winne thee whiche death is dearer vnto me then thousandes of gold and siluer Such loue O Lord hast thou layd vp in my breast that I hunger for thee Psal. 42. as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soyle Send thy holy comforter O Lord to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth whiche is emptye of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest O Lorde that I am but dust and able to do nothing that is good Therfore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodnes and loue thou hast bidden mee to this banket and accompted mee worthye to drinke of thyne owne cup amongst thine elect euen so geue me strength
iugum imponere c. And albeit the ministers of the church of Rome and the pope were not called to the institution of the foresayd churche of Geneua yet it followeth not therfore that there was no lawful order obserued eyther in stablishing that Churche or any other The Fryer Baptisme in the popes church no necessary cause to folow all the Popes errours You were first baptised in the Church of y e Pope were ye not The Martyr I graunt I was but yet that nothing hindereth the grace of God but hee may renouate and call to further knowledge whom he pleaseth A Counseller I would wishe you not to sticke to your owne wisedome and opinion Ye see the Churches in Germany how they dissent one from an other So that if you should not submit your iudgement to the authoritie of the Generall Councels Agreement in the principall pointes of doctrine in the churches reformed euery day you should haue a new Christianitie The Martyr To mine owne wisedome I do not sticke nor euer will but onely to that wisedome whiche is in Christ Iesu although the world doth accompt it foolishnes And where ye say that the churches of Germanie dissent among themselues one from an other that is not so for they accorde in one agreement altogether touching the foundation and principall groundes of Christian fayth Neyther is there anye such feare that euery day should ryse vp a new christianitie vnles the church be ballanced with authoritie of the councels as you pretend For so we read in the profite Dauid psal 33. and in other places of scripture moe Psal. 33. that the Counsels of the nations and people shal be ouerthrowne and subuerted of the Lorde c. Wherefore the best is that we follow the councell of God and hys word and preferre the authoritie therof before all other counsels and iudgementes of meÌ„ And thus doyng Paruus Christianismus potior populoso Papatu I for my part had rather dwel and settle my selfe in this litle Christianitie be it neuer so small then in that populous Papalitie be it neuer so great in multitude And thus was this godly Feurus commaunded agayne by the Deputye to the Bishops prison and from thence shortly after remoued to Lions not by the open and beaten waye but by secret and priuy iournyes least perhaps he should be taken from theÌ„ agayne as he was before The martyrdome of Richard Feurus An Inquisitour monk Nicholas du Chesne At Gry by Bezanson Ann. 1554 The cause and occasion why this Nicolas came in trouble Nicholas Chesne martyr was for that he goyng from LausaÌ„na where he abode for hys conscience to fette hys sister her husband certayne other of hys friendes as hee went from Bezanson toward the towne of Gry did not homage to a certayne crosse in the way where a certayne monke which was an inquisitour False dealing in a papist ouertook him and therby suspected him He was guyded by the same monk craftily disseÌ„bling hys religion to a lodgyng in Gry where the Iustice of the place comming in incontinent took him Nicholas seing how hee was by y e monke his conductor betrayed O false traytor sayd he hast thou thus betrayed me Then after examination he was condeÌ„ned Being caryed to the place of martyrdome by y e way he was promised that if he would knele down and heare a masse he should be let go as a passenger But Nicolas armed with perseuerance sayde hee would rather dye then commit such an act Who calling vpon the name of the Lord tooke his death paciently Ex Crisp. Lib 6. The seniors or Lords of Estnay and of Ciguongnes dwelling by the towne of Machenoir Denys Barbes Counsellour of Bloys Iohn Bertrand a foâ—â—er or keeper of the forest of Marchenoir At Bloys Ann. 1556. Iohn Bertrand martyr For the religion gospell of Christ thys Iohn was apprehended by these persecuters here specified and led bounde to Bloys where he was examined by Denys y e counseller of diuers points as whether he had spokeÌ„ at any time against God agaynst y e church the he sayntes the she saynts of Paradise Wherunto he sayd no. Item whether at any time hee had called the masse abhominable whiche hee graunted for that hee finding no masse in all the Stripture was commanded by S. Paule That if an angell from heaueÌ„ would bring anye other gospell beside that whiche was already receiued he shuld account it accursed After his condemnation they woulde haue hym to be confessed and presented to him a crosse to kisse But he bad the Fryers with theyr crosse depart That is not the crosse sayd he that I must cary Entring into y e cart before the multitude he gaue thanks to God that he was not there for murther theft or blasphemye but onely for the quarrell of our sauiour Being tyed to the post he sang the 25. psalme Of age he was yong his countenaunce was exceeding chearfull amiable his eyes looking vp to heauen O the happy iourny sayd he seeing the place where he should suffer the fayre place that is prepared for me When the fire was kindled about them O Lord cryed he geue thy hand to thy seruaunt I recommend my soule vnto thee and so meekly yelded vp his spirite Whose pacient and ioyfull constancye so astonyed the people that of long tyme before nothing did seeme to them so admirable Ex Gallic hist. per. Crisp. Lib. 6. A brother in lawe of this Peter Peter Rouseau An. 1556. Peter Rousseau martir Peter Rousseau comming from Geneua and Lausanna to hys countrey partlye to communicate wyth certayne of hys acquayntaunce in the word of God partlye for other certayn affayres because hee required hys inheritaunce of hys brother in law was by him betrayed Then being constant in his confession which he offered vp he was put to the racke three tymes which he suffered constantly with great tormentes Afterward he had hys tongue cut of and a balle of yron put in hys mouth He was draweÌ„ vpon a hurdle Crueltie al broken and maymed to the fire where he was lifted vp into the ayre and let downe three tymes And when he was halfe burned the balle fell from hys mouth and he with a loud voyce called on the name of GOD saying Iesus Christ assiste me And so thys blessed Martyr gaue vp hys life to God Ex Ioan Crisp. Antony de Lescure the kinges attourney Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes At Bordeaux An. 1556. After that Arnald Moniere was taken and examined of the Iustice and so was layde in prison Iohn de Cazes resorting to the same town of Burdeaux Arnauld Moniere Iohn de Cazes martyrs and hearing of hym and beyng admonished moreouer that if he went to him hee shoulde be appeached of heresie notwithstanding went to comforte him and so was also imprisoned After many examinations sentence was geuen vpon them to be burned When the tyme came of
it not be dispensed with all by the keyes If these Bull founders doe charg me with any other thing besides in this article they do nothing els but as they are wont to do For what matter or marueile is it if Antichrist do lye The 6. article Contrition whiche is gotten by examining The answere of M. Luther to the 6. article remembryng and detesting our sinnes whereby a man calleth to mynde hys yeares past in the bitternes of his soule in pondring the greatnes the multitude and filthines of his sinnes the loosing of eternall blisse and purchasing of eternall damnation this contrition maketh an hypocrite yea rather a manne to be more a sinner The Answere O the incredible blindnes and brutishnes of these Romish bulles This Article is truely mine very christian which I will not suffer to be wreasted from mee for all the Popes and papists in the world The answere of mayster Luther to the 6. aâ—ticle For thys I meant by that doctrine that repentaunce is of no force vnlesse it be done in faithe and charitie whiche thinge they also teache them selues but that they do not knowe nor teach neither what faith nor charitie is And therefore in condemning my doctrine they condemne also their owne foolishly repugnyng against themselues in their owne coÌ„tradiction I say therfore that he which teacheth repentaunce in such wise maner that he hath not a greater regard to the promised mercye of God and faith in the same then to this afflicting and vexing of the minde he teacheth the repentaunce of Iudas Iscarioth he is pestilent a deuil to mens soules and a tormentor of consciences Read the bookes of those sophisters where they wryte of repentaunce and thou shalt see there no meÌ„tion made eyther of promise or faith For these liuely parts of repeÌ„tance they cleane omitte onely do vexe meÌ„ with these dead contritions But heereof we haue and wil hereafter entreat more at large But what should I here stand vpon euery Article seeing my bookes be abroade wherein I haue geuen a reason of all sufficiently and more woulde haue done if mine aduersaries also had brought to light theirs The purpose of Luther in setting forth hys articles For what folishnesse is this that they thinke to answere me with thys one saying that they count all my sayings as damned wheras I did wryte to this ende onely that they shoulde acknowledge their errours wherewith they haue so long bewitched the people of God Neither did I looke that I should be condemned which vnderstanding knowing the same right wel haue iustified those things which they haue condemned before with sufficient authoritie bothe of scripture and reason Neither looked I that they should tel me what they thought for I knew all that well enough but that I sought of them was to knowe whether they thought right therin or not Here looked I to be taught and behold none of them all durst once put foorth his head Wherefore I see these asses nothing to vnderstand either the things that I say or yet themselues But they be suche blinde bussardes that they perceiue not what it is that I seeke in my bookes For they dreame that I haue suche an opinion of them as though they had the truthe of their side when there is nothing that I lesse thinke to be true For I foreseeing that they had condemned al these things before came foorth and shewed my selfe as one not to be condemned but as already condemned of them to accuse their condemnation to be wicked hereticall and blasphemous and so openly to denounce them as heretikes and erroneous vnles they shewed some better reason and ground of their doings doctrine where as they on the other side like foolish minstrels harping all on one string haue nothing else in theyr mouthes â— Pet. 3. but we condemne that we haue condemned proouing after a newe kinde of Logike the same thing by it selfe O most idiote huddypeaks and blockish condemners where is the saying of Peter Be alwayes ready to reÌ„der a count of that faith and hope which is in you Wherefore seeing these ignorant Papists being thus confounded doe so flie away from the face of the manifest veritie that they dare not once open their mouthes in defence of themselues or of their cause and haue blasted oute with much ado this timerous Bul of theirs I being comforted with the flight of these mine aduersaries do account this theyr dastardly damnation in sted of full allowing and iustifying of my cause and so rebounde againe theyr owne damnation vppon their owne heads for howe coulde they more condemne themselues then whiles they fearing to be founde themselues culpable of heresie if they shoulde be driuen to geue account of their doctrine do flie to this miserable and desperate refuge willingly to shutte their eyes and stop their eares and to say I will not I damne thee I heare thee not I allow thee not If I should haue plaid any such mad part how would they I pray you haue triumphed against me This dastardly feare declareth what cowardes they are Wherefore not to burden the reader with any tedious prolixitie of matter in prosecutinge euery Article I heere protest in these presents that I * * Note here good reader that amongest these articles certayne there be which because they seemed somewhat to beare wyth the Pope and his pardons Luther comming after to more knowledge that the pope was Antichrist confesseth himselfe in his 〈◊〉 that he vtterly calleth 〈◊〉 the same not 〈◊〉 king them as the 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 had him but rather aggrauaâ—â—â— them agaynst the Pope confesse all these thinges here condemned by this miserable Bull for pure clear and Catholike doctrine whereof I haue sufficiently geuen accompt in my bookes which be extant abroade Furthermore I wil also that the sayd my bokes being extant abroad shal be taken as a publike accusation against these wicked Sophisters seducers of the people of God so that vnlesse they shall geue a count of their doctrine and shall conuicte me with good grounde of Scripture I doe here as muche as in me lieth denounce theÌ„ as guiltie of errour heresie and sacriledge admonishing desiring and in the Lorde exhorting all them which truely confesse Christ that they will beware and take heede of their pestiferous doctrine and not to dout but that the true Antichrist raigneth by them in the world amongst vs. And if any shal contemne thys my brotherly admonition lette him knowe that I am pure and cleane from hys bloud excused froÌ„ the laste iudgement of Christe For I haue left nothing vndone whiche Christian charitie dyd binde me to doe Finally if there be no other way whereby I may resist these babling and trifeling condemners the vttermost and last which I haue I will geue and bestow in the quarrell that is this life and bloude of mine For better it were for me a thousande times to be slaine then
vttermost of thy power thou hast allowed maintained and defended at sundrie times Item that thou hauing hearde knowen and vnderstanded all the premisses thus to be as is aforesayde haste not regarded al oâ— any part thereof but contrary to the same and euery part thereof hast attempted and done condemning transgressing and breaking that promise faith religion order and custome aforesayd and hast becommen and art an hereticke and misbeleeuer in the premisses denying the veritie of Christes body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar and obstinately affirming that the substance of materiall bread and wine are there remaining and that the substance of Christes body and bloud taken of the virginé Mary are not there in the sayd Sacrament really and truely being Item that all the premisses be true notorious famous and manifest and that vpon all the same there haue and be amongst the sad and good people of the Citie of London and Dioces of the same in great multitude commonly and publickely a common and publicke fame and opinion and also in all places where thou hast bene within the sayd Dioces of London ☞ These Articles being geuen to them in writing by the Byshop the next day folowing was assigned to them to geue vp and to exhibite their aunsweres vnto the same * The third dayes Session vpon the examination of M. Causton and M. Higbed Upon the which day being the first day of March the said Thomas Causton The third dayes Session and Thomas Higbed Gentlemen being brought before the Byshop in the Consistory there exhibited their aunsweres to the Articles aforesayd the tenour of which aunsweres here followeth ¶ The aunsweres of Thomas Causton and Thomas Higbed seuerally made to the foresaid Articles obiected as before TO the first they aunswere and confesse the same to be true The aunsweres of the Marâ—â—rs to the Articles To the second they answere and beleeue the same to be true To the third they aunswere and beleeue the same to be true To the fourth they aunswere and thinke the same to be true To the fift vnto this clause and so was it in very deede they aunswere and beleeue the same to be true And vnto that clause and so was it in very deede they aunswere negatiuely and beleeue that it was not in very deede To the sixt seuenth and eyght they aunswere and beleeue the same to be true To the ninth they aunswere and say that they thinke they haue a iust and lawfull cause and ground to swarue and go from the sayd fayth and Religion because they haue now read more of Scripture then either themselues or their Parents and kinsfolke Godfathers or Godmothers haue read or seene heeretofore in that behalfe To the tenth they aunswere say and beleeue that the sayd persons articulate haue bene named taken and counted for heretickes and so condemned for heretickes yet about three yeares past they were taken for good Christian persons And for somuch as these Respondents did neuer heare them preach coÌ„cerning the Sacrament of the aultar they say that they preached well in that they sayd and preached that Christ is not present really and truly in the sayd Sacrament TransubstantiatioÌ„ denyed but that there is remayning the substance of bread and wine To the eleuenth they aunswere and say that howsoeuer other folkes do repute and take the sayde persons articulate yet these Respondents them selues did neuer nor yet do so accompt and take them And further they say that in case the sayd persons articulate named in this article haue preached that in the Sacrament of the altar is very materiall wine and not the substance of Christes body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wyne then they preached well and truly and these respondents themselues do so beleeue To the twelfth they aunswere and say that where other folke haue dispraysed the sayd persons articulate and disalowed theyr opinions these Respondents for ought that they at any tyme haue heard did like and allow the sayd persons and theyr sayings To the thirteenth they aunswere and say that they haue not broken or condemned any promise made by their Godfathers and Godmothers for them at their baptisme and that they are no heretickes nor misbeleeuers in that they beleeue that there remayneth only bread and wine in the sacrament of the aultar and that Christes naturall body is not there but in heauen for they say that the scriptures so teach them To the foureteenth they answere and beleeue that the premisses before by them confessed be true notorious and manifest After these answeres exhibited and perused then the B. speaking vnto theÌ„ after this sort beginneth first as he did euer before with Thomas Causton Because ye shall not be sodenly trapped A copy of Catholicke 〈◊〉 shewed and that men shall not say that I go about to seke snares to put you away I haue hitherto respited you that you should way coÌ„sider with your self your state and coÌ„dition and that you should while ye haue time and space acknowledge the truth and returne to the vnity of the catholicke churche Then the bishop reading theyr former articles and aunsweres to the same asked them if they would recant which when they denyed they were againe dismissed and commaunded to appeare the wensday next after at two of the clocke at after noone there to receaue their definitiue sentence agaynst them Which thinge as it seemeth was yet differred ¶ An other examination of M. Causton and Maister Higbed THe next Friday being the eight day of March An other examination This Stempe is now Warden of the Colledge in Winchester M. Causton denyeth to recant the sayd Thomas CaustoÌ„ was first called to examinatioÌ„ before the bishop Fecknam and D. Stempe in his Pallace and there had read vnto hym his foresayd articles with hys answeres therunto after certain exhortations to recant his former profession to be conformable to the vnitie of their church they promised him so doing willingly to receaue him agayn therunto To whoÌ„ he answered you goe about to catch vs in snares ginnes But marke by what measure ye measure vs looke you to be measured with the same agayne at Gods hands The bishop still perswaded with him to recant To whom he answered no I wil not abiure Ye sayd that the bishops that were lately burned be Heretickes But I pray God make me suche an Hereticke as they were The bishop then leauing M. Causton calleth forth M. Higbed vsing with hym the like perswasioÌ„s that they did with the other But he answered I wil not abiure M. Higbed called forth denyeth to abiure For I haue bene of this minde and opinion that I am now these 16. yeares and doe what ye can ye shall doe no more then God will permitte you to doe and with what measure ye measure vs looke for the same agayne at Gods hands Then Fecknam asked him his opinion in the sacrameÌ„t of the altar To whom he answered
by meanes which meanes is faith in Christ Iesus crucified For so much as by hys faith in Christe a man is iustified and thereby made the childe of saluation reason must needes lead the same to be then the childe of election chosen of God vnto euerlasting life For howe can a man be iustified but he must needes be saued and howe can a man be saued but by consequence it foloweth that he must also be elected And therefore of Election it is truely sayd De electione iudicandum est à posteriore that is to say Fayth is the meanes wherby we be certified of our Election wee must iudge of election by that which commeth after that is by oure faith and beliefe in Christ which faith although in time it followeth after election yet is it the proper and immediat cause assigned by the scripture which not onely iustifieth vs but also certifieth vs of thys election of God Whereunto likewise well agreeth thys present letter of M. Bradford wherein he sayeth Election allbeit in God it be the first yet to vs it is the last opened And therefore beginning first sayth he wyth creation De electione iudicandum est a posterâ—ore Election fiâ—st knowen to God and last opened to man I come froÌ„ thence to the redemption and iustification by faith and so to election Not that faith is the cause efficient of election being rather the effect thereof but is to vs the cause certificatory or the cause of our certification wherby we are brought to the feeling and knowledge of our election in Christe For all be it that election first be certaine in the knowledge of God yet in our knowledge Faith onely that wee haue in Christe is the thynge that geueth to vs our certificate and comfort of thys election Wherefore who soeuer desireth to be assured that he is one of the electe number of God lette hym not clyme vp to heauen to knowe but let hym descende into hym selfe and there searche hys Faith in Christe the sonne of God whyche if hee finde in hym not fained by the working of Gods holy spirite accordingly thereuppon let hym staye Euery man to stay himsâ—lfe vpon Gods generall promise and so wrappe hym selfe wholely both body and soule vnder Gods generall promise and cumber hys heade wyth no further speculations knowing thys that who so euer beleueth in him shall not perish Ihon. 3. shall not be confounded Ro. 9. shal not see death Ih. 8. shal not enter into iudgemeÌ„t Ih. 5. shall haue euerlasting life Iâ— 3.7 shall be saued Mat. 28. Act. 16. shal haue remission of al his sinnes Act. 10. shal be iustified Rom. 3. Ga. 2. shal haue flouds flowing oute of him of water of life Iohn 7. shall neuer die Iohn 11. shal be raised in the last day Iohn 6 shal finde rest to hys soule and shal be refreshed Math. 11. Now then for so much as we see faith to be the ground wherupon depeÌ„deth the whole coÌ„dition of our iustifying let vs discusse in like maner what is this faith whereof the scripture so much speaketh What fayth is Diuers kindes of fayth for the more plaine vnderstanding of the simple For many kindes there be of faith as a man maye beleeue euery thing that is true yet not euery truth doeth saue neither doth the beleeuing of euery truth iustifie a man Euery truth hath his fayth but euery truth iustifieth not no more doth euery fayth He y t beeleueth that God created all things of nought beleueth truely He that beleueth that God is a iust God that he is omnipoteÌ„t that he is mercifull that he is true of promise beleeueth well and holdeth the truthe So hee that beleeueth that God hath his election from the beginning and that he also is one of the same electe predestinate hath a good beliefe and thinketh wel but yet this beliefe alone except it be seasoned with an other thing wil not serue to saluation as it auailed not the olde Iewes which so thought of them selues and yet thinke to this day to be only Gods elect people Fayth the action Christ the obiect of fayth Fayth Christ correlatiues Onely the faithe whiche auaileth to saluation is that whose obiect is the body and passion of Iesus Christe crucified So that in the act of iustifying these two fayth and Christ haue a mutual relation and must alwaies concurre together faith as the action which apprehendeth Christe as the obiect which is apprehended For neither doeth the passion of Christe saue wythout faith Christ without faith saueth not Fayth without Christ helpeth not neither doeth faith helpe except it be in Christ As we see the body of man sustained by bread drinke not except the same be receiued and conueied into the stomacke and yet neither doeth y e receiuing of euery thing sustaine mans body except it be meate and drinke whych haue power to geue nourishment In like sort it is with faith for neither doth the beleuing of euery thing saue but onely faith in the bloud of Christ neither again doth y e same bloud of Christ profite vs except by faith it be receiued And as the sunne being the cause of all lighte shineth not but to them onely which haue eyes to see nor yet to them neither vnlesse they will open their eyes to receiue the light so the Passion of Christ is the efficient cause of saluation but faith is the coÌ„dition wherby the sayd passion is to vs effectuall Grace Election Vocation Christes death causes externe of our saluatioÌ„ Fayth the onely interne cause of mans saluation Fayth is an action in man but not of man Vertues and workes of charitye though they be good giftes of God in man yet they serue not to iustification Fayth taketh his dignitye of his obiect Looking vp to the brasen Serpent and beleeuing vpon the body of Christ compared The error of the Papistes peruerting the mind of Gods testament how and wherin And that is the cause why we say with the Scripture that faith only iustifieth vs not excluding thereby al other externe causes that goe before faith as grace mercy election vocation the death of Christe c. all whiche be externe causes working our saluation through faith But when we say that faith only iustifieth vs the meaning thereof is thys that of all internall actions motions or operations in man geuen to him of God there is none other that contenteth pleaseth God or standeth before hys iudgement or can helpe any thing to the iustifying of man before him but only this one action of faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God For although the action of praying fasting almes pacience charity repentance the feare and loue of God be hie giftes in man and not of man geuen of God to man yet be none of al these actions in man imputed of God to saluation but only this one action of faith in maÌ„ vpon Christ Iesus the sonne
priuately with me in this matter seing ye say ye would so gladly win me Harps With all my hart will I take the paynes I will also borowe my Lorde of Douers Library to haue what bookes thou wilt and thus they departed Now the xvij of May at Ashford I could not be released although I was called to the spirituall Court for y e same matter but was bound to appeare at the Sessions holden at Crambroke the third day of Iuly ¶ An other appearaunce of M. Bland before the Archdeacon and his felowes THe 21. day of Maye I appeared in the Chapter house wher was a great multitude of people The second appearancâ— of M. BlaÌ„d vnlooked for of me M. ArchdeacoÌ„ sayd thus to me Ye are come here according as ye were appointed and the cause is that it hath pleased the Quenes highnes here to place me to see gods holy word set forth to reforme those that are here falleÌ„ in to great heinous errors to the great displeasure of god the decay of Christes sacrameÌ„ts M. Harâ—â—â—fieldes wordeâ— M. Blanâ— coÌ„trary to the fayth of y e catholick church wherof thou art notably knowne to be one that is sore poysoned with the same hast infected deceiued many with thy euil preaching which if thou wilt renounce come home agayn to the catholick church both I and many other moe would be very glad and I for my part shal be right glad to shew you the fauour that lyeth in me as I sayd vnto you when you were appoynted hither because ye then refused to satisfy agayne the people that ye had deceiued And wheras it is fayned by you y t I should openly dispute the matter with you this day False surmise 〈…〉 M. Blaâ—â— although I did neither to inteÌ„d nor appoynt yet I am coÌ„teÌ„t to dispute the matter with thee if thou wylt not without disputatioÌ„ helpe to heale the soules that are brought to helwarde by thee What sayst thou Bland I do protest before God you all that neither is my conscience guilty of any error or heresy The aâ—â—â—swere oâ— Bland 〈◊〉 wordes neither that I euer taught any error or heresy willingly And where your mastership sayth that I haue fayned an open disputatioÌ„ with you it is not true as I can thus approue vpon saterday I was at Ugdens there M. BinghaÌ„ laid it to my charge that such an opeÌ„ disputation as ye haue here offred should be this day betwene you me wherat I much marueiled sayd to him M. Bland cleareth himselfe oâ— the false râ—â—port of M. Harpsfield that before that present I neuer hearde any such word neither would I answere nor dispute to this can master Uaghan master Oxenden master Seth of Ouerland and master Ugden witnes and further I sayd to them that I neuer spake to you of any disputatioÌ„ nor you to me Now if your maystership haue any thing to say to me by the law I will make answere to it Harps Heare ye what he sayth his conscience is cleare I pray thee wheron groundest thou thy conscience lette me heare what thy fayth is Bland I knowe not why ye should more aske me a reason of my fayth then any other man in this open audience Harps Why thou heretick art thou ashamed of thy faith if it were a christeÌ„ beliefe thou nedest not to be ashamed of it Bland I am not ashamed of my faith To 〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 of our 〈…〉 neuer 〈◊〉 well 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 For I beleue in god the father almighty maker of heauen earth and in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. c. withall the other articles of the Creed and I do beleue all the holy scriptures of God to be most certayne and true Harps Wilt thou declare no more then this Bland No. Harps Well I will tell thee wheron I grouÌ„d my fayth I do beleue grouÌ„d my fayth coÌ„science vpoÌ„ all the articles of the Creed vpon all the holy scriptures sacramentes The 〈◊〉 fayth 〈…〉 holy doctors of the church vpon all the generall couÌ„cels that euer were since the apostles time Loe hereupoÌ„ grouÌ„d I my fayth with many wordes moe which I well remeÌ„ber not And when he coulde get no other answere of me theÌ„ I had sayd before he called for a Scribe to make an act agaynst me And after much coÌ„municatioÌ„ I sayd by what law and authority wil ye proceed agaynst me M. Collins sayd By the Canon law Bland I doubt whether it be in strength or no. M. Blaâ—â— requirâ—â— haue hiâ— Counseâ—â— Yet I pray you let me haue a Counseller in the law and I will make answere according to the law Harps Why thou hereticke thou wilt not confesse thy fayth to me that haue authority to demaund it of thee and yet I haue confessed my fayth to thee before all this audience As coÌ„cerning the blessed sacrameÌ„t of y e aultar thou hast taught that after the consecration it is bread and wine and not the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. How sayest thou The Papist◠〈◊〉 false 〈◊〉 promise hast thou not thus taught Bland Syr as concerning this matter of the SacrameÌ„t when I was with you and mayster Collins ye sayd then it was for other matters that I shoulde come hither for and further that ye would be content at my desire to conâ—erre scriptures with me to see if ye coulde winne me and ye sayd ye woulde borowe my Lord of Douers Librarye that I should haue what booke I would and now ye require me thus to answere coÌ„trary to your promise ere any conference be had seek rather to bring me into trouble then to winne me Harps I will as God shall helpe me doe the best to thee that I can if thou wilt be any thing conformable and I trust to dissolue al thy doubtes if thou be willing to heare And I also will desire these two worshipful men my Lord of Douer and mayster Collins to heare vs. Bland No ye shall pardon me of that there shal be no such witnesse But when we agree sette to our handes Hereat made the people a noyse against me for refusing y e witnes and here had we many moe wordes then I can rehearse But at the last I sayd sir will ye geue me leaue to aske you one questioÌ„ And he sayd yea with all my hart For in that thou askest any thing there is some hope that thou mayest be wonne Bland Syr when it pleased almighty God to send his angell vnto the virgine Mary to salute her sayd Haile ful of grace c. came any substance from God our father into the virgins wombe to become man whereat as well M. Archdeacon as my Lord of Douer and mayster Collins stayd But my Lord spake the first and sayd the holy ghost came to her and ere he had brought out his sentence
in the Chapter house of the Priorie of S. Frideswide in Oxford did enioyne him that he should tary w tin the sayd Priory and not to goe out of the gates thereof without licence of the Prior for the tyme beyng vntill he had other commaundement from the Byshop vpon payn of relapse and further that he should from thenceforth vp on the lyke payne weare a signe of a Fagot vnder his vppermost garment 10. Item y t after hys abiuration and sithens the promises thus done he was yet agayne detected to the B. of Lōdon by open fame and denounced by worshipfull and credible persons y t he had vsed like false errours and heresies had spoken and taught certaine conclusions of heresie against the Christen fayth He ment some Image or picture of the virgine set vp in some blinde place to be worshipped and determinations of holye Church and that he had fallen into the like heresies as before his abiuration both against the sacrament of the altar agaynst pilgrimages and worshipping of Images and had blasphemed our blessed Lady calling her Mably 11. Item that when he wrought with one Iohn Bates in Stratford Langthorne in Rogation weeke then 3. yeares past and beyng bidden by the sayd Bates wife to goe and heare the gospell he aunswered and sayd vnto her I wyll not come there go you if ye list ye shal haue as much meed for it as to put your finger in the fire and to burne it 12. Item that in times past for feare of abiuration he had fled from Colchester to Newbery and after that vnto Hamersham and had there damnably accompanyed with hetiques and had taught heresies among them also since y e tyme of hys abiuration he had sayd that he and hys wyfe had turned sixe or seuen hundreth people vnto those opinions which he was abiured of and others also contrary to Christes fayth and determinations of holy Church Hys aunswere vnto these Articles was that as touching the first nine hee graunted in part to be true confessing to the seconde that hee was a true Christian and did professe the true Christian faith but the contentes of the last thrée he vtterly denied to be true affirming for certaine aunswere vnto the 11. article that at the time mentioned in the same he did not worke in the towne of Stratford Upon which answere the Chauncelour called foorth two witnesses to be sworne and examined against hym False witnes willyng hym that if he had any iust matter against any of them hee should refuse them But to what purpose this his faire offer and trim shewe of vpright iustice serued I can not see For notw tstanding that hee charged the one of the witnesses with theft and adulterie for that hauing a wife of hys owne he did yet runne away wyth an other mannes wife and goodes and also alleged that the other was too young to be a sworne witnesse in case of life and death yet were they both still retained allowed by the Chauncelour and sworn not to depart away or hide themselues False witnes receiued against Thomas Man but to be alwaies ready to iustifye that which they had to say against the sayde Thomas Man and so for that time as well they as also all the rest were commanded to depart and the prisoner sent againe to hys prison And here in the order of the othe ministred vnto these witnesses I finde one note me thinketh worthy present remembrance both for that it is mentioned in this proces and also because it somewhat openeth y e foolish ridiculous and fained figuratiue Ceremonies of the Papists who do attribute a spirituall signification almost vnto all their doinges The ceremoniall maner of the popish ministring of their othe The Register discoursing at large the manner of their othe hath these wordes Ad sancta Dei Euangelia iurari fee lt tribus medris digitis erectis super librum positis in signum Trinitatis fidei Catholicae duobus videl police auriculari suppositis suppressis sub libro positis in signum damnationis corporis animae si non deposuerint veritatem in hac parte That is to say he caused them to sweare vpō the holy Euangelistes with their three middle fingers stretched out right and laide vpon the booke in signe of y e Trinitie and Catholique faith and the other two to wyt the thombe and the litle finger put downewardes vnder the booke in token of damnation of body and soule if they did not depose the truth in the matter This Ceremoniall order and exposition of theirs as it is of their owne fonde inuention without any ground or example of the scriptures of God so minde I to leaue it still vnto thēselues w t other their apish toies ridicles as things worthy to be laught at and will now further proceed with the rest of this processe which I haue in hand The xv day of February D. Hed the Chauncellour againe iudicially sitting in the consistory at Paules Tho. Man againe called by D. Hed Chancelour commaunded Thomas Man to be brought before him and there causing the articles obiected against him by the Byshop of Lincolne with his order of abiuration penaunce and also his owne articles last propounded to be first read he called forth a third witnes to be sworne and examined vpon the same But because he would seeme to do all thinges by order of iustice and nothing against law he therefore appoynted vnto the sayd Thomas Man certain Doctours and aduocates of the Arches as his counsellers to plead in his behalfe Which was euen like as if the lambe should be committed to the defence and protection of the woolfe Agnus Lupo commissus or the hare to the hounde For what good helpe could he looke for at their handes whiche were both most wicked haters and abhorrers of his Christian profession and also stout vpholders and maintainers of that Antichristian law by the which he was for the same cōdemned And that full well appeared by the good aduice and profitable councell which they gaue him against his next examinations For aswell vppon the 20. and also the 23. dayes of the same month of February in theyr seuerall Sessions he seing his owne negations to their obiections to take no place against their sworne witnesses had no other thinge to allege for himselfe but that through his xx weekes of hard imprisonment vnder the byshop of Lincolne he was forced to recant and abiure whiche was a poore shifte of counsell God knoweth And yet D. Raynes beyng one of his chiefe assigned aduocates in steede of aduice coulde by his subtle questioning The subtile practise of the Romish churchmen then make him to confesse that certaine talke whereof one of the witnesses had accused hym was spoken about fiue yeares before past which because it was since his recantatiō was rather an accusation of hym selfe then an excusing and
Adrian sent his letters in maner of a briefe A dyet of the Princes kept at Norenberge with an instruction also vnto his Legate Cheregatus to informe him how to procceede and what causes to alledge agaynst Luther before the Princes there assembled His letter with the instruction sent because they are so hypocritically shadowed ouer with a fayre shew and colour of paynted zeale and Religion Paynted pretences ought to be examined and beareth resemblaunce of great trueth and care of the Church able to deceaue the outward eares of them which are not inwardly in true Religion instructed I thought therefore to geue to the Reader a sight therof to the intent that by the experieÌ„ce of them he may learne hereafter in cases like to be prudent circumspect in not beleuing ouer rashly the smoth talke or pretensed persuasions of men especially in Church matters vnlesse they carry with them the simplicity of playne truth goyng not vpon termes but grouÌ„ded vpon y e word and reueled wil of God with particular demonstrations prouing that by the Scripture which they pretend to perswade First the letter of this Pope conceiued directed agaynst Luther proceedeth in this effect * Adrian Pope vi to the renowmed Princes of Germanye and to the Piers of the Romayne Empyre greeting and Apostolique benediction RIght honourable brethren and deare children The exaâ—ple of 〈◊〉 Adrians â—â—â—ter sent to the princes of Germany greeting and Apostolique benediction After that we were first promoted through Gods diuine prouidence to the office of the see Apostolick he which hath so aduanced vs is our witness how we both daye and night reuoluing in our mindes did cogitate nothinge more then how to satisfye the partes of a good Pastour in attending the health and cure of the flock both vniuersally singularlye committed vnto vs If these pastors caâ—â— any thing 〈◊〉 the sheepe it is onely for the wolle so that there is no one particular sheepe through the whole vniuersall flock so infected so sicke or so farre gone astray whome our desire is not to recouer to seeke out and to reduce into the Lordes folde agayne And chiefely from the first beginning of our pastorall function our care hath alwayes bene as well by our messengers as our dayly letters howe to reclayme the mindes of Christian Princes from the intestine wars and dissensions among themselues to peace and concorde or at least if they woulde needes fight that they woulde conuert theyr streÌ„gth and armour agaynst the coÌ„moÌ„ enemyes of our fayth And to declare this not onely in worde but rather in deede God doth knowe with what charges and expences wee haue burdened our selues to extend our subsidy and reliefe to the souldiers of Rhodes for defence of themselues and of the Christian fayth agaynst the Turkish tyranny by whom they were besieged And now to bend our care from these forreyne matters and to consider our inwarde troubles at home we heare to the great griefe of our hart Rather a new raseâ—â— of the olde doctrine of the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles that M. Luther a newe rayser vppe of olde and damnable heresyes first after the fatherly aduertisemeÌ„tes of the See Apostolique then after the sentence also of condemnation awarded agaynst him and that by the assent and consent of the best learned and of sundy Vniuersityes also and lastly after the Emperiall decree of our well beloued sonne Charles elect Emperour of the Romaynes and Catholique king of Spayne beyng diuulged through the whole nation of Germanye yet hath neyther bene by order restrayned Termes without truth nor of himselfe hath refrayned from hys madnesse begunne but daily more and more forgetting and contemning all Christian Charity and Godlynesse ceaseth not to disturbe and replenish the worlde with new bookes fraught full of errours heresyes contumelyes and sedition whether vppon hys owne head or by the healpe of other and to infect the country of Germany and other Regions about with this pestilence Euill called good and good euil and endeuoureth still to corrupt simple soules and maners of men with the poyson of his pestiferous tongue and which is worst of all hath for his fautours and supporters not of the vulgare sort onely but also diuers personages of the Nobility in so much that they haue begunne also to inuade the goodes of priestes whiche perhappes is the chiefe ground of this styrre begunne contrarye to theyr obedience which they owe to ecclesiasticall and temporall persons and nowe also at last haue growen vnto ciuill warre and dissention among themselues which thing how vnfortunately it falleth out now at this present season especially amongest vs Christians you may soone repute with your selues and consider For although the Apostle hath tolde vs before 1. Cor. 11. that heresyes must needes be that they which be tried may be made manifest c. yet was there neuer time either so vnconuenient to rayse vp heresyes or so necessary for the repressing thereof when any such are raysed as now For whereas the Deuill the perpetuall enemy of mankinde roaring in the shape of a Lyon by the power of the Turkes doth continually inuade the flocke of Christ how can we then resist the violent inuations of him oppressing vs without so long as we nourish at home the same Deuill Who soweth these heresies but he which will not let the Scriptures take place vnder the coulour of a wyly Dragon sowing such heresyes discordes and seditions among our selues And albeit it were in our power easily to vanquish these forreigne aduersaryes yet were that but labor lost seruing to no profite to subdue our enemyes without and at home with heresyes and schismes to be deuided We remember before the time of our Papacy when we were in Spayne many thinges we heard then of Luther and of his peruerse doctrine Which rumours and tydinges although of theÌ„ selues they were grieuous to be hearde yet more gireuous they were for this because they proceeded out of that countrey where we our selfe after the flesh tooke our first beginning but yet thys comfort we had supposing that either for the iniquity or els for the foolishnesse thereof being so manifest this doctrine woulde not long holde reputing thus with our selfe that such pestiferous * * He meaneth the doctrine of Iohn Hus translated into Germany plantes translated from other countryes into Germanye would neuer grow vppe to any proofe in that ground which was euer woont to be a weeder out of all heresyes and infidelity But now since this euill tree whether by Gods iudgement correcting the sinnes of the people or by the negligence of suche as first should haue resisted such beginninges hath so enlarged and spread his braunches so farre you therefore both Princes and people of Germanye must this consider and prouide leaste you which at the first springing vp of this euill might peraduenture be excused as no doers therof now through this your ouermuch
pestiferous canker can not with supple and gentle medecines be cured more sharper salues must be proued and fiery searinges the putrified members must be cut of from the body least the sound partes also be infected So God did cast downe into hell the schismaticall brethren * * Let the Pope followe the worde of God as Moses dyd and be sent of God expresly as Moses was and then let Luther be punished as Dathon and Abyron were Againe if the Pope be the succâ—ssour of Peter haue his authoritie why then doeth not the Pope beaâ—ing the keyes of Peter exercise the power of his spirite vpon Luther his great enemie as Peter did vpon Ananias and Sâ—phira Dathan and Abiron And him that would not obey the authority of the priest God commaunded to bee punished with death So Peter prince of the Apostles denounced sodeine death to Ananias and Saphira which lyed vnto God So the olde and godly Emperours commaunded * * If Iouinianus Priscillianus and Vigilantius were proued heretickes They were proued not onely by CanoÌ„s couÌ„cels but by scripture so was Lutherneâ—â—r Iouinianus and Priscillianus as heretiques to be beheaded So S Ierome wisheth Vigilantius as an heretick to be geuen to the destructioÌ„ of the flesh that the spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord. So also did our predecessours in the Councell of * * Your fathers in the Councell of Constance did kill the prophets of God and you make vp their graues But thankes bee vnto God whiche hath geuen suche light to the world to vnderstande your cruell impietie in killing I. Hus which you thought should neuer be espied CoÌ„stance condemne to death Iohn Hus his felow Hierome which now appeareth to reuiue agayne in Luther The worthy * * You haue well imitated your forefathers alreadie in burning so many Lutherians yet how haue you prospered against the Turkish Infidels the space of these 40. yeares acts and examples of which forefathers if you in this doinges seeing otherwise ye can not shall imitate wee doe not doubt but Gods mercifull clemency shall eftsoones releue his Church which being now sore vexed of infidels hath her eies chiefely and principally directed vpoÌ„ you as being the most puisaunt and most populous nation that wee haue in Christendome Wherefore vpon the blessing of almighty God and of blessed S. Peter which here we send vnto you take courage vnto you The false Dragon resembleth the Pope and the strong Lyon the Turke as well agaynst the false Dragon as the strong Lion that both these that is as well the inward heresyes as the forreigne enemyes by you being ouercome you may purchase to your honours an immortal victory both here and in the world to come This we geue you to vnderstand that whatsoeuer the Lord hath geuen vs to aid you withall either in money or authoritye wee will not fayle to support you herein The false Dragon here seeth that it is time to bestirre hym yea and to bestowe our life also in this holye quarrell and for the health of our sheepe to vs committed Other thinges as touching the matter of Luther we haue committed to this Cheregatus our Legate whom wee haue directed purposelye for the same vnto your assemble whom we wish you to Credite as being our trusty Legate Datum Rom. apud S. Petrum sub anulo piscatoris die .25 Nouemb. ann 1522. pontificatus nostri anno primo ¶ By this letter aboue prefixed thou hast gentle reader to note and vnderstand what eyther wyly perswasions or strength of authoritie could deuise against Luther here not to haue lacked If plausible termes or glosyng sentences or outward facyng and bracyng could haue serued where no ground of scripture is brought this might seeme apparantly a pithie Epistle But if a man should require the particulars or y e specialties of this doctrine which he here reprehendeth to bee examined and tryed by Gods word there is no substaunce in it but onely wordes of office whiche may seeme well to serue for waste paper And yet I thought to exhibite the saide letter vnto thee to the entent that the more thou seest mans strength with all his policie bent against Luther the more thou mayst consider the almightie power of God in defending the cause of this poore man against so mightie enemies Nowe heare further what instructions the sayde Pope Adrian sent to his Legate Cheregatus how and by what reasons to moue and inflame the princes of Germany to the destruction of Luther and his cause and yet was not able to bring it to passe Instructions geuen by Pope Adrian to Cheregatus his Legate touching his proceedings in the diete of Norenberg how and by what persuasions to incense the Princes agaynst Luther IN primis Instructions of the Pope against Luther you shall declare to them the great griefe of our hart for the prospering of Luthers secte to see the innumerable soules redemed with Christs bloud and committed to our pastorall gouernement to be turned away from the true fayth and religion into perdition by this occasion that especially in the nation of Germany being our natiue country which hath bene euer heretofore til these few yeares past most faythfull and deuour in religion therefore our desire to be the greater that this pestilence should be stopped by time least the same happen to that countrey of Germany which happened of late to Bohemia And as for our part * The first cause to stirre men against Luther there shal be no lacke to helpe forward what we may As likewise we desire them to â—ndeuoure them selues to the vttermost of theyr power whom these causes ought to moue which here we direct vnto you to be declared vnto them * The honour of God consisteth principally in honouring Iesus the Sonne of God whom the father hath sent Now examine good reader whether more extoileth the honour of Christ the doctrine of Luther or the doctrine of the Pope Luther sendeth vs onely to christ The Pope sendeth vs to other Patrons and helpers Luthers doctrine tendeth wholy to the glory of Christ the popes doctrine if it be well wayed tendeth to the glory of man Luther cleaueth onely to Scripture The Pope leaneth to the Canons and Councels of men First the honor of God which before all other thinges ought to be preferred whose honor by these heresyes is greatly defaced and his worship not onely diminished but rather whollye corrupted Also the charity toward our neighbor by which charity euery man is bound to reduce his neighbor out of errour otherwise God will requyre at theyr handes all such as by theyr negligence do perish The second cause to moue them agaynst Luther The 2. cause is the infamy of theyr nation whiche being counted before time alwayes most Christian now by these sectaries of Luther is euill spoken of in all other quartes The third cause is the respecte of theyr owne
redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all suche errours abuses offences contemptes enormities whatsoeuer they be which by any maner of spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of almighty God the encrease of vertue in Christes religiō and for the conseruation of y e peace vnitie and tranquility of this realme any vsage custome forreine lawes forreine authoritie prescription or any thing or things to the contrary heereof notwithstanding The Kings Proclamation for the abolishing of the vsurped power of the Pope The kinges proclamatiō against the Pope TRustie and welbeloued we greete you well and where as not onely vpon good and iust and vertuous groundes and respects edified vpon the lawes of holy Scripture by due consultation deliberation aduisement and consent as well of all other our nobles and commons temporall as also spirituall assembled in our high Court of Parliament and by authoritie of the same we haue by good and wholesome lawes and statutes made for thys purpose extirped abolished separated and secluded out of this our Realme the abuses of the Byshop of Rome his authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vsurped as well vpon vs and our Realme as vpon all other Kings and Princes and their Realmes lyke as they themselues haue confessed and affirmed but also for as much as our sayde Nobles and Commons both spirituall and temporall assembled in our high Court of Parliament The stile of supreame head annexed to the crowne of England haue vpon good lawfull and vertuous groundes and for the publicke weale of this our Realme by one whole assent graunted annexed knit and vnited to the Crowne Imperiall of the same the title dignitie and style of supreme head or gouernour in earth immediately vnder God of the Church of England as we be and vndoubtedly haue hetherto bene which title and style both the Byshops and Cleargie of this our Realme haue not only in conuocation assembled consented recognised and approoued lawfully and iustly to apperteyne vnto vs but also by word othe profession and writing vnder their signes and seales haue confessed ratified corroborated and confirmed the same vtterly renouncing all other othes and obedience to any other foreyne Potentates and all foreine iurisdictions and powers as well of the sayd Byshop of Rome as of all other whatsoeuer they be as by their sayd professions and writings corroborated with the subscription of their names and apension of their seales more playnely appeareth We let you witte that calling to our remembrance the power charge and commission geuen vnto vs of Almighty God and vpon a vehement loue and affection toward our louing and faithfull subiectes perceiuing right well what greate rest quietnes and tranquilitie of conscience and manyfold other commodities might insurge and arise vnto them if that the sayde Byshops and other of the Cleargy of this our Realme should set foorth declare and preach to them the true and sincere worde of God and without all maner colour dissimulation and hypocrisie manifest and publish the great and innumerable enormities and abuses which the sayde Byshop of Rome as well in the title and style as also in authoritie and iurisdiction of long time vnlawfully and vniustly hath vsurped vpon vs and our progenitours and also other Christen Princes haue therefore adressed our letters vnto the Byshop of the dioces straightly charging and commaunding him in the same that not onely he in his owne proper person shall declare teach and preach vnto the people forthwith vpon the receat of our sayd letters vnto him directed euery Sonday and other high feastes through the yeare the true meere and sincere word of God and that the same title stile and iurisdiction of supreme head apperteineth only to our Crowne and dignitie Royall likewise as the sayd Byshop and all other the Byshops of our Realme haue by othe affirmed and confirmed by subscription of their names and setting to their seales but also geue warning monition and charge to al maner Abbots Priours Deanes Archdeacons Prouosts Parsons Vicares Curates and all other Ecclesiasticall persons within his sayd diocesse as well to teache preach publish and declare in all maner Churches our foresayde iust title style and iurisdiction euery Sonday and high feast thorough the yeare and further to monish and commaund all other Scholemaysters within his sayd diocesse to instruct and teach the same vnto the children committed vnto them as also to cause all maner prayers orizons rubrickes Canons of Masse bookes and all other bookes in the Churches wherein the sayde Byshop of Rome is named or his presumptuous and proud pompe and authoritie preferred vtterly to be abolished eradicate and rased out and his name and memory to be neuer more except to hys contumely and reproch remembred but perpetually suppressed and obscured and finally to desist and leaue out all such Articles as be in the generall sentence The Popes name and memorye abolished which is vsually accustomed to be read four times in the yeare and do tende to the glory and aduancemēt of the Bishop of Rome his name title and iurisdiction Whereupon we esteeming and reputing you to be of such singular and vehement zeale and affection toward the glory of Almighty God and of so faythfull louing and obedient harte towards vs as ye will not only do and accomplish with all power wisedome diligence and labour whatsoeuer should or might be to the preferment and setting forwarde of Gods worde but also practise studie and endeuour your selfe with all your pollicie wit power and good will to amplifie defend and mayntayne all such interest right title stile iurisdiction and authoritie as is in any wise apertaining vnto vs our dignity prerogatiue crowne imperiall of this our Realme haue thought good expediēt not only to signifie vnto you by these our letters the particularities of the charge monition and commaundement geuen by vs vnto the sayd Byshop as before is specified but also to require and straightly charge and commaund you vpon payne of your allegeance and as ye shall auoyde our high indignation and displeasure at your vttermost perill laieng apart all vayne affections respects or other carnall considerations and setting onely before your eyes the mirror of truth the glory of God the dignitie of your soueraigne Lord and King and the great concord and vnitie and inestimable profite and vtilitie that shal by the due execution of the premisses insue to your selfe and all other faithfull and louing subiectes ye make or cause to be made diligent searche and waite and especially in euery place of youre shirewicke whether the said Bishop do truly sincerely and without all maner cloke colour or dissimulation execute and accomplishe our will and commaundement as is aforesaid And in case ye shall heare perceiue and approuably vnderstand and know that the said Bishop or any other ecclesiasticall person within his dioces do omit and
the cause why he did it not And if he had sayd neuer a word yet thou knowest well what a witty part it is for a man to suspend his iudgemente and not to be too rash in geuing of sentence It is an olde sayd sawe Mary Magdalene profited vs lesse in her quicke beliefe that Christ was risen Wint. wryteth againâ—t the pope with aduised iudgement then Thomas that was longer in doubt A man may rightly call him Fabius that with his aduised taking of leasure restored the matter Albeit I speake not this as though Winchester had not boulted out this matter secretly with hymselfe before hand for he without doubt tried it out long ago but that running faire and softly he woulde firste with his paynefull study plucke the matter out of the darke although of it selfe it was cleare enough but by reason of sondry opinions it was lapped vp in darkenes and then did he debate it wittely too and fro and so at last after long and great deliberation had in the matter because there is no better counseller then leasure anâ— time he would resolutely with his learned and coÌ„summate iudgement confirme it Thou shouldest gentle Reader esteeme his censure and authoritie to be of more weighty credence No newe matter 〈◊〉 write againâ— the Byshop of Rome in as much as the matter was not rashly and at all aduentures but with iudgemente as thou seest and with wisedome examined and discussed And this is no new example to be against the tyrany of the Byshop of Rome seeing that not only this man but many men often times yea and right great learned men afore now haue done the same euen in writing whereby they both painted him out in his right colours and made his sleightes falshoode fraudes and deceiptfull wyles openly knowne to the world Therefore if thou at any time heeretofore haue doubted either of true obedience or of the Kinges Maiesties mariage or title either else of the Bishop of Romes false pretensed supremacy as if thou haddest a good smelling nose and a sound iudgemente I thinke thou diddest not yet hauing read this Oration which if thou fauour the truth and hate the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome and his Sathanicall fraudulente falshode shall doubtles wonderfully content thee forsake thyne errour and acknowledge the truth now freely offered thee at length considering with thy selfe that it is better late so to doo then neuer to repent Fare thou hartily well most gentle Reader Note and not only loue this most valiant King of England of France who vndoubtedly was by the prouideÌ„ce of God borne to defend the Gospell but also honor him and serue him most obediently As for this Winchester who was long ago without doubt reputed among the greatest learned men geue him thy good word wyth highest commendation The end of Byshop Boners Prologue What man reading and aduising this booke of Winchester De vera obedientia The inconstant mutabilitye of Wint. and Boner with Boners Preface before the same would euer haue thought any alteration coulde so worke in mans hart to make these men thus to turne the catte as they say in the panne and to start so sodenly from the truth so manifestly knowne so pithâ—ly proued so vehemently defended and as it seemed so faithfully subscribed If they dissembled all this that they wrote subscribed and sware vnto what periury most execrable was it before God and man If they meant good fayth and spake then as they thought what pestilent blindnes is this so sodenly fallen vpon them to make that false nowe whiche was true before or that to be now true which before was false Thus to say vnsay then to say againe to doe and vndo as a maÌ„ would say to play fast or loose with truth truly a man may say is not the doing of a man whiche is in any case to be trusted whatsoeuer he doth or saith But heere a man may see what man is of himselfe when Gods good humble spirit lacked to be his guide Furthermore to adde vnto them the iudgement also and argumentes of Tonstall Bishop of Duresme let vs see how he agreeth with them or rather much exceedeth The sermon of Tonstall before the king made on Palme Sonday them in his Sermon made before King Henry vpon Palmesonday remayning yet in print In the whiche Sermon disputing against the wrongfull supremacie of the Bishop of Rome he proueth by manifest groundes most effectuously both out of the Scripture auncient Doctors and of Councels not only that the Bishop of Rome hath no such authoritie by the worde of God committed to him as hee doth chalenge but also in requiring chaleÌ„ging the same he reproueth condemneth him with great zeale ardent spirit to be a proude Lucifer disobediente to the ordinarie Powers of God set ouer him contrary to Christ and Peter and finally in raising vp warre against vs for y e same he therefore rebuketh and defieth him as a most detestable sower of discord and murtherer of Christian men FIrst by the scripture he reasoneth thus proueth That popes and Byshops ought to be subiecte to theer soueraigns 1. Pet. 2. that all good meÌ„ ought to obey the potestates Gouernors of y e world as Emperours Kings Princes of all sortes what name soeuer the sayde supreme powers do beare or vse for theyr countreys in whiche they be for so S. Peter doth playnely teach vs 1. Pet. 2. sayeng Be yee subiect to euerye humane creature for Gods cause whether it be Kyng as chiefe head or Dukes or Gouernours c. So that S. Peter in his Epistle commaundeth all worldly Princes in their office to be obeyed as the Ministers of God by all Christian men And according vnto the same S. Paule Ro. 13. saith Let euery liuing man be subiect to the high powers Whosoeuer resisteth the high powers resisteth God The Pope resisteth the highe powers Ergo the Pope resisteth God for the high powers bee of God and who soeuer resisteth the high powers resisteth the ordinaunce of God and purchaseth thereby to himselfe damnation c. And in the same place of Tonstall it foloweth and least men should forget their duetie of obedience to their Princes it is thrise repeated that they be the ministers of God whose place in their gouernance they represent so that vnto them all men must obey Apostles Patriarches Primates Archbyshops Bishops Priestes and all of the Clergy c. And therefore saith he the Bishop of Rome oweth to his seueraigne and superior like subiection by the word of God taught vnto vs by Peter and Paule as other Bishops do to theyr princes vnder whom they be c. Also an other expresse commaundement wee haue of Christ. Luk. 22. who vpon the occasion of his disciples striuing for superiority discusseth the matter saying on thys 〈◊〉 The kinges of the people and nations haue dominion ouer them and those that haue
also conferring with Iohn Frith The causeâ— mouing Tindall to translate the Scripture into the Englishe tongue thought wyth him selfe no way more to conduce therunto then if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar speach that the poore people might also reade and see the simple plaine woord of God For first hee wisely casting in hys minde perceiued by experience how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any truth except the Scripture were so plainly layde before theyr eyes in theyr mother tongue that they myght see the processe order and meaning of the text For els what so euer truth shuld be taught them these enemies of the truth would quenche it againe either wyth apparant reasons of Sophistrie and traditions of their own making founded without all ground of Scripture either els iuggling with the text expouÌ„ding it in such a sense as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order meaning thereof were seene Againe right wel he perceiued and considered this only or most chiefly to be y e cause of all mischief in the church Hiding of Scripture the cause of mischiefe that the Scriptures of God were hidden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doings and idolatries maintained by the Pharisaicall Clergie could not be espied and therefore al theyr labour was wyth might maine to keepe it downe so that eyther it should not be red at all or if it were they would darken the right sense with y e misâ— of theyr Sophistrie and so entangle them whych rebuked or despised theyr abhominations wyth arguments of philosophie and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedom and with wresting the scripturâ— vnto their owne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meanyng of the texte woulde so delude them in descanting vppon it with Allegories and amaze them expounding it in many senses layed before the vnlearned lay people that though thou felt in thy hart were sure that all were false that they said yet couldest not thou solue their subtle ridles For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubt styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue The newe testament and the 5. bookes of Moyses translated with Tindalls prologues for the publicke vtility and profit of the simple vulgar people of the country first setting in hand with the newe Testament whiche he first translated about the yeare of our Lord 1527. After that he tooke in hand to translate the olde Testament finishing the fiue bookes of Moyses with sondry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before euery one most worthy to be read and read againe of all good Christians as the lyke also he did vpon the new Testament Hee wrote also diuers other woorkes vnder sundry titles among the which is that most worthy monument of his intituled The obedience of a Christian man wherin with singulare dexteritie he instructeth all men in the office and duetie of Christian obedience wyth diuers other treatises as The wicked Mammon The practise of Prelates wyth expositions vppon certaine partes of the Scripture and other Bookes also aunswearing to Syr Thom. More and other aduersaries of the truthe no lesse delectable then also most fruitfull to be read which partly before beyng vnknowen vnto many partly also being almost abolished and worne out by time the Printer heereof good Reader for conseruing and restoring such singulare treasures hath collected and set foorth in Print the same in one generall volume all and whole together as also the woorkes of Iohn Frith Barnes and other as are to be seene most special and profitable for thy reading These bookes of W. Tyndal being compiled published sent ouer into England it cannot be spoken what a dore of light they opened to the eies of the whole English nation which before were many yeres shut vp in darkenesse At his first departing out of y e realme he toke his iorny into y e further parts of Germany as into Saxony Tindal weâ—â— into Saxony where he had conference w t Luther and other learned meÌ„ in those quarters Where after y t he had continued a certen season he came down from thence into the netherlands Tindal came to Antwerpe had his most abiding in the town of Antwerp vntil y e time of hys appreheÌ„sioÌ„ wherof more shal be said god willing hereafter Amongst his other bokes which he compiled one work he made also for the declaration of the sacrament as it was then called of the alter the which he kept by him considering how the people were not as yet fully persuaded in other matters tending to superstitious ceremonies grose idolatry Wherefore he thought as yet time was not come to put forth that work but rather that it should hinder the people from other instructions supposing that it woulde seeme to them odious to heare any such thing spoken or set foorth at that time sounding againste their great Goddesse Diana that is againste their Masse being had euery where in great estimation as was the Goddesse Diana amongest the Ephesians whom they thought to come from heauen Wherfore M. Tindall being a man both prudent in his doings and no lesse zealous in the setting foorth of Gods holy truth Tindal bearing with â—yme after such sort as it might take most effect wyth the people did forbeare the putting forth of that work not doubting but by Gods mercifull grace a time shuld come to haue that abhomination openly declared as it is at this present day the Lorde almighty be alwaies praised therefore Amen These godly bookes of Tindall and specially the newe Testament of his translation after that they begaÌ„ to come into mens handes and to spread abroad as they wroughte great and singuler profite to the godly Darckenes hateth light so the vngodly enuying and disdaining that the people should be any thing wiser then they againe fearing least by the shining beames of truth their false hypocrisie workes of darkenesse should be discerned began to stirre with no small ado like as at the birth of Christ Herode al Ierusalem was troubled with him Sathan an enemye to all good purposes especially to the Gospell But especially Sathan the prince of darkenes maligning y e happy course and successe of the Gospel set to his might also how to empeache and hinder y e blessed trauailes of that man as by this and also by sondry other wayes may appeare For at what time Tindall had translated the fift booke of Moises called Deuteronomium minding to Printe the same at Hamborough hee sailed thereward where by the way vpon the coast of Holland he suffred shipwracke by the which he loste all his bookes wrytings and copies and so was compelled to begin al againe a new to his hinderaÌ„ce and doubling of his labors Thus hauing lost by that ship both money his copies and time he
by his graces authority not only vpon the paines therein expressed but also in your default now after this second monition continued vppon further punishment to be straightly extended towardes you by the Kings highnes arbitrement or his vicegerent aforesayde Item that ye shall prouide on this side the feast of N. next comming For the Bible to be set vp in Churches one booke of the whole Byble of the largest volume in English and the same set vp in some conuenieÌ„t place within the said Church that ye haue cure of whereas your parishioners may most coÌ„modiously resorte to y e same read it The charges of which booke shal be ratably borne betwene you the parson and parishoners aforesaid that is to say the one halfe by you the other halfe by theÌ„ Item that yee shall discourage no man priuely nor apertly from the reading or hearing of the sayd Bible but shal expresly prouoke stirre exhort euery person to reade the same as that which is y e very liuely word of God that euery Christen persons is bounden to embrace beleeue folow if he looke to be saued admonishing them neuerthelesse to auoyde all contention and alteration therein and to vse an honest sobrietie in the inquisition of the true sence of the same and to referre the explication of the obscure places to men of higher iudgement in scripture Item that ye shall euery sonday and holyday through the yeare openly plainly recite to your parishners twise or thrise together or oftner if neede require one Article or sentence of the Pater noster or Creede in Englishe to the enteÌ„t they may learne y e same by hart The Lordes praier to be learned in Englishe so froÌ„ day to day to geue theÌ„ one like lesson or senteÌ„ce of the same till they haue learned the whole Pater noster and Creede in Englishe by rote and as they be taught euery sentence of the same by rote ye shall expound declare the vnderstaÌ„ding of y e same vnto them exhorting al parents and housholders to teach their children and seruants the same as they are bound in conscience to do and that done ye shall declare vnto them the tenne commandements one by one euery sonday and holyday till they be likewise perfect in the same Item that ye shall in confessions euery Lent examine euery person that commeth to confession to you Sermons quarterly to be made whether they can recite the Articles of our faith and the Pater noster in Englishe and heare them say the same particularly wherein if they be not perfect ye shall declare to them that euery Christen person ought to know the same before they should receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Alter and monish them to learne the same more perfectly by the nexte yeare folowing or else like as they ought not to presume to come to Gods boord without perfect knowledge of the same and if they do it is to the great perill of their soules so ye shall declare vnto them that yee looke for other Iniunctions from the Kings highnes by that time to stay and repeale all such from Gods boord as shall be founde ignoraunt in the premisses wherefore do ye thus admonish them to the entent they should both eschue the perill of their soules and also the worldly rebuke that they might incurre heereafter by the same Item that ye shall make or cause to be made in the sayd Church and euery other cure ye haue one Sermon euery quarter of a yeare at the least wherein ye shall purely and sincerely declare the very Gospell of Christ and in y e same exhort your hearers to the workes of charitie mercy and faith specially prescribed and commaunded in scripture not to repose their trust or affiance in other workes deuised by mens fantasies besides scripture as in wandering to Pilgrimages offering of money candles or tapers to fained Reliques or Images or kissing or licking the same saieng ouer a number of beades not vnderstanded ne minded on or such like superstition for the doyng whereof ye not onely haue no promise of reward in Scripture but coÌ„trariwise great threats and maledictioÌ„s of God as things tending to Idolatrie and superstition whiche of all other offences God almighty doth most detest and abhorre for that the same diminisheth most his honour and glory Item that suche fayned Images as ye knowe in any of your cures to be so abused with Pilgrimages or oâ—â—erings of any thing made thereunto ye shall for auoiding of that most detestable offence of Idolatry Images pâ—led downe forthwith take downe without delay and shal suffer from henceforth no candles tapers or Images of waxe to be set afore any Image or picture but only the light that commonly goeth acrosse the Church by the roodeloft the light afore the Sacrament of the Altar and the light about the sepulchre whiche for the adorning of the Church and diuine seruice yee shall suffer to remayne still admonishing youre parishners that Images serue for none other purpose but as the bookes of vnlearned men that can no letters wherby they might be admonished of the liues and conuersation of them that the saide Images do represent Which Images if they abuse for any other inteÌ„t then for such remembrances they coÌ„mit Idolatrie in the same to the great danger of their soules and therfore the Kings highnes graciously tendering the weale of his subiects soules hath in part already more will hereafter trauaile for the abolishing of such Images as might bee occasion of so greate offence to God and so great a daunger to the soules of his louing subiects Item that in all suche benefices or cures as yee haue whereupon ye be not your self resident yee shall appoynte such Curates in your stead as both can by habilitie Good ministers to be placed will also promptly execute these iniunctions and do their duty otherwise that ye are bounden to do in euery behalfe accordingly and profite their cure no lesse with good example of liuing then with declaration of the word of God or else their lacke and defaults shall be imputed vnto you who shall straightly aunswer for the same if they do otherwise Item that you shall admit no man to preach within anye of your benefices or cures but suche as shall appeare vnto you to be sufficiently licenced therunto by the Kings highnes or his graces authority or the bishop of y e dioces and such as shal be so licenced ye shal gladly receiue to declare y e word of God without any resistance or coÌ„tradictioÌ„ Item if ye haue heretofore declared to your parishners any thing to y e extolling setting forth of pilgrimages Pilgrymage Images abandoned to fained reliques or images or any such superstitioÌ„ ye shall now openly afore the same recant reproue y e same shewing them as the truth is that you dyd the same vpon no ground of Scripture but as being led
doth agaynst the Christ our great high vniuersall Byshop least thou excommunicate and strike him least thou shew thy wrath and iudgement agaynst him and vtterly extinct his pride and ambitious pretensed authority For thou wilt be knowne thou wilt be knowne to be God And thou art and wilt be our great vniuersall and supreme Byshop what so euer the bishop of Rome shall attempt to the contrary The stroke 〈◊〉 God is slow but 〈◊〉 and thou wilt punishe his worldly arrogancy and strike when thou seest thy time And though it be long ere thou strike yet let him beware for strike thou wilt if thou be vtterly prouoked And when thou doest strike thy stroke is great thy stroke is dreadfull and sore It vanquisheth the body it slayeth the soule it damneth both Beware therfore thou Bishop of Rome and be coÌ„tent with thine owne dioces with thine owne charge as other Byshops are with theyrs â—he Popes power stretcheth no â—ther then 〈◊〉 owne dioces For further then thine owne dioces thy iurisdiction doth not stretch A maruellous blindness in thee therefore to take vpon thee to aunswere for all the world and art not able to aunswere our great Bishop Christ for thy selfe at the dreadfull day of iudgemeÌ„t when he shall aske but these few questions of thee Quomodo intrasti Quomodo rexisti Quomodo vixisti Quomodo pauisti Quae qualia exempla dedisti Quid ad meam gloriam fecisti huiusmodi â—uestions to be asked the Pope in the last â—â—dgemente How diddest thou enter into the Bishopricke by me or by the world vnlawfully or lawfully by Symony or freely by labour by paction or called God Howe diddest thou rule thy cure thy dioces Diddest thou pray for thy people Diddest thou preach me to thy diocesans diddest thou geue them ghostly and bodely foode diddest thou minister spirituall and ghostly salues the Sacramentes I meane to heale the sores of theyr soules How didst thou liue Didst thou cast away the care the glory poÌ„pe of the world Nay rather Ghostly â—â—ctrine 〈◊〉 should 〈◊〉 Didst thou folow me in humility in charity in coÌ„passion in pouerty in cleanes in chast liuing How diddest thou gouerne thy diocesans Diddest not thou make of all things that thou diddest meddle with a money matter in selling that which was not in thee to sel nor geue which thou calledst thy pardons The Pope maketh all thinges a 〈…〉 thy commissions thy breeues thy delegacies reseruations exemptions appellations bulles and dispeÌ„sations Diddest not thou vnder these pretenses and like other doings deceiue the world What answere shalt thou make to this at that day to our and thy great Byshop Christ when he shall visite thee and all thy dioces me and all my dioces yea when he shall visite all the world What aunswere shalt thou then make I think verely thou shalt then haue enough to do yea and more theÌ„ thou canst winde thy selfe out of to make aunswere for thy selfe for thine owne dioces and for thine owne diocesans though thou vsurpe not vpon other mens as thou doest The Apostle writeth of Christ humbly 〈◊〉 â—aximus calleth him Magnum pontificem the great bishop And he of Rome is not with this word contented but wil haue a higher word for him selfe in the superlatiue degree Maximum pontificem Magnum The greatest Bishop Oh where is the humblenesse and meekenesse that should be in him Alas he that taketh on him to teach all the world how can he for shame suffer such blasphemous words to passe in his name to his great shame and rebuke â—he Popes â—â—de will â—â—ue a fall to the great daunger of his soule and to the perilous ensample vnto other Oh sie vpon pride it is a common prouerb pride will haue a fall Our bishop Christ was Humilis meeke lowly humble in hart â—â—milis He rode not vpon any palfray nor couragious horse but vp on an Asse and that but once He neuer was borne pompously abroad in a chayre vppoÌ„ mens shoulders He neuer profered hys foote to any body to kisse We read that he washed the feete of his Disciples and wyped theÌ„ Iohn 13. We read that Mary Magdalene profered to haue kissed his feete but he did prohibite her sayiâ—g Noli me tangere Touch me not He would not suffer the woman theÌ„ to touch him He neuer had garde to defend him Math. 20. He neuer followed the poÌ„pe of the world He disdained not to go vpon the grouÌ„d with his bare feet What shall I say The humility of Christ. He gaue ensamples enough to the Bishop of Rome to me and all Bishops to be meek and humble he to know himselfe and we our selues as if he and we diligently looke in scripture we shall finde And herein in meeknes we are bound to folow him Compatiens Compatiens infirmitatibus This Byshop Christ had compassion of our infirmities of our fraylties It is impossible for a man to know the afflictions of the miserable person that neuer suffered him selfe affliction that neuer had experience of paynes that neuer felt what payne menâ— But this byshop Christ had experieÌ„ce of our nature how weake how feeble the nature of man is Christ full of compassion howe weake of himselfe to doe any good worke without the helpe of God how feeble to resiste temptations Hee suffered and felte the infirmities and paynes of this naturall body He hath therefore compassion vpon man when he doth see him fall He sorroweth his ruine teaching Bishops in especial afore all other to haue copassion and pity vpon the sinner to helpe him spiritually to coÌ„fort him ghostly to helpe him to arise from sinne to allure him to penance to draw him to vertue to make him know God to feare his iustice to loue his lawes and thus to seeke all the wayes he and we can to saue the sinners soule for whom he shall make aunswere to God for his owne diocesans soule for soule Heb. 5. bloud for bloud payne for payne hell for hell damnation for damnation For which soule Luke 23. our great Bishop Christ as the Apostle doth witnesse did offer giftes and sacrifice himselfe hauing compassiâ—n of theÌ„ that by ignorance and by errour did sin offend God Euen when he was his greatest agony vpon the crosse he cryed to his father forgeue them father forgeue theÌ„ they know not what they do they are ignoraunt people they know not what is what nor what danger they runne into by this entreating me They know not theyr offences forgeue them Father forgeue them In this compassion we ought also to follow our great Byshoppe Christ. Pontifex appellatus It followeth in the former letter Est Pontifex appellatus à Deo He is a Byshop and so named of God He is the very Byshop He offered vppe the very sacrifice the sacrifice of his owne most blessed body and bloud whereby the sinne of
me For he hath sold away al that euer he hath that surely entendeth for the loue of Christ to helpe the poore with all that he may Voluntas reputatur pro facto The will is accepted for the deed as is sayd commonly And this saying both of Iames and also of the Euangelist I think verely belongeth to al christen men that they should performe it none except neyther lay man ne women as we vse to say but to them as well as to any whom we call religious As coÌ„cerning y e reliques tombes of saints I haue said vnto your Lordship afore what I do thinke of the milke of our Lady Reliques and Tombes of Saintes Our Ladyes milke The bloud of Hayles y e bloud which they say is at Hailes Norwich other places w t such other wherof I trust you doe know what ought to be done And I besech god you may do ther in as your office doth require so shewing example vnto other prelates to follow your Lordship in good doing as is comely for a primate to do remembring alway as Paule sayth the time is short and therefore it were good to set to hand in time Finally holy Moyses when he died would be so buried that no man should know which was his graue as it is witnessed in the booke of Deuteronomy Moyses Tombe vnknowen that as the expositors testify was because y e Iewes which were prone to new faÌ„gled worshipping should not fall into Idolatry worshipping him as God for the great and manifold myracles that were wrought by him while he was aliue To thinke Pilgrimage to be meritorious is no poynte of our beliefe To conclude I say it is no poynt of my belief to think that oblations and pilgrimages at saintes graues and reliques are meritorious works ne yet that there is any deuotioÌ„ in so doing That is godly which is institute by scripture If you thinke contrary I would desire to know for mine instruction what part of scripture should make therfore agaynst me ¶ In the xvij where you doe aske whether the fast of lent and other appoynted by the common law Answere to the 17. 〈◊〉 and receaued in common vsage of Christen people vnlesse necessity otherwise requireth are to be obserued I saye that in mine opinion they are to be obserued and fastyng discretly done is commendable for so shall a man auoyde slouth be the more ready to serue God and also his neighbours therby tame the rebellioÌ„ of carnal concupiscence according to the saying of the Poet The saying of Hierome Sine cerere baccho friget venus Without wine good fare lust waxeth colde And as saynt Hierome Venter mero estuans spumat in libidinem The body enflamed with wine bursteth out into lust Yet shall not the breaking of these feastes make a man to do deadly sinne Fast broâ—â—â— is of it selfe no sinne except in his minde be some other malicious affection therwith annexed as rashnes of minde despite or such like for so much as no positiue law of man made without foundation of scripture may binde any person so that in breaking of such No profitâ—â—â— law without the foundatioÌ„ of Scripture bindeth to deadly sinne he shall therfore sinne deadly And of this sort made by man is the fast of lent and other dayes ordeined in your lawes without authoritye of scripture which willeth vs to fast perpetually eating and drinking but when neede requireth not for any voluptuousnes as many that recounteth themselues great fasters I feare haue done yea and that sparely forseeing alwaye that our Romackes be neuer cloied with dronkenshippe or surfeiting as is commaunded by our Sauior in Luke but contrariwise How to 〈◊〉 truely after the Scripture after the fashion rather of a certayne Prince that is mentioned I trow in Valerius Maximus that neuer rose from his meales meat with a full stomacke but rather somewhat empty or hungry which as the story testifieth caused him to liue so wonderfull a long season that a mâ—n could vnneth thinke it possible for ones life to be so prolonged had not such a notable author reported it And to tell the trueth I suppose the prelates shoulde better haue perswaded the people to pure fasting by instaÌ„t preaching of the word of God and fatherly exhortations Fasting rather to be perswaded theÌ„ enforced then by ordeining of so sore a multitude of lawes and constitutions For the nature of man is well described of Horace saying Nitimur in vetitum seÌ„per cupimusque negata Looke what is forbid that we most desire and alwayes couet the things that be denyed vs. And in an other prouerbe Funis plus aequo teÌ„sus rumpitur The rope by ouermuch straining bursteth a sonder According to this sayd a good olde father in Cambridge I remeÌ„ber his saying well yet He was an old Doct. of diuinity WheÌ„ a Legate came into England at a time he with certayne Bishops had ordeined that the dedication of al churches through England as I remember should be kept holy solemnized vpon one day Church holy dayes solemnised in England and priestes should haue their gownes made close before with such other like ordinances he resisted not condesceÌ„ding to haue theÌ„ put in executioÌ„ wheÌ„ his Diocesane required him Gownes sowed before declaring howe this multitude of lawes pleased him not For we had enough aboundantly afore adding this reason Adam being in Paradise had but one law to obserue Multitude of lawes and yet he brake it what other thing then shall this multitude do quoth he but multiply transgression For when a Fagot is bound ouer strait the bond must breake God therfore I besech him send vs of the sweet dew of his heauenly doctrine Multitude of lawes vnprofitable to moysten and supple the earthlye grouÌ„d of our hartes that we may grow like fashioned vnto him putting apart our old Adam with all his dissimulation and paynted shew that is much caused by humaine lawes and constitutions and do vpon Christ that is y e very truth and the way directing men to the same Amen ¶ Unto the xviij where you aske Answere to the 18. arti whether it be laudable and profitable that worshipfull Images be set in churches for the remembraunce of Christ and his sayntes I say Against Images Psal. â—7 that I know of no images that ought to be worshipped specially made by the hand of men for the Psal. sayth Confusion or shame be vpon them that worshippe or make obeysance vnto carued Images that glory in theyr pictures Moreouer S. Augustine in his book de vera religione sayth thus Let vs not haue deuotion in worshipping the workes of men or els thus Images not to be worshipped let vs not be bound to worship the workes of men for the workemen are more excellent then the thinges which they make whom notw tstanding we ought not to worship The latin is
wyth mouth crushed 〈◊〉 53. yea and deuided in pieces wyth hard or soft pressing of the teeth and that as hee was brused vppon the crosse according to the Prophete saying Hee was brused for our iniquities c. so the same body for the health of the faithfull may deuoutly be torne and rent with theyr teethe any thynge to the contrary notwythstanding c. Guimund lib. Sacrament fol. 30. Iudge now all good studious readers what is to be thought of this kinde of doctrine and howe thys opinion cohereth with the infallible voyce of Gods worde saying Exod. And of him ye shall not breake a bone c. Thys rude and mishapen doctrine of these Monkes concerning transubstantiation as ye haue heard wheÌ„ and by whome it began first to be broached so if ye would now know by what learning and scriptures they did confirme and establish the same ye must here thinke and vnderstaÌ„d howe their chiefest groundes and substaunce to perswade the people was at this time certain myracles by them forged and published both in theyr wrytings and preachings whereof one was the same of Odo aboue recited whyche Osberne or some other monkish Legend inuented of him howe he shoulde shewe vnto certaine the host turned into the likenesse of flesh and bloude droppinge into the chalice for the conuersion of those clearkes whiche before woulde not beleeue it An other like miracle is also told by the sayde Osberne of Dunstane in this order how the sayd Dunstane appeared to a certaine lame crepill in the nyght willing hym to resort vnto his tombe to haue hys limmes again restored Which crepil according as he was willed after he had ther continued praying for health a loÌ„g time and could not obtaine began to returne home againe after long tarying An 〈…〉 proue 〈…〉 w tout all hope of recouery To whom the sayd Dunstane appearing againe by the way asked from whence hee came and whether he woulde The crepill answearing declared how he came thether vppon hope of health where hee had long taryed and because he could finde no recouerie therfore he nowe was returning home To whome then sayde Dunstane I am sayeth he Dunstane the fellowe seruant of all Gods seruants and haue bene occupied with certain necessary busines for the which I could not be present ther with my children For Elfrike sayde hee otherwise surnamed Bata hathe attempted to disherite my churche but I haue so stopped him that he could not preuaile Many other fabulous miracles of the like stampe are rife in popish stories counterfayted forged vnder diuers and sondry names some referred to Gregory some to Paschasius and to other moe whiche to recite all would fill a whole sea full of lyes fables Among many one is thus inuented of Paschasius There was a Priest sayth hee of Almain named Plegildus who did see and handle wyth his hands visibly the shape of a childe vpon the aulter so after he had imbraced and kissed him it returned againe to the likenes of bread as hee shoulde come to the receiuing therof This miracle when it was obiected against BereÌ„garius he merely deriding the blinde fable aunswered in these wordes Speciosa inquit pax nebulonis vt cui oris praeberet basium eo dentium in ferret exitium That is A goodly peace quoth he of a false verlet that whoÌ„ he before kissed with his mouth by by he goeth about to teare him with â—is teeth An other miracle is reported of a Iew body who vpon a time entring into the Churche with an other Christian lad which was his play fellow saw vppon the altar a little childe broken torne in peeces and afterward by portions to be distributed among the people Which sight when the young Iew comming home had told vnto his father to be true and certayne hee was for the same condemned to be burned Thus he being inclosed in a house and the dore fast where he should be burned he was founde and taken out from thence by the Christians not onely aliue but also hauing not one heare of his heade blemished w t the flames about him Who then being of the Christians demaunded howe he was so preserued from the burning fire there appeared sayd he to me a beutiful woman sitting on a chair whose sonne the childe was which was before deuided distributed in the Church among the people who reached to me her hand in the burning flame and wyth her gowne skirtes kepte the flame from mee so that I was preserued thereby from pearishing c. Belike these Monkes lacked miracles among the Christians when they were faine to borow such figmentes of the Iewes to prooue their fayned transubstantiation And these commonly were then the argumeÌ„ts of these Monkes wherwith they perswaded the people to beleeue their transubstantiation But to leaue these monkes fictions to returne againe to Berengarius thus Malmesbury of him reporteth that after he had once or twise recaÌ„ted as is aforesayde yet notwythstanding this doctrine of the Sacrament still remained in the minde of his hearers And how so euer the tiraÌ„ny of the Pope did driue him thorough feare to denye his opinion and wrought him much trouble yet notwithstanding after hys death he lacked not his well willers In the number of whom was Hildebertus Bishop Cenomanensis whose verses in commendation of his master I thought here not vnworthy to be preserued being otherwise rare peraduenture to be founde in our storie wryters Verses in praise of Berengarius QVem modo miratur semper mirabitur orbis Verses in commendation of Berengarius Ille Berengarius non obiturus obit Quem sacrae fidei fastigia summa tenentem Tandem extrema dies abstulit ausa nefas Illa dies damnosa dies perfida mundo Qua dolor rerum summa ruina fuit Qua status ecclesiae qua spes qua gloria cleri Qua cultor iuris iurè ruente ruit Quicquid Philosophi quicquid cecinere Poetae Ingenio cessit eloquioquè suo Sanctior maior sapientia maius adorta Impleuit sacrum pectus ora Deo Pectus eam voluit vox protulit actio prompsit Singula factori sic studuere suo Vir sacer sapiens cui nomen crescit in horas Quo minor est quisquis maximus est hominum Qui census peperit paucos seruauit honores Cui potior pauper diuite iusue lucro Cui nec desidiam nec luxum res dedit ampla Nec tumidum fecit multus altus honos Qui nec ad argentum nec ad aurum lumina flexit Sed doluit quoties cui daret haec aberat Qui non cessauit inopum fulcire ruinas Donec inops dando pauper ipse fuit Cuius cura sequi naturam legibus vti Et mentem vitijs ora negare dolis Virtutes opibus verum praeponere falso Nil vacuum sensu dicere vel facere Laedere nec
definition of a Sacrament it is an easye thing to iudge of the number of those Sacraments which haue the manifest word of God and be institute by Christ to signify vnto vs the remission of our sinnes S. Augustine sayth that there be but two such Sacramentes in the cxviij Epistle to Ianuarius His wordes be these August ad 〈◊〉 Epist. 118. First I would haue thee to vnderstand the summe and effect of this disputation which is this that our Lord Iesus Christ as he he himselfe sayth in the Gospell hath ladeÌ„ vs but with a light and easy yoke or burden Wherefoâ—e he hath knit together the felowship of his new people with Sacraments Christes Church charged but with few 〈◊〉 Sacramentes very few in nuÌ„ber very easy to be kept very excellent in signification which be Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord and such other if there be any moe commaunded in the holye Scripture those excepte which were burdens for the seruitude of the people in the olde law for the hardnes of theyr hartes c. And agayne in the iij. book of the learning of a Christian man August de Doctrina Christiana lib. 3. he sayth The Scripture hath taught vs but few signes as be the Sacrament of Baptisme and the solemne celebration and remembraunce of the body and bloud of the Lord. c. Then the Bishop of London which could scarsly refrayne himselfe all this while and now could forbeare no longer Stokesly replyeth agaynst Alesius brake out in this maner First of al saith he where you alledge that all the SacrameÌ„ts which are in y e church instituted by Christ himselfe haue eyther some manyfest ground in the Scriptures or ought to shew forth some signification of remission of sinnes it is false and not to be allowed Then sayd Alesius that he would proue it not only by manifest authority of scriptures but also by euident testimonies of auncient Doctors and scholewriters Foâ—e Bishop of Herford speaketh But the Bishop of Herford which was then lately returned out of Germany where he had bene Ambassadour for the king to the Protestantes being moued with the bishop of Londons frowardnes turning himselfe first to Alexander Alesius Doctours not to be stickt vnto in matters of â—aith for that they vary in theÌ„ selues willed him not to contend with the Byshop in such maner by the testimonies of Doctors schole men forsomuch as they doe not all agree in like matters neither are they stedfast among themselues in all poyntes but do vary and in many poyntes are vtterly repugnant Wherfore if this disputation shal be decided by their minds and verdites there shal be nothing established neither shal appeare any way of agrement to follow Furthermore we be coÌ„maunded by the king that these controuersies should be determined onely by the rule and iudgement of y e scripture This he spake vnto Alesius Then he turning himselfe vnto the Bishops likewise admonished them with a graue and sharpe Oration which we thought not good to omit in this place Thinke ye not sayd he that we can by any Sophisticall subtilties steale out of the world agayne The OratioÌ„ of Foxe Bishop of Herford vnto the Bishops the light which euery man doth see Christ hath so lightned the worlde at this time that the light of the Gospell hath put to flight all misty darckenesse and it wil shortly haue the higher hand of all clouds though we resist in vayn neuer so much The lay people do now know the holy scripture better then many of vs. The Gospell shining in all places And the Germanes haue made the text of the Bible so playne and easye by the Hebrue and Greeke tongue that now many thinges may be better vnderstand without any gloses at all then by all the commentaries of the Doctours The faithful diligence of the Germaâ—nes in translating the Bible And moreouer they haue so opened these controuersyes by theyr writinges that women and children may wonder at the blindnesse and falsehood that hath bene hitherto Wherefore ye must consider earnestly what ye will determine of these controuersies that ye make not your selues to be mocked and laughed to scorne of al the world and that ye bring them not to haue this opinion of you The world now able to iudge vpon errours to thinke euer more hereafter that ye haue neyther one sparke of learning nor yet of godlines in you And thus shall ye loose all your estimation and authority with them which before tooke you for learned men and profitable members vnto the common wealth of Christendome For that whiche you doe hope vpon that there was neuer heresy in the Church so great but that processe of time with the power and authority of the Pope hath quenched it It is a vaine hope to trust vpon the Popes â—uthoritye it is nothing to the purpose But ye must turne your opinion and thinke this surely that there is nothing so feeble and weake so that it be true but it shall finde place and be able to stand agaynst all falshood Truth is the daughter of time time is the mother of trueth And whatsoeuer is besieged of truth Truth will come out oâ—â—ast cannot long continue and vpon whose side truth doth stand that ought not to be thought traÌ„sitory or that it will euer fall Truth daughter of time All things coÌ„sist not in paynted eloquence and strength or authority For the trueth is of so great power strength efficacy that it can neither be defended wyth wordes not to be ouercome with any strength The nature of truth but after she hath hidden her selfe long at length she putteth vp her head and appeareth as it is written in Esdras A king is strong wine is stronger yet women be more strong but truth excelleth all 3. Esd. 4. To this effect in a maner much more did he speake and vtter in that conuocation both copiously and discretly Through whose Oration Alesius being encouraged proceded further to vrge the Bishop with this argument * The Argument in forme Ba Sacramentes beÌ„ seales ascerteyning vs of Gods good wil Sacramentes beÌ„ seales certyfâ—ing vs of Gods good will ro Without the word there is no certaynty of Gods good will co Ergo without the word there be no Sacraments The first part of this reason is S. Paules owne saying the fourth to the Romanes where he sayth That circumcision is a token and a seale of the righteousnes of fayth Ergo it requireth faith to certify mans hart of the will of god Rom. 4. But the word of God is the foundation of fayth as Saint Paule witnesseth Rom. 10. Fayth commeth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God The word is the ground of faith Rom. 10. For the minde must be taught instructed to y e will of God by the word like as the eye is taught and instructed by the
as theyr hed and superior and in that he doth obey them taketh vpon him the office or ministery committed vnto him he confesseth thereby that he hath a societie and fellowship w t them but no rule nor impery ouer them as he writeth in his epistle Peter hath 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 apostles 〈◊〉 no rule 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—stles But if none of these examples were euident or manifest the onely epistle to the Galathians were sufficieÌ„t to put vs out of all doubt where as S. Paule almost thoroughout two whole chapters doth nothing els but declare and affirme himselfe to be equall vnto Peter in the honour or dignitie of the Apostleship For first of all he reherseth how he went vp to Ierusalem vnto Peter not to the intent to professe any homage and subiection vnto him but onely to witnesse with a common consent and agreement vnto all men the doctrine which they taught that Peter did require no such things at his hand but gaue vnto him the right side or vpper hand of the fellowship that they might iointly together labour in the vineyard of the Lord. 〈◊〉 equal 〈◊〉 Peter Moreouer that he had no lesse fauour and grace amongst the Gentils then Peter had amongst the Iewes and finally when as Peter did not faithfully execute hys office and ministerie he was by him rebuked Peter became obedient vnto his correction All these things do euidently proue that there was equalitie betweene Paule and Peter and also that Peter had no more power ouer the residue of the Apostles then he had ouer Paule The which thing S. Paule euen of purpose doth intreat of lest that any man should preferre Peter or Iohn before hym in the office of Apostleship which were but his companions not Lordes ouer one a other WherupoÌ„ theâ—â— places of scripture work this effect y t I cannot acknowledge Peter to be superior or hed ouer other Apostles neyther y e Pope over other bishops But I acknowledge confesse Christ to be the only head of the church the foundation and high priest therof the which with one only oblation hath made perfect for euermore all those which are sanctified Christ the onely â—ead of the Church And I boldly doe affirme and say with S. Gregory that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or desireth to be named or called the head or vniuersal priest or bishop in that his pride he is the forerider or predecessor of Antichrist for so much as thorough his pride he doth exalt himselfe aboue all others Furthermore where as they alledge out of the olde law the high priesthood and the supreme iudgemeÌ„t which God did institute and ordaine at Ierusalem I aunswer therunto that Christ was that high bishop Vniuersall Byshop spoken agaynst by Gregory vnto whome the right and title of priesthood is now transported and referred Neither is there any man so impudent which will take vpon hym to succeed in the place or degree of hys honour For so much as this priesthood doth not consist only in learnyng but in the propitiation and mercy of God The highe priesthood in the olde lawe 〈◊〉 not proue Peter or the Popes supremacye which Christ hath fulfilled by his death and in the intercession by the which he doth nâ—w intreat for vs vnto hys father Whereas also they do alledge out of the 16. chapter of Mathew thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. If they do thinke that this was perticularly spoken vnto Peter S. Cyprian and S. Augustine shall sufficiently aunswere them that Christ did it not for this purpose to preferre one man aboue all the residue but that thereby he might commend and set forth the vnitie of the church for so â—ayth S. Cyprian in the person of one man The place of Mathew thou aâ—te Peter and vpon this rocke Math. 16. expounded God gaue vnto him al the kayes that he might therby signify the vnity of theÌ„ all For euen as Peter was euen the very same were all the residue beyng endued with like fellowship of honour and dignity But it was conuenient that it should take his originall of one that the church of God might be manifested to be one only Saint Augustines wordes are these Cypriane if the mistery of the church were not in Peter the Lorde would not haue sayde vnto hym I wyll geue vnto thee y e kaies of the kingdome of heauen If this were spoken vnto Peter the church hath them not If the Church haue them Then Peter when he receyued the kayes did figurate the whole church Agayne when as they were all demaunded and asked only Peter answered Thou art Christ. Then was it sayd vnto him I will geue vnto thee the kaies as though that he alone had receyued the power of bindyng and loosing for like as he alone spake that for them all Augustine so he as it were bearing the person of that vnity receiued the same with them all Therfore one for them all because he is vnited vnto them all Another argument they doe gather vppon the wordes which Christ spake vnto Peter Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke will I builde my church The which wordes are not found to be spoken vnto any other of the apostles The which argument shal easily be dissolued if we did vnderstand know why Christ did geue Peter that name which otherwise was called Simon In the first chapter of Iohn Christ speaketh thus vnto hym Thou shalt be called Cephas the which by interpretation signifieth Peter in that point hauing respect vnto the constant confession of Christ which he had made lyke as God changed the name of Abraham who at the first was called Abram because he should be a father of many nations then euen as Abraham took his name of y e multitude which should come forth of his seede so likewyse Peter tooke his name of the constaunt confession of Christ which in deed is the true rocke wherupon y e church is builded and not Peter himselfe No otherwise then Abraham which was not the multitude it selfe whereof he tooke his name Besides this the church should be stayed or builded vpon ouer weak a foundation if it should haue Peter for the ground or foundation thereof who beyng amased and ouercome with the words of a little wench did so constantly deny Christ. Nowe therfore I thinke there is no man but that doth vnderstand how these Romishe builders do wrest the scriptures hether and thether like vnto the rule or squire do apply them accordyng to their wils to what end and vse they theÌ„selues thinke good Furthermore in that they doe alledge out of the xx chapiter of Iohn feede my sheepe it is ouer childish and argument for to sheepe is not to beare rule and dominion ouer the whole Church besides all this as Peter had receiued coÌ„maundement of the Lord An other obiection papisticall resolued so doth he exhort all other Bishops to feed their flocke in
and dutie of all Subiectes generallye to theyr Kyngs and speciallye of subiectes of thys Realme to the Kyngs Maiestie that nowe is whose minoritie to all people of thys Realme is more then manifest If ye did be 〈◊〉 it why did ye not fully approue and declare the same to the people and is euidently also knowne to all the whole world beside And also dyd then declare the daunger and perill of Rebellion of Subiectes agaynste the hygh powers and also speciallye of the Rebellion late committed by them of Deuonshyre Cornewall Northfolke and elsewhere agaynste the Kyngs Maiestie that nowe is whyche I woulde not haue doone except I both had beleeued that all the Kynges Subiectes without exception were bounde to obey the Kings Maiestie euen as he now is was and shall bee during hys lyfe whyche our Lorde long preserue to all our comfortes and wealth and also that the Rebellion of late so committed agaynste hys Maiestie was damnable and vtterlye detestable and condemned by Gods Lawe and heerein I referre mee to the indifferente hearers of thys my Sermon wyshyng that thys Latymer and Hooper wyth all the reste of these nowe Preachers dyd meane as faythfullye truely obedientlye and catholikely as I alwayes haue done towarde the Kyngs maiestie his honour authoritie ryall power and suretye of his person and realme and did not moue encourage and stirre the kinges maiesties subiectes to sedition tumulte and inobedience by their erroneous doctrine and teaching then I did at any time encourage or stirre any of them in any wise or geue occasion vnto anye of the same .ix. Item where the sayd William Latimer and Iohn Hooper do falsly surmise in their pretensed denunciation that it was of no light ground looked for that I the sayde Byshop of London should more apertly haue declared y e Iniunctions and articles aforesayd and that it did so appeare vnto their iudgementes I do saye that their iudgements are corrupted and onely set to sclaunder and pickyng of quarrells in this behalfe being well assured and so credibly informed that all the worshipfull and honest Catholicke persons of my sayd audience were fully satisfyed both as touching obedience to the kings maiestie in his tender age and minoritie Ergo by yoâ—â— owne confessioÌ„ it appeareth that these iniunctions were geueÌ„ you by my L. Protectors owne mouth though not with his owne handes which article you will not graunt and also touching the penaltie and great perill of punishmentes for the rebellion so lately committed against his sayd maiestie by the foresaid rebels And moreouer I do saie that before my Lorde Protectors grace and the rest of the kinges maiesties most honorable counsell then present I made my excuse and alledged many impedimentes for my not preaching at the crosse and did not further promise but do the best I coulde whiche of my fedelitie and conscience I did not omitting any thyng of purpose or euill will that might be to the satisfaction of all people both good and bad in euery condition poynt specially in this behalfe collecting and gathering together with all dilligent study all that might make in my iudgement and opinion for the better setting forth of the same Wherein first he alleaged or rather shamelesse slaunderously cauilled that those his denouncers were vile infamed and notorious criminous persons Boners writing exhibited to the Commyssioners aunswering to 〈◊〉 the denunciatiâ— and also open manifest heretickes aswell agaynst the rest of the Sacramentes of the Churche as chiefly agaynst the Sacrament of the aulter and were for the same by the orders of the Church excommunicated and accursed and were so taken of all the Catholickes of this realme and especially Hooper who besides other his poysoned doctrine and heresye amongst the people Exceptions laid by Boner agaynst M. Hooper hys denouncer had also before the tyme of the denunciation made diuers erroneous and hereâ—icall books agaynst the true presence of Christes body in the sacrament of y e aultar did also continue in y e same allowing maintayning it as good catholicke which books and doctrine chiefly agaynst the sacrament of the aultar W. Latymer had and then likewise did allow beleeue teach to y e losse of both their owne soules and also their beleuers therefore were not now nor ought at anye time to be admytted eyther in this their denunciation agaynst him or in any other Iudiciall acte and that rather also because that although they pretended in their denunciation y t they made not the same of any malice or euill will towardes him but for the good tranquillitie and quyet gouernaunce of thys Realme yet was it notoriously knowne that aswell the same day at after noone in which he the sayd byshop preached at the Crosse of Paules as also at sundry other times The friuoloâ—â— quarelling of Boner agaynst his denouncers they two conspiring with other of theyr faction did maliciously and vnlawfull within his Dioces assemble together a great rablement of such as themselues were there vnder the colour of reading did openly rayle and inuey agaynst hym nor for any the causes pretended in theyr denunciation but because hee had in his Sermon declared as the Catholicke Church taught that in the Sacrament of the aultar there was the very true bodye and bloude of Christ the same in substaunce that was hanged and shed vpon the Crosse. Then after these vayne and friuolous allegations agaynst the denouncers he commeth and aunswereth to the substaunce of their denunciatioÌ„ and sayth that where they in the same do falsly surmise that there were deliuered vnto him from the kinges Maiestie by the handes of the lord Protectour and the rest of his highnes Counsayle Boner put to a baâ—e shifte certayne Iniunctions and articles to be published and declared vnto the people at a day limitted in the same theyr information in such sort as it was deduced was most false vntrue for that the articles deliuered vnto hym by Syr Thomas Smith one of the kinges secretaries were neyther signed with the kinges owne hand neyther sealed with his hignes seale or signet nor yet subscribed by anye of his Counsayle c. Where marke I beseech you the subtiltie of a disloyall Papist Boners â—ayne cauillation to no purpose who because the articles were not sealed or signed by the king and his Counsaile would make them therfore not to be of any such force as that the breach thereof should cause him to incurre the danger of contemptuous disobedieÌ„ce But admit they were not signed nor sealed of which thing by the way in the denunciation there is no mention yea or nay yet is it manifest by the second Bill of Articles ministred vnto him by the CoÌ„missioners in the fourth Acte of this processe Anno 1549. that at such time as he was before y e Counsell those Articles were by the commandemeÌ„t of the Lord Protectour openly there read vnto him by one of
the Secretaries and after addition of the Article concerning the Kings lawfull power and authoritie during his yong yeares were also deliuered vnto hym by the handes of the Lord Protectour in the presence of y e rest of the Counsell who thus receiuing them promised there faithfully to accomplish all the contentes thereof After which they were againe deliuered vnto Secretary Smith to amend suche things therein as the Lord Protectour and the rest of the Counsayle had there appointed Which being accordingly done as the Bishop himselfe at the last recept thereof confessed were finally deliuered vnto him by the Secretary and therefore was this but a poore shift Now after this he maketh a supposition that in case it were true Boners supposition that the Iniunctions were deliuered him according to their information yet was it vntrue that he did omitte or refuse to declare the same for any such causes as they had alledged against him and that did wel appeare in the discourse of his Sermon which tended principally as he sayd to the disalowing and condemnation of all rebels and chiefly of the rebels in Northfolke Southfolke Deuonshyre Cornewall or elsewhere within this Realme of England who forgetting their allegeance and duty vnto their Prince assigned them by Gods word as their supreme head their natural loue and care for their countrey wiues Boner agaynst the rebelles children and kinsfolke did both deserue death bodily as traytors also accumulate vnto themselues damnation of body and soule eternally with Sathan the father and first mouer of all rebellion and disobedience and herewithall farther exclaming against the pretenses of those rebels who amongst other thyngs pretended the Masse and holywater with such like which were neuer ordeined for the purpose to colour and maintayne rebellion as he sayd he then proued out of the 16. of Nombers 1. Reg. 15. Leuit. 10. and 4. Luke 13. and Actes 5. in best maner that he could as one not exercised greatly in preaching but restrayned therefrom but hauing humilitie of hart innocencie of liuing knowledge of God loue to our neighbours with obedience to Gods word Ministers and superiour powers concurrent with them they being externall rites and ceremonies of the Church Externall rites and ceremonies were exercises of Religion and appointable by superiour powers and yet that whiche standing the law might be good was by pride and disobedience made euill and vnprofitable And heere he farther sayde because he sawe the people slacke in comming to the Communion and diuine seruice set forth by the kings Maiestie As iustly they might the same being hereticall blasphemous agaynst the humanitye of Christ. and to the entent he would make them haue a better opinion in the Sacrament then hee thought they had he then faithfully did declare hys beliefe therein Wherewith his denouncers being offended they vncharitably and vntruly deduced in their pretensed denounciation that in his Sermon he did intreate of such things as most should sturre vp vnto dissension tumult whereby it appeared vnto him that his denouÌ„cers either tooke his Catholicke assertion of y e veritie of Christs body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aultar Boner flyeth stil to the SacrameÌ„t of the altar or else hys faythfull declaration made of the obedience of subiects vnto the Kings Maiesty their supreme and soueraigne Lord with the peril and daunger of rebellion committed against him Boners purgatioÌ„ of himelfe for his Sermon to be the cause of disorder and dissention for that saith he of these two points he chiefly spake and especially of obedience to the king whose minoritie was more then manifestly knowen as well amongst y e people of this realme as elsewhere throughout y e world besides which he would not haue done except he had beleued that both all his subiects were bounden to obey him euen as he then was and should be during his life and also that the rebellion of late committed against him was detestable and condemned by Gods word and therfore he wished that his two denouncers with all the rest of the new Preachers did meane as faithfully obediently and Catholickely towardes the Kings honour royall power and suretie of person as he did had not more moued the people to tumultes disobedience by their erroneous doctrine and teaching then he had at any time geuen any occasion thereunto Then finally he concluded and sayd that where his denouncers surmise that it was of no light grounde looked for as it appeared in their iudgemeÌ„ts that he should more apertly haue declared the contents of the Iniunctions and Articles then he did that their iudgementes were in that behalfe corrupted and set to sclaunder and picking of quarels for he was wel assured and credibly informed that all his honest and Catholicke audieÌ„ce were fully satisfied both touching their obedience to the Kings Maiesty in his tender age also concerning the great penaltiâ— and perill that the late Rebels incurred by their disobedience And besides that when he was before the Lord Protectour and the rest of the Counsaile after he had made his excuse and alledged many impediments for his not preaching at the Crosse he did not then further promise but to do the best he couldâ— which he hath of his fidelitie and conscience accomplished not omitting any thing of purpose or euill will that might satisfie the people in any point concerning the premisâ—es Whilest he was thus reading these answeres obiecting against his denouncers such causes and quarels as be afore alledged for which he woulde haue earnestly had the denouncers to be repelled of the Commissioners the Archbyshop of Caunterbury replyed that if there were suche a law he thought it not to be a good or godly law but a law of the Byshop of Rome For said he if my matter and case be good what should I care who accuse me yea although he were the Diuell of Hell No sir sayd the Byshop of London it is the Kings law vsed in the Realme Well my Lorde sayde the Archbyshop ye be too full of your law I would wishe you had lesse knowledge in that lawe and more knowledge in Gods law of your dutie Well aunswered the Byshop againe seeing your grace falleth to wishing I can also wishe many things to be in your person Boner Then spake Secretary Peter to the Byshop as touching these denouncers Secretaâ—â— Peter we are not so straited in this matter but that we may proceede against you either at theyr promotion or without them at our pleasure A Gods name then sayd Boner put them by Boner and then do as your pleasure shall be so you do me right for I aske but right Nay sayde Secretary Smith you aske you wot not what you would haue vs folow your mind in these quidities and quirkes Secretary Smyth and all is nothing else but to delay iustice And you do herein as theeues murtherers and traitors not to
M. Perne M. Gest M. Pilkington Aunswerers and disputers in those disputatioÌ„s at Cambridge In the third disputation answered M. Perne Against whome disputed one M. Parkar not Doct. Math. Parkar M. Pollard M. Uauisour M. Yong. At length the disputations ended the Bishop of Rochester Doct. Nicolas Ridley after the maner of Scholes Anno 1552. made this determination vpon the foresayde conclusions as here followeth ¶ The determination of Doctor Nicolas Ridley Bishop of Rochester vpon the conclusions aboue prefixed THere hath bene an ancient custome amongst you that after disputations had in your common scholes The determination of D. Nic. Ridley vpon the disputations there should be some determination made of the matters so disputed and debated especially touching Christian religion Because therefore it is seene good vnto these worshipfull assistentes ioyned with me in commission from the kings Maiestie that I should performe the same at this tyme I will by your fauourable pacience declare both what I do thinke and beleue my selfe and what also other ought to think of the same Which thing I would that afterwardes ye did with diligence way and ponder euery man at home seuerally by himselfe The principal groundes or rather headsprings of this matter are specially fiue The first is the authoritie maiestie and veritie of holy Scripture 5. Princypall groundes to take away transubstantiation The second is the most certayne testimonies of the auncient Catholicke Fathers who after my iudgement do sufficiently declare this matter The third is the definition of a Sacrament The fourth is the abhominable heresie of Eutiches that may ensue of Transubstantiation The fift is the most sure beliefe of the article of our fayth He ascended into heauen ¶ The first grounde This Transubstantiation is cleane agaynst y e wordes of the scripture Transubstantiation agaynst the Scripture and consent of the auncient Catholick Fathers The scripture sayth I will not drinke hereafter of thys fruite of the vine c. Now the fruite of this Uyne is wyne And it is manifest that Christ spake these wordes after the Supper was finished as it appeareth both in Mathewe Marke and also in Luke if they be well vnderstanded There be not many places of the scripture that do confirm this thing neither is it greatly materiall For it is enough if there be any one playne testimonie for the same Neither ought it to be measured by the number of Scriptures but by the authority Scripture to be measured not by number but by authoritye and by the veritie of the same And the maiestie of this veritie is as ample in one short sentence of the Scripture as in a thousand Moreouer Christ tooke bread he brake bread he gaue bread In the Actes Luke calleth it bread So Paule calleth it bread after the sanctification Both of them speaketh of breakyng which belongeth to the substaunce of bread and in no wyse to Christes body for the Scripture sayth Ye shall not breake a bone of hym Exod. 12. 1. Cor. 11. Christ sayth Doe ye this in my remembraunce Saint Paule also sayeth Doe ye this in my remembraunce And agayne As often as ye shall drinke of this cup Iohn 6. do it in the remembraunce of me And our Sauiour Christ in the 6. of Iohn speakyng against the Capernaits sayth Labour for the meat that perisheth not And when they asked What shall we do that we may worke the workes of God He aunswered them thus This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in hym whom he hath sent Iohn 6. You see how he exhorteth them to fayth for fayth is that worke of God Agayne This is the bread which came downe from heauen But Christes body came not downe from heauen Moreouer Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in hym My flesh sayth he is meat in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede When they heard this they were offended And whilest they were offended he sayd vnto them What if ye shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where he was before Wherby he went about to draw them from the grosse and carnal eatyng This body sayth he shall ascend vp into heauen meanyng altogether as S. Augustine sayth It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothyng The wordes that I speake vnto you are spirit and lyfe and must be spiritually vnderstood These bee the reasons which perswade me to incline to this sentence and iudgement The second ground agaynst transubstantiation ¶ The second ground Now my second ground agaynst this transubstantiation are the auncient Fathers a thousand yeares past And so farre of is it that they do confirme this opinion of transubstantiation that playne they seeme vnto me both to thinke and to teach the contrary Dionysius in many places calleth it breade Dionysiâ—â— Eccle. 〈◊〉 The places are so manifest and playne that it needeth not to recite them Ignatius to the Philadelphians sayth Ignaâ—ius 〈◊〉 Philadelph I beseech you brethren cleaue fast vnto one fayth and to one kynde of preachyng vsing together one manner of thankesgeuyng for the fleshe of the Lord Iesu is one and hys bloud is one which was shedde for vs There is also one bread broken for vs and one cuppe of the whole Church Irenaeus writeth thus Irennaeus lib. 4. cap. 34. Euen as the bread that commeth of the earth receauyng Gods vocation is nowe no more common breade but Sacramentall breade consistyng of two natures earthly and heauenly euen so our bodyes receauyng the Eucharist are now no more corruptible hauyng hope of the resurrection Tertullian is very playne Tertullianus for he calleth it a figure of the body c. Chrysostome writyng to Caesarius the Monke albeit he be not receyued of dyuers Chrisost. Cesariuâ— yet wyll I read the place to fasten it more deepely in your myndes for it seemeth to shewe playnely the substaunce of bread to remayne The wordes are these Before the bread is sanctified we name it bread but by the grace of God sanctifiyng the same thorough the ministery of the Priest it is deliuered from the name of breade and is counted worthy to beare the name of the Lordes body although the very substaunce of bread notwithstandyng doe still remayne therin and now is taken not to be two bodies but one body of the Sonne c. Cyprian sayth Bread is made of many graynes And is that naturall bread and made of wheate Yea it is so in deede Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 6. Theodorâ—â—â—us The booke of Theodoret in Greeke was lately printed at Rome which if it had not bene his it should not haue bene set forth there especially seeyng it is directly against transubstantiation For he sayth plainely that bread styll remayneth after the sanctification Gelasius also is very playne in this manner The Sacrament sayth he which we receyue of the body and bloude of Christ is a diuine
there a felow prisoner M. Cardmaker with whom he had Christian and comfortable conference and also because out of prison as before out of a pulpit he might preach to his parishners as by his letter here after shall be declared THe fourth day of February M. Saunders degraded by B. Boner the Bishop of London did come to the prisoÌ„ where he was to disgrade him which when he had done Laurence Saunders sayd to hym I thanke God I am none of your Church The day folowing in the morning M. Saunders caryed to Couentrye the Shriffe of London deliuered him to certayn of the Queenes Gard which were appoynted to cary him to the City of CoueÌ„try there to be burned The fyrst night they came to S. AlboÌ„s wher M. Grimoald a man who had more store of good giftes then of great constancy did speake with him After M. Saunders had geuen him a lesson meete for his lightnes he tooke a cup into his hand and asked him if he would pledge him of that cup of which he would begin to him Grimoald by his shrugging and shrinking shewing what he was sayd of that cup which is in your hand I will pledge you but of that other which you meane I will not promise you Well sayde Mayster Saunders my deare Lord Iesus Christ hath begon to me of a more bitter cup then mine shall be and shall I not pledge my most sweet Sauior yes I hope After they were come to Couentry A good Shoomaker of Couentrye the same nyght a poore Shoomaker which was wont to serue him of shoes came to him after his maner sayd Oh my good Mayster God strengthen and comfort you Gramercies good Shoomaker quoth M. Saunders and I pray thee to pray for me for I am the vnmeetest man for this high office that euer was appoynted to it but my gracious God and deare father is able to make me stroÌ„g enough That same night he was put into the common Gayle among other prisoners where he slept litle but spent the night in prayer M. Saunders put in the common gayle in Couentrye February 8. M. Saunders brought to the place of execution and instructing of others The next day which was the viij of Februarye hee was lead to the place of execution in the Parcke without the City going in an old gowne and a shyerte barefooted and afttimes fell flat on the ground and prayed When he was come nigh to the place the Officer appoynted to see y e execution done sayd to M. Saunders that he was one of them which marred the Queenes Realme with â—alse doctrine and heresy wherfore thou hast deserued death quoth he but yet if thou wilt reuoke thy heresies y e Queene hath pardoned thee if not yonder fire is prepared for thee To whom M. Saunders aunswered it is not I nor my fellow Preachers of Gods truth that haue hurt the queenes Realme but it is your selfe such as you are Achab accuseth Elias for troubling Israell which haue alwayes resisted Gods holy word it is you which haue do marre the Queenes Realme I do hold no heresies but the doctrine of God the blessed Gospel of Christ that hold I that beleue I that haue I taught and that will I neuer reuoke With that this Tormentor cryed away with him and away from him went M. Saunders with a mery courage towardes the fire He fell to the ground and prayed he rose vppe agayn tooke the stake to which he shuld be chayned in his armes and kissed it saying Welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome euerlasting life and being fastened to the stake and fire put to him full sweetely he slepte in the Lord. ⧠The burning of Mayster Laurence Saunders at Couentry And to the intent to geue to the Reader to vnderstand the better what the grace of Christ worketh in his seruaÌ„ts and agayne A Comparison betweene Laurence Saunders and S. Laurence how feeble weake man is of himselfe without this grace geuen from aboue though he seeme otherwise neuer so stout in himselfe here therfore haue we added to the foresayd story of Laurence Saunders the communication which in the beginning of his trouble was betwene him and Doct. Pendleton Strength to staÌ„d in Christ commeth not of our selues but it is the gift of God by the example whereof such as stand may learne to vnderstaÌ„d and take heed with due feare not to bragge to leane to the grace of the Lord and not to presume in themselues ¶ A certayne communication betwene Laurence Saunders and Doctor Pendleton in the beginning of Queene Maries tyme. Talke betweene M. Saunders Doctour Pendleton D Pendleton a stout preacher of the Gospel in K. Edwards tyme. AT the chaunge of religion in this Realme and the beginning of Queene Maries reigne Doct. Pendleton and M. Saunders men knowne to the world not only to be learned but also earnest preachers of Gods word in the time of blessed king Edward met together in the country where by occasioÌ„ they were at that time and as the case required by reason of the persecution that was then at hand fell to debate what was best for them to doe in so daungerous a season Whereupon M. Saunders whether thorow very fraylty in deed of his weake flesh that was loth to tast of the bitter cup though his spirite were ready thervnto or whether it were vpon the mistrust of hys owne strength that he might receiue the greater power from aboue or whether it were not for any one of the sayd causes alone but for both together or such like semed so fearefull and feeble spirited that he shewed himselfe in appearance like either to fall quite from God and his word whiche he had taught or at least to betake him to his heeles and to fly the land rather then to sticke to his profession and abyde by his tackle M. Saunders timerouâ— in Christes cause at the first beginning so as Doctor Pendleton who on the coÌ„trary side appeared not so big of body but as bold in courage nor so earnest before in Pulpit but as ready now to seale the same with his bloud tooke vppon him to comfort M. SauÌ„ders all that he might admonishing him as he could do it very well not to forsake cowardly his flocke when hee had most neede to defend the wolfe from them neither hauing put to his hand to Gods plough to start now aside and geue it ouer nor yet that is worst of all hauyng once forsakeÌ„ Antichrist to fall either himselfe or to suffer others by his example to returne to theyr vomit agayne After which and such like perswasions bidding him be of good comfort and to take a good hart vnto him what man quoth he there is a great deale more cause in me to be afeard theÌ„ in you for as much as you see I cary a greater masse of flesh vpon my backe then you do and being so laden with a
I haue preached before him It is Gods truth I haue taught It is that same infallible word whereof he sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The masse and such baggage as the false worshippers of God and enemies of Christes Crosse the Papistes I say haue brought in agayne The Masse is a poyson to the Church to poyson the Church of God withall displeaseth God highly and is abhominable in his sight Happy may he be whiche of conscience suffereth losse of life or goodes in dissalowing it Come not at it If God be God follow him If y e Masse be God let them that will see it heare or be present at it ComparisoÌ„ betweene the Lordes supper and the Masse go to the deuill with it What is there as God ordayned His supper was ordayned to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our fayth that his body was broken for vs his bloud shed for pardon of our sinnes but in the masse there is no receiuing but the pâ—iest keepeth all to himselfe alone Christ sayth Take eate No sayth the Priest gape peepe There is a sacrificing yea killing of Christ agayne as much as they may There is Idolatry in worshipping the outward signe of bread wyne there is all in Latine you cannot tell what he saith To conclude there is nothing as God ordeyned Wherefore my good mother come not at it Oh will some say it will hinder you Doubtes obiections aunswered Math. 19. if you refuse to come to masse and to do as other do But God wil further you be you assured as you shall one day find who hath promised to them that suffer hinderaunce or losse of anye thing in this world his great blessing here and in y e world to come life euerlasting You shall bee counted an hereticke but not of others then of heretickes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the Priestes but God wil that all they shall not be able to withstand you No body wil do so but you onely In deede no matter for â—ewe enter into the narrow gate which bringeth to saluation Howbeit you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and other my brothers and sisters to go with you therein but if they will not I your sonne in God I trust shall not leaue you an inche but go before you pray that I may geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffering for it is for your sakes to confirme the truth I haue taught How soeuer you do beware this letter come not abroad but into father Traues his handes For all this caueat yet this letter came to the Earle of Darbyes knowledge for if it should be knowne that I haue pen and inke in the prison then would it be worse with me Therfore to your selues keep this letter commending me to God his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his Gospel and Church sake Out of the Tower of London the sixt day of October 1553. My name I write not for causes you know it well enough Like the letter neuer the worse Commend me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. Howsoeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is no point either in hand or tongue rebell but rather if they coÌ„maund that which with good conscience you caÌ„not obey lay your head on the blocke and suffer what soeuer they shall do or say By pacience possesse your soules After the time that M. Bradford was condemned and sent to the Counter it was purposed of his aduersaryes as ye heard before that hee shoulde be had to Manchester where he was borne and there be burned Whereupon he writeth to the Cittye of London thinking to take his last Vale of them in this letter ¶ To the Citie of London TO all that professe the Gospell and true doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Cittie of London A fruitefull letter of M. Bradford 〈◊〉 the citye oâ— London Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of y e Lord now not onely in prison but also excommunicated condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine wisheth mercy grace peace with increase of al godly knowledge and pietie from God the father of mercy through the merites of oure alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Iesus Christ by the operation of the holy spirite for euer Amen My dearely beloued brethren in our Sauiour Christ although the tyme I haue to liue is very little for hourly I looke when I shoulde be had hence to be conueyed into Lankeshyre there to be burned and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God where I first receaued it by y e same prouidence and although the charge is great to keepe me from all things wherby I might signifie any thing to the world of my state yet hauing as now I haue pen inke through Gods working maugre the head of Satan and his souldiours I thought good to write a shorte confession of my fayth and thereto ioyne a little exhortation vnto you all to liue according to your profession First for my fayth I do confesse and pray all the whole Congregation of Christ to beare witnesse with me of the same that I do beleue constantly through the gift goodnes of God for fayth is Gods onely gifte all the 12. articles of the Symbole or Creede commonly attributed to the collection of the Apostles This my faythe I woulde gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple but alas by starts stealth I write in maner that I write and therfore I shall desire you all to take this breuitie in good part And this fayth I holde not because of the Creede it selfe but because of the word of God the which teacheth and confirmeth euery Article accordingly This worde of God written by the Prophetes and Apostles left and contayned in the Canonicall bookes of the whole Bible I do beleue to containe plentifully all thinges necessary to saluation so that nothing as necessary to saluation ought to be added thereto and therfore the Church of Christ nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine theÌ„ which hereout hath his foundation and ground In testimony of this fayth I render and geue my life being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his Catholicke and vniuersall Church here or els wherevppon earth as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation and Christes reall corporall and carnall presence in his supper vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine To beleeue Christ our Sauiour to be the head of hys Churche and kinges in their Realmes to be the supreme powers to whom euery soule oweth obedience and to beleue that
and Articles these men gather out of their bookes for errours and heresies Secondly how wittingly and willingly they wrast peruert and miscōstrue their sayings and writings in such sense as the wryters neuer spake nor ment and all to bryng them into hatred of the worlde after they haue burned their bookes So did they before wyth Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Hus Hierome So did they with M. Luther Tindal Frithe Lambert Barnes Ioy Roy Seron Articles of Wickliffe and others falsified by the Papistes and briefly yet do stil wyth all the Protestants either peruerting their sayings otherwise then they meante or noting for heresies suche as are manifest principles grounds of our religion Or els falsly belying them or vntruely mistaking them eyther in mangling y e places or adding to their words as may serue for their most aduauntage to bring them out of credite w t Princes and all the people For the more euident probation and experience wherof thou shalt see here Christen reader as in a table laid before thine eyes the booke or cataloge of such errours blasphemies and heresies whiche the Catholicke Papistes in their own registers haue extracted out of their bokes whō in this other proclamatiōs they haue condemned Wher vnto moreouer we haue annexed y t very places also of the Authors out of which euery Article is gathered keepyng the same signature of verse and page whyche they in theyr registers doe send vs vnto So that with a little diligence thou maist now louing reader easely perceiue conferring the Articles and places together what trueth and fidelitie these bloudye Catholickes haue vsed towarde the children of God First in burning vp theyr bodies then in consuming and abolishing theyr bokes and afterward drawing out Articles such as they list thēselues out of their workes to make the people beleue what damnable heretickes they were as by these articles here vnder ensuing collected and contained in their owne registers may wel appeare In al which articles there is not one speaking of these wryters which here they haue condemned but either it is a perfect truth and a principle of Christen doctrine or els it is falsly gathered or peruersly recited or craftely handled maliciously mangled hauing either something cut frō it or some more added or els rackt out of his right place or wrasted to a wrōg meaning which the place geueth not or els whych some other place folowing doth better expound declare This false malitious dealing hath alwayes bene a common practise amongst Gods enemies from the beginning to falsifie wrast and depraue all thinges what soeuer maketh not to their faction affection be it neuer so true and iust So began they w t Steuen y e 1. martyr of Iesus Christ The wordes of S. Steuen falsely depraued Act. 6.7 and so haue they continued stil yet do to this present day Long it were to recite but more greuous to behold what spite and falshoode was vsed in the articles of y e Albingenses Waldenses Wickliffe Swinderby Brute Thorpe Armachanus syr Iohn Oldcastle Iohn Hus the Bohemians and such other Which thing if the bookes and places when these Articles were gathered againste them had bene suffered to remayne we might more playnely vnderstand In the meane season as touching these Articles here present for so much as the Bishops owne Registers haue offered them vnto vs and doe yet remaine with the selfe same bookes from whence they be excerpted I shall therefore desire thee frendly reader first to cōsider the Articles and laye them with the places which the Registers themselues doe assigne and then iudge thy selfe what is to bee thought thereof The Articles gathered out of the foresayd bookes wyth the Bishops decree prefixed before the same is as here vnder followeth A publike Instrument by the Byshops for the abolishing of the Scripture and other bookes to be 〈◊〉 English IN the name of God Amen Be it knowen to all and singulare true A writing of the Bishops agaynst Englishe books and faithfull people to whome these present letters testimoniall or this present publicke and authenticke instrument shall come to be seene reade hearde or vnderstande and whome this vnder wrytten shall or may teache or appertaine vnto in any maner of wise in time to come William by the sufferaunce of almightye God Archbishop of Caunterburie Primate of all the Realme of Englande sendeth greeting in our Lorde God euerlasting We signifie vnto you all and let you well wit and know by these presents that the king our soueraigne Lorde hearing of many bookes in the English tongue containing many detestable errours and damnable opinions printed in the parties beyond the Seas to be brought into diuers townes and sondrye parties of this his Realme of Englande and sowen abroade in the same to the great decay of our faith Catholicke and perillous corruption of hys people vnlesse speedy remedy were briefely prouided hys highnesse willinge euermore to employ all his studie and mynde in the high degree which almighty God hath called hym vnto to the wealth of his subiectes that they might liue not only in tranquillitie and peace but also be kept pure and cleane of all contagion and wrong opinions in Christes Religion considering also that he being defendour of the faith woulde be full loth to suffer such euill seede sowne amongst his people and so take roote that it might ouergrowe the corne of the Catholicke doctrine before spronge in the soules of hys subiectes for the repellinge of suche booke calling vnto him of his great goodnesse gratious dispositiō not onely certein of the chief prelates clerks of his realm but also of eache Vniuersitie a certaine number of the chiefe learned men proposed such of those bookes as his grace had readye to be read vnto them requiring to heare in that behalfe their aduise and iudgement of them Who both by great diligence and mature deliberation perusing ouer the sayde bookes founde in them manye errours and heresies both detestable and damnable being of such a sort that they were like briefly to corrupt a greate parte of his people if they mighte be suffered to remaine in theyr handes any space gathering also out of them many great errors and pestilent heresies and noting them in wryting to the intente to shewe for what cause they reputed the sayd bookes damnable of which hereafter out of eache booke gathered many do ensue albeit many more there be in the said bookes which bookes totally do swarue full of heresies and detestable opinions Heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke of Tyndall named the wicked Mammon with the places of the booke annexed to the same Heresies falsly gathered by the Papistes out of wicked Māmon oute of which euery Article is collected 1. FAith onely iustifieth Fol. 59. 1. Article This Article being a principle of the Scripture and the ground of our saluation is playne enoughe by S. Paule and the
whole body of the scripture Neither can any make this an heresie The Papistes of the principles of diuinitye make heresie but they must make S. Paule an hereticke and shew themselues ennemies to the promises of grace and to the crosse of Christ. 2. The law maketh vs to heare God because we be borne vnder the power of the Deuill 2. article Fol. 59. 3. It is impossible for vs to consent to the will of God Fol. 59. 3. article The place of Tyndall from whence these Articles be wrasted is in the wicked Mammon as followeth Whych place I beseeche thee indifferente to reade and then to iudge Herein is no thing conteyned but that which is rightly consonant vnto the Scripture In the faith which we haue in Christ in Gods promises finde we mercy life fauour peace In the law we finde death damnation and wrath moreouer the curse and vengeance of God vpon vs. And it that is to say the law is called of Paul the ministratioÌ„ of death and damnation In the lawe wee are prooued to be the ennemies of God and that we hate hym For howe can we be at peace wyth God and loue hym seeing we are coÌ„ceiued and borne vnder the power of the Deuill and are his possession kingdome hys captiues and bondmen and led at hys will and he holdeth our hearts so that it is impossible for vs to consent to the will of God Muche more is it impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of hys owne strength and power seeing that we are by birth and nature the heires of the eternall damnation c. 4. The lawe requireth impossible things of vs Fol. 59. Read the place 4. article The law when it commaundeth y t thou shalt not lust geueth thee not power so to do but daumeth thee because thou canst not so doe What hereâ—sy is in the wordes 2. Cor. 3. If thou wilt therefore be at peace with God and loue hym then must thou turne to the promises and to the gospel which is called of Paul the ministration of righteousnesse and of the spirite 5. The spirit of God turneth vs our nature that we do good as naturally as a tree doth bring fourth fruit Fol. 65. 5. article The place is this the spirite of God accompanyeth fayth and bringeth with her light wherwith a man beholdeth himself in the law of God and seeth his miserable boÌ„dage captiuitie and humbleth himselfe This place speaking of the 〈◊〉 effecteâ— fayth conteyneth noâ—thing but which is mayntaynâ—â—ble by the Scripture abhorreth himselfe She bringeth Gods promises of all good thynges in Christ God worketh with his word in his worde And as hys word is preached fayth rooteth her selfe in y e harts of the elect and as fayth entreth and the worde of God is beleued the power of God looseth the hart from the captiuitie bondage vnder sinne and knitteth coupleth hym to God to the will of God altereth hym changeth him cleane fashioneth and forgeth hym a new geueth him power to loue and to do that which before was impossible for him either to loue or doe and turneth him into a new nature so that he loueth that which before hee hated hateth that which he before loued and is cleane altered and changed and contrary disposed and is knitt and coupled fast to gods will and naturally bringeth fourth good workes y t is to say that which God commandeth to do not things of his owne imagination and that doth hee of his owne accord as a tree bringeth forth fruit of his owne accord c. 6. Workes doe onely declare to thee that thou art iustified Fol. 65. If Tindall say 6. article that workes doe onely declare our iustification he doth not thereby destroy good works but onely sheweth the right vse and office of good workes to be noted to merite our iustificatioÌ„ but rather to testify a liuely fayth which onely iustifieth vs The article is playn by the scripture and S. Paule 7. Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauen fol. 69. Reade the place Al good workes must be done freely w t a single eye without respect of any thing 7. article so that no profit be sought thereby That commaundeth Christ where hee sayth Free haue you receaued free geue agayne For look as Christ with all his workes did not Math. 10. He meaneth in his diuinitye but iâ— his humanitye he deserued heauen by his workes not onely for himselfe 〈◊〉 for vs all deserue heauen for that was his already but did vs seruice therewith neyther looked for nor sought his owne profite but ours and the honour of god his father onely euen so we withal our workes may not seeke our owne profite neither in thys world nor in heauen but must and ought freely to worke to honour God withall and without all maner of respect seeke our neighbours profite and do him seruice c. 8. Labouring by good workes to come to heauen thou shamest Christes bloud Fol. 9. Read the place 8. article If thou wouldest obteine heauen with the merites and deseruings of thine owne works so doest thou wrong yea and shamest the bloud of Christ and vnto thee Christ is dead in vaine Now is the true beleuer heire of God by christes deseruings To say that heauen is gotten by our deseruings is a Popishe heresie contrary to the Scriptures yea and in Christ was predestinate and ordained vnto eternall life before the worlde began And when the Gospell is preached vnto vs we beleue the mercy of God and in beleuing we receiue the spirit of God which is the earnest of eternall life and we are in eternal life already and feele already in our harts y e sweetnes thereof and are ouercome with the kindnes of God Christ and therefore loue the will of God and of loue are ready to woorke freely and not to obtaine that whyche is geuen vs freely and whereof we are heyres already c. 9. Saintes in heauen can not helpe vs thither fol. 69. Whether saintes can helpe vs vnto heauen see y e scripture 9. article and marke wel the office of the sonne of God our only Sauiour and redeemer and thou shalt not nede to seeke any further 10. To builde a Churche in the honour of our Ladye or anye other Saincte is in vaine they cannot helpe thee 10. article they be not thy friends fol. 71. Read the place of Tind What buildest thou Churches foundest Abbeys Chauntreis Colledges in the honour of Saintes to my mother S. Peter Paule The place â—â—nexed and Saintes that be deade to make of them thy friendes They neede it not yea they be not thy friends Thy friends are thy poore neighbours which neede thy help and succour TheÌ„ make thy friendes with the vnrighteous Mammon that they may testifie of thy fayth and that thou mayest