the hatred of all men against me As I was not so fervent in rebuking manifest iniquity as I should so was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christs Steward for the love of friends and carnal affection of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more residence in one place then in another having more respect to the pleasure of a few then the necessity of many Moreover remaining in one place I was not so diligent as mine office required but sometime by counsel of carnal friends I spared the body some time I spent in worldly business of particular friends and sometime in taking recreation c. And albeit men may judge these to be light and small offences yet I acknowledge that unless pardon should be granted unto me in Christs blood that every one of these three offences deserved damnation And beside these I am assaulted yea infected and corrupted with seeking the favour estimation and praise of men O Lord be merciful to my great offence and deal not with me according to my great iniquity but according to the multitude of thy mercies remove from me the burden of my sin for of purpose and mind to have avoided the vain displeasure of man I spared little to offend thy Majesty Think not that I thus accuse my self without cause to appear more holy or to accuse my Brethren No God is Judge to my Conscience that I do it from an unfeigned and sore troubled heart This great tempest cometh from the great mercy of our heavenly Father to provoke us to unfeigned repentance for neither Preacher nor Professor did rightly consider the time of our merciful visitation but we spent our time as though Gods Word had rather been preached to satisfie our phantasies then to reform our evil manners Which thing if we earnestly repent then shall Jesus Christ appear unto our comfort be the storm never so great Haste O Lord for thy Names sake Observe next the vehemency of the fear which the Disciples indured in that great danger of longer continuance then any before They were in the midst of the raging Sea and it was night and Christ their Comforter absent from them and cometh not to them neither in the first second nor third Watch. What fear think you were they in Such as be in like danger in England do by this storm better understand then my Pen can express What we read here to have chanced to Christs Disciples and their poor Boat the same thing hath chanced doth and will chance to the true Church travelling like a Ship in the Sea of this troublesome World to the Haven of eternal felicity The wind that alwayes hath blown against the Church of God is the malice of the Devil As the wind is invisible and yet the poor Disciples feel that it troubleth and letteth their Ship so the pestilent envy of the Devil worketh in Reprobates so subtily that it cannot be espied by Gods Elect nor by his Messengers till first they feel the blasts thereof to blow their Ship backward As the vehement wind causeth the waves of the Sea to rage and yet the dead water neither knoweth what it doth nor can cease from being troubled and troubling Christs Disciples in their poor Ship so by the envy and malice of the Devil are wicked and cruel both Subjects and Princes whose hearts are like the raging Sea compelled to persecute the true Church of Christ and yet so blinded that they see not their manifest iniquity nor can they cease to run to their own destruction The whole malice of the Devil hath alwayes this end to vex and overthrow Christs afflicted Church Albeit the Tyrants of the Earth have learned by long experience that they are never able to prevail against Gods Truth yet because they are bound Slaves to their Master the Devil they cannot cease to persecute the Members of Christ when the Devil bloweth his wind in the darkness of the night i. e. when the Light of Christs Gospel is taken away and the Devil reigneth by Idolatry Superstition and Tyranny It is fearful to be heard that the Devil hath such power over any man but yet the Word of God hath so instructed us and therefore we must believe it He is called the Prince and god of this world because he reigneth and is honoured by Tyranny and Idolatry in it He is called the Prince of darkness that hath power in the aire It is said he worketh in the children of unbelief c. And therefore wonder not that now the Devil rageth in his obedient Servants for this is their hour and power granted to them they cannot cease nor asswage their furious fumes for the Devil their Sire stirreth moveth and carrieth them at his will I do not attribute to him or them power at their pleasure but onely as God shall suffer When therefore I hear what the ravenous Lions do I pray O Lord those cruel Tyrants are loosed by thy hand to punish our former ingratitude whom we trust thou wilt not suffer to prevail for ever but when thou hast corrected us a little and hast declared to the world the tyranny that lurked in their boldened breasts then wilt thou break their jaw-bones and wilt shut them up in their Caves again that the generation and posterity following may praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Amen I know that God shall yet shew mercy to his afflicted Church in England and repress the pride of these present Tyrants as he hath done those that were before us Therefore beloved Brethren in our Saviour Jesus Christ hold up to God your hands that are fainted through fear and hear the voice of your God who sweareth by himself that he will not suffer his Church to be oppressed for ever and that he will not despise our sobs to the end if we will rowe and strive against this vehement wind I mean if that ye will not turn back headlong to Idolatry then shall this storm be asswaged in despight of the Devil Be not moved from the sure Foundation of your Faith for albeit that Christ Iesus be absent from you as he was from his Disciples in that great storm by his bodily presence yet he is present by his mighty power and grace He standeth upon the mountain in security and rest i. e. his flesh and whole humanity is now in Heaven and can suffer no such trouble as once he did yet he is full of pity and compassion and doth consider all our travel anguish and labours wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he will suddenly appear to our great comfort The tyranny of this world cannot keep back his coming more then the blustering wind and raging Seas let Christ to come to his Disciples looking for present death We gave you warning of these dayes long ago for the reverence of Christs blood let these words be noted The same Truth that spake
not suffer him to do by strength by crafty deceit making the Prince party c. After a long conference between the Queen and Mr. Knox the Secretary told him He might return to his house for that night I thank God and the Queens Majesty said he and Madam I pray God to purge your heart from Papistry and to preserve you from the counsel of â—latterers for how pleasant soever they appear to your ear and corrupt affections for the time experience hath taught us in what perplexity they have brought famous Princes After he was gone the Nobility in the presence of the Queen absolved Mr. Knox. In his Prayer for the Queen O Lord if thy good pleasure be purge the heart of the Queen Majesty from the venome of Idolatry and deliver her from the thraldome and bondage of Satan into the which she hath been brought up and yet remains for the lack of true Doctrine and let her see by the illumination of thy Spirit that there is no means to please thee but by Jesus Christ thy onely Son and that Jesus Christ cannot be found but in thy holy Word nor yet received but as it prescribes which is to renounce our own wisdome and preconceived opinion and worship thee as it commands that in so doing she may avoid the eternal damnation which is ordained for all obstinate impenitenâ—s and that this poor Realm may also escape that plague and vengeance which inevitably followeth Idolatry maintained against the manifest Word and the light thereof Secretary Lethington was offended at two things therein 1 Because he prayed for the Queen conditionally If it be thy good pleasure c. Where have ye an example of such a Prayer Mr. Knox answered Wheresoever the examples are I am sure of the Rule which is this If we shall ask any thing according to his Will he shall grant us I have learned to pray in faith now faith you know depends upon the Word of God and so it is that the Word of God teacheth me that Prayer profiteth the Sons and Daughters of Gods Election Besides did not the Apostles pray as they commanded others to pray Now Peter commanded Simon Magus to pray conditionally If it be pâ—ssible c. 2 Where find ye that the Scriptures call any the Bond-slaves of Satan said the Secretary or that the Prophets of God spake of Kings and Princes so irreverently The Scripture saith said Mr. Knox that by nature we are all the children of wrath and our Master Christ affirms That such as do sin are servants to sin c. Behold I send thee saith Christ to Paul to the Gentiles to turn them from the power of Satan unto God Kings and Queens are not excepted but all unfaithfull are pronounced to stand in one rank and to be in bondage to one Tyrant the Devil Elisha was a Subject in the Kingdome of Israel and yet how little reverence did he give to the King he feared not to say to King Iehoram What have I to do with thee c. As the Lord of Hosts liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah I would not have looked toward thee c. Lethington telling him That we are not bound to follow extraordinary examples unless we have the like command c. I grant said Mr. Knox if the example repugne the Law as if a covetous man should borrow silver raiment c. from his neighbour and withhold the same alledging the example of the Israelites in Egypt c. But where the example agrees with the Law c. it stands to us in place of a Commandement for as God in his Nature is constant and immutable so cannot he condemn in the ages subsequent that which he hath approved in his Servants before us Lethington telling him That prosperity doth not alwaies prove that God approves the facts of men Yes said he when the facts of men agree with the Law of God and are rewarded according to his own promise expressed in his Law the prosperity that succeeds them is a most infallible assurance that God hath approved them Upon the nineteenth of August An. 1565. a little while after the Queen was married to the Lord Darley who to please the Protestants came to Church Mr Knox preached upon Isa. 26.13 14 15 16 c. wherein he said That God sets in Government for the offences and ingratitude of the people Boyes and Women and that God justly punished Ahab and his posterity because lie would not take order with that harlot Iezabel for which Sermon he was called in question and in answering said more then he had preached for he added That as the King had to please the Queen gone to Mass and dishonoured the Lord God so should God in his Justice make her an instrument of his ruine and so it fell out in a very short time But the Queen being incensed at these words to please her he was forbid to preach for a time This Sermon he took care to have it printed to make known to the world what ground there was to deal so with him as he tells us In his Epistle to the Reader I dare not deny least that in so doing I should be injurious to the Giver but that God hath revealed to me secrets unknown to the world and also that he hath made my tongue a Trumpet to forewarn Realms and Nations yea certain great revelations of mutations and changes when no such things were feared nor yet was appearing A portion whereof cannot the world deny be it never so blind to be fulfilled and the rest alas I fear shall follow with greater hast and in more full perfection then my sorrowfull heart desireth Notwithstanding these revelations and assurances I did ever abstain to commit any thing to writing contented onely to have obeyed the charge of him who commanded me to cry If any then will ask to what purpose this onely Sermon is set forth and greater matters omitted I answer To let such as Satan hath not altogether blinded see upon how small occasions great offence is now conceived For this Sermon from my Bed I was called before the Council and after long reasoning I was by some forbidden to preach in Edinburg so long as the King and Queen were in Town The Sermon he writ for the Press the last day of August 1565. when the Castle of Edinburg was shooting against the Exiled for Christs sake and therefore he concluded thus Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit for the terrible roaring of Guns and the noise of Armour do so pierce my heart that my soul thirsteth to depart Be merciful to thy flock O Lord and at thy good pleasure put an end to my misery The next Sabbath after the Earl of Murray was slain a Note was sent to Mr. Knox among the Papers wherein were written the names of those that desired
will tell thee what superstition is if thou believe not the Scripture Superstition say they is a superfluous Religion what wayes soever it be superfluous whether it be of the superfluity of the things honoured or of the things used for Religion or of the manner in Religion This doubtless is understood by the name of Superstition from whence soever the name hath its rise whatsoever thou dost to please God Almighty if it be not commanded in his Word it is superfluous superstition The purpose end and will of the second Commandment is That Gods pleasure is unto us that we do not profane or dishonour the true Religion or honour of God with superstitious Rites or Ceremonies not commanded by him I am a jealous God q. d. when we two were married together for the love that I bore unto thee I gave thee certain Rules and Precepts how in all things thou mayest keep my love and good will towards thee and thou promisedst me obedience to my Commandments Exâ—d 19. So honour me therefore and love me as it standeth written in the Writings and Indentures written between us both I cannot suffer to be otherwise honoured then I have taught in my Tables and Testament Against obeying of Gods Laws the first Sophism or carnal Objection is when men say it is no place nor time to learn or obey Gods Laws we be not in the Temple c. but in the broad world and must do as other men do and rather serve the place we be in uâ—ulare cum lupis bark with the wolf then speak of the Scripture besides it is too dangerous a season let it pass till the world be no more quiet c. This Objection Moses breaketh and proveth that the Law should be alwayes received and in every place Those that observed it in the wilderness God fed by miracle from Heaven and preserved all their apparel that it consumed not nor perished in the wearing for the space of forty years A second Objection is when men put from themselves the obedience of the Law unto others saying Let the Priests c. learn and keep the Law what should a Prince Magistrate or Gentleman be so bound Youth cannot be tied to so strait Canons it must not be so bridled c. This wicked acceptation of persons Moses destroyeth yea all saith he stand this day before the Lord your God your Princes your Tribes your Elders your Officers and all men of Israel your children your wives and thy Guest c. No manner of prison is excluded from the League A third is presumption when men know what is to be done yet against their knowledge presuming of Gods mercy do the thing that is evil saying If I walk in the imagination of my heart and take my pleasure there is no danger c. But saith Moses the Lord will not favour such an one but then be angry and kindle his ire against him so that every curse written in this Book shall rest on him c. A fourth is Animosity thus reasoning with ones self who knoweth what his last hour shall be But saith Moses Secret things belong to God but the things that God hath revealed to us and our children for ever that we do all the precepts of this Law A fifth is Desperation when men think it is in vain for them to observe Gods Laws there is no hope of their salvation c. It is impossible for him to return to God and do all that God requireth c. Moses gives a remedy against this dangerous disease sheweth the way to God declareth That God is full of mercy and ready to forgive c. A sixth is the pretence of Ignorance saying The Scripture the Laws of God have so many mysteries too hard for our capacities c. Besides the Doctors brawl and chide between themselves and how should the Unlearned understand it aright Who can tell saith another whether this be the true Law or not If it were the true Law of God then it should contain all verities and have no deed of mans Laws Now the greatest part of Christians in name say That this Law is not sufficient except it be holp and aided by the Law of the Bishops Moses answereth and saith This Law is sufficient simple and plain easie to be understood a perfect Doctrine and required of all men the Commandment that I prescribe unto thee to day is not far above thee nor put far from thee c. By which words it appeareth that God hath made his will and pleasure simple and plainly open to his people c. Yea the Law of God to do well by is written naturally in the heart of every man c. though there were no Law written c. mans conscience would tell him when he doth well and when ill Farewell in our onely and sole joy and consolation Christ Jesus This holy Exile parting with Mr. Bullinger and his Friends at Zurick declared that the principal cause of his return to his own Countrey was the matter of Religion c. Be sure said he neither the nature of the Countrey nor pleasure of commodities nor newness of friends shall ever induce me to the oblivion of such friends and Benefactors and therefore you shall be sure from time to time to hear from me how it goes with me but the last news of all I shall not be able to write for there said he taking Mr. Bullinger by the hand where I shall take most pains there shall you hear of me to be burned to ashes and that shall be the last news which I shall not be able to write When he was made Bishop of Worcester and Glocester the Arms allotted him probably by his own appointment were a Lamb in a fiery Bush and the Sun-beams from Heaven descending down upon the Lamb rightly denoting as it seemed the manner of his suffering which afterward followed After his return in his Sermons he corrected sin and sharply inveighed against the iniquity of the world and corrupt abuses of the Church When he was elected Bishop of Worcester and Glocester he made humble supplication to the King either to discharge him of the Bishoprick or to dispense with him as to the wearing of such Garments and Apparel as the Popish Bishops were wont to do His Petition the King granted as appears by his Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury telling him That the Rites and Ceremonies he would be dispensed in were offensive to his conscience The Oath also used then commonly in the Consecration of Bishops was against his conscience as appears by the Earl of Warwick's Letter to the Archbishop writ by the Kings desire In the beginning of Queen Mary's Reign when notice was given him that he should be sent for to London and how dangerous it was for him to appear he gave this Answer Once I did flee but now because I
that you be cursed by the sentence of the Catholick Church with such like terrours that pray to God and follow the Star of his Word and you shall arrive at the Port of Eternal Salvation by the merits onely of Jesus Christ. Hudson When Thomas Hudson of Ailesham in Norfolk saw the Constables come to his house to apprehend him he said Now mine hour is welcome friends welcome you be they that shall lead me to life in Christ. I thank God therefore and the Lord enable me thereto for his mercies sake for his desire was and he ever prayed if it were the Lords will that he might suffer for the Gospel of Christ. When Berry threatned him saying I will write to the Bishop my good Lord c. O Sir said he there is no Lord but God though there be many lords and many gods Wilt thou recant said Berry the Priest or no The Lord forbid said Hudson I had rather die many deaths then to do so When he came first to the Stake he was very sad not for his death but for lack of feeling his Christ and therefore came from his Fellow-sufferers under the Chain and fell down upon his knees and prayed and at last he rose with great joy as a man new changed even from death to life and said Now I thank God I am strong and pass not what man can do unto me Hullier Mr. Iohn Hullier Conduct in Kings Colledge at Cambridge suffered martyrdome at Cambridge April 2. A. 1556. In his Letter to the Christian Congegation It standeth now most in hand O dear Christians all them that look to be accounted of Christs flock at the great and terrible day when a separation shall be made c. faithfully in this time of great afflictions to hear our Master Christs voice the onely true Shepherd of our souls who saith Whosoevâ—r shall endure to the end shall be saved In this time we must needs either shew that we be his faithful Souldiers and continue in his battel to the end putting on the armour of God the buckler of Faith the breast-plate of Love the helmet of Hope and Salvation and the Sword of his holy Word with all instance of supplication and prayer or else if we do not work and labour with these we are Apostates and false Souldiers shrinking most unthankfully from our Gracious and Sovereign Lord and Captain Christ and leaning to Beliaâ— for he saith plainly Whosoever beareth not my Cross and followeth me cannot be my Disciple and No man can serve two Masters for either he must hate the one and love the other or else he shall lean to the one and despise the other Elias also said unto the people Why halt ye between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him or if Baal be he follow him If Christ be that onely good and true Shepherd that gave his life for us then let us that bear his mark and have our consciences sprinkled with his blood follow altogether for our salvation his heavenly voice and calling according to our profession and first promise If we shall not certainly say what we can though we bear the Name of Christ we are none of his Sheep indeed for he saith manifestly My sheep hear my voice and follow me A stranger they will not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of a stranger The craft and wiliness of our subtile enemy is manifold and divers and full of close windings At this present day if he cannot induce one throughly as others do to savour his devillish Religion and of good will and free heart to help to uphold the same yet he will inveigle him to resort to his wicked and whorish School-house and to keep company with his Congregation there and to hold his peace and say nothing whatsoever he think c. by that subtile means flattering him that he shall both save his life and also his goods and live in quiet But if we look well on Christs holy Will and Testament we shall perceive that he came not to make any such peace upon Earth nor that he gave any such peace to his Disciples I leave peace with you saith he my peace I give you not as the world giveth it give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled and fearful These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye should have peace in the world ye shall have affliction but be of good cheer I have overcome the world The Servant is not greater then his Lord and Master if they have persecuted me they shall also persecute you If any man come to me and hateth not his father and mother c. yea and moreover his own life it is not possible for him to be my Disciple Blessed be ye that now weep for ye shall laugh and woe be unto you that now laugh for ye shall mourn and weep He that will find his life shall lose it Therefore the God of that true peace and comfort preserve us that we never obey such a false Flatterer who at length will pay us home once for all bringing for temporal peace and quietness everlasting trouble c. for these vain and transitory goods extream loss of the eternal treasure and inheritance for this mortal life deprivation of the most joyful life immortal and endless death most miserable c. I judge it better to go to School with our Master Christ and to be under his Ferula and Rod although it seems sharp and grievous for a time that at length we may be inheriters with him of everlasting joy rather then to keep company with the Devils Scholars the adulterous generation in his School that is all full of pleasure for a while and at the end to be payed with the wages of continual burning in the most horrible Lake which burneth evermore with fire and brimstone c. What doth he else I pray you that resorteth to the Ministration and Service that is most repugnant to Christs holy Testament there keeping still silence and nothing reproving the same but in the face of the world by his very deed it self declare himself to be of a false fearful dissembling feigned and unfaithful heart discouraging as much as lies in him all the residues of Christs Host and giving a manifest offence unto the weak and also confirming encouraging and rejoycing the hearts of the adversaries in all their evil doing by which he sheweth himself neither to love God whom he seeth to be dishonoured and blasphemed of an Antichristian Minister nor yet his Neighbour before whom he should rebuke the evil according to the command Thou shalt not hate thy Neighbour but reprove him c. But God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love Be not ashamed to testifie our Lord but suffer adversity with the Gospel through the power of God c. Fear not them that
true cause for it 29 That we are no more bound to pray in the Kirk then in other places 32 That the Pope is the head of the Kirk of Antichrist 34 That they which are called Princes and Prelates in the Church are Thieves and Robbers By these Articles exhibited in the year 1494 which God of his merfull providence caused the enemies of his Truth to keep in their Registers may appear how God retained some spark of light in Scotland in the time of greatest darkness When Arch Bishop Blacater asked Adam Read Whether he believed that God was in Heaven he answered Not as I do the Sacraments seven Whereupon Blacater insultingly said unto the King Sir Lo he denies that God is in Heaven Whereat the King wondring said Adam Read what say you He answered May it please your Majesty to hear the end between the Churle and me and therewith turned to the Bishop and said I neither think nor believe as thou thinkest that God is in Heaven though I am most assured that he is not onely in Heaven but also in the Earth but thou and thy Faction declare by your works that either you think there is no God at all or else that he is so set up in Heaven that he regards not what is done on Earth for if thou firmly believedst that God were in Heaven thou shouldst not make thy self Check-mate to the King and altogether forget that charge that Iesus Christ the Son of God gave to his Apostles to preach the Gospel and not to play the proud Prelates as all the rabble of you do this day And now Sir said he to the King judge you whether the Bishop or I believe best that God is in Heaven Then the King said to him Adam Read Wilt thou burn thy Bill He answered Sir the Bishop and you will Ridley Dr. Nicholas Ridley then Bishop of London went about Septemb. 8. â— 1552. to see the Lady Mary and offered to preach before her but she told him The door of the Parish Church adjoyning shall be open to you if you come and you may preach if you list but neither I nor any of mine shall hear you Madam said he I trust you will not refuse Gods Word I cannot tell said she what you call Gods Word that is not Gods Word now that was Gods Word in my Fathers dayes Gods Word said he is all one in all times but hath been better understood and practised in some Ages then in other After this Conference Sir Thomas Wharton one of the Lady Mary's Officers brought the Bishop to the place where they dined but the Bishop after he had drunk pausing a little while and looking very sadly brake out into these words Surely I have done amiss Why so said the Knight For I have drunk said he in that place where Gods Word offered hath been refused whereas if I had remembred my duty I ought to have departed immediately and to have shaken off the dust of my feet for a testimony against this House These words were spoken by the Bishop with such vehemency that some of the Hearers afterwards confessed That their hairstood upright upon their heads This done the Bishop departed In the time of Queen Iane in his Sermon at Paul's Cross he prophesied at it were That if ever the Lady Mary were Queen she would bring in Foreign Power to reign over them besides the subverting the Christian Religion then established Shortly after this Sermon Queen Mary was proclaimed and Dr. Ridley speedily repaired to Fremingham in Suffolk to Queen Mary but had but cold welcome there he was spoiled of his Dignity and sent back upon a lame halting Horse to the Tower In the Tower he was sometimes invited to the Lieutenants Table where he had conference with Secretary Brown c. In that Conference It is not in Scripture said Dr. Ridley as in the witness of men where a â—umber is credited more then one A multitude of affirmations in Scripture and one affirmation is all one as to the truth if the matter That which any one of the Evangeâ—ists spâ—ke inspired by the Holy Ghost is as true â—s that which is spoken by them all What John saith of Christ I am the door of the Sheâ—p is as true as what Matthew Mark Luke c. say This is my body â—â—t the Scripture words are onely true in the sence in which they were spoken As for Unity I embrace it â—it be with Verity and joyned to our Head Christ. â—â—r Antiquity I am perswaded that to be true which â—reneus saith That which is first is true Our Religion was first truly taught by Christ himself and his Apostles c. You know I were a very fool if I â—iu'd in this matter dissent from you if that in my â—onscience the Truth did not inforce me sâ— to do Ye perâ—ive I trow it is out of my way if I esteemed worldly â—â—in Afterwards he was sent out of the Tower with Cranmer and Latimer to dispute at Oxford When he was the first time brought before the Commissioners they asked him Whether he would dispute or no He answered That as long as God gave him life he should not onely have his heart but also his mouth and Pen to defend his Truth In his Protestation before his Disputation Whilst I weighed with my self how great a charge of the Lords Flock was of late committed to me for which I am certain I must render an account to my Lord God c. and that moreover by the command of the Apostle Peter I ought to be ready alwayes to give a reason of the hope that is in me with meekness and reverence unto every one that shall demand the same Besides this considering my duty to the Church of Christ and to your Worships being Commissioners by publick Authority I determined to obey your command in openly declaring to you my mind touching the Propositions which you gave me And albeit plainly to confess unto you the truth in these things which ye now demand of me I have thought otherwise in times past then now I do yet God I call to record unto my soul I lye not I have not altered my judgement as now it is either by constraint of any man or Laws or for the dread of any dangers of this world or for any hope of commodity but onely for love of the Truth revealed to me by the grace of God as I am undoubtedly perswaded in his holy Word and in the reading of the Ancient Fathers Dr. Weston telling him What he said contained onely evasions and starting holes I cannot said Dr. Ridley start far from you I am captive and bound Bertram said he was the first that pulled me â—y thâ— ear and that first â—rought me from the common errour of the Popish Church and caused me to search more diligently and exactly both the Scriptures and the Writings of the old Ecclesiastical Fathers in this matter
for his noble Birth Not the blood of my Progenitors said he but Christian Profession maketh me Noble When the Captain commanded his Sides to be lanced with Knives until the Bones appeared white again Sorry am I O Captain said he not that my flesh shall be thus cut and mangled but for thy cause am I sorrowfull who being corrupted with damnable errours seducest others He preached the second time the living God and the Lord Jesus Christ his welbeloved Son and eternal life through faith in his blood together with the abomination of idolatry c. Whereupon his face was buffeted his eye-lids torn with their nails his cheeks scotched with knives the skin of his beard was plucked by little and little from the flesh c. Thereupon the meek Martyr said I thank thee O Captain that thou hast opened unto me many mouths whereby I may preach my Lord and Saviour Christ Look how many wounds I have so many mouths I have lauding and praising God When the Captain blasphemingly said Thy crucified Christ is but a yesterdays God the gods of the Gentiles are of most Antiquity Romanus desired the Captain to hear what a Child of seven years of age would say His request being granted Tell me my Babe said Romanus whether thou think it reason that we worship one Christ and in Christ one Father or else that we worship infinite gods To whom the Babe answered That certainly whatsoever it be that men affirm to be God must needs be One which with One is one and the same and in as much as this One is Christ of necessity Christ must be the true God for that there be many gods we Children cannot believe The Captain hereat amazed said Thou young Villain and Traitor where and of whom learnedst thou this Lesson Of my Mother said the Child with whose milk I sucked in this Lesson that I must believe in Christ. The Captain thereupon commanded the Child to be hoised up and scourged The joyfull Mother onely saw that sight with dry eyes yea the rebuked her sweet Babe for craving a draught of cold water She charged him to thirst after the Cup that the Infants of Bethlem once drank of forgetting their Mothers Milk and Paps She willed him to remember little Isaac who beholding the Sword wherewith and the Altar whereon he should be sacrificed willingly proffered his tender neck to the dint of his Fathers Sword Then the butcherly Tormentor pluckt the skin from the Crown of his head hair and all The Mother cried Suffer my Child anon thou shalt pass to him that will adorn thy naked head with a Crown of eternal Glory The Child received the stripes with a smiling countenance As they laid hands on Romanus to carry him to the place of Execution he looked back and said I appeal from this thy tyranny O Judge unjust unto the righteous Throne of Christ that upright Judge not because I fear thy cruel torments and merciless handlings but that thy judgements may be known to be cruel and bloody When the Tormentor required the Child of the Mother who had taken it up in her arms she kissing it delivered the Babe and said Farewell my sweet Child and as the Hangman was cutting off its head she sang All laud and praise with heart and voice O Lord we yield to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints We know most dear to be When Romanus was cast into the fire he said he should not burn Accordingly a great storm arose as it is reported and quenched the fire Then his Tongue was cut out Nevertheless he spake saying He that speaketh Christ shall never want a Tongue Think not that the Voice that uttereth Christ hath need of the Tongue to be the Minister Eusebius saith That by his constancy in enduring his Tongue to be pull'd out of his Mouth he really declared to all that a divine Vertue is never wanting to any who suffer for godliness sake which doth both mitigate their griefs and corroborateth their hearts This valiant Souldier of Christ was not at all terrified thereat but of his own accord put out his Tongue and willingly yielded the same to the Tormentors hands Then he was clapt in Prison again and there a long while cruelly tormented and at last in the year 306. strangled and thereby according to his own desire was crowned with Martyrdome Roper George Roper a young man at his coming to the Stake putting off his Gown fetcht a great leap So soon as the flame was about him he put out both his arms from his body like a roode and so stood stedfast not plucking his arms in at all till the fire had consumed them and burnt them off Rough. Mr. Iohn Rough a famous Scotch Minister in England in King Edward's dayes at the beginning of Queen Mary's reign fled into Frizeland with his Wife where he laboured for his living in knitting of Caps Hose c. till lacking of Yarn c. he came over into England to provide for the maintenance of his Occupation and at London hearing of the secret Society and holy Congregation of Gods Children there assembled he joyned himself unto them and afterwards being elected their Minister continued for some time in fellowship with them teaching and confirming them in the Truth and Gospel of Christ. But not long after he was by a false Brothers treachery taken and clapt in Newgate When he was before Bonner he told him That he utterly detested the Service then used and that if he should live as long as did Me huselah yet he would never come to hear the abominable Mass and other Service being as it was then Dr. Watson then Bishop of Lincoln being at his Examination urged that he had done more hurt in the North Parts in King Edward's dayes then an hundred besides c. Why Sir said Mr. Rough Is this the reward I have for saving your life in those dayes He said he had lived thirty years and yet had never bowed his knee to Ball. Before Bonner he affirmed That he had been twice at Rome and there had seen plainly with his eyes that the Pope was the very Antichrist for he saw more reverence given to him then to that which they accounted their God Mr. Rough having been at the burning of Austoo in Smithfield and returning homeward again met with one that as'd him where he had been I have been said he where I would not for one of mine eyes but I had been Where have you been replied his Friend Forsooth said he to learn the way And so he told him he had been at the burning of Austoo where shortly after he was burned himself In his Letter to some Friends The comfort of the Holy Ghost make you able to give consolation to others in these dangerous dayes when Satan is let loose but to the trial onely of the chosen when it pleaseth our God to sift his Wheat from the Chaffe I speak to Gods
if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her The Chancellor pressing him to do as they had done in hopes of the Queens mercy and pardon My Lord said he I desire mercy with Gods mercy i. e. without doing or saying any thing against God and his Truth pag. 290. but mercy with Gods wrath God keep me from Gods mercy I desire and also would be glad of the Qâ—eens favour to live as a Subject without clog on Conscience but otherwise the Lords mercy is better to me then life Life in his displeasure is worse then death and death with his favour is true life He having refused again and again to answer to the Chancellors Quaeries said That no fear but the fear of perjury made him unwilling to answer he having been six times sworn not to consent to the practising of any Jurisdiction or any Authority on the Bishop of Râ—me's behalf within the Realm of England I am not afraid of death I thank God I look and have looked for nothing else from your hands a long time but I am afraid when death cometh I should have maâ—ter to trouble my Conscience by the guilt of perjury As for my death as I know there are twelve hours in the day so with the Lord my time is appointed and when it shall be his good time then I shall depart hence but in the mean season I am safe enough though all the reople had sworn my death into his hands have I committed it and do his good will be done The Earl of Derby sending one of his Servants to him willing him to tender himself He told the Messenger that he thanked his Lordship for his good will towards him but in this case I cannot tender my self more then Gods honour The same Servant saying also Ah Mr. Bradford consider your Mother Sister Friends Kinsfolk Countrey what a great discomfort it will be to them to see you die as an Heretick Mr. Bradford replied I have learned to forsake Father Mother Brother Sister Friends and all that ever I have yea and my own self for else I cannot be Christs Disciple Being askt by a good Gentlewomans Servant that was sent to him How he did he answered Well I thank God for as men in Sailing which be near to the Shore or Haven where they would be would be nearer even so the nearer I am to God the nearer I would be In a Letter to his Mother and Brethren I am at this time in Prison sure enough from starting to confirm that I have preached unto you As I am ready I thank God with my life and blood to seal the same if God vouchsafe me worthy of that honour If we suffer with him we shall also reign wâ—th him Be not therefore faint-hearted but rather rejoyce at the least for my sake who now am in the right and high way to Heaven for by many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God Now will God made known his Children When the wind doth not blow the Wheat cannot be known from the Chaffe but when the blast cometh then flieth away the Chaffe but the Wheat remaineth and is so far from being hurt that by the wind it is more cleansed from the Chaffe Gold when it is cast into the fire is the more precious so are Gods Children by afflictions Indeed I thank God more for this Prison then for any Parlour yea then for any pleasure that eyer I had for in it I find God my most sweet good God alwayes Of all deaths it is most to be desired to die for Gods sake such are sure to go to Heaven Death nor Life nor Prison nor Pleasure I trust in God shall be able to separate me from my Lord God and his Gospel Rejoyce in my sufferings for it is for your sakes to confirm the truth I have taught Howsoever you do be obedient to the Higher Powers that is in no point either in hand or tongue Rebel but rather if they command that which with good conscience you cannot obey lay your head on the Block and suffer what they shall do or say By patience possess your souls In his Letter to the City of London I ask God heartily mercy that I do no more rejoyce then I do having so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my dear Lord and Saviour to suffer Although my sins be manifold and grievous yet the Bishops and Prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his Word his Truth and Religion Let the anger and plagues of God most justly fallen upon us be applied to every one of our deserts that from the bottome of our hearts every one of us may say It is I Lord that have sinned against thee It is my hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetousness uncleanness carnality security idleness unthankfulness self-love c. which have deserved the taking away of thy Word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by Exile Imprisonment Death c. Prepare your selves to the Cross be obedient to all that be in Authority in all things that be not against God his Word for then answer with the Apostle It is more meet to obey God then man Howbeit never for any thing resist or rise against the Magistrates Avenge not your selves Commit your Cause to the Lord. If you feel in your selves an hope and trust in God that he will never tempt you above that he will make you able to bear be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to bear all brunts but if you want this Hope flee and get you hence rather then by your tarrying Gods Name should be dishonoured In his Letter to Cambridge Thou my Mother the University hast not onely had the truth of Gods Word plainly manifested unto thee by Reading Disputing and Preaching publickly and privately but now to make thee altogether excuseless and as it were almost to sin against the Holy Ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romish Rout to suppress the Verity and set out the contrary thou hast my life and blood as a Seal to confirm thee if thou wilt be confirmed or else to confound thee if thou wilt take part with the Prelates and Clergy which now fill up the measure of their Fathers which slew the Prophets and Apostles that all the righteous blood from Abel to Bradford may be required at their hands For the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and blood I beseech you to take Christs eye-salve to anoint your eyes that you may see what you do and have done in admitting the Romish rotten Rags which once you utterly expelled O be not the Dog returned to his vomit be not the Sow that was washed returning to her wallowing in the mire Beware least Satan enter in with seven worse Spirits c. It had been better you had never known the truth then after knowledge to have run
come to Gods company In his Letter to Mr. Laurence Saunders A Friend having moved the Prisoners to subscribe to the Papists Articles with this condition so far as they are not against Gods word Dr. Taylor and Mr. Philpot think the salt sent by our Friend is unseasonable for my own part I pray God in no case I may seek my self and indeed I thank God I purpose it not In another Letter This will be offensive therefore let us Vadere plane and so sane I mean let us all confess we are no changlings but re ipsa are the same we were in Religion and therefore cannot subscribe except we will dissemble both with God with our selves and with the world In his Letter to Dr. Cranmer Dr. Ridley and Dr. Latimer Our dear brother Rogers hath broken the Ice valiantly this day I think or to morrow at the uttermost hearty Hooper sincere Saunders and trusty Tailor end their course and receive their Crown The next am I who hourly look for the Porter to open me the Gates after them to enter into the desired Rest. God forgive me mine unthankfulness for this exceeding great mercy For though I justly suffer for I have been a great Hypocrite c. the Lord pardon me yea he hath done it he hath done it indeed yet what evil hath he done Christ whom the Prelates persecute his truth which they hate in me hath done no evil nor deserved death O what am I Lord that thou shouldest thus magnifie me Is this thy wont to send for such a wretched Hypocrite in a fiery chariot as thou didst for Elias In his Letter to the Lord Russel Faith is reckoned and worthily among the greatest gifts of God by it as we are justified and made Gods children so are we Temples and Possessours of the Holy Spirit yea of Christ also Eph. 4. And of the Father himself Iohn 14. By faith we drive the Devil away 2 Pet. 5. We overcome the world 1 Iohn 5. And are already Citizens of Heaven c. Yet the Apostle doth match even with faith yea as it were prefer suffering Persecution for Christs sake Phil. 1. Though the wisdome of the world think of the Cross according to sense and therefore flieth from it as from a most great ignominy and shame yet Gods Scholars have learned to think otherwise of the Cross as the Frame-house wherein God frameth his Children like to his Son Christ the Furnace that fineth Gods gold the High-way to Heaven the Suit and Livery of Gods servants the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory In his Meditation on the Commandements As the first Command teacheth me as well that thou art my God as what God thou art therefore of equity I should have no other Gods but thee that is I should onely hang on thee trust in thee serve thee call on thee obey thee and be thankful to thee so because thou didst reveal thy self visibly that thou mightest visibly be worshipped The second Commandement is concerning thy Worship that in no point I should follow in worshipping thee the device or intent of any man Saint Angel or Spirit but should take all such as idolatry and image-service be it never so glorious And why forsooth because thou wouldst I should worship thee as thou hast appointed by thy Word for if service be acceptable it must be according to the Will of him to whom it is done and not of him who doth it c. So that the meaning of this Precept is that as in the first I should have none other Gods but thee so I should have no worship of thee but such as thou appointest And therefore utterly abandon mine own will and reason all the reasons and good intents of man and wholly give my self to serve thee after thy will and word Thou bidst me not to take thy Name in vain as by temerarious or vain swearing c. So by denying thy truth and word or concealing it when occasion is offered to promote thy glory and confirm thy truth By reason whereof I may well see that thou wouldst have me to use my tongue in humble confessing thee and thy word and truth after my Vocation c. Thy Ministers I pray not for thy Church I am not careful for no not now good Lord when wicked Doctrine most prevaileth Idolatry Superstition and Abomination abound the Sacraments c. blasphemously corrupted c. all which my wickedness brought in my profaning of the fourth Commandement and my not praying Thy Ministers are in Prison dispersed in other Countreys spoiled burnt murthered many fall for fear of goods life name c. from the truth they have received to most manifest idolatry false Preachers abound among the people thy people dearly bought even with thy bloud are not fed with the bread of thy Word but with swillings and drink for swine Antichrist wholly prevaileth and yet for all this also I am too careless nothing lamenting my sins which have been the cause of all this Help thy Church cherish it and give it harbour here and elsewhere for Christs sake Purge the Ministry from corruption and false Mâ—niâ—ters Send out Preachers to feed thy people Destroy Antichrist and all his Kingdome Give to such as be fallen from thy truth repentance Keep others from falling and by their falling do thou the more confirm us Confirm thy Mâ—nisters and poor people in Prison and Exile Strengthen them in thy truth Deliver them if it be thy good will Give them that with conscience they may so answer their Adversaries that thy servants may rejoyce and thy Adversarieâ— be confounded Avenge thou thy own cause â— thou God of Hosts Help all thy people and mâ—â— especially because I have most need Set my heart strait in case of Religion to acknowledgâ— thee one God to worship none other God to reâ—verence thy Name and keep thy Sabbaths Set mâ— heart right in matters of humane conversation tâ— honour my Parents to obey Rulers and reverencâ— the Ministry of the Word to have hands cleaâ— from bloud true from theft a body free from Aâ—dultery and a tongue void of all offence but purge the heart first O Lord c. In his Meditation concerning the sober usage of the body and the pleasures of this life O that I could consider often and heartily that this body God hath made to be the tabernacle and mansion of our soul for this life but by reason of sin dwelling in it is become now to the soul nothing else but a prison and that most strait vile stinking filthy c. Then should I not pamper up my body to obey it but bridle it that it may obey the soul then should I flie the pain it putteth my soul unto by reason of sin and provocation to all evil and continually desire the dissolution of it with Paul and the deliverance from it as much as ever did prisons his deliverance out
and Confessours yea with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like that in his glory we may be like him also O good God what are we on whom thou shouldest shew this great mercy O loving Lord forgive us our unthankfulness and sins O faithful Father give us thy holy Spirit now to cry in our hearts Abba dear Father to assure us of our eternal election in Christ to reveal more and more thy Truth unto us to confirm strengthen and stablish us so in the same that we may live and die in it as Vessels of thy mercy to thy glory and to the commodity of thy Church Indue us with the Spirit of thy wisdome that with good conscience we may alwayes so answer the enemies in thy cause as may turn to their conversion or confusion and our unspeakable consolation in Jesus Christ for whose sake we beseech thee henceforth to keep us to give us patience and to will none otherwise for deliverance or mitigation of our misery then may stand alwayes with thy good pleasure and merciful will towards us Grant this dear Father not onely to us in this place but also to all others elsewhere afflicted for thy Names sake through the death and merit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In his godly Meditations We are rather to be placed among the wicked then among thy children for that we are so shameless for our sin and careless for thy wrath which we may well say to be most grievous against us and evidently set forth in the taking away of our good King and the true Religion in the exile of thy Servants imprisonment of thy People misery of thy Children and death of thy Saints and by placing over us in authority thine enemies by the success thou gavest them in all that they took in hand by the returning again into our Countrey of Antichrist the Pope What shall we do what shall we say who can give us penitent hearts who can open our lips that our mouths might make acceptable confession unto thee O what now may we do Despair no for thou art God and therefore good thou art merciful and therefore thou forgivest sins with thee is mercy and propitiation and therefore thou art worshipped When Adam had sinned thou gavest him mercy before he desired it and wilt thou deny us mercy which now desire the same Adam excused his fault and accused thee but we accuse our selves and excuse thee and shall we be sent empty away Abraham was pulled out of Idolatry when the world was drown'd therein and art thou his God onely Israel in captivity in Egypt was graciously visited and delivered and dear God that same good Lord shall we alwayes be forgotten How often in the wilderness didst thou defer and spare thy plagues at the request of Moses when the people themselves made no Petition to thee and seeing we do not onely make our Petitions to thee but also have a Mediator for us now far above Moses even Jesus Christ shall we I say dear Lord depart ashamed Take into thy custody and governance for ever our souls and bodies our lives and all that ever we have Tempt us never further then thou wilt make us able to bear and alwayes as thy children guide us so that our life may please thee and our deaths praise thee through Jesus Christ our Lord for whose sake we heartily pray thee to grant these things c. not onely to us but c. especially for thy children that be in thraldome under their enemies in exile in prison poverty c. Be merciful to all the whole Realm of England grant us all true repentance and mitigation of our misery And if it be thy good will that thy holy Word and Religion may continue amongst us Pardon our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and if it be thy pleasure turn their hearts Oh mighty King and most High Almighty God who mercifully governest all things which thou hast made look down upon the faithful seed of Abraham c. consecrated to thee by the anointing of thy holy Spirit and appointed to thy Kingdome by thy eternal purpose free mercy and grace but yet as strangers wandring in this vile vile of misery brought forth daily by worldly Tyrants like Sheep to the slaughter Thou hast destroyed Pharaoh with all his Horse and Chariots puffed up with pride against thy people leading forth safely by the hands of thy mercy thy beloved Israel through the high waves of the roaring waters Thou O God the Lord of all Hosts and Armies didst first drive away from the Gates of thy people the blasphemous Senacherib slaying of his Army 85000 by the Angel in one night and after by his own Sons before his Idols didst kill the same blasphemous Idolater c. Thou didst transforâ— and change proud Nebuchadnezzar the enemy oâ— thy people into a bruit beast to eat grass and hayâ— to the horrible terrour of all worldly Tyrants c. Thou didst preserve those thy three Servants iâ— Babylon who with bold courage gave their bodies to the fire because they would not worship any dead Idol and when they were cast into the burning Furnace thou didst give them chearful hearts to rejoyce and sing Psalms and savedâ—â— unhurt the very hairs of their heads turnâ—ng the flame from them to devour their enemies Thou O Lord God by the might of thy right arm which governeth all broughtest Daniel thy Prophet safe into light and life forth of the dark Den of the devouring Lions c. Now also O heavenly Father beholder of all things to whom belongs vengeance thou seest and conâ—iderest how thy holy Name by the wicked Worldlings and blasphemons Idolaters is dishonoured thy sacred Word forsaken refused and despised thy holy Spirit provoked offended thy chosen Temple polluted and defiled Tarry not too long therefore but shew thy power speedily upon thy chosen Houshold which is so grievously vexed and so cruelly handled by thy open enemies Avenge thine own glorâ— and shorten these evil dayes for thine Elects sake Let thy Kingdome come of all thy Servants desired and though we have all offended thy Majesty Yet for thine own glory O merciful Lord suffer not the enemy of thy Son Christ the Romish Antichrist thus wretchedly to delude and draw from thee our poor brethren for whom thy Son once died that by his cruelty after so clear light they they should be made Captives to dumb Idols and devillish inventions of Popish Ceremonies thereunto pertaining Suffer him not to seduce the simple sort with this fond opinion that his false gods blind mumbling feigned Religion or his foolish Superstition doth give him such conquest such victories such triumph and so high an hand over us We know most certainly O Lord that it is not their arm and power but our sins and offences that hath delivered us to their fury and hath caused thee
I have no air to breath at but a little stinking Hole where they lay all their Rubbish and where the Drunkards commonly vent their Urine and though I be laden with Irons both on my hands and feet eating through the flesh even to the bare bones c. and that I may make no escape guarded with fourty men before the Prison door When the Provost brought him tidings that he was to be burnt at Six or thereabouts that day He gave him thanks for the good News which he had brought him And going to the rest of the Prisoners he said Brethren I am this day to die for the Doctrine of the Gospel and now blessed be God I joy and rejoyce therein I had not thought that ever God would have done me this honour I feel my self replenished with joy more and more from minute to minute My God addeth new courage to me and my heart leapeth for joy within me Then exhorting them to be of good courage he told them it was no hard matter to die adding by way of acclamation O how happy are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Beware you do nothing said he against a good Conscience c. For if you do you shall certainly feel such an Hell in your Consciences as will never cease to vex and trouble you O my Brethren how good a thing is it to nourish a good Conscience One of the Prisoners asking him Whether he had finished a certain work which he had begun He answered No for now I must cease to labour because I am passing along to the heavenly rest The time of my departing is at hand I go to reap that in Heaven which I have â—own on Earth I have fought a good fight I am at the point of finishing my course from henceforth the Crown of Glory is laid up for me which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give unto me Methinks said he with a joyful and smiling countenance that my spirit hath obtained wings to sore aloft into Heaven being invited to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. The Provost coming in with Bands Mr. Guy bid him welcome and gave him thanks again for his good news The Provost replying that it grieved him much that things should be carried so Mr. Guy joyfully answered I accept of you as my good Friend I love you with all my heart C. Caesar. O Lord said Leonard Caesar do thou suffer with me Lord support me and save me Caigneola Michaela Caigneola a noble Matron seeing her Judges look out of the Windows said to her fellow Martyrs These stay to suffer the torments of their Consciences and are reserved to judgement but we are going to glory and happiness When certain poor women wept and cried O Madam we shall never now have more Alms Yes hold said she yet once more and plucked of her Slippers and such other of her Apparel as she could with modesty spare from the fire Calberg I believe said Thomas Calberg to the Friers willing him to repent at the last hour that I am one of those workmen in Christs vineyard and shall presently receive my penny Calocerius He seeing the great patience of Faustinus and Iolita Citizens of Briria in their very great torments cried out Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum Verily great is the God of Christians Which words being heard caused him forthwith to be apprehended and martyred with those two famous Christians Cane When a fool's cap was put on Alexander Cane's head Can I have said he a greater honour done me then to be served as my Lord Christ before Herod Lord seeing my persecutours have no mercy have thou mercy on me and receive my soul. Canesire There is one Passage in your Letter said Claude de la Canesire in a Letter to his Wife from Lions which doth not a little comfort me namely that albeit you are loath to leave me yet you had rather have no husband at all then to have one that should betray the cause of Christ. Cardmaker Mr. Iâ—hn Cardmaker burnt in Smithfield 1555. in a Letter to a Friend writes thus You shall right well perceive that I am not gone back as some men do report me but as ready to give my life as any of my Brethren that are gone before me That day that I recant any point of Doctrine I shall suffer twenty kinds of death the Lord being my assistance as I doubt not but he will I have learned to rejoyce in poverty as well as riches for that I count now to be very riches I have conferred with some of my learned Adversaries and I find they are but Sophisters and shadows Careles Iohn Careles of Coventry Weaver being wisht by Dr. Martin to play the wise man's part to save that which God hath bought I thank you Sir said he and I put you out of doubt that I am most sure and certain of my salvation by Jesus Christ so that my soul is safe already whatsoever pains my body suffers here for a little time Art thou so predestinated to life said the Doctour that thou canst noâ— perish in whatsoever opinion thou dost die That God hath predestinated me to eternal life in Jesus Christ said he I am most certain and even so I am sure that his Holy Spirit wherewith I am sealed will so preserve me from all Heresies and evil opinions that I shall die in none at all When the Dr. told him that he was a goodly tall man and might do the Queen good service in Ireland He said wheresoever I am I am ready to her Grace the best service I can with body goods and life and if she or any under require me to do any thing contrary to Christs true Religion I am ready also to do service in Smithfield as my Bedfellows and other Brethren have done praised be God for them In his Letter to Mr. Philpot. Ah my true loving Friends how soon did you lay aside all other business to make a sweet plaister for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a painful pair of Stocks which place must needs be uneasie to write in But God hath brought you in a strait place that you might set my soul at liberty Ah good Ieremy hath Phassur put thee into the Stocks why now thou hast the right reward of a Prophet Though you lye in the dark slurred with the Bishops black coal-dust yet shall you shortly be made as white as snow in Salmon and as the wings of a Dove that is covered with silver and her feathers like gold You know the Vessel before it be made bright is soiled with oyl and other things that it may scour the better O happy be you that you be now in the scouring house for shortly you shall be set on the celestial shelf as bright as Angels My old Friends of Coventry have put the Counsel in remembrance of
me not six dayes ago saying I am more worthy to be burnt then any that hath been burned yet God's blessing on their hearts for their good report God make me worthy of that dignity and hasten the time that I may set forth his glory Blessed be the time that ever I came into the Kings Bench to be joyned in love and fellowship with such dear children of the Lord. In his Letter to his Wife Are not two sparrows saith Christ sold fer a farthing and yet not one of them shall perish without the will of your Heavenly Father c. As though he should have said if God hath such respect and care for a poor sparrow which is not worth one farthing it shall not be taken in the lime-twig net or pitfall untill it be his good will and pleasure you may be well assured that not one of you whom he so dearly loveth that he hath given his onely dear Son for you shall perish or depart forth of this miserable life without his good will and pleasure Let not the remembrance of children keep you from God The Lord himself will be a Father and a Mother better then ever yoâ—â— or I could have been unto them He himself will do all things necessary for them yea as much as rock the cradle if need be In his Letter to Mr. Bradford If we had been thanful to God for the good Ministers of his Word we had not so soon been deprived both of it and them Take not away all thy true Preachers forth of this Realm O Lord but leave us a seed least England be made like unto Sodom and Gomorrah when thy true Lots be gone Hearken O Heavens and then Earth give ear and bear me witness at the great Day that I do here faithfully and truly the Lord's message to his dear Servant to his singularly beloved and elect child Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloved of God I pronounce and testifie unto thee in the Name of the Lord Jehovah that all thy sins whatsoever they be be they never so many so grievous or so great be fully and freely pardoned released and forgiven thee by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ thine onely Lord and sweet Saviour in whom thou doest undoubtedly believe Christ hath cleansed thee with his blood and cloathed thee with his Righteousness and hath made thee in the sight of God his Father without spot or wrinckle so that when the fire doth his appointed office thou shalt be received as a sweet burnt-sacrifice into Heaven where thou shalt joyfully remaâ—n in God's presence for ever as the true inheriter of his everlasting Kingdom unto the which thou wast undoubtedly predestinate and ordaâ—ned by the Lords infallible purpose and decree before the foundation of the world was laid and that this is most true that I have said I call the whole Trinity the Almighty and Eternal Majesty of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost to my record at this present whom I humbly beseech to confirm and stablish in thee the true and lively feeling of the same Amen Selah In his Letter to his dear and faithful Brethren in Newgate condemned to die Cease not my dearly Beloved so long as you be in this life to praise the Lord with all your hearts for that of his great mercy and infinite goodness he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not onely the loss of goods wife and children long imprisonment cruel oppression but death it self in the fire This is the greatest promotion that God can bring you or any other into in this vail of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Angel in Heaven is not permitted to have and yet hath the Lord for his dear Son Christ's sake reputed you worthy of the same yea and that before me and many others who have both long looked and longed for the same Rejoyce with double joy and be glad my dear Brethren for doubtless you have more cause then can be exprest But alas I that for my sins am left behind may lament with the holy Prophet Woe is me that the dayes of my joyful râ—st are prolonged Ah cursed Satan which hath caused me so sore to offend my most dear loving Father whereby mine exile and banishment is so long prolonged Oh Christ my dear Advocate pacifie thy Father's wrath which I have justly deserved that he may take me home to him in his sweet mercy In his Letter to Mr. Green c. If they be so blessed of God that die in the Lord as the Holy Ghost saith they be how much more blessed and happy then are you that die not onely in the Lord but for the Lord. O blessed Green c. fresh and green shalt thou be in the Lord's House and thy fruits shall never wither nor decay O happy Mr. Whittle Peter's part thou hast well play'd therefore thy reward and portion shall be like his Now hast thou good experience of man infirmity but much more proof and taste yea sense and feeling of God's abundant bottomless mercyâ— Although Satan desired to sift thee yet Christ thy good Captain pray'd that thy faith should not failâ— God's strength is made perfect by thy weakness c. But alas I lye like the lame man aâ— the Pools side and every one goeth into the place of health before me In his Letter to William Tyms Satan hath two great pieces of Ordinance to shoot at you with the which he cannot hurt you because you have two bul-warks to defend you The first of these terrible Guns that he hath shot at you is fear and infidelity for the uglesomness of death and horrour of your many and great sins But this pellet is easily put away with the sure shield of faith in the most precious death and blood-shedding of our dear Lord and onely Saviour Jesus Christ whom the Father hath given to us wholly to be ours for evermore and with him hath given us all things as Paul saith so that though we be never so great sinners yet Christ is made unto us holiness righteousness and justification He hath clothed us all his merits c. and taken to himself all our sin c. so that if any should be now condemned for the same it must needs be Jesus Christ who hath taken them upon him But indeed he hath made satisfaction for them to the uttermost so that for his sake they shall never be imputed to us if they were a thousand times more then they be The other pestilent Piece he shooteth off at you is to provoke you to put some part of your trust and confidence in yourself and in your own holiness and righteousness that you may that way rob God of his glory and Christ of the honour and dignity of his death but blessed be the Lord God you have also a full strong Bul-work to beat back this pestilent Pellet even the
the world We are strangers in this world and citizens of Heaven Ye sons of men why love ye vanities and seek lies how long love you infancy or childhood The godly have most comfort though iâ— this life they be as sheep ordained to be slain and seem forsaken of God c. yet they do not despair no not in death but are sure they shall pass through death to life eternal c. Also they have this comfort that their death is good and precious theâ— also know that through Christs death death is overcome and abolished Christ by his death hath changed their death into a sleep Such as be at the point of death ought to take comfort and be strong in that they know that they carry with them both Letter and Token which is Baptisme whereby their death is incorporate with the death of Christ and that it is not their death so much as the death of Christ. Wherefore let them surely trust that they shall overcome as that death of Christ hath overcome Unto the godly it is a great comfort that they know that death is not in the power of Tyrants nor put into the hand of any Creature least they should be much troubled c. they shall onely die when it pleaseth the Lord. We cannot live any longer then the Lord hath appointed and we shall not die though we be in the greatest peril and extreme jeopardy before our hour Then wherefore should they fear death they cannot live longer then God hath appointed nor die any sooner It is the comfort of the godly in all adversity that through the Grace of God they shall be revived and raised up as well the body as the soul the souls to Justice the bodies to Glory This hope the wicked have not c. It is a great comfort that affliction shall not endure continually and the afflictions of this time are not worthy of the Glory which shall be shewed upon us Our trouble which is but temporal and light worketh an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory unto us who look not on the things that are seen but on them which are not seen If a man praise a very fool saith Mr. Frith in his Preface to his Mirrour and think his wit good and profound he is indeed more fool then the other Thus seeing man praiseth and commends riches honour c. and such other vain and transitory things which are but as a dream and vanish like a flower of the field when a man should have most need of them he himself is more vain then those things which are but vanity If God hath opened the eyes of thy mind saith the Mirrour it self and have given thee Spirit and Wisdome through the knowledge of his Word boast not thy self of it but rather fear and tremble for a chargeable Office is committed unto thee which if thou fulfil it is like to cost thee thy 〈◊〉 at one time or other with much trouble and persâ—â—cution but if thou fulfill it not then shall tâ—â— Office be thy Damnation For St. Paul saith Wâ—â—â— to me if I â—â—each not And by the Propher Ezekâ—â— God saith If I say unto the wicked that he shall die tâ— death and thou shew him not of it the wicked shall 〈◊〉 in his iniquity but I shall require his blood at thy haâ—â—â— But peradventure our Divines would expouâ—â— these Texts onely of them that are sent and haâ—â— cure of souls Whereunto I answer That eveâ— man that hath the light of Gods Word revealed unto him is sent wheresoever he seeth necessity anâ— hath the cure of his Neighbours soul e. g. If Goâ— hath given me my sight and I perceive a blinâ— man going in the way which is ready for lack 〈◊〉 sight to fall into a pit wherein he would likely perish I am bound by Gods Command to guide hiâ— till he be past that jeopardy or else if he perisâ—â— therein his blood shall be required at my handâ— Thus if I perceive my Neighbour like to perish 〈◊〉 lack of Christs Doctrine then am I bound to instruct him with the knowledge God hath given me or else his blood shall be required at my hand Peradventure they will say that there is already one appointed to watch the Pit c. and thereforâ— I am discharged and need take no thought Where unto I answer I would be glad that so it were notwithstanding if I perceive that the Watchmen bâ— asleep or run to the Ale-house c. and through his negligence espie my Neighbour in danger oâ— the Pit then am I nevertheless bound to lead him from it I think that God hath sent me at that time to save that soul from perishing and the Law oâ— God and Nature that bindeth me thereunto which chargeth me to love my Neighbour as my self to do unto him as I would be done unto If God hath given thee riches c. thou art yet the very owner of them but God is the Owner who saith by the Prophet Gold is mine and silver is mine and he hath for a season made thee a Steward of them so see whether thou with be faithful in the distribution of them according to his Commands Our spiritual Possessionaries are double Thieves and Murtherers as concerning the body besides their murthering of the soul for lack of Gods Word which they will neither preach or suffer any other to do it purely but persecute them and put them unto most cruel death First they are Thieves and Murtherers because they distribute not what they have from charitable Forefathers to the intent it should have been ministred unto the Poor but upon Horses Coaches c. gorgeous apparel and delicate fare c. Thus they defraud the Poor of their bread and so are Thieves and because this bread is their life they are Murtherers also Besides they are Thieves and Murtherers for withdrawing their perfect Members from labour whereby they might minister unto their Neighbours necessities I speak of as many as are not occupied about preaching Gods Word Besides these and many other Treatises he wrote also several choice Letters whilest he was Prisoner in the Tower In his Letter to the faithful Followers of Christs Gospel he thus expresseth himself It cannot be express'd Dearly Beloved in the Lord what joy and comfort it is to my heart to perceive how the Word of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you so that I find no small number walking in the wayes of the Lord according as he gave us Commandment willing that we should love each other as he loved us Now have I experience of the faith which is in you and can testifie that it is without simulation that ye love not in word and tongue onely but in deed and truth What can be more trial of a faithful heart then to adventure not onely to aid and succour by the means of other which without danger may not be admitted
practises to resist Gods vengeance Submit your selves to him who holdeth youâ— breath in your nostrils who with one blast of hiâ— mouth can destroy all his enemies Embrace hiâ— Son Christ and repent betimes for your obstinacy against him and his Word and for your crueltâ— against his Servants Repent repent For repentance is the onely way of your redress and deliverance Consider how the Lord hath intreated Israel and Iuda his own people how oft they trespassed and how he gave them over into the hands of their enemies But whensoever they repented and turned again to God unfeignedly he sent them Judges and Deliverers Kings and Saviours Noah pronounceth that within a hundred and twenty years all flesh should be destroyed We have many Noahs that so cry in our times yet no man repenteth All the time that Noah was preparing for the Ark to avoid Gods vengeance the multitude derided this holy Prophet as the multitude of you two Realms doth at this day deride all them that by obedience to Gods Word seek the means appointed to avoid Gods judgments Then the people would not repent but as if they should live for ever they married they banqueted they builded they planted deriding Gods messenger Do not you the like I appeal to your own consciences The Lord calleth to fasting saith the Prophet Isaiah to mortifie themselves and kill their lusts but they kill Sheep and Bullocks Ieremy cries for tears and lamentation They laugh and mock-Malachi crieth to the people of his time Turn unto me and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hosts and they proudly answer Wherein shall we turn Are you not such Do you not ask Wherein shall we turn when ye will not know your sins Ye will not confess and acknowledge your faults though ye go a whoring in every Street Town and Village with your Idols though the blood of the oppressed cry every where against you for vengeance So that seeing no taken of repentance I cannot cry unto you with Iohn Baptist O ye generation of vipers who hath taught you to flie from the wrath to come But I will wound you no more with the words of the Prophets or of this holy Saint of God Iohn Baptist but with our Saviour Christs two most sweet parables of the two Sons and of the Tilmen to whom he set his vineyard I will labour to set before your eyes your rebellion hypocrisie and cruelty if so I can bring any of you to repentance He hath called you by his Word many a time to work in his vineyard I ask what you have answered Some of you have said plainly like rebellious children That ye would not do it that ye would not work in your Fathers vineyard Shall I apply this part to Scotland Scotland was indeed called most plainly and evidently through the mercies of God both by their own faithful Countreymen and also by earnest travel of our English Nation to come into the Lords vineyard in the time of King Edward the Sixth but refused That time as ye know the vineyard in England by the children of God was not altogether neglected and then most earnestly were yeâ—â— O Brethren of Scotland required to joyn hanâ—â— with us in the Lords work but Satan alas would not suffer it His old foâ—tred malice and Antichrisâ—â— his Son could not abide that Christ should growâ—â— to strong by joyning that Isle together in perfect Religion c. lest this one Island should become a safe Sanctuary as it began to be to all the persecuted in all places God hath also by the blood of his Saints shed amongst you by favour and friendship by war and the sword yea by famine and pestilence and also by all other means called you to labour in his vineyard but to this days alas we hear not of your humble obedience But still ye say with stubborn faces We will not labour we will not be bound to such thraldome c. Ye think perchance I am too sharp and that I accuse you more then you deserve for amongst you many do know the will of your Father and many make profession of his Gospel but consider Brethren that it is not enough to know the Commandment and to profess the same in mouth but it is necessary that ye refuse your selves your own pleasures appetites and your own wisdome if ye shall be judged faithful labourers in the Lordâ— vineyard and that ye bear the burthens together with your Brethren and suffer heat and sweat before ye taste the fruits with them God will noâ—â— be content that ye look over the Hedge and behold the labours of your Brethren but he requireth that ye put your hands also to the labours that ye travel continually to pluck up all unprofitable weeds though in so doing the Thorns prick you to the bone that ye assist your Brethren in their labours though it be with the jeopardy of your lives the loss of your substance and displeasure of the whole earth I must needs leave thee O Scotland after I have advertized thee of this that thou follow not the example of England but let thy reformation be full and plain according to Gods holy Will and Word without addition Let all the plants which thy Heavenly Father hath not planted be rooted out at once Let not avarice blind thee nor worldly wisdome discourage thy heart let none bear the name of a Teacher that is known to be a Fosterer of Superstition or any kind of wickedness Thus must thou O Scotland repent thy former inobedience if that thou wilt be approved of the Lord. And now do I return to thee O England I do liken thee to the second Son in the Parable which answered his Father with flattering words saying I go Father but yet he went not at alâ— For since the time I had any remembrance our Heavenly Father of his great mercies hath not ceased to call thee into his Vineyard and to these late dayes thou hast alwayes said That thou wouldest enter and be obedient In the time of King Henry the Eighth when by Tyndal Frith Bilnâ—y and other his saithful Servants God called England to dress his Vineyard many promised full fair but what fruit followed nothing but bitter grapes yea briars and brambles the wormwood of avarice the gall of cruelty the poyson of filthy fornication flowing from head to foot the contempt of God and open defence of the Cake-idol by open Proclamation to be read in the Churches instead of Gods Scriptures It grieveth me to write these evils of my Countrey save onely that I must needs declare what fruit were found in the Vineyard after you promised to work therein to move you to Repentance and to justifie Gods Judgements how grievonsly soever he shall plague you hereaftâ—â— Wherefore I desire you to call to remembrancâ— your best state under King Edward when all meâ—â— with general consent promised to work in thâ—â— Vineyard and ye shall have cause
I doubt not to â—aâ—ment your wickedness that so contemned the voicâ—â— of God for your own lusts for your cruelty for your covetousness that the Name of God was by your vanities evil spoken of in other Nations God grant you all repentant hearts for no order or state did any part of his duty in those dayes Bâ—â— to speak of the best whereof you use to boast your Religion was but an English Mattins patch'd forth of the Popes portess Many things were in your great Book superstitious and foolish all were driven to a present service like the Papists that they should think their duties discharged if the number were said of Psalms and Chapters Finally there could no Discipline be brought into the Church nor correction of manners To what contempt was Gods Word and the admonition of his Prophets come in all estates before God did strike some men are not ignorant The Preachers themselves for the most part could find no fault in Religion but that the Church was poor and lacked living Sure many things should have been reformed before that the Kitchin had been better provided for our Prelates in England It was most evident that many of you under the cloak of Religion served your own bellies some where so busie to heap benefice upon benefice some to labour in Parliament for purchasing of Lands that the time was small which could be found for the Reformation of abuses and every little that was spent upon the feeding of your flocks In a word the Goâ—â—spel was so lightly esteemed that the most part of men thought rather that God should bow and stoop to their appetites then that they should be subject to his holy Commandments Even the Nobility and Council would suffer no rebukes of Gods Messengers though their offences were never so manifest let those that preached in the Court the Lent before King Edward deceased speak their conscience and accuse me if I lie yea let a writing of Northumberland's to Mr. Harlow be brought to light and it shall testifie that he was not ashamed to say That the liberty of the Preachers tongues would cause the Council and Nobility to rise up against them for they could not suffer so to be entreated These were the fruits in the time of Harvest a little before the Winter came and of the time of Mary what should I write It hath cast off the Truth known and confessed and followeth lies and errours which once it detested It buildeth the building which once it destroyed it raiseth up the idols which once were there confounded They persecute they banish they burn Christ the Son of God in his members But to be short this onely remaineth for both these Nations that they repent and return into the Vineyard with the first Son and bring forth the fruits of Repentance The fruits of Repentance I call not onely to know your sins and to lament them but to amend your lives and to make strait the Lords paths by resisting Satan and Sin and obeying God in doing the works of righteousness and executing Gods Precepts and Judgements so long amongst you contemned for even now is the Axe put to the root of the tree c. Thâ— Lord hath now his Fan in his hand and will purge his floor c. Repent therefore whilst you have time before you be â—anned hewn down and fired Here have we to lament the miserable state of mankind which iâ— so seduced by the subtile Serpent that he cannoâ— know his misery when he is admonished nor perceive his perdition when it draweth so near Wheâ— the Servants of God set forth his Truth they are charged to trouble Realms and Countreys as waâ— Elias when they warn men to joyn hands with wicked Kings and Princes they are counted Traytors as was Isaiah and Ieremiah such is mans malice Wherefore I do admonish and exhort you both in the Name of the living God that howsoever yoâ— have hitherto shewed your selves the Servants oâ— men to bear and flatter with the world that noâ— ye learn in Gods cause to despise the faces of men to bend your selves against this wicked world neither regarding the Visors of Honours vain Titles nor dignities any farther then they seek Gods onely Glory for his Glory will he not suffer to be contemned for any cause no he will pour contempâ— on those Princes that strive against his Truth bâ—â— those that glorifie him will he glorifie Behold your onely remedy remaining is to repenâ— your time of ignorance of stubbornness of cruelty of idolatry wherein ye have so long continued Mourn for your ignorance and now with all diligence seek for knowledge of the World of God and openly profess the Gospel which is the poweâ— of God whereof ye ought not to be ashamed Cease at the last from your old stubbornness and labour in the Vineyard with all meekness Cease from your cruelty against Christs Members and learn tâ— suffer for Christs sake if ye will be true Christians Banish all Idolatry and Popish Superstitioâ— from amongst you else can ye have no part iâ— Christs Kingdome no more then Christ can be partaker with Antichrist Pray to the Lord of Hosts and Armies to give you the courage strength and means The Lords Arm is not shortened now no more then of old Be strong therefore in the Lord for the defence of the Truth though all the World rise against it Now when the battel is fierce against the living God for dead idols against the Gospel of Christ for the inventions of Antichrist against Christ members for Popish ceremonies can any of you that will be accounted Gods Children still halt of both hands If you will maintain Gods truth in the Earth he will receive you as his Children into the Heavens if you confess his Christ before this wicked Generation Christ shall confess you before his Father in the Heavens in the presence of his Angels But if you persist stubbornly to banish Gods Word and his Son Christ in his Members forth of your Earthly Kingdomes how can ye look for any part in his Heavenly Kingdome Lo here is the choice of life and death of misery and wealth offered to you by Gods mercies and the means how you may win Gods favour opened whereby onely ye may prevail against your enemies God grant you hearts to answer as the people did to Ioshua offering the like choice God forbid say they that we should forsake God we will serve the Lord our God and obey his voice for he is our God And we your banâ—shed Brethren by the Power of God to provoke you forwards will thus pronounce with Ioshua That we and our Fâ—milies will serve the Lord God though all Nations run to Idols though all people do persecute us We know that Satan hath but a short time to rage and that Christ our Captain right speedily will crown his Souldiers to whom as he is the eternal God with his Father
It is no arrogancy nor presumption in any man to burden God as it were with his promise and of duty to claim and challenge his aid help and assistance in all our perils dangers and distress calling upon him not in the confidence of our own godliness but in the trust of his own promises made in Christ. His Word cannot lye Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee and thou shalt praise me I answered the enemy also on this manner I am a sinner and therefore unworthy to be a witness of this truth What then Must I deny his Word because I am not worthy to proâ—ess it What bring I to pass in so doing but adde sin to sin What is greater sin then to deny the truth of Christs Gospel He that is ashamed of me or of my words saith Christ of him also will I be ashamed before my Father and all his Angels I might also by the same reason forbear to do any of Gods Commandments When I am provoked to pray the enemy may say to me I am not worthy to pray therefore I shall not pray c. When the Bishop came to Lichfield he perswaded me to be a Member of his Church which had continued so many years As for our Church as he called it it was not known he said but lately in King Edward's time I profess my self to be a Member of that Church said I that is builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone And this Church hath been from the beginning said I though it bear no glorious shew before the world being ever for the most part under the Cross and affliction contemned despised and persecuted The Bishop contended on the other side that they were the Church So cried all the Clergy against the Prophets of Ierusalem said I saying The Church the Church c. So much out of Mr. Glover's choice Letter After he was condemned his heart was lumpish and desolate of all spiritual consolation whereupon fearing least the Lord had utterly withdrawn he made his moan to Mr. Austine Bernher his familiar friend telling him how he had prayed night and day to God and yet had no sense of comfort from him The Minister desired him to wait patiently the Lords leisure and howsoever his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was just he exhorted him constantly to stick to the same and to play the man not doubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation whereof said Mr. Bernher he was right certain and sure and therefore desired him whenever any such feeling of Gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch his heart that then he should shew some signification thereof The next day as he was going to the place of his Martyrdome and was come within light of the Stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feel none suddenly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joys that he cried out clapping his hands to Austine and saying in these words Austine He is come he is come c. and that with such joy and alacrity as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life then as one passing out of the world by any pains of death Godfrey When one called Godfrey de Hâ—mmele Heretick he said No Heretick but an unprofitable Servant yet willing to die for his Lord and reckoning this death no death but a life Goodman Mr. Christopher Goodman an exiled Minister of Christ in Queen Mary's dayes declaring the cause of all the then misery in England and the onely way to remedy the same writes as followeth from Geneva If all in whom the People should look for comfort be altogether declined from God as indeed they appear to be at this present time in England without all fear of his Majesty or pity upon their Brethren Then assure your selves dear Brethren and Servants of God there can be no better counsel nor more comfortable or present remedy which you shall prove true if God grant you his Spirit and Grace to follow it then in continual and daily invocation of his Name to rest wholly and onely upon him make him your shield buckler and refuge who hath so promised to be to all them that are oppressed and depend upon him to do nothing commanded against God and your conscience preferring at all times the will of God to the will of men saying and answering to all manner of persons This God hath commanded this we must do That God hath forbidden that we will not do If you will rob us and spoil us for doing the Lords will to the Lord must you make answer and not to us for his goods they are and not ours If ye will imprison us behold you are oppressours if ye will hang us or burn us behold ye are murtherers of them which fear the Lord. And for our part if you take from us this vile and corruptible life we are sure the Lord will grant it us again with joy and immortality both of soul and body If God give you grace to make this or the like answer and strength to contemn their Tyranny you may be sure to find unspeakable comfort and quietness of conscience in the midst of your danger and greatest rage of Satan And thus boldly confessing Christ your Saviour before men as by the examples of thousands of your Brethren before your faces God doth mercifully encourage you you may with all hope and patience wait for the joyful confession of Christ again before his Father and Angels in Heaven that you are his obedient and dearly beloved Servants being also assured of this that if it be the will of God to have you any longer to remain in this miserable world that then his Providence is so careful over you and present with you that no man or power can take away your life from you nor touch your body any farther then your Lord and God will permit them which neither shall be augmented for your plain confession nor yet diminished for keeping of silence for nothing cometh to the Servants of God by hap or chance whose hairs of their heads are numbred Whereof if ye be so assured as ye ought there can be nothing that should make you to shrink from the Lord. If they do cast you into Prison with Ioseph the Lord will deliver you If they cast you to wild beasts and Lions as they did Dâ—niel you shall be preserved If into the Sea with Ionas you shall not be drowned or into the dirty dungeon with Ieremy you shall be delivered or into the fiery Furnace with Shadrach Meshach and Aâ—ednego yet shall not be consumed Contrariwise if it be his good pleasure that you shall glorifie his holy Name by your death what great thing have you lost changing death for life
a thousand deaths if need were Some perswading him to deny Christ with his tongue and to keep his Conscience to himself My tongue said he which by the goodness of God I have cannot be brought to deny the Author and giver of it for with the heart we believe unto righteousness and with the mouth we confess unto salvation Gorgius When the Tyrant offered Gorgius promotion Have ye any thing said he equal to or more worthy then the Kingdome of Heaven Gonzalve Mr. Iohn Gonzalve a famous Preacher in Sevil was often observed in all his Sermons to aime at this mark To deliver mens minds from that blind conceit of meriting by works that so way might be made for justification onely by saith in Christ Jesus and deeply to ingraft in them the knowledge of the sole merit of his plenary satisfaction When he was led to the place of his Martyrdome he never shewed the least sign of his being dismay'd but contrariwise with great constancy and courage of heart standing above all the people to whom he had formerly preached and delivered the pattern of sound doctrine he began with a loud voice to recite the Psalm which begins thus O Lord my Rock be not thou silent to me c. He changed not his countenance upon the Scaffold though they had gagged him there because he comforted and freely exhorted one of his Sisters to be constant When the time was come that those which should be burned were brought to the place of Execution they were every one commanded to recite the Articles of their belief which they willingly did but when they came to the Article I believe the holy Catholick Church they were bid to adde the word Romane but they were silent Then did the Monks and Friers importune Gonzalve's Sisters c. to repeat the word Romane who answered They would if they might hear Gonzalve pronounce it He being ungagged the first word he spake was That they should be of good courage and not to adde one word more then what they had recited Grange The Bishop of Arres telling Mr. Peregrine de la Grange that he was sorry to see him in that condition in Prison Sir said he as for the base estate in which you now see me God hath so comforted me therein with his grace that I do without any great difficulty patiently suffer what he hath pleased to lay upon me yea I praise and bless his Name that he hath ballanced the weight of my afflictions according to the strength which he hath given me so as I sink not under the burden for as my sufferings in Christ abound he causeth his consolations by Christ to abound in me also It is usual said the Bishop with such as you are to glory in this kind of speech for as soon as any afflictions do befall you you by and by stile them the sufferings of Christ and if any of you be put to death then it is for Gods truth but when things are laid to the touchstone the matter is nothing so nor so Sir said Mr. Grange if your meaning be of such as have died for the Doctrine for which I am bound with this Chain and thus fettered with Irons I doubt not but they have given such a reason of their Faith that whosoever shall read their Answers and weigh the same without partiality must needs judge as we do And for my own part I am ready to make it good That the Doctrine I now hold and teach is according to godliness taken out of the pure Fountains of the holy Scriptures without adding thereto diminishing or varying any way therefrom We read said the Bishop that in all times men have been wont to shelter themselves under the title of Gods Word even the old Hereticks c. I am not ignorant hereof said Mr. Grange in regard that Satan knows how to transform himself into an Angel of light thereby to establish his delusions causing darkness to be taken for light But the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth hath in such wise discovered his juglings that none are deluded thereby but those who at noon day close their eyes that they may not behold the light Do you think said the Bishop that the Holy Ghost hath given you such an illumination that the truth should onely be revealed to you and to none other God forbid Sir said Mr. Grange I should have any such thought I am not of the mind of those Dreamers who brag of their having particular Revelations of the Holy Spirit but I speak of an ordinary and general Revelation such as is taught us out of the Bible c. I am neither Calvinist nor Papist I am a Christian and what I hold concerning Religion is taken out of Christs Doctrine who is the onely Doctor of his Church What Calvin hath taught conformable to the Word of God I am of the same mind with him And whereas you call your Religion the Old Religion and ours the New it troubles me not at all since the Father of Lies hath long since forged the same to disgrace the Truth c. In his dispute with the Bishop concerning the Real Presence c. We may see what holy boldness mixed with meekness the Lord had endued this holy Servant of his with When the Provost gave him and Monsieur de Brâ—z of whom before notice that they should die that day they magnified God for his goodness and gave the Provost thanks for the good news which he had brought them Monsieur la Grange going to the rest of the Prisoners said I am this day to die for the Truth and then the heavenly inheritance is prepared for me My name is written in the Book of Life never to be blotted out because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance He called for a Brush to brush his Hat and Cloak causing his Shoos to be blacked for now said he I am bidden to the marriage of the Lamb where I am to feast with him for ever and ever Being askt Whether he meant to suffer with those Shackles on his heels I would I might said he yea and that they would bury them with me to that they might manifest the inhumanity of my adversaries He told his friends he felt such joy of the Holy Ghost in his heart that he could not with tongue express adding that God shewed him a thousand times more favour by taking him after this manner out of this transitory life then if he had let him die in his bed by sickness for now I shall die said he enjoying the benefit of all the powers of my soul praying the Lord to have mercy on me Monsieur la Grange and de Brez were sentenced to be hang'd for administring the Lords Supper against an express charge by the King given them to the contrary When la Grange was upon the Ladder he protested with a loud voice that he died onely
your Brethren that you have vouchsafed to take me a Prisoner and condemned man by the hand whereby to my rejoycing it is somewhat apparent that your old love and friendship towards me is not altogether extinguished and I trust also that all the things I have taught you in times past are not utterly forgotten c. For the which most true and sincere Doctrine because I will not now account it falshood and Heresie as many other men do I am sent hither by the Queens command to die and am come where I taught it to confirm it with my blood And now Mr. Sheriffs My request to you is That there may be a quick Fire shortly to make an end and in the mean time I will be as obedient unto you as your selves would wish If you think I do amiss in any thing hold up your finger and I have done for I am not come hither as one inforced or compelled to die for it is well known I might have had my life with worldly gain but as one willing to offer and give my life for the truth rather then to consent to the wicked Papistical Religion of the Bishop of Rome c. When the Sheriffs fetcht him from his Chamber to the place of Execution with Bills Weapons c. Mr. Sheriffs said he I am no Traytor neither needed you to have made such a business to bring me to the place where I must suffer for if ye had willed me I would have gone alone to the Stake and have troubled none of you all When he saw the multitude of People that were assembled he said unto them that were about him Alas why be these People assembled and come together peradventure they think to hear something of me now as they have in times past but alas speech is prohibited me Notwithstanding the cause of my death is well known unto them when I was appointed here to be their Pastor I preached unto them true and sincere Doctrine and that out of the Word of God because I will not account the same to be Heresie and untruth this kind of death is prepared for me When he was come to the place where he was to suffer after he had begun to pray a Box was brought and laid before him upon a stool with his Pardon or at leastwise it was feigned so to be from the Queen if he would turn at the sight thereof he cried If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away with it In his Prayer he was overheard to say Lord I am Hell but thou art Heaven I am swill and a sink of sin but thou art a gracious God and merciful Redeemer Thou art ascended into Heaven receive me Hell to be partaker of thy joyes where thou sittest in equal glory with thy Father for well knowest thou wherefore I am come hither to suffer and why the wicked do persecute this thy poor Servant not for my sins and transgressions against thee but because I will not allow their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the denial of the knowledge of thy Truth wherewith it did please thee by thy holy Spirit to instruct me the which with as much diligence as a poor wretch might being thereto called I have set forth to thy glory And well seest thou my Lord and God what terrible pains and cruel torments be prepared for thy Creature such Lord as without thy strength none is able to bear or patiently to pass But all things that are impossible with man are possible with thee Therefore strengthen me of thy goodness that in the fire I break not the Rules of patience or else asswage the terrour of the pains as shall seem most to thy glory When he was at the Stake three irons made to bind him to the Stake were brought one for his Neck another for his Middle and the third for his Legs He refusing them said Ye have no need thus to trouble your selves for I doubt not but God will give strength sufficient to abide the extremity of the fire without bands notwithstanding suspecting the frailty and weakness of the flesh but having assured confidence in Gods strength I am content ye do as ye shall think good When he was first scorch'd with the fire he pray'd saying mildly and not very loud but as one without pains O Jesus the Son of David have mercy upon me and receive my soul. When the second fire was spent and onely burnt his lower parts he said for Gods love good people let me have more fire In the third fire he prayed with somewhat a loud voice Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The Reasons of Mr. Hooper's refusing the Episcopal Habits c. I find thus C. Why do not you my Lord use these innocent and harmless weeds H. I put my self upon the tryal of the Searcher of Hearts that no obstinacy but meer Conscience makes me refuse these Ornaments C. These Ornaments are indifferent of themselves and of ancient use in the Church H. They are useless being ridiculous and superstitious C. Nay my Lord being enjoyned by lawful Authority they become necessary not to salvation but to Church-unity H. Being left indifferent by God it is presumption in man to make them necessary C. By a moderate use of these Ceremonies we may gain Papists into the Church H. While you hope to gain Papists into the Church you lose many Protestants out of it C. You discredit other Bishops who have used this Habit. H. I had rather discredit them then destroy mine own conscience C. How think you being a private person to be indulged with to the disturbance of the publick Uniformity of the Church H. If it please your Grace but to read these Letters I hope you will be satisfied and then he produced the Letters from the Earl of Warwick anâ— King Edward C. These are to desire that in such reasonable things wherein my Lord Elect of Glocester craveth to be born withall at your hands you would vouchsafe your Graces favour the principal cause is that you would not charge him with any thing burdenous to his Conscience I. Warwick WE do understand you stay from Consecrating our well beloved Mr. J. Hooper because hâ— would have you omit and let pâ—ss câ—rtain Rites and Ceremonies â—ffensive to his Conscience whereby you thiâ—â— you shall fall in premunire of Laws We have thoughâ— good by advice of Our Council to discharge you 〈◊〉 manner of Dangers Penalties and Forfeitur◠〈◊〉 should run into by omitting any of the sâ—me and 〈◊〉 Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Disâ—charge Edward Rex In his Letter writ in Answer to one sent hiâ— concerning certain taken in Bow Church-yard whilst they were praying I do rejoyce in thâ—â— men can be so well occupied in this perillous time and flee for remedy to God by Prayer as well foâ— their own lacks
you do require me so to do I will not refuse to go with you and if it happen that they evil intreat me yet nevertheless I trust in my Lord Jesus that he will so comfort and strengthen me that I shall desire much rather to die for his glory sake then to deny the Verity which I have learned by his holy Scriptures When he came to the Cardinals they told him they had heard that he had taught great and manifest errors through the Realm of Bohemia c. You shall understand answered Mr. Hus that I am thus minded and affectioned that I should rather chuse to die then I should be found culpable of one only error much less of many and great errors For this cause I am willingly come to the general Council to receive correction if any man can prove any errors in me Some of the Articles presented to the Council against him 4 He saith that all Priests be of like power 8 He holdeth this opinion That a man being once ordained a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden or kept back from the office of preaching When several false witnesses rose up against him he said Albeit they were as many more in number as they are I do much more esteem yea and without comparison regard the witness of my Lord God before the witness of all mine adversaries He being ask'd whether it was lawful for him to appeal unto Christ answered Verily I do affirm before you all that there is no more just nor effectual plea then that which is made unto Christ forasmuch as the Law doth determine that to appeal is no other thing then in a cause of grief or wrong done by an inferiour Judge to implore and require aid and remedy at an higher Judges hands Who is then an higher Judge then Christ Who can know or judge the matter more justly or with more equity In him is found no deceit nor can he be deceived Who can better help the miserable and oppressed then he It being in his Accusation that he counsel'd the people to resist with the sword all such as did gainsay his Doctrine c. he answered That he at all times when he preached did diligently admonish and warn the people that they should arm themselves to defend the truth of the Gospel according to the saying of tbe Apostle With the helmet and sword of salvation that he never spake of any material sword but of that which is the Word of God Some more Articles against him taken out of his Treatise of the Church 1 There is but one holy universal or Catholick Church which is the universal Company of all the Predestinate 6 A reprobate man is never a member of the holy Church 18 An Heretick ought not to be committed to the secular powers to be put to death for it is sufficient that he suffer the Ecclesiastical censure In his appeal Forasmuch as the most mighty Lord One in Essence Three in Person is both the chief and first and also the last and uttermost refuge of all those which are oppressed and forasmuch as the Lord Jesus Christ very God and Man being compassed in with the Priests Scribes and Pharisees wicked Judges and Witnesses c. hath left behind him this godly example for them that shall come after him to the intent they should commit all their causes into the hand of God O Lord behold my affliction c. thou art my Protector and Defender O Lord thou hast given me understanding and I have acknowledged thee For mine own part I have been as a meek Lamb which is led unto sacrifice and have not resisted against them Deliver me from mine enemies for thou art my God I appeal to the Sovereign and most just Judge who is not defiled with cruelty nor can be corrupted with gifts and rewards neither yet be deceived by false witness I Iohn Hus do present and offer this my appeal to my Lord Jesus Christ my just Judge who knoweth and defendeth and justly judgeth every mans just and true cause The day before his condemnation when four Bishops were sent by the Emperour to him to know whether he would stand to the judgement of the Council Mr. Iohn de Clum spake thus unto him Mr. I. Hus I require you if you know your self guilty of any of those errours which are objected against you that you will not be ashamed to alter your mind to the will of the Council if contraiwise I will be no Author to you that you should do any thing contrary to your conscience but rather to suffer any kind of punishment then to deny that which you have known to be the truth Mr. Hus with tears answered Verily as before I have oftentimes done I do take the most High God for my witness that I am ready with my whole heart and mind if the Council can instruct me any better by the Scripture to change my purpose One of the Bishops telling him he should not be so arrogant as to prefer his own opinion before the judgement of the whole Council he said If he which is the meanest or least in all this Council can convict me of errour I will with an humble heart and mind do whatsoever the Council shall require of me When they condemned his appeal as heretical he said O Lord Jesus Christ whose Word is openly condemned here in this Council unto thee again do I appeal which when thou wast evil intreated of thine enemies didst appeal unto God thy Father committing thy Cause unto a most just Judge that by thy example we also being oppressed with manifest wrongs and injuries should flee unto thee Whilst they were reading his Sentence He interrupted them often and specially when he was charged with obstinacy he said with a loud voice I was never obstinate but as alwayes heretofore even so now again I desire to be taught by the holy Scriptures and I do profess my self to be so desirous of the truth that if I might by one onely word subvert the errours of all Hereticks I would not refuse to enter into what peril soever it were to speak it When the Sentence was ended kneeling down upon his knees he said Lord Jesus Christ forgive mine enemies by whom thou knowest that I am falsly accused c. forgive them for thy great mercies sake When he was degraded he spake to the people thus These Lords and Bishops do exhort and counsel me that I should here confess before you all that I have erred the which thing to do if it might be done with the infamy and reproach of man onely they might peradventure easily perswade me thereunto but now truly I am in the sight of the Lord my God without whose great ignominy and grudge of mine own conscience I can by no means do that which they require of me With what countenance should I behold the Heavens With what face should I look upon
of their Faith Against fleshly lust preach continually all that ever you can for that is the raging beast which devoureth men for whom the flesh of Christ did suffer In another Letter O holy God how largely doth Antichrist extend his power and cruelty But I trust that his power shall be shortned and his iniquity shall be detected more and more amongst the faithful people Let Antichrist rage so much as he will yet he shall not prevail against Christ. I am greatly comforted in those words of our Saviour Happy be you when men shall hate you and shall separate you and shall reâ—uke you and shall câ—st out your name as execrable for the Son of man Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven O worthy yea a most worthy consolation which not to understand but to practiae in time of tribulation is an hard Lesson Certainly it is a great matter for a man to rejoyce in trouble and to take it for joy to be in divers temptations A light matter it is to speak it and to expound it but a great matter to fulfill it For why our most patient and most valiant Champion himself c. was troubled in spirit and said My soul is heavy unto death c. and yet he notwithstanding being so troubled said to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled O most merciful Christ draw us weak creatures after thee for except thou shouldst draw us we are not able to follow thee Without thee we can do nothing much less enter into the cruel death for thy sake Give us that prompt and ready spirit a bold heart an upright faith a firm hope and perfect charity that we may give our lives patiently and joyfully for thy Names sake In another Letter I love the counsel of the Lord above gold and precious stones Wherefore I trust in the mercy of Jesus Christ that he will give me his Spirit to stand in his Truth Pray to the Lord for the spirit is ready but the flesh is weak Know this for certain that I have had great conflicts by dreams in such sort as I had much ado to refrain from crying out I dreamed of the Popes escape before he went and after the Lord Iohn had told me thereof immediataly in the night it was told me that the Pope should return to you again I dreamed also of the apprehending Mr. Hierom although not in full manner as it was done All the imprisonments whither and how I am carried were opened to me before although not fully after the same form and circumstance Many Serpents oftentimes appeared to me having heads also in their tail but none of them could bite me These things I write not esteeming my self a Prophet or that I extol my self but onely to signifie to you what temptations I had in body and also in mind and what great fear I had lest I should transgress the Commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ. In a Letter to the Lord Iohn de Clum I pray you expound to me the dream of this night I saw how that in my Church of Bethlem they came to raze all the Images of Christ and did put them out The next day after I arose and saw many Painters which made more fairer Images and many more then I had done before which thing I was very glad and joyful to behold And the Painters with much people about them said Let the Bishops and Priests come now and put out these Pictures Which being done much people seemed to me in Bethlem to rejoyce and I with them and I awaking therewith felt my self to laugh c. This Vision the Lord Iohn and Mr. Hus himself in his Book of Epistles Ep. 45. seemeth to expound and applieth the Images of Christ to the preaching of Christ and of his life The which preaching and doctrine of Christ though the Pope and Cardinals should extinguish in him yet did he foresee and declare that the time should come wherein the same doctrine should be revived again by others so plenteously that the Pope with all his power should not be able to prevail against it In the Forty eighth Epistle seeming to speak with the same Spirit of Prophesie he hath these words But I trust those things which I have spoken within the House hereafter shall be preached upon the top of the House In a certain Treatise also by him written De Sacerdotum Monachorum carnalium abominatione speaking Prophetically of the reformation of the Church he hath these words Moreover hereupon note and mark by the way that the Church of God cannot be reduced to its former dignity or be reformed before all things first be made new The truth whereof is plain by the Temple of Solomon As my mind now giveth me I believe that there shall arise a new people formed after the new man which is created after God of the which people new Clerks and Priests shall come and be taken which all shall hate covetousness and the glory of this life hastening to an heavenly conversation All these things shall come to pass and be brought by little and little in order of times dispensed of God for the same purpose and this God doth and will do for his own goodness and mercy and for the riches of his great longanimity and patience giving time and space of repentance to them that have long lain in their sins to amend and flie from the face of the Lords fury whilest in the mean time the carnal people and carnal Priests successively shall fall away and be consumed as with the moth c. In another Letter You know how I have detested the avarice and inordinate life of the Clergy wherefore through the grace of God I suffer now persecution which shortly shall be consummate in me neither do I fear to have my heart poured out for the Name of Christ Jesus If you shall be called to any Cure in the Countrey let the honour of God and the salvation of souls move you thereunto and not the having of the living or Commodities thereof See that you be a Builder of your Spiritual House being gentle to the poor and humble of mind and waste not your goods in great fare I fear if you do not amend your life ceasing from your costly and superfluous apparel lest you shall be grievously chastised as I also wretched man shall be punished which have used the like being seduced by custome and evil men and worldly glory whereby I have been wounded against God with the spirit of pride And because you have notably known both my preaching and outward conversation even from my youth I have no need to write many things to you but to desire you for the mercy of Jesus Christ that you do not follow me in any such levity and lightness which you have seen in me You know how before my Priesthood which grieveth me now I have delighted oftentimes to play at Chess
Lands and life then farewell Suit farewell Lands farewell Children farewell Friends yea and farewell Life too and in respect of the true honour of the everliving God farewell all At the place of her Execution she exhorted all women to be strong and constant for said she ye were redeemed with as dear a price as men for although ye were made of the rib of the man yet be you all of his flesh so that also in the case and trial of your faith towards God ye ought to be as strong Mr. Ward calleth her Iulitta and records her Speech thus We women received not onely flesh from men but are bone of their bone and therefore ought to be as strong in Christs Cause Mr. Fox out of Basil tells the Story thus That when the Judge passed Sentence against Iulitta she said Farewell riches and welcome poverty farewell life and welcome death All that I have if it were a thousand times more would I rather lose then speak one wicked and blasphemous word against God my Creatour I yield thee most hearty thanks O my God for this grace that I can contemn and despise this frail and transitory world esteeming Christian Profession above all treasures Afterwards when any Question was demanded her Answer was I am the Servant of Jesus Christ. At the Stake she said to the women beholding her Stick not O Sisters to labour and travel after true pieâ—y and godliness Cease to accuse the frailty of feminine Nature What are not we created of the same matter that men are yea after Gods Image and Similitude are we made as lively as they Not flesh onely did God use in the Creation of the woman in sign and token of her infirmity and weakness but bone of bones is she in token that she must be strong in the true and living God all falshoods forsaken constant in faith all infidelity renounced patient in adversity all worldly ease refused Wax weary my dear Sisters of your lives led in darkness and be in love with my Christ my God my Redeemer my Comforter which is the true light of the world Perswade your selves or rather the Spirit of the living God perswade you that there is a world to come wherein the Worshippers of Idols and Devils shall be tormented perpetually and the Servants of the High God be crowned eternally Iusberg Brethren said Iustus Iusberg you see that my end approacheth which howsoever I fear as a man burdened with the body of sin yet am I resolved as a Christian joyfully to endure it being assured that all my sins are fastened to the Cross of Christ. Iuventius Chrysostome in an Oration on Iuventius and Maximus two Martyrs brings in this objection of the Persecutours against them Do not you see others of your rank do thus and them answering thus for this very reason we will manfully stand and offer our selves as a sacrifice for the breach that they have made K. Kennedy Alexander Kennedy who passed not eighteen years of age when he was presented before his bloody Butcherers at first was faint and gladly would have recanted but while the place of repentance was denied him the Spirit of God wrought in him and with a chearful countenance and a joyful voice upon his knees he said O eternal God how wonderful is that love and mercy that thou bearest unto mankind and unto me the most Caitiffe and miserable wretch above all others for even now when I would have denied thee and thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ my onely Saviour and so have cast my self into everlasting dammation Thou by thy own hand hast pulled me from the very bottom of hell and made me to feel that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly fear wherewith before I was oppressed Now I defie death do what you please I praise my God I am ready Kerby Mr. Wingfield telling him the fire is hot the terrour is great the pain extreme life sweet Better it were betime to stick to mercy while there is hope of life then rashly to begin and then to sâ—rink He said Ah Mr. Wingfield be at my burning and you shall say there standeth a Christian Souldier in the fire for I know that fire water sword and all other things are in the hands of God and he will suffer no more to be laid upon us then he will enable us to bear When Sentence was past against him he with most humble reverence holding up his hands and bowing himself devoutly said Praised be Almighty God Kilian To such as asked Kilian a Dutch School-Master if he loved not his Wife and Children He answered Yes if all the world were gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it all to live with them though it were but in Prison yet is my soul and my Lord Christ dearer to me then all things whatsoever Knight When Stephen Knight was at the Stake he prayed O Lord Jesus Christ for whose love I leave willingly this life and desire rather the bitter death of thy Cross with the loss of all earthly things then to abide the blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandement Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in worldly wealth to worship a false god and honour thine enemy I chuse rather the torment of the body and the loss of this life and have counted all things but vile dust and dung that I might win thee which death is dearer unto me then thousands of gold and silver Such love O Lord hast thou laid up in my breast that I hunger for thee as the Deer that is wounded desireth the soil Send thy holy Comforter O Lord to aid comfort and strengthen this weak piece of earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou remembrest O Lord that I am but dust and able to do nothing that is good Therefore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodness and love thou hast bidden me to this banket and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord against this thine Element which as to my sight it is most irksome and terrible so to my mind it may at thy Commandement as an obedient Servant be sweet and pleasant that through the strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy bosome according to thy promise and for this mortal receive an immortal and for this corruption put on incorruption Accept this burnt-sacrifice and offering O Lord not for the sacrifice but for thy Dear Sons sake my Saviour for whose Testimony â— offer this free-will-offering with all my heart and with all my soul. O Heavenly Father forgive me my sins as I forgive all the world O sweet Son of God my Saviour spread thy wings over me O blessed and holy Ghost through whose merciful inspiration I am come hither conduct me into everlasting life Lord
for this purpose that albeit this late most raging storm hath taken from you the presence of Christ for a time so that you have doubted whether it was Christ which you saw before or not and albeit that the vehemency of this contrary wind that would drive you from Christ hath so employed your ears that almost you have forgotten what he was who commanded you to come to himself when that he cried Come unto me c. Pass from Babylon O my People c. Yet despair not such offences have chanced to Gods Elect before you If obstinately ye shall not continue yet shall you find mercy and grace So long as Peter neither feared danger nor mistrusted Christs Word so long the waves did serve his feet as if they had been dry solid and sure ground c. to instruct us That lively faith makes man bold and is able to carry in through such perils as be uncapable to nature But when faith begins to faint then beginneth man to sink down in every danger Indeed with Gods Elect in their greatest fear and danger there resteth some small spark of faith which by one means or other declareth it self albeit the afâ—lâ—cted person in fear or danger doth not presently perceive the same Lord save me declares that Peter knew the power of Christ able to deliver him and that he had some hope through Christs goodness to obtain deliverance It is also to be noted that in his great jeopardy Peter murmureth not against Christ neither blame him albeit at his Command he had left his Boat he saith not Why lettest thou me sink seeing I have obeyed thy Command Moreover he asked help of Christ alone Immediately stretched forth his hand c. Note That God is alwayes nigh to those that call on him faithfully c. What was visibly done to Peter is done to Christs members invisibly in all ages Open your ears Dear Brethren and let your hearts understand that our God is unchangeable his gracious hand is not shortned this day If we know the danger we are in and unfeignedly call for deliverance the Lords hand is nigher then the sword of our enemies Christs rebuke of Peter teacheth us That God doth not flatter nor conceal the faults of his Elect but maketh them manifest that the offenders may repent and that others may avoid the like offences In passing to Christ through the storms of this world it is not onely required that our faith be fervent in the beginning but constant to the end and not faint We have less excuse for doubting then Peter for he might have alledged that he was not advertised that any great storm should have risen between him and Christ which we cannot justly alledge for since Christ hath appeared to us he hath continually blown in our ears that persecution should follow the Word that we professed Alas then why doubt we through this storm to go to Christ Support O Lord and let us sink no farther O blessed and happy are those that patiently abide the deliverance of the Lord. The raging Sea shall not levour them albeit they have fainted c. The Majesty of Christs presence shall put to silence this boisterous wind the malice of the Devil which so bloweth in the hearts of Princes Prelates and earthly men c. Peradventure some there are of Gods Elect beholdinâ— such as have sometimes boldly professed Christs verity now to be returned to their accustomed abominations and themselves to be so overcome of fear that against their knowledge and conscience they stoop to an Idol and with their presence maintain the same fear whether it be possible the Members of Christs Body can be permitted so horribly to fall to the denial of their Head The dolour and fear of such I grant to be most just for O how fearfull is it for the love of this transitory life in the presence of man to deny Christ and his known and undoubted Verity Yet such as be not obstinate contemners of God I should counsel that they would rather appeal to Mercy then to pass against themselves the fearfull Sentence of Condemnation and to consider that God includeth all under unbelief that he may have Mercy on all And that all Christs Apostles fled from him and denied him in their hearts and yet were not rejected for ever Some may demand How shall it be known in whom faith is not utterly quenched and in whom it is seeing all flee from Christ and bow down to Idolatry Hard it is and in a manner impossible that one man should be able to judge of another that could not Elijah do of the Israelites in his daies but yet a man may of himself And wilt thou have a trial whether the root of faith remaineth with thee or not Feelest thou thy soul fainting in faith as Peter felt his body sink down in the waters Art thou as sore afraid that thy soul shall drown in hell if thou consentest or obeyest idolatry as Peter was that his body should drown in the waters Desirest thou as earnestly the deliverance of thy soul as Peter did the deliverance of his body Believest thou that Christ is able to deliver thy soul and that he will do the same according to his promise Dost thou call upon him without hypocrisie now in the day of thy trouble Dost thou thirst for his presence and for the liberty of his Word again Mournest thou for the great abominations that now overslow the Realm of England If these promises remain in thy heart then art not thou altogether destitute of faith neither shalt thou descend to perdition for ever but the Lord shall mercifully stretch forth his mighty hand and deliver thee How it neither appertains to thee to demand nor to me to define I think not that suddenly and by one means shall all the faithfull in England be delivered from Idolatry No it may be that God so strengthens the hearts of some of those that have fainted before that they will resist Idolatry to the death and that were a glorious and triumphant deliverance of others God may so touch the hearts that they will chuse to go as Pilgrims from Realm to Realm suffering hunger cold heat thirst weariness and poverty then they will abide having all abundance in subjection of Idolatry To some God may offer such occasions that in despight of Idolaters they may remain in their own Land and yet neither Bow the knee to Baal nor lack the lively food of Gods most holy Word Seeing we are so like the Disciples let us make such a complaint as the following one unto God G God the heathen are entred into thine inheritance they have defiled thy holy Temple and have profaned thy blessed Ordinances c. Thy Prophets are persecuted and none are permitted to speak thy Word freely the poor Sheep of thy Pasture are commanded to drink the venemous waters of mens traditions c. Such is
the tyranny of these most cruel Beasts that they say plainly they shall root us out at once so that no remembrance shall remain of us on earth O Lord thou knowest we are but flesh c. We confess we are punished most justly thy blessed Gospel was in our ears like a Lovers Song it pleased us for a time but alas our lives did nothing agree with holy Statutes But be thou mindfull O Lord that thy enemies blaspheme thy holy Name c. Thy Gospel is called Heresie and we are accused as Traitors for professing the same c. Albeit our sins accuse and condemn us yet do thou according to thy great Name Correct us but not in thy hot displeasure spare thy people and permit not thine inheritance to be in rebuke for ever c. Gather us yet once again to the wholesome treasures of thy most Holy Word that openly we may confess thy blessed Name within the Realm of England Amen Abide patiently the Lords deliverance avoiding and flying such offences as may separate and divide you from the blessed Fellowship of the Lord Jesus at his second coming Watch and pray resist the Devil and rowe against this vehement Tempest and the Lord shall come shortly to your comfort and you shall say Behold this is our God we have waited for him and he hath saved us Mr. Knox remained at Frankford till some more given to unprofitable Ceremonies then to the sincerity of Religion essaied by a most cruel barbarous and bloody practice to dispatch him out of the way They accused him to the Magistrates of high Treason against the Emperâ—ur and his Son Philip and Mary Queen of England for that in his Admonition to England he called the Emperour no less an Enemy to Christ then Nâ—ro and Queen Mary more cruel then Iâ—zabel The Magistrates perceiving their malice and abhorring their bloody attempt gave advertisement secretly to him to depart their City because they could not save him if he were required by the Emperâ—ur or by the Queen of England in the Emperours Name The night before his departure he made a most comfortable Sermon of the Death and Resurrection of Christ and of the unspeakable joyes that were prepared for Gods Elect which in this life suffer persecution for the Testimony of his blessed Name From Frankford he went to Geneva and thence to Diep and thence to Scotland At his coming to Edinburg the Lord made him instrumental for the comforting the troubled conscience of Mrs. Elizabeth Adamson who under extreme torments of body said A thousand years of this torment and ten times more joyned unto it is not to be compared to a quarter of an hour that I suffered in my Spirit I thank my God through Jesus Christ that hath delivered me from that fearful pain and welcome be this even so long as it pleaseth the Majesty of Heaven to exercise me therewith At his coming into Scotland he began as well in private conference as preaching to shew how dangerous a thing it was to communicate in any son with Idolatry Whereupon the Question was debated Whether in any wise it was lawful for Christian to go to Mass or to communicate with the abused Sacraments in the Papistical manner I was urged that Paul at the command of Iames and of the Elders of Ierusalem passed to the Temple and feigned himself to pay his Vow with others But this and other things were so fully answered bâ— Mr. Knox that Mr. Maitland confessed I see verâ— perfectly that our shifts will serve nothing before God seeing that they stand us in so small stead before men His Answer to the fact of Paul c. was 1 The fact was most unlike going to Mass for to pay Vows was sometimes Gods command as was never Idolatry and their Mass from the Original was and remained odious Idolatry 2 I greatly doubt said he whether either Iames's command or Paul's obedience proceeded of the holy Ghost seeing he fell into the most desperate danger that ever he sustained before for obeying worldly-wise counsel Mr. Knox was so successfull in a short time through the blessing of God that the Earl of Glencarn the Earl of Marschel and Henry Drummond were so contented with his Exhortation that they willed him to write unto the Queen Regent somewhat that might move her to hear the Word of God He obeyed their desire and wrote that which was afterwards published and is called The Letter to the Queen Dowager which was delivered to her own hands by the Earl of Glencarn The Queen having read it delivered it to the Bishop of Glâ—scow saying in mockage Please you my Lord to read a Pasquil which words coming to the ears of Mr. Knox occasioned him to make the Additions to his Letter In his Letter The Christians Victory standeth not in resisting but suffering as our Sovereign Master pronounceth to his Disciples That in patience they should possess their souls and Isaiah painteth forth all other Battels to be with violence tumult and blood-shedding but the Victory of Gods people to be in quietness silence and hope meaning that all others that obtain victory do enforce themselves to resist their Adversaries to shed blood and to murder but so do not Gods Elect for they suffer all things at the command of him who hath appointed them to suffer being most assuredly perswaded that then onely they triumph when all men judge them oppressed for in the Cross of Christ alwaies is included a secret and hid victory never well known till the Sufferers appear altogether to be as it were exterminate for then onely did the blood of Abel cry to God when proud Cain judged all memory of his Brother to have been extinguished Sometimes God toucheth the hearts of those who in mans judgement have power to destroy his people with pity to save them c. for two causes specially 1 To comfort his weak Warriers in their manifold temptations And 2 To give a testimony of his favour to such great ones Pity and mercy shewed to Christs afflicted flock as they never lacked reward temporal so if they be continued and be not changed into cruelty are assured signes and seals of everlasting mercy to be received from God From those words of Christ Fuâ—fill the measure of your Fathers that all the blood which hath been shed since the blood of Abel the just till the blood of Zechariah c. It is evident that the murderers of our time are guilty of all the blood that hath been shed from the beginning and it is but equal and just it should be so for whosoever sheddeth the blood of any one of Christs members for professing his Truth consenteth to all the murder that hath been made from the beginning for that cause As there is one Communion of all Gods Elect of which every member is participant of the righteousness of Christ so is there a communion among the reprobates by which
be denied being granted 1 That the most ancient Councils â—ighest to the Primitive Church in which the learned and godly Fathers examined all matters by Gods Word may be holden of most authority 2 That no determination of Councils or man be admitted against the plain verity of Gods Word nor against the determination of those four chief Councils c. 3 That to no Doctor be given greater authority then Augustine required to be given to his Writings viz. If he plainly prove not his affirmation by Gods infallible Word that then his Sentence be rejected and imputed to the errour of a man To the Commonalty of Scotland I am most assuredly perswaded that whatsoever is used in the Papistical Church is altogether repugnant to Christs blessed Ordinance and is nothing but mortal venome of which whosoever drinketh therewith he drinketh death and damnation except by true conversion unto God he be purged from the same It will be said That it is unreasonable that ye should call your Religion in doubt which hath been approved and established by so long continuance and by the consent of so many men before you But I shortly answer That neither is the long continuance of time neither the multitude of men a sufficient approbation which God will allow for our Religion For as some of the Ancients witness neither can long process of time justifie an errour nor can the multitude of such as follow it change the nature of the same but if it was an errour in the beginning so it is in the end and the longer that it be followed and the more that do receive it it is the more pestilent and the more to be avoided If Antiquity or Multitude of men could justifie any Religion then was the idolatry of the Gentiles and now is the abomination of the Turks good Religion for antiquity approved the one and a multitude have received and do defend the other But otherwise to answer Godlâ— men may wonder from what Fountain such a Sentence doth flow that no man ought to try his Faith and Religion by Gods Word but he may safely believe and follow every thing which Antiquity and Multitude have approved The Spirit of God doth otherwise teach us Search the Scriptures c. The Bareans are commended for trying the Apostles Doctrine by Gods plain Scriptures Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits c. Whoso doth evil hateth the light neither will he come to the light lest that his works be manifested and rebuked Truth being of the nature of fine purified Gold doth not fear the trial of the Furnace but the stubble and chaffe of mens inventions such is their Religion may not abide the flame of the fire Seeing Religion is to man as the stomack to the body which if it be corrupted doth infect all the members it is necessary that the same be examined and if it be found replenished with pestilent humours I mean with the fancies of men then of necessity it is that those be purged else shall your bodies and souls perish for ever A corrupt Religion defileth the whole life of man appear it never so holy Neither would I that ye should esteem the reformation and care of Religion less to appertain to you because you are no Kings Rulers Iudges Nobles nor in Authority To believe and receive the Gospel the Commonalty are no less bound then be their Rulers and Princes As your bodies cannot escape corporal death if with your Princes ye eat re drink deadly poyson although it be by ignorance or negligence so shall ye not escape the everlasting if with them ye proâ—ess a corrupt Religion As the just liveth by his own faith so doth the unfaithful perish by his own infidelity If ye look for the life everlasting you must try if ye stand in the faith and if ye would be assured of a true and lively faith you must needs have Christ truly preached unto you When the Tabernacle was built and set in order God provided how it and the things pertaining to the same should be sustained so that they should not fall in decay and this provision albeit Heaven and Earth obey his Empire would he not take from the secret and hid treasures which lie dispersed in the veins of the Earth neither yet would he take it onely from the rich and potent of the people but the rich should give no more for that use then the poor nor the poor less then the rich If this equality was commanded by God for the maintenance of that transitory Tabernacle which was but a shadow of a better to come is not the same required of us who have the Verity which is Christ Jesus He being clad in our nature is Immanuel i. e. God with us And for the more assurance of his promise of being with us c. he hath erected among us the signs of his own presence with us the true preaching of his Word and right administration of the Sacraments his spiritual Tabernacle to the maintenance whereof is no less bound the Subject then the Prince the poor then the rich As the one is obliged to believe in heart and with mouth to confess the Lord Iesus so also is the other The poorest that in the dayes of this cruel persecution believeth in Christ and boldly doth confess him before this wicked generation is no less acceptable before God then is the King that by his Sword and Power rooteth out Idolatry and so advanceth Christs Glory From Geneva Iuly 4. 1558. Afterwards Mr. Knox called back again into Scotland by some Lords c. but a stop being for a while put upon his return he writ from Diep Octob. 27. 1557. having left Geneva In his Letter If any perswade you for fear of dangers that may follow to faint in your former purpose let him be judged of you both foolish and your mortal enemy foolish because he understood nothing of Gods approved wisdome and enemy unto you because he laboured to separate you from Gods favour provoking his vengeance and grievous plagues against you because he would that you should prefer your worldly rest to Gods praise and glory and the friendship of the wicked to the salvation of your Brethren I am not ignorant that fearful troubles shall ensue your enterprise But O joyful and comfortable are the troubles and adversities which man sustaineth for accomplishment of Gods Will revealed by his Word How terrible soever they appear to the judgement of the natural man yet are they never able to devour nor utterly to consume the Sufferers for the invisible and invincible power of God sustaineth and preserveth according to his promise all such as with simplicity do obey him When the Bishop of Saint Andrews threatned Mr. Knox that if he preached there as he intended he should be assaulted with a dozen of Culverings Being demanded his judgement whether his preaching should not be delayed answered God is
hath God executed the judgement threatned But what amendment can be espied in you Idolatry was never in greater quiet vertue and vertuous men never in more contempt vice was never more bold nor punishment less feared And yet who guides the Queen and Court who but Protestants O horrible slanderers of God and of his holy Evangel Better it were unto you plainly to renounce Christ Jesus then thus to expose his blessed Evangel to mockage If God punisheth not you that this same age shall see your punishment the Spirit of righteous judgement guides me not When the Queen sent for Mr. Knox and would have him to perswade the people especially the Gentlemen of the Wâ—st not to put hand to punish any for using themselves in their Religion as pleased them He willed her Majesty to punish Male-factours according to the Laws and he durst promise quietness upon the part of them that professed the Lord Jesus within Scotland but if her Majesty thought to delude the Laws he said He feared some would let the Pâ—â—ists understand that without punishment they should not be suffered so manifestly to offend Gods Majesty I shall cause said the Queen to summon all offenders and ye shall know that I shall minister justice I am assured then said he that ye shall please God and enjoy rest and tranquillity within your Realm which to your Majesty is more profitable then all the Popes power can be In his Letter to the Earl of Murray Seeing I perceive my self frustrate of my expectation which was that you should ever have preferred God to your own affection and the advancement of his truth to your own commodity I commit you to your wit and to the conducting of those which can better please you In a Sermon concerning the Queens Marriage he said Whensoever the Nobility of Scotland who profess the Lord Jesus consent that an Infidel and all Papists be Infidels shall be Head to our Sovereign ye do so far as in you lies banish Christ Jesus from this Realm yea bring Gods vengeance on the Countrey a plague upon your selves and perchance you shall do small comfort to your Sovereign When he was upon that account brought before the Queen Madam said he when it shall please God to deliver you from that bondage of darkness and errour wherein ye have been nourished for lack of true Doctrine your Majesty will find the liberty of my tongue nothing offensive Out of the Pulpit I think few have occasion to be offended at me but there I am not Master of my self but must obey him who commands me to speak plain and to flatter no flesh upon the face of the earth But what have you to do said she with my Marriage I am sent said he to preach the Evangel of Iesus Christ to such as please to hear It hath two parts Repentance and Faith Now Madam in preaching of Repentance of necessity it is that the sins of men be noted that they may know wherein they offend but so it is that the most part of your Nobility are so addicted to your affections that neither Gods Word nor yet their Commonwealth are rightly regarded and therefore it becometh me to speak that they may know their duty And so he repeated to her self what he had said in publick Whereupon the Queen wept but when she had given place to her inordinate passions Mr. Knox said Madam in Gods presence I speak I never delighted in the weeping of any of Gods Creatures c. much less can I rejoyce in your Majesties weeping but seeing I have given you no just occasion to be offended but have spoken the truth as my Vocation craves of me I must sustain your Majesties tears rather then I dare hurt my conscience or betray the Commonwealth by silence About that time he pâ—ayed thus Deliver us O Lord from the bondage of Idolatry Preserve and keep us from the tyranny of Strangers Continue us in peace and concord among our selves if thy good pleasure be O Lord for a season Being asked Why he prayed for quietness for a season and not absolutely His answer was That he durst not pray but in faith and faith in Gods Word assured him That constant quietness would not continue in that Realm wherein Idolatry had been suppressed and then was permitted to be erected again The Master of Maxwell telling him That he would not find that men will bear with him in times to come as they had done in times past If said he God stand my Friend as I am assured he of his mercy will so long as I depend upon his promise and prefer his glory to my life and worldly profit I little regard how men behave themselves towards me c. The Earl of Murray and the Secretary sent for Mr. Knox and lamented that he had so highly offended the Queen by writing Letters desiring the Brethren from all parts to convene at Edinburg that there was no hope for him unless he would confess his offence and put himself in her Majesties will I praise God through Jesus Christ said he I have learned not to fear the things that the Godless multitude fear I have the testimony of a good conscience that I have given no offence to the Queen for I have done nothing but my duty and so my hope is that my God will give me patience to bear what will ensue When he was called before the Queen and her Council the Secretary Lethington told him the Queen was informed That he travelled to raise a tumult of her Subjects against her and for certification thereof produced one of his Letters which he owned Then said the Secretary Mr. Knox Are not you sorry from your heart that such a Letter hath passed your Pen c. Before I repent said he I must be taught my offence Offence said Lethington If there were no more but the Vocation of the Queens Leiges the offence cannot be denied Remember your self my Lord said Knox there is a difference betwixt a lawfull and an unlawfull Vocation If I have been guilty in this I have oft offended since I came last into Scotland for what Vocation of Brethren hath ever been since to which my Pen hath not served and before this no man laid it to my charge as a crime Then was then said Lethington and now is now we have no need of such Vocation as sometimes we have had The time that hath been said Knox is now before my eyes for I see the poor flock in no less danger then it hath been at any time before except that the Devil hath gotten a Vizard upon his face before he came in with his own face discovered by open tyranny seeking the destruction of all that refused Idolatry and then I think you will confess the Brethren lawfully assembled themselves for defence of their lives and now the Devil comes under the Cloak of Justice to do that which God would
I but the grace of God in me With which he is gone away ashamed and shall no more return And now I am sure my Battel is at an end and that without pain of body or trouble of spirit I shall shortly change this mortal and miserable life with that happy and immortal which never shall have end After one had prayed for him he was ask'd whether he heard the Prayer he answered Would to God that ye had heard it with such an ear and heart as I have done adding Lord Jesus receive my spirit With which words without any motion of hands or feet as one falling asleep rather then dying he ended his life When he was buried the Earl of Morton being near the Grave said by way of Epitaph Here lies the body of him who in his life time never feared the face of man L. Lalaeus Simon Lalaeus to Silvester his Executioner said Never saw I a man in all my life whose coming was more welcome to me then thine Silvester seeing the great faith and constancy of this blessed Martyr was converted and with all his Family removed to the Church at Geneva Lambert The first Article against him was Whether he was suspect or infamed of heresie Unto your first Demand said he I answer That I am not certain what all persons at all seasons have deemed or suspected of me peradventure some better some worse The opinion of the people was never one but thought diversly of all the famous Prophets and of the Apostles yea and of Christ himself some saying that he was a very good man others said nay and called him a Seducer c. Seeing therefore that all men did not say well by Christ the Author of Verity and Truth yea Truth it self c. what should I need to regard if at some time some person for a little cause should suspect of me amiss and evil report of me c. Woe be unto you when all men speak well of you for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets In his Answer to their second Demand Our Prelates have sent out commandments that if any person shall adventure to keep any of Luther's Books they shall be excommunicated c. But this is no novelty for so did their fore-fathers the Prelates in Christs time c. When Christ went about preaching the Scribes and Pharisees who were Prelates then gave a general command That whosoever confessed him to be Christ should be put out of the Synagogue c. The Apostles were in like manner served In the Old Testament they procured of one that was a temporal Ruler at that season to have the Prophecy of Ieremy for he of all other is most vehement against the dissimulation of Priests to be burned If they had the Spirit of Christ which they claim and pretend to they would follow the counsel of the Apostles To prove all things and to retain that onely which is good refraining from all that hath semblance of evil and to try the spirits of them that should speak whether they were of God or no. The Priests saith Chrysostome on Matthew that were Pharisees in Christs time made aâ—â— Ordinance That whosoever should acknowledge Iâ—sâ—â— to be Christ should be excommunicate If the Phâ—risees or Priests that now do occupy their rooms should make a like Ordinance because they would not have Christs Doctrine professed for hindring their lucre should we leave off to seek after the knowledge of Christs Doctrine No verily When it was objected against Hierom that he retained by him the Works of Eusebius and Origen he bringeth to prove That it was lawful for him that passage of the Apostle Prove all things c. These things prove that I and others may safely no good Law inhibiting but Constitutions Pharisaical read the Works of Luther c. In his Answer to their fifth Demand It is evident from Christs words When you have done all things commanded say yet you be unprofitable Servants c. That he would not have us esteem our merits when we have done what is commanded by God but reckon our selves to be servants unprofitable to God forasmuch as he hath no need of our well doing for his own advancement c. and if we ought not to attend our merits in doing the Commandment of God much less in observing our own Inventions or Traditions of men unto which there is no benefit in all Scripture which Paul calleth the Word of Truth and Faith promised In his Answer to the sixth Demand That they will not suffer Marriage to be solemnized at all times of the year I think it standeth not with Christs Rule but rather is against the same It ought also freely to be administred and without mony In the Primitive Church as ancient Doctors deem and the Scripture in mine opinion recordeth the same there were no more Officers in the Churches of God then Bishops and Deacons Hierome in his Com. on the Epistles of Paul saith That those whom we call Priests were none other then Bishops and the Bishops none other then Priests c. Neither were they chosen as they be now adayes c. But they were chosen not onely of the Bishop but with the consent of the people among whom they should have their Living as sheweth Cyprian and the people ought to have power as he saith to chuse Priests c. But alas such Elections are now banished and new Fashions brought in In his Answer to the thirteenth Demand I say that there is a Purgatory in this world the Fire of Tribulation through which all Christians shall pass as testifies Paul whose testimony is full notable and true albeit that few do know it and fewer will believe it That all that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution In this Purgatory do I now reckon my self to stand God send me well to persevere unto his honour Of this speaketh St. Peter For a season ye are sundry wayes afflicted and tormented that the trial of your Faith c. though it be tried with fire might be found unto laud glory and honour at the appearing of Iesus Christ c. other Purgatory know I none In his Answer to the seventeenth Demand Forsomuch as no positive law of man made without foundation of Scripture may bind any person so that in breaking of such he shall therefore sin deadly and of this sort made by man is the Fast of Lent and other dayes ordained in your laws without authority of Scripture c. In his Answer to the one and twentieth Demand Men may be wrongfully suspected of heresie as the Bishops and Priests with their Oratour Tertullus suspected Paul c. And their Predecessors spake of the Prophets yea and of Christ himself calling him a Seducer and Preacher of heresie Men being thus suspected ought in no wise therefore to cease preaching as is evident in the instance of Peter
Epistle to the Reader before his None but Christ notes that these words were uttered by Mr. Lambert as the triumphant voice of Faith after that he had through the power of Christ put to flight the fear of Hell Sin and Death c. as by doubling of them may appear and that by way of imitation not tying any to syllables they well beseem the thoughts and speeches also of every Christian upon sure and safe grounds as in their daily so even in their last conflicts to be taken up and used Latimer After Mr. Hugh Latimer was converted and was become famous for preaching the Word Dr. Redman wrote to him to disswade him to which Letter he returned the following Answer Reverend Mr. Redman It is enough for me that Christs Seep hear no mans voice but Christs and as for you you have no voice of Christ against me whereas for my part I have an heart ready to hearken to any voice of Christ that you can bring me Thus fare you well and trouble me no more from talking with the Lord my God When he was cited to appear before Dr. Warham Arch Bishop of Canterbury c. and kept in London from his charge at West Kingston in Wiltshire he wrote to the Arch Bishop expostulating the case with him thus If Peter thought it just that by reason of his Office he should not cease to teach and admonish the people whilst he should be in this Tabernacle and that he should be so much the more instant therein the nearer he drew to death It cannot but seem unjust that those that will not preach themselves should hinder those that are willing unless they be throughout conformable to their wills Whatsoever I may suffer for the Truth cannot trouble me for God liveth and he hath taken the care of me O that we were as diligent in as much devoted to what God requires as our own inventions Hitherto I stand immoveable for Gods commands and so seek not my own gain or glory but Christs and so shall stand whilst I breath Who doth not see a manifest abuse of many things and seeing grieve not because thereof and grieving doth not labour the removal thereof and when shall it be removed whilst the use is preached up and the abuse concealed the truth is the abuse cannot but so long reign Go forth and teach all things saith Christ What all things All things saith he which I commanded you he doth not say all things that shall seem unto your selves fit to be preached Go to therefore I beseech you by the immortal God let us all and every one intend with all our soul to preach what God requireth lest we become Adulterators and Hucksters of preaching rather then true Preachers especially seeing men are most dull towards the things of God and most ready for their own things needing no spurs at all being deceived by an unjust estimation of things and an innate superstition received from fore-fathers which can scarce be healed by any preaching though frequent earnest and sincere Hence I dare not subscribe to the rude Propositions because I dare not be a means of the continuing of popular superstition lest I be the Author of my own damnation thereby It is not I assure you any pride that hinders me from that Subscription which your Lordship hath so often to my very great grief required of me It cannot but be wicked not to obey the Fathers of the Church but yet they must see what and wherein they command seeing it is said in a certain place We ought to obey God rather then man The rude Propositions as he calls them to which he was required to subscribe may be seen in Mr. Fox in the same Page In a Sermon of his at Stamford Octob. 9. 1550. he hath the following words concerning the crafty and deceitfull handling of those Bishops in his Examinations and what subtile devices they used to intrap him I was once saith he in Examination before five or six Bishops where I had much turmoiling Every Week thrice I came to Examination and many snares and traps were laid to get something Now God knoweth I was ignorant of the Law but that God gave me answer and wisdome what I should speak It was God indeed for else I had never escaped them At last the Chamber wherein I was wont to be examined was somewhat altered whereas there was wont to be a fire in the Chimney now there was none but Arras was hanged over the Chimney A subtile Question being propounded to me I pray you Mr. Latimer said one speak out I am very thick of hearing and here be many that sit afar off I marvelled at this that I was bid speak out and began to suspect somewhat and gave an ear to the Chimney and there I heard a Pen moving they having appoâ—nted one there to write all my Answers God was my good Lord and gave me answer I could never else have scaped it After he was made Bishop of Wâ—rcester he was accused before the King the Story whereof he gives us in a Sermon he preached afterwards before King Edward In the Kings dayes that is dead saith he many of us were called together before him to say our minds in certain matters In the end one kneeling down accuseth me for preaching seditious Doctrine A heavy salutation The King turned to me and said What say you to that Sir Then I kneeled down and turned me first to my Accuser and said Sir What form of preaching would you appoint me in preaching before a King Would you have me preach nothing as concerning a King in the King's Sermon Then turning to the King I said I never thought my self worthy nor did I ever sue to be a Preacher before your Grace but I was called to it c. And if your Grace allow me for a Preacher I would desire your Grace to give me leave to discharge my Conscience and to frame my Doctrine according to my Audience And I thank Almighty God which hath alwayes been my remedy that my sayings were well accepted of the King c. It is even as the Scripture saith The Lord directeth the Kings heart Certain of my Friends came to me with tears in their eyes and told me they looked I should have been in the Tower the same night Upon the coming in of the six Articles he did of his own free accord resign his Bishoprick and so was silent till King Edward's dayes At what time he first put off his Rocket in his Chamber among his Friends Suddenly he gave a skip in the floor for joy feeling his shoulders so light and being discharged as he said of such an heavy burden In King Edward's dayes he was a diligent Preacher and an hard Student at his study about two of the Clock in the Morning Winter and Summer though his body had been sore bruised by the fall of a Tree and he above sixty seven years of
light into the World Weston pressing him to recant You shall have no hope said he in me to turn I pray for the Queen daily even from the bottom of my heart that she may turn from this Religion When he was excommunicated by Weston he said I thank God most heartily that he hath prolonged my life to this end that I may in this case glorifie God by that kind of death When he was brought forth from the Bailiffs to see a Mass with a general Procession and understood so much he run as fast as his old bones would carry him to a Shop and would not look towards it After the Sentence was past upon him he was committed again to Prison in Oxford where in Prayer he oftentimes continued so long kneeling that he was not able to rise without help and among other things these were three principal matters he prayed for 1 That as God had appointed him to be a Preacher of his Word so he would give him grace to stand to his Doctrine to death that he might give his hearts blood for the same 2 That God of his mercy would restore his Gospel to England once again and these words Once again once again he did so inculcate and beat into the ears of the Lord God as though he had seen God before him and spoke to him face to face 3 That God would preserve the Lady Elizabeth and make her a comfort to this comfortless Realm of England Neither were these things desired of him in vain but the Lord most graciously granted every one of these requests 1 The Lord assisted him to be constant to the last At the Stake he lifted up his eyes towards Heaven with an amiable and comfortable countenance saying God is faithful which doth not suffer us to be tempted above our strength Afterward he shed his blood in the Caâ—se of Christ. The blood ran out of his heart in great abundance his body being opened by the force of the fire 2 The Gospel was restored again unto England 3 When the enemies trâ—umphed Gods Word was banished no place left for Gods Servants to cover their heads God havâ—ng wonderfully preserved the Lady Elizabeth set her on the Throne and thereby the captivity of sorrowfull Christians was released In his Letter to Mr. Morice I thank you that now of late you would vouchsase to write unto me so poor a wretch to my great comfort among all these my troubles Seeing there is no pain that can break my charity and patience cause me to dishonour God to displease God to be displeased with God nor to joy in God bring me from surety of Salvation separate me from Christ or Christ from me I care the less for it In his Letter in answer to Dr. Sherwood God gives us both what he knows best for us to me patience becoming a Christian in the midst of my sufferings and to you as sound a judgement as you have now a fervent zeal I said that all Popes Bishops Vicars Rectors not entring by the door but ascending some other way are Thieves and Robbers c. Hence you gather that I said all Popes Bishops Vicars Rectors simply are so O my Brother is this a good collection Is there not a vast difference between these two assertions All not entring in by the door are Thieves And all simply are Thieves Whence I pray you could it seem to you to say Simply all are Thieves when I said onely All not entring in by the door are Thieves Unless perhaps all appear to you to ascend some other way and not to enter by the door If you think so if you be wise do not say that you do so think you know how dangerous it will be for you to say so You say that Christ did onely in secret and not in publick task the Pharisees but I am but a man not a searcher of hearts c. But did not Christ by name accuse them even before the multitude saying Woe unto you Scriles and Pharisees Hypocrites It is true I am but a man that see not the spot lying hid in anothers heart but onely the life exposed to the view of all and so knowing them by their fruits whom Christ would have so known I do condemn that course of life whoever take it up which I find often condemned in the holy Scriptures and in the holy Interpreters thereof Am not I then undeservedly found fault with by you What I spake rightly concerning the Church you wickedly calumniate as if I had made all equal with Peter as to the use of the Keys when there was not a word mentioned concerning the power of the Keys c. But I onely admonished my hearers that the Church of Christ was built upon a Rock and not upon the Sands least they trust in a dead faith and not shew forth their faith by their works In his Letter to Sir Edward Bainton To recompence your goodness towards me I shall not cease to pray my Lord God who is able and also doth indeed reward all them that favour the favourers of his Truth for his sake for the truth is a common thing pertaining to every man for the which every man shall answer another day and I desire favour neither of your Worship nor of any man else but in truth and for the truth I take God to witness which knoweth all I marvel not a little how the Bishop of London having so broad wide and large Diocess committed unto his Cure and so peopled as it is can have leisure for preaching and teaching the Word in season out of season privately publickly to his own flock convincing exhorting admonishing c. to trouble me or to trouble himself with me c. I do not think Judges now adayes so deeply confirmed in grace or so impeccable but that it may behove and become Preachers to admonish them to do well to examine whether the accusers do not pervert the words of the accused and this I did upon occasion of the Apostles saying Ye are not under the Law but under Grace What a saying is this said I if it be not rightly understood The words sound as if he would encourage Christians to break Law seeing they be not under the Law and what if Paul's adversaries would have so taken them and accused him of the same to my Lord of London If he would have heard Paul declare his own mind he would have escaped but if he would have rigorously followed utcunque allegata probata and have given sentence after the relation of the Accusers good St. Paul must have born a fagot at Paul's Cross the Bishop of London being his Judge But my Lord will say Peradventure that men will not take the Preachers words otherwise then they mean therein As though St. Paul's words were not otherwise taken Because he said That our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God he was reported to mean That we
that condition After that he began to speak to the people shewing the cause of his death and would have exhorted them to stick unto Christ. Whereupon one of the Sheriffs said We must have no Sermoning now When the Beholders supposed no less but that he had been dead having been so long in the fire he spread abroad his Arms saying Father of Heaven have mercy upon me Upon this many of the people said That he was a Martyr and died marvellous patiently and godly which thing caused Dr. Cotes the Bishop shortly after to preach in the Cathedral that he was an Heretick burnt like an Heretick and was a firebrand in hell But shortly after the judgement of God took hold of the Bishop it was a report in all mens mouths that he died burnt by an harlot In his Letter to the Reader touching his Examinations Though Satan be suffered to sift us as wheat for a time yet faileth not our faith through Christs aid but that we are at all times able and ready to confirm the Faith of our weak Brethren and alwayes ready to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us and that with meekness and reverence having a good conscience and whenas they backbite us as evil doers they may be ashamed forasmuch as they have falsly accused our good conversation in Christ. I thought my self well settled with my loving Wife and Children and also well quieted in the peaceable possession of that pleasant Euphrates but the Lord who worketh all for the best to them that love him would not there leave me but took my dear and beloved Wife from me whose death was a painful cross to my flesh I thought also my self well placed under most loving and gentle Mr. Laurence Saunders in the Cure of Langton But the Lord of his great mercy would not suffer me long there to continue although for the small time I was in his Vineyard I was not an idle workman but he hath provided me to taste of a far other Cup for by violence hath he yet once again driven me out of that glorious Babylon that I should not taste too much of her wanton pleasures but with his most dearly beloved Disciples to have my inward rejoycing in the Cross of his Son Iesus Christ the glory of whose Church I see it well standeth not in the harmonious sound of Bells and Organs nor yet in the glistering of Mitres and Copes nor in the shining of gilt Images and Lights but in continual Labours and Afflictions for his Names sake God at this present here in England hath his Fan in his hand and after his great Harvest whereinto these years past he hath sent his Labourers is now sifting the Corn from the Chaffe and purging his Floor and ready to gather the Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaffe with unquenchable fire Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharises Try all things and choose that which is good Believe not every Spirit but prove the Spirits whether they be of God or not The true Touch-stone is the Word of God In his Letter to the faithful Professors of Langton Grace be unto you and peace be multiplied in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen I thought it my duty to write unto you my Beloved in the Lord to stir up your minds and to call to your remembrance the words that have been spoken to you before and to exhort you as that good man and full of the Holy Ghost Barnabas did the Antiochians that with purpose of heart ye continually cleave unto the Lord and that ye stand fast and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel whereof God be thanked ye have had plenteous preaching by Mr. Sanders and other Ministers of Christ who now when persecution doth arise because of the Word do not fall away and forsake the Truth being ashamed of the Gospel whereof they have been Preachers but are willing and ready for your sakes to forsake not onely the chief and principal delights of this life viz. their native Countrey Friends Livings c. but also to fulfill their Ministry to the utmost viz. with their painful imprisonments and blood-sheddings if need shall require to confirm and seal Christs Gospel whereof they have been Ministers They are ready not onely to be cast into prison but also to be killed for the Name of the Lord Jesus Whether those being that good salt of the earth i. e. true Ministers of Gods Word by whose Doctrine being received by Faith men are made savoury unto God and which themselves lose not their saltness now when they be proved with the boisterous storms of persecution or others being that unsavoury salt which hath lost it saltness i. e. those ungodly Ministers who do fall from the Word of God to the dreams and traditions of Antichrist whether of these I say be more to be credited and believed let all men judge Wherefore my dearly Beloved Receive the Word of God with meekness that is grafted in you which is able to save your souls and see that ye be not forgetfull hearers deceiving your selves with Sophistry but doers of the Word whom Christ doth liken to a Wise man which buildeth his house upon a rock c. That when Satan with all his Legions of Devils with all their subtile suggestions and the world with all the mighty Princes thereof with their crafty counsels do furiously rage against us we faint not but abide constant in the Truth being grounded upon a most sure Rock which is Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel against which the gates of Hell i. e. the power of Satan cannot prevail And be ye followers of Christ and his Apostles and receive the Word in much affliction as the godly Thessalonians did They onely are the true followers of Christ and his Apostles that receive the Word And they onely receive the Word who both believe it and also frame their lives after it and be ready to suffer all manner of adversity for the Name of the Lord as Christ and all the Apostles did and as all that will live godly in Christ Iesus must do for there is none other way into the Kingdome of Heaven but through much tribulation And if we suffer any thing for the Kingdome of Heavens sake and for Righteousness sake we have the Prophets Christ the Apostles and Martyrs for an example to comfort us for they did all enter into the Kingdome of Heaven at the strait gate and narrow way which few do find and unless we will be content to deny our selves and take up the Cross of Christ and his Saints it is an evident argument that we shall never reign with him But if we can find in our hearts patiently to suffer persecutions and tribulations it is a sure token of the righteous Judgement of God that we
give some exmple of boldness and constancy mingled with patience in the fear of God that ye and others of our Brethren through our example may be encouraged and strengthned to follow us that ye also may leave example to your weak Brethren in the world to follow you Amen Brethren the time is short it remaineth that ye use this world as though ye used it not for the fashion of this world passeth away See that ye love not the world nor the things that be in the world but set your affections on heavenly things c. Be meek and long-suffering serve and edifie one another with the gift that God hath given you beware of strange Doctrine c. August 30 1555. In his Letter to Ienkin Crampton c. These be earnestly to exhort you yea and to beseech you in the tender mercy of Christ that with purpose of heart ye cleave unto the Lord and that ye worship him in spirit in the Gospel of his Son for God will not be worshipped after the commandments and traditions of men nor yet by any other means appointed prescribed and taught us but by his holy Word and though all men almost defile themselves with the wicked traditions of men and ordinances after the world and not after Christ yet do ye after the ensample of Daniel and his three Companions c. Be at a point with your selves that ye will not be defiled with the unclean meats of the Heathen I mean the filthiness of Idolatry and the very Heathenish Ceremonies of the Papists but as the true Worshippers serve ye God in spirit and verity according to the sacred Scriptures Above all things I wish you continually and reverently to search and read the Scriptures and with the wholesome admonitions of the same to teach exhort comfort and edifie one another now in this time of the great famishment of souls for want of the food of Gods Word And doubt not but that the merciful Lord who hath promised to be with us even to the worlds end and when two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them will assist you and teach you the right meaning of the sacred Scriptures will keep you from all errours and lead you into all truth as he hath promised And though you think your selves unable to teach yet at the command of Christ now in time of famine seeing the hungry people in the wilderness far from any Towns if they be sent away fasting are sure to faint and perish by the way employ those five loaves and two fishes that ye have upon that hungry multitude although you think it nothing among so many And he that increased the five loaves and two fishes to feed five thousand men c. shall also augment his gifts in you not onely to the edifying of others but to an exceeding great increase of your own knowledge in God and his holy Word And fear not your Adversaries for either according to his accustomed manner God shall blind their eyes that they shall not spie you or get you favour in their sight or else graciously deliver you out of their hands by one means or other Comfort your selves in all your adversities and stay your selves in him who hath promised not to leave you as fatherless and motherless children without any comfort but that he will come unto you like a most gentle and merciful Lord. In another Letter The same grace and peace do I wish unto you which St. Paul wisheth to them to whom he writ c. Grace is taken for the free mercy and favour of God whereby he saveth us freely without any of our deservings or works of the Law Peace is taken for the tranquility of conscience being perswaded that through the onely merits of Christs death and blood-shedding there is an atonement and peace made between God and us so that God will no more impute our sins unto us nor condemn us Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus nor of us his Prisoners but suffer ye adversity with the Gospel for which word we suffer as evil doers unto bonds but the Word of God is not bound with us Therefore we suffer all things for the Elects sake that they also may obtain the Salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory Wherefore stand ye fast in the Faith and be not moved from the hope of the Gospel so shall ye make us with joy to suffer for your sakes and as the Apostle saith To fulfill that which is behind of the Passions of Christ in our flesh for his Bodies sake which is the Congregation St. Paul doth not here mean that there wanteth any thing in the Passion of Christ which may be supplied by man but the words are to be understood of the Elect in whom Christ is and shall be persecuted to the worlds end The Passion of Christ then i. e. of this Châ—rch his mystical Body shall not be perfect till all whom God hath appointed have suffered for his sake On our parts nothing can be greater consolation and inward joy to us in our Adversity then to hear of your Faith and Love and that ye have a good remembrance of us alwayes praying for us as we do for you Now are we alive if ye stand stedfast in the Lord. Good Shepherds do alwayes count the welfare and prosperous estate of Christs Flock to be their own While it goeth well with the Congregation it goeth well with them also in whatever affliction they be but when they see the Church in peril then be they weary of their own lives and can have no rest nor joy Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I do not burn But this affection is not in them that seek their own lucre and glory God is wont for the most part to warn his Elect what trouble shall happen to them for his sake not to frighten them thereby but rather to prepare their minds against the boisterous storms of Persecution In his Letter to Robert Langley I thank you for visitting me a Prisoner for Christ and unacquainted with to your cost and for your promise that if I did want any thing necessary to this life you with some others would help me and rejoyce greatly in the Lord who stirs up the hearts of others to be careful for me in this my great necessity I thank God as yet I do want nothing and intend to be as little chargeable to others as I can yet if I want I will be bold with you and others to send for your help desiring you in the mean while to pray for me and all others in the bonds of Christ that God would perform the thing which he hath begun in us that we may confess Jesus Christ with boldness and fight the good Fight of Faith In another Letter These be to certifie you that I greatly rejoyce in the Lord for that
they labourel with Gods Word c. Wherefore until such time as our consciences are otherwise taught and instructed by Gods Word we cannot with safeguard of our consciences take it as many suppose at this time And we trust in God that the Queens Highness and her most Honourable Council will not in a matter of Faith use compulsion or violence because Faith is the gift of God and cometh not of man or of mans Laws nor at such time as men require it but at such time as God giveth it Being asked whether he would stand to what he had said I must need stand to it said he till I be perswaded by a further truth It being replied Nay you will not be perswaded but stand to your own Opinion Nay said he I stand not to mine own Opinion God I take to witness but onely to the Scriptures of Gâ—d and I take God to witness that I do nothing of presumption but that that I do is onely my Conscience and if there be a further truth then I see except it appear a truth to me I cannot receive it as a truth And seeing Faith is the gift of God and cometh not of man for it is not you that can give me Faith nor no man else therefore I trust ye will bear the more with me seeing it must be wrought by God and when it shall please God to open a further truth to me I shall receive it with all my heart In his Confession of his Faith The Lord is the Protector of my life The just shall live by Faith and if he withdraw himself my soul shall have no pleasure in him Thus have I declared my Faith briefly which were no Faith if I were in doubt of it This Faith I desire God to increase in me Praise God for his gifts Nicaise Nicaise a Say-maker in Tournay for refusing to live according to the Customes of the Romish Church and to observe the traditions invented by her c. being condemned and having heard the sentence as he rose up he said Now praised be God As he was led to execution seeing a great multitude of people he lifted up his voice and said O ye men of Tournay open your eyes awake ye that sleep and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give ye light As he joyfully ascended up the Scaffold he said Lord they have hated me without a cause As he was fastning to the Stake he said Eternal Father have pity and compassion upon me according as thou hast promised to all that ask the same of thee in thy sons Name Noyes When Iohn Noyes was asked by his Brother in Law if he did fear death when the Bishop gave judgement against him he answered He thanked God he feared death no more at that time then himself or any other did being at liberty Being bound to the Stake he said Fear not them that can kill the body but fear him that can kill both body and soul and cast it into everlasting fire When he saw his Sister weeping and making moan for him he bade her Weep not for him but weep for her sins When a Fagot was set against him he took it and kissed it and said Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this He said also Good people bear witness that I do believe to be saved by the merits and passion of Jesus Christ and not by my own deeds When the fire was kindled and burned about him he said Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Son of David have mercy upon me In his Letter to his Wife out of Prison You desired me to send you some tokens to remember me I therefore send you these Scriptures even for a remembrance St. Peter saith Dearly beloved be not troubled with this heat that is now come among you to try you as though some strange thing had hapned unto you but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory appeareth ye may be merry and glad If ye be railed on for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God restest on you See that none of you suffer as a Murtherer c. but if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalf for the time is come that judgement must begin at the House of God If it first begin at us what shall the end of them be that believe not the Gospel of God Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in well doing St. Paul saith All that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution St. Iohn saith See that ye love not the world nor the things of the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world which vanisheth away and the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for ever St. Paul saith What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness what company hath light with darkness or what part hath the Believer with the Infidel c. Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selves now saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing so will I receive you and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty So farewell Wife and Children and leave worldly care and see that ye be diligent to pray Take no thought saith Christ saying what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewith shall we be clothed after all these things do the Geneiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things but seek ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousness thereâ—f and all these things shall be ministred to you O. Oâ—colampadius He fell sick in the year 1531. and of his age 49. about the same time that Zuinglius was unhappily slain His grief for his death much increased his sickness He foretold his own death was very desirous to enjoy the heavenly Light Sending for the Ministers of the Gospel to him he spake to them thus O my Brethren you see what is done The Lord is come he is he is now calling me away What shall I say unto you the Servants of the Lord whom the love of God your Master the same study and doctrine have most intimately united now that I am to take my leave of you Salvation hopes of Heaven Truth Light for our feet is procured by Christ for us It becomes us to cast away all sadness all fear of life and death c. My Brethren this onely remains That we who have for some time walked in the wayes of Christ continue constant
hath the people to be offended with us for not receiving of a Jesus Christ of wood We bear upon our hearts the Cross of Christ the Son of the everliving God feeling his Word written therein in letters of Gold Baudicon beginning to sing on the Scaffold the Sixteenth Psalm a Frier cried out Do ye hear my Masters what wicked errours these Hereticks sing to beguile the people withall whereupon Baudicon replyed Thou simple Idiot callest thou the Psalms of David the Prophet Errours But no marvel for thus you are wont to blaspheme against the Spirit of God Then turning his eye to his Father who was about to be chained to the Stake he said Be of good courage Father the worst will be past by and by The old man complaining of the blow which the Executioner gave him on the foot as he was fastning to the Post a Frier said Ah these Hereticks they would be counted Martyrs forsooth but if they be but touched a little they cry out as if they were killed Whereupon Baudicon said Think you then that we fear the Tormentâ—rs No such matter for had we feared the same we had never exposed our bodies to this so shameful and painful a kind of death Then he often reiterated those short breathings O God Father everlasting accept the sacrifice of our bodies for thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ his sake With his eyes fixed on Heaven he said to his Father Behold for I see Heavens open and millions of Angels ready prest to receive us rejoycing to see us thus witnessing the Truth in the view of the world Father let us be glad and rejoyce for the joyes of Heaven are set open to us When the fire was kindled he often repeated this in his Fathers ear Faint not Father nor be afraid yet a very little while and we shall enter into the Heavenly Mansions The last words they were heard to pronounce were Iesus Christ thou Son of God into thy hands we commend our spirits Iane the Wife of Robert whilst in Prison separated from her Son Martin was drawn away by a Monk and prevailed with to let go her first faith and having promised to draw her Son Martin from his errours he was suffered to come to her which when he understood O Mother said he what have you done Have you denied him who hath redeemed you Alas What evil hath he done you that you should requite him with this so great an injury and dishonour Now I am plunged into that wo which I have most feared Ah good God! that I should live to see this This pierceth me to the very heart His Mother hearing this and seeing his tears she with tears cried out O Father of mercies be merciful to me miserable sinner and cover my transgression under the righteousness of thy blessed Son Lord enable me with strength from above to stand to my first Confession and make me to abide stedfast therein even to my last breath When they that had seduced her came to her again with detestation she said Avoid Satan get thee behind me from henceforth thou hast neither part nor portion in me I will by the help of God stand to my first Confession and if I may not sign it with ink I will seal it with my blood When Iane and Martin heard the Sentence past returning to Prison they said Now blessed be our God who causeth us thus to triumph over our Enemies This is the wished hour Our gladsome day is come Let us not then said Martin forget to be thankfull for the honour he doth us in conforming us to the image of his Son Let us remember those that have traced this death before us for this is the high way to the Kingdome of Heaven Let us then good Mother go on boldly out of the Camp with the Son of God bearing his reproach with all his holy Martyrs for so we shall find passage into the glorious Kingdome of the everliving God Some of the Company not brooking these words said We see now thou Heretick that thou art wholly possest body and soul with a Devil as was thy Father and Brother who are both in Hell Martin replied Sirs as for your railings and cursings our God will this day turn them into blessings in the sight of all his holy Angels A certain Temporizer endeavouring to stagger Martin by the consideration of the multitude that believed not as he did his Mother said Sir Christ Jesus our Lord saith That it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction and therefore many go in thereat but the gate is narrow that leadeth to life and few there be that find it Do ye then doubt whether we be in the strait way or no when ye behold our sufferings Would you have a better sign then this to know whether we are in the right way Compare our Doctrine with that of your Priests and Monks We for our part are determined to have but one Christ and him crucified We onely embrace the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Are we deceived in believing that which the holy Prophets and Apostles have taught Martin being asked Whether he thought himself wiser then so many learned Doctors answered I pray you Sir doth not Christ our Lord tell us That his Father hath hid the secrets of his Kingdome from the wise and prudent and revealed them to Babes And doth not the Lord oftentimes catch the wise in their own craftiness Then came into the Prison to Martin two men of great Authority and perswading him to recant promised him great matters c. Martin gave them this answer Sirs you present before me many temporal commodities but alas do you think me so simple as to forsake an eternal Kingdome for enjoying a short transitory life No Sirs it is too late to speak to me now of worldly commodities Speak of those spiritual ones which God hath prepared for me to day in his Kingdome I purpose not to hearken after any other Onely let me crave one hours respite to my self to give my self to Prayer Afterwards Martin declared the effect of this combate to certain Brethren in Prison saying Let us lift up our heads Brethren the brunt is over this I hope is their last assault Forget not I pray you the holy Doctrine of the Gospel nor those good Lessons which you have learned from our Brother Guy probably he meant Mr. Guy de Brez of whom before in letter B. Manifest it now to all that you have received them not onely into your ears but also into your hearts Follow me We lead you the way Fear not God will never leave you nor forsake you Iane having ascended the Scaffold cried out to Martin Come up come up my Son As Martin was speaking to the people she said Speak out Martin that it may appear to all that we die not Hereticks She being bound to the Stake said We are Christians and that which we now suffer is
word Iesus Epitaphium in Palmerum Palmerus flammas Christi pro dogmate pâ—ssus Impositum pondus ceu bona Palma tâ—lit Non retrocessit sed contra erdentior ivit Illaesam retinens fortis in igne fidem Propterea in Coelum nunc Palmifer iste receptus Iustitiâ— Palmam not pereuntis habot Paulinus When he had his City Gold Silver and all taken away he said Lord let not the loss of these things trouble me for thou art all and more then all these to me Pareus David Pareus having foreseen the great miseries that would come upon the Palatinate when the Spaniards came in with their Army by Prodigies and Dreams he was perswaded to retire himself At his departure he cried out O Heidelberg Heidelberg But it is better to fall into the hands of God then of men whose tender mercies are cruelty Paschalis It is a small matter said Lewis Paschalis to die once for Christ if it might be I could wish I might die a thousand deaths for him Patingham Patrick Patingham being much prest by Bonner to recant He protested that the Church which the Bishop believed was no Catholick Church but was the Church of Satan and therefore he would never turn to it c. Peloquine The Inquisitors telling Dyonisius Peloquine his life was in his own hands Then said he it were in an ill keeping Christs School hath taught me to save it by losing it and not by the gain of a few dayes or years to lose eternity Person Mr. Anthony Person being come to the place of Execution with a chearfull countenance embraced the Post in his arms and kissing it said Now welcome mine own sweet Wife for this day shalt thou and I be married together in the love and peace of God Pulling the straw unto him he laid a good deal thereof upon the top of his head saying This is Gods Hat now am I dressed like a true Souldier of Christ by whose merits onely I trust this day to enter into his joy Peter The Apostle Peter was crucified his head being down and his feet upward he himself so requiring because he was he said unworthy to be crucified after the same manner form as the Lord was c. Seeing his Wife going to her Martyrdome belike as he was yet hanging upon the Cross he was greatly joyous and glad thereof and cried out unto her with a loud voice Remember the Lord Iesus None but Christ Nothing but Christ. Phileas Phileas Bishop of the Thumitans whilst he was in bonds before he received the Sentence of Death wrote to the Congregation over which he was Bishop exhorting them to persist in the Truth of Christ professed notwithstanding the Torments inflicted upon the Martyrs in his dayes which he thus describes Some beat them with Cudgels some with Rods some with Whips some with Thongs and some with Cords Some of them having their hands bound behind their backs were lifted up upon Timber-logs and with certain Instruments their members and joynts were stretched forth whereupon their whole bodies hanging were subject to the will of the Tormentors who were commanded to afflict them with all manner of torments not on their sides onely but bellies thighs and legs They scratched them with the talens and claws of wild Beasts Some were seen to hang by one hand upon the Engine whereby they might feel the more grievous pulling out of the rest of their joynts and members Some were stretched out after they were beaten upon a new kind of Rack Others were cast down upon the Pavement where they were oppressed so thick and so grievously with torments that it is not almost to be thought what afflictions they suffered Some died of their torments not a little shaming and confounding their enemies by their singular patience Others were condemned and willingly and cheerfully were martyr'd Philpot. Mr. Iohn Philpot Son of Sir Peter Philpot of Huntshire being threatned to be removed from the Kings Bench to Lullards Tower said You have power to transfer my Body from place to place at your pleasure but you have no power over my soul. God hath appointed a day shortly to come in the which he will judge us with righteousness howsoever you judge of us now When Story threatned him with a worse Prison he said God forgive you and give you more mercifull hearts and shew you more mercy in the time of need Do quickly that you have in hand Bonner telling him He marvelled they were so merry in Prison singing and rejoycing in their naughtiness Methinks said he you do not well herein you should rather lament and be sorry My Lord said Mr. Phiâ—pot the mirth that we make is but in singing certain Psalms as we are commanded by St. Paul willing us to be merry in the Lord singing together in Hymns and Psalms We are my Lord in a dark comfortless place and therefore it behoveth us to be merry least as Solomon saith Sorrowfulness eat up our heart St. Paul saith If any man be of upright mind let him sing and we therefore to testifie we are of an upright mind to God though we be in misery do sing After this conference with Bonner I was saith Mr. Philpot carried to my Lords Cole-house again where I with my six Fellows do rouz together in the straw as cheerfully we thank God as others do in their Beds of Down When he was brought before Bonner and the Bishop of Bath c. a second time before he answered any questions he fell down upon his knees before them and prayed thus Almighty God thou art the Giver of all wisdome and understanding I beseech thee of thine infinite goodness and mercy in Jesus Christ to give me most vile sinner in thy sight the Spirit of wisdome to speak and answer in thy Cause that it may be to the contentation of the Hearers before whom I stand and also to my better understanding if I be deceived in any thing Bonner telling the Bishop of Wercester that he did not well to exhort him to make any Prayer for in this point said he they are much like to certain arrant Hereticks of whom Pliny maketh mention that did daily sing Antelucanos Hymnos praise unto God before the dawning of the day Mr. Philpot replied My Lord God make me and all you here present such Hereticks as those were that sang those Morning Hymns for they were right Christians with whom the Tyrants of the world were offended for their well doing Afterwards he made this Protestation I protest here before God and his Eternal Son Jesus Christ my Saviour and the Holy Ghost and his Angels and you here present that be Judges of that I speak that I do not stand in any Opinion of wilfulness or singularity but onely upon my conscience certainly informed by Gods Word from the which I dare not go for fear of damnation The Bishop of Worcester telling him he was of â—â—ch
Letter to the Brethren imprisoned What worthy thanks can we render unto the Lord for you my Brethren namely for the great consolation which through you we have received in the Lord who notwithstanding the rage of Satan that goeth about by all manner of subtile means to beguile the world and also busily laboureth to restore and set up his Kingdome again that of late began to decay and to fall to ruine ye remain still unmoveable as men grounded upon a strong rock And now albeit that Satan by his Souldiers and wicked Ministers daily as we hear draweth numbers unto him so that it is said of him That he plucketh even the Stars out of Heaven whiles he driveth into some men the fear of death and loss of all their Goods and offereth unto others the pleasant baits of the world c. to the intent they should fall down and worship not the Lord but the Dragon the old Serpent which is the Devil that great beast and his image and should be enticed to commit fornication with the Strumpet of Babylon c. Yet blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath given unto you a manly courage and hath so strengthned you in the inward man by the Power of his Spirit that you can contemn as well all the terrours as also the vain allurements of the world esteeming them as meer trifles and things of nought In the Faith of Christ stand ye fast my Brethren and suffer not your selves to be brought under the yoke of bondage and superstition any more and be of good comfort and remember that our grand Captain hath overcome the world We never had a better or more just cause either to contemn our life or shed our blood we cannot take in hand the defence of a more certain clear and manifest Truth Shall we or can we receive and acknowledge any other Christ instead of him who is alone the everlasting Son of the everlasting Father c. Let such wickedness my Brethren let such horrible wickedness be far from us What can your Adversaries else do unto you by persecuting you and working all cruelty and villainy against you but make your Crowns more glorious yea beautifie and multiply the same c. In another Letter to the Brethren Now even now out of doubt Brethren the pit is opened against us and the locusts begin to swarm and Abaddon now reigneth ye therefore my Brethren which pertain unto Christ and have the Seal of God marked in your foreheads i. e. are sealed with the Earnest of the Spirit to be a peculiar people of God quit your selves like men and be strong for he that is in us is stronger then he which is in the world and ye know all that is born of God overcometh the world and this is our victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Let the world fret let it rage never so much be it never so cruel and bloody yet be sure that no man can take us out of the Fathers hands for he is greater then all c. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect c. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation c. In his Letter to Mr. West his quondam Chaplain I wish you grace in God and love of the Truth without which truly established in mens hearts by the mighty hand of the Almighty God it is no more possible to stand by the Truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the wax to abide the heat of the fire I am perswaded Christs words to be true Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven and I believe that no earthly Creature shall be saved whom the Redeemer and Saviour of the world shall before his Father deny If you had wished that neither fear of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain Gods Word and his Truth which is his glory and true honour it would have like me well You desire me for Gods sake to remember my self Indeed it is now time so to do for so far as I can perceive it standeth me upon no less danger then of the loss both of body and soul and I trow then it is time for a man to awake if any thing will awake him He that will not fear him that threatneth to cast both body and soul into everlasting fire whom will he fear With this fear O Lord fasten thou together our frail flesh that we never swerve from thy laws You say you have made much suit for me God grant that you have not in suing for my worldly deliverance impaired and hindred the furtherance of Gods Word and his Truth To write unto these whom you name I cannot see what it will avail me but this I would have you know That I esteem nothing available for me which also will not further the glory of God Sir How nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this world is at hand I cannot tell the Lords Will be fulfilled how soon soever it shall come My conscience moves me to require both you and my Friend Dr. Harvey to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth and preaching of Gods Word and his Truth These promises although you shall not need to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world yet look for none other but to be charged with them at Gods hand My conscience and the love I bear you biddeth me now say unto you both in Gods Name fear God and love not the world for God is able to cast both soul and body into hell fire What is it else to confess or deny Christ in this world but to maintain the Truth taught in Gods Word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same He that will wittingly forsake either for fear or gain of the world any one open Truth of Gods Word if he be constrained he will assuredly forsake God and all his Truth rather then he will endanger himself to lose or to leave that he loveth indeed better then he doth God and the Truth of his Word I like very well your plain speaking telling me I must either agree or die Sir I know I must die whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could never escape the death which is common to all and also incur the guilt of death and eternal damnation Lord grant that I may utterly abhor and detest this damnable agreement so long as I live If you do not confess and maintain to your power and knowledge that which is grounded upon Gods Word but will either for fear or gain of the world shrink and play the Apostate indeed you shall die the death In his Letter to Mr. Grindall then in Exile at Frankford afterward Arch Bishop
of Canterbury Rejoyce in the Lord and as you love me and the other my Reverend Fathers and Concaptives which undoubtedly are gloria Christi lament not our state but I beseech you to give to our Heavenly Father for his endless mercies and unspeakable benefits even in the midst of all our troubles given to us most hearty thanks for know ye that as the weight of his Cross hath encreased upon us so he hath not nor doth he cease to multiply his mercies to strengthen us and I trust yea by his grace I doubt nothing but he will so do for Christ our Masters sake even to the end West your old Companion and sometime my Chaplain alas hath relented but the Lord hath shortned his dayes soon after he had said Mass against his conscience he pined away and died for sorrow My daily Prayer is as God doth know and by Gods grace shall be so long as I live in this world for you my Dear Brethren that are fled out of your own Countrey because you will rather forsake all worldly things then the Truth of Gods Word that God our eternal Father for our Saviour Christs sake will daily encrease in you the gracious gift of his Heavenly Spirit to the true setting forth of his Glory and Gospel and make you to agree brotherly in the Truth of the same that there arise no root of bitterness among you that may infect that good seed which God hath sown in your hearts already and that your life may be pure and honest according to the Rule of Gods Word that others may be in love with your Doctrine and with you and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Now we expect nothing but the triumphant Crowns in the Lord of our Confession from our old enemy I commend my self humbly and heartily to your Prayers Dr. Grindal and to the rest of the Brethren with you dearly beloved by me in the Lord viz. Cheek Cox Turner Lever Sampson Chambers c. and others who love the Lord in Truth I commend also to you my Reverend Fathers and Fellow-prisoners in the Lord Thomas Cranmer now most worthy the Name of a true and great Shepherd yea Arch Bishop and Hugh Latimer that old Souldier of Christs and the true Apostle of our English Nation In his Letter to Augustine Bornher Brother Augustine I bless God with all my heart in his manifold merciful gifts given unto our dear Brethren in Christ specially to our Brother Rogers c. and also to Hooper Saunders and Tailor whom it hath pleased the Lord to set in the forefront of the Battel against his Adversaries and hath endued them all so far as I can hear to stand in the Confession of his Truth and to be content in his Cause and for his Gospels sake to lose their lives And evermore and without end blessed be our Heavenly Father for our dear and entirely beloved Brother Bradford whom now I perceive the Lord calleth for for I ween he will no longer suffer him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this world I doubt not but he hath holpen those which are gone before in their journey that is hath animated and encouraged them to keep the high way and so to run that at length they might obtain the Prize The Lord be his comfort whereof I do not doubt I thank God heartily that ever I was acquainted with him and that ever I had such an one in my house I trust to God it shall please him of his goodness to strengthen me to make up the Trinity out of Paul's Church to suffer for Christ c. Upon the thirtieth of September 1555. Dr. Ridley with Father Latimer was brought before the Queens Commissioners to undergo his last Examination Whilst the Commission was reading he stood bare till he heard the Cardinal named and the Popes Holiness then he put on his Cap and being admonished by the Bishoy of Lincoln the Popes Delegate to pull it off he answered I do not put it on in contempt of your Lordship nor of the Cardinal in that he came of Royal Blood c. but that by this my behaviour I may make it appear that I acknowledge in no point the usurped Supremacy of Rome and therefore I contemn and despite all Authority coming from the Pope As for taking off my Cap do as it shall please your Lordships and I shall be content When Lincoln in a long Rhetorical Speech perswaded him to recant c. he said My Lord in your Exhortation I have marked especially three points which you used to perswade me to leave my Doctrine and Religion which I perfectly know and am throughly perswaded to be grounded not upon mans imaginations and decrees but upon the infallible Truth of Christs Gospel and to look back and return to the Romish See contrary to my Oath contrary to the Prerogative and Crown of this Realm and especially which moveth me most contrary to the expressed Word of God 1 That the See of Rome taking his â—eginning from Peter upon whom you say Christ hath builded his Church hath in all ages lineally from Bishop to Bishop been brought to this time 2 That the holy Fathers in their Writings from time to time have confessed the same 3 That I was once of the same Opinion For the first Christ in saying Upon this stone doth not mean Peter himself c. but his Confession that he was the Son of God upon this Rock-stone I will build my Church for this is the foundation and beginning of all Christianity with word heart and mind to confess that Christ is the Son of God Christs Church is built not on the frailty of man but upon the stable and infallible Word of God that Christ is the Son of God Whilst the See of Rome continued in the Promotion and setting forth of Gods glory and due preaching of the Gospel the Fathers commended and honoured Rome and so do I but after the Bishops of that See seeking their own pride and not Gods honour set themselves above Kings challenging to them the Title of Gods Vicars c. I cannot but with S. Gregory a Bishop of Rome confess that the Bishop of that place is the very true Antichrist whereof St. Iohn speaketh by the name of the Whore of Babylon For the third I cannot but confess I was once of the same Religion you are of yet so was St. Paul a Persecutour of Christ. Lincoln farther urging him to recant c. he said am fully perswaded that Christs Church is foundâ—d in every place where his Gospel is truly received and effectually followed Your gentleness is the same that Christ had of the High Priests Your Lordship saith You have no power to condemn me neither at any time to put a man to death so the High Priests said That it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death but committed Christ to Pilate neither would suffer him
hear me patiently seeing I am appointed to die and look daily when I shall be called to come before the eternal Judge and therefore you cannot think but that I onely study to serve my Lord God and to say that thing which I am perswaded assuredly by Gods Word shall and doth please him and profit all to whom God shall give grace to hear and believe what I do say If the Popes supremacy be necessary to salvation to be owned How chanced it that ye were all my Lords so light as for your Princes pleasures H. 8. and E. 6. which were but mortal men to forsake the Unity of your Catholick Faith i. e. to forsake Christ and his Gospel How chanced it also that ye and the whole Parliament did not onely abolish and expell the Bishop of Rome but also did abjure him in your own persons and did decree in your Acts great Oaths to be taken for that purpose On the other side if the Law and Decree which maketh the supremacy of the See and Bishop of Rome over the universal Church of Christ be a thing of necessity required unto salvation by an Antichristian Law as it is indeed then my Lords never think other but the day shall come when ye shall be charged with this your undoing that which once ye had well done and with this your perjury and breach of your Oath which Oath was done in judgement justice and truth agreeable to Gods Law The Whore of Babylon may for a time dally with you and make you so drunken with the wine of her filthy stews and whoredomes as with her dispensations and promises of pardon a poena culpa that you may think your selves safe but be ye assured when the Living Lord shall try the matter by fire and judge it according to his Word unless ye repent without all doubt ye shall never escape the hands of the Living God for the guilt of your perjury and breach of your Oath then shall ye drink of the Cup of the Lords indignation and everlasting wrath which is prepared for the Beast his false Prophets and all their partakers For he that is partner with them in their whoredomes and abominations must also be partner with them in their plagues and be thrown with them into the Lake burning with brimstone and unquenchable fire In his Letter to the Prisoners c. and Exiles For the fervent love that the Apostles had unto their Master Christ and for the great commodities and increase of all godliness which they felt by their faith to ensue of afflictions in Christs Cause And thirdly For the heaps of heavenly joyes which the same do get unto the godly which shall endure in Heaven for evermore for these causes they rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to suffer contumelies and rebukes for Christs Name And Paul was so much in love in that which the carnal man loatheth so much i. e. with Christs Cross that he judged himself to know nothing else but Christ crucified he gloried in nothing else but Christs Cross. Why should we Christians fear death Can death deprive us of Christ who is all our comfort our joy and our life Nay forsooth But on the contrary Death shall deliver us from this mortal body which loadeth and beareth down the Spirit that it cannot so well perceive heavenly things in the which so long as we dwell we are absent from the Lord. And who that hath a right knowledge of Christ our Saviour that he is the eternal Son of God life light the wisdome of the Father all goodness all righteousness and whatsoever heart can desire yea infinite plenty of all these above that that mans heart can conceive or imagine for in him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily and also that he is given us of the Father and made of God to be our wisdome our righteousness our holiness and our redemption who I say is that believeth this indeed that would not gladly be with his Master Christ To die in the defence of Christs Gospel is our bounden duty to Christ and also to our neighbour to Christ for he died for us and rose that he might be Lord of all and seeing he died for us we also saith St. Iohn 1 Ioh. 3. should jeopard yea give our life for the Brethren Farewell dear Brethren farewell and let us comfort our hearts in all troubles and in death with the Word of God for Heaven and Earth shall perish but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever In his Lamentation for the change of Religion in England Of late in every Congregation throughout all England was made Prayer and Petition unto God to be delivered from the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities from all false doctrine and heresie and now alas Satan hath perswaded England by his falâ—hood and craft to revoke her old godly prayer c. This is one maxime and principle in Christs Law He that denieth Christ before men him shall Christ deny before his Father and all his holy Angels in Heaven Now then seeing the doctrine of Antichrist is returned again into this Realm and the higher Powers alas are so deceived and bewitched that they are perswaded it to be Truth and Christs true Doctrine to be errour and heresie and the old Laws of Anticrist are allowed to return with the power of their Father again What can be hereafter looked for of Christians abiding in this Realm but extreme violence of death or else to deny their Master Therefore prepare and arm thy self to die for both by Antichrists accustomable Laws and Scripture Prophesies there is no likelyhood of any other thing except thou wilt deny thy Master Christ which is the loss at the last of body and soul unto everlasting death My counsel to such as are yet at liberty is to flie from the plague and get them hence I consider not onely the subtilties of Satan and how he is like to deceive it it were possible even the chosen of God and also the great frailty which is oftentimes more in a man then he doth know in himself and which in the time of temptation will utter it self but also the examples of Christ Paul Elias c. and Christ saith When they persecute you in one City flie unto another Truly before God I think that the abomination that Daniel prophesied of so long before is now set up in the holy Place the Doctrine of Antichrist his Laws Rites and Religion contrary to Christ and to the true serving and worshipping of God I understand to be that abominition therefore now is the time in England for those words of Christ Then saith Christ they that be in Jewry let them flie into the Mountains then saith he mark this then for truly I am perswaded and I trust by the Spirit of God that this then is commanded By those in Iewry I understand such who truly confess one Living God and the
whole truth of his Word after the Doctrine of Christs Gospel these are bid in the time of Antichrists reign to flie into the Mountains i. e. places of safeguard The wo that followeth signifieth that such are then in extreme danger who are letted by any means whatsoever so that they be no wayes able to flie from the plague and Christs bidding to pray that our flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabbath day bids us to pray that we may flie in time and far enough from the danger of the plague Rev. 18. The Angel cries mightily with a loud voice Fliâ— my people out of Babylon lest you be infected with her faults and so be made partakers of her plagues for her offences and sins are grown so great that they come to Heaven Certainly the time doth approach and the Lords day is at hand Paul also that blessed Apostle forbids us 2 Cor. 6. to joyn our selves with the unfaithfull c. This counsel to depart the Realm some good persons may think good others may think it may indeed by Gods Word be lawfully done but not to be counselled to be done for they will peradventure say We should counsel a man alwayes to do that which is best of all and of most perfection but boldly in Christs Cause to spend a mans life is best of all and of most perfection and to flee may smell of cowardliness whereas in many things that which is best for one at sometimes is not best for all at all times and it is not meet for a child to covet to run before he can go But every true Christian either Brother or Sister after they be be called and brought into the wrestling-place to strive in Christs Cause for the best game i. e. to confess the Truth of the Gospel in hope of everlasting life should not shrink nor relent one inch nor give back whatsoever shall befall but to stand to their tackle and stick by it even unto death as they will Christ shall stick by them at the later day Some may think they may stay and escape the danger notwithstanding by keeping their Faith and Religion close to themselves inwardly worshipping God in spirit and truth and outwardly not transgressing common order Whereas Gods Word requireth not onely the belief of the heart but the confession of the mouth forbids not onely the thing that is evil but to abstain from all appearance of evil and both consenters and doers are accounted guilty by Gods Word and we may not do evil that good may come thereof Thy heart thou sayest God shall have and yet will suffer thy body to do the thing that God abhors Take heed O man what thou sayest thou canst not deceive the heart-searcher To give God thy heart is to give him thy whole heart to love him to dread him and to trust in him above all other things and he loveth God that keeps his commands and to dread God above all other is rather willingly to incur the danger and perill of all fearfull things then wittingly to do what God forbids and to trust in him above all things is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward and of his tuition and of his goodness and mercy and to prefer that above all things in the world seem they never so strong so wise or so good Now how canst thou say truly that God hath thus thy heart when thy deeds do declare far another thing Thy body O man is Gods and all the parts thereof even as thy soul is he made them both and Christ with his blood redemed them both and is Lord of both for he hath bought them both dearly and darest thou suffer any part of either of them to do service to Satan Surely in so doing thou committest sacriledge and dost rob God What is it to bear the mark of the Beast in the forehead and in the hand that St. Iohn speaketh of I suppose he bears the mark of the Beast in his forehead which is not ashamed of the Beasts wayes but will profess them openly and he beareth his mark in the hand that doth the works though he may be ashamed to own them It may be objected O Sir it is no small matter you speak of to depart from a mans own Native Countrey into a strange Realm Some have Lands and Possessions which they cannot carry with them Some have Father Mother Wife Children and Kinsfolk from whom to depart is as hard a thing and almost all one as to suffer death c. I grant here thou mayest heap a number of worldly in commodities which are very like to ensue the departure out of a mans own Countrey but what of all these and a thousand more of the like sort I will set against them all one saying of Christ which to the true Christian is able to countervail all these yea to weigh them down viz. If any man do come to me and do not hate Father and Mother he means and will not in his Cause forsake his Father and Mother c. he cannot be my Disciple It may further be objected Alas Sir I am an impotent man an aged man a sick man a lame man or I have so many small Infants a Wife which live by my labour if I leave them they will starve and I am not able to carry them with me such is my state what shall I do O lamentable state O sorrowfull heart that can neither depart nor without extreme perill is able to tarry still Of the state of such as are not able to flie the infection of the pestiferous plague of Antichrists abominations Christ lamenting not cursing saith Wo be to the great bellied and travelling women c. For these my heart mourneth the more the less I am able to give any comfortable counsel but this That alwayes as they look for everlasting life they abide still in the confession of his Truth whatsoever shall befall and for the rest to put their trust wholly in God who is able to save them against all appearance And commonly in extremities when all worldly comfort faileth and the danger is at highest then unto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready to put his helping hand instance in Daniel the three Children Paul pluckt out of the mouth of the Lion in the Mount God raised up most of the Judges for the delivering of his people As to such instances it may be objected these were special miracles of God which now are ceased and to require them at Gods hands were it not to tempt God I grant such were great wonderfull works of God c. but Gods hand is as strong as ever it was and he is as good and as gracious as ever he was but in such as are put to death for his sake he doth more when in anguish of the torments he standeth by them and strengthneth them in their saith to suffer in confession of
glory my care in my great temptations was to have the senses of my soul open to perceive the Voice of God saying Whosoever denieth me before men him will I deny before my Father and his Angels And to save the life corporal is to lose the life eternal and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not reign with him Therefore most tender Ones I have by Gods Spirit given over the flesh with the fight of my soul and the Spirit hath the victory The flesh shall now ere it be long leave off to sin the Spirit shall reign eternally I have chosen Death to confirm the Truth by me taught What can I do more Consider with your selves that I have done it for the confirmation of Gods Truth Pray that I may continue to the end The greatest part of the assault is past I praise my God I have in all my assaults felt the present aid of my God I give him most hearty thanks therefore Look not back nor be ye ashamed of Christs Gospel nor of the bonds I have suffered for the same It is no time for the loss of one man in the Battel for the Camp to turn Back Up with mens hearts blow down the dawbed Walls of Heresie Let one take the Banner and the other the Trumdet I mean not to make corporal resistance but pray and ye shall have Elias defence and Elizeus company to fight for you The Cause is the Lords My heart with pangs of death is assaulted but I am at home yet with my God alive Pray for me c. From Newgate Prison in haste the day of my Condemnation I. R. In his Letter to the Congregation two dayes before he suffered Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution for it is given unto them not onely to believe but to suffer and the Servant or Scholar cannot be greater then his Lord or Master but by the same way the Head is entred the Members must follow My dear soul is departing this Life to my great advantage I make change of morality for immortality of corruption to put on incorruption to make my body like to the Corn cast into the ground which except it die first it can bring forth no good fruit Happy are they that die in the Lord which is to die in the Faith of Christ professing and confessing the same before many Witnesses What a Journey by Gods power I have made these eight dayes is above flesh and blood to bear but as Paul saith I may do all things through him who worketh in me Iesus Christ. My course Brethren I have run I have fought a good fight the Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me my day to receive it is not long to Pray Brethren for the enemy doth yet assault Be not ashamed of the Gospel of the Cross by me preached nor of my suffering for with my blood I affirm the same I go before I suffer first the baiting of the Butchers Dogs yet I have not done what I should have done What was undone impute that to frailty and ignorance and with your love cover that which was and is naked in me God knoweth ye are all tender to me My heart bursteth for the love of you Ye are not without the great Pastour of your souls who so loveth you that if men were not to be found as God be praised there is no want of them he would cause stones to minister unto you Cast your care on that Rock the wind of temptation shall not prevail Past and pray for the dayes are evil Look up with your eyes of hope for your redemption is not far off but my wickedness hath deserved that I shall not see it and also that which is behind of the blood of our Brethren which shall also be laid under the Altar shall cry for your relief The Friday at night before Mr. Rough was taken being in his Bed he dreamed That he saw two of the Guard leading Cuthbert Sympson Deacon of the said Congregation and that he had the Book about him wherein were written the Names of all them that were of the Congregation Afterwards he awaked and having told the dream unto his Wife after some time spent in reading he fell asleep again and dreamed the same dream again and awaking told his Wife his dream and said O Brother Cuthbert is gone And whilst he was making ready for to go and see how it was with him Mr. Sympson came into Mr. Rough's House and brought the Book with him Mr. Rough having told him his dream perswaded him to carry the Book no more about with him which he was loth to promise because said he dreams are but fancies and not to be credited Then Mr. Rough straitly charged him in the Name of the Lord to do it Whereupon Mr. Sympson left the Book with Mrs. Rough. And so the Congregation was preserved The next night Mr. Rough dreamed That he himself was forcibly carried to the Bishop and that the Bishop pluckt off his beard and cast it into the fire saying these words Now I may say I have had a piece of an Heretick burned in my House And so accordingly it came to pass Rose Mr. Thomas Rose born at Exmouth in Devon when he was first taken was sorely stocked in Prison The Stocks were very high and great so that day and night he did lie with his back on the ground upon a little straw with his heels so high that by means the blood was fallen from his feet his feet were without sense for a long time His Mother might not be suffered to see him Afterwards Cranmer set him at liberty When he was brought before Gardiner being taken at Bow in London with five and thirty more Winchester told him That he would know who were his Maintainers or else he would make him a foot longer My Lord said he you shall do as much as pleaseth God and no more yet the Law is in your hand but I have God for my Maintainer and none other At his second Examination the Chancellour ask'd him What he said to the real presence in the Sacrament I wist right well said he you are made an instrument to seek innocent blood Well you may have it if God permit it is present and at hand for I came not hither to lie but to die if God see it good in defence of that which I have said Wherefore you may begin when you think good c. At his third Examination the Bishop saying Ah Sirrah you will admit nothing but Scripture I see well No truly my Lord said he I admit nothing but Scripture for the Regiment of the Soul for Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and where the Word of God is not there ought no belief to be given for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Roth. Richard Roth in his Letter to certain Brethren and Sisters condemned at Colchester
and ready to be burned for the testimony of the Truth O dear Brethren and Sisters how much have you to rejoyce in God that he hath given you such faith to overcome this blood-thirsty Tyrant thus far And no doubt but he that hath begun that good work in you will fulfill it to the end O dear Hearts in Christ what a Crown of Glory shall ye receive with Christ in the Kingdome of God Oh that it had been the good will of God that I had been ready to have gone with you I lie in my Lords Little-ease in the day and in the night in the Cole-house alone and we look every day when we shall be condemned but I lie still at the Pools brink and every man goeth in before me but we abide patiently the Lords leisure with many Bands in Fetters and Stocks by the which we have received great joy in the Lord. And now fare you well dear Brethren and Sisters in this World but I trust to see you in the Heavens face to face How blessed are you in the Lord that God hath found you worthy to suffer for his sake O be joyfull even unto death Fear it not saith Christ for I have overcome death Be strong let your hearts be of good comfort and wait you still for the Lord. He is at hand The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tent round about them that fear him and delivereth them which way he seeth best for our lives are in the Lords hands and they can do nothing unto us before God suffer them Therefore give all thanks to God O dear Hearts you shall be clothed with long white Garments upon the Mount Sion with the multitude of Saints and with Jesus Christ our Saviour who will never forsake us O blessed Virgins you have played the wise Virgins part in that you have taken Oyl in your Vessels that ye may go in with the Bridegroom when he cometh c. but as for the foolish they shall be shut out because they made not themselves ready to suffer with Christ neither go out to take up his Cross. O dear Hearts How precious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord for dear is the death of his Saints O fare you well and pray The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Amen Pray pray pray By me R. R. written with mine own blood The Bishop asking him what he thought of his Fellow-Prisoner Ralf Allerton He answered That he thought him to be one of the elect Children of God and if he were put to death for his Faith and Religion he thought he should die a true Martyr The Bishop asking him how he did like the Order and Rites of the Church then used here in England He said That he ever had and then did abhor the same with all his heart Being perswaded to recant and ask mercy of the Bishop No said he I will not ask mercy of him that cannot give it Rought A Suffolk man so called and his Wife and several others being rebuked for going so openly and talking so freely Their answer was They acknowledged and believed and therefore they must speak and that the tribulation was by Gods good will and providence and that his Judgements were right to purâ—â—â— them with others for their sins and that of very faithfulness and mercy God had caused them to be troubled bled and that one hair of their heads should not perish before the time but all things should work unto the best to them that love God and that Christ Jesus was their life and onely righteousness and that onely by faith in him and for his seke all good things were freely given them also forgiveness of sins and life everlasting Rupea You may said Castalia Rupea throw my body from this steep Hill yet will my soul mount upward again Your blasphemies more offend my soul then your torments do my body Russel Ieremy Russel being apprehended in the Diocess of Glasgow in Scotland A. 1539. and railed upon answered This is your hour and power of darkness Now sit ye as Judges and we stand wrongfully accused and more wrongfully to be condemned but the day shall come when our innocence shall appear and that ye shall see your own blindness to your everlasting confusion Go forward and fulfill the measure of your iniquity He comforted his Fellow-Prisoner Alexander Kennedy of whom see the second Part under K. saying Brother fear not more mighty is he that is in us then he that is in the world the pain that we shall suffer is short and shall be light but our joy and consolation shall never have end and therefore let us contend to enter in unto our Master and Saviour by the same strait way which he hath taken before us Death cannot destroy us for it is destroyed already by him for whose sake we suffer Rycetto Mr. Anthony Rycetto of Vincence being condemned to be drowned his Son about twelve years of age comieg to visit him besought him with tears to yield and to save his life that he might not be left fatherless A true Christian said his Father is bound to forego Goods Children yea and life it self for the maintenance of Gods honour and glory A Captain telling him That Francis Sega was resolved to recant What tell you me said he of Sega I will perform my vows unto the Lord my God A Priest presenting him with a wooden Crucifix exhorting him to return and to die in the favour of God reconciling himself to the Church of Rome the holy Spouse of Christ But he rejected the Crucifix and besought the Priest to come out of the snare of the Devil to cleave to Jesus Christ and to live not according to the flesh but after the Spirit If you do otherwise said he assure your selves your unbelief will bring yâ—u into that Lake of fire that shall never be quenched for though yâ—u confess with your mouth that you know Iesus Christ yet you not onely deny him by your works but you persecute him in his Members being bewitched by the Pope the open enemy of the Son of God As he was carrying to be drowned because it was very cold he called for his Cloke which they had taken from him Whereupon the Wherry-man said unto him Fearest thou a little cold What wilt thou do when thou art cast into the Sea Why art not thou carefull to save thy self from drowing Dost not thou see that the poor Flea skips hither and thither to save her life His answer was And I am now flying to escape eternal death Being arrived at the place where he was to suffer the Captain put a Chain of Iron about his middle with a very heavy Stone fastned thereto Then Rycetto lifting his eyes to Heaven said Father forgive them for they know not what they do And being laid on the Planck he said Lord Iesus into thy hands I commend my spirit FINIS These are the
of the common Laws the common quieâ— should be disturbed How can you say you will be the Queens true Subject whenas you do openly profess you will not keep her Laws Answ. I grant it to be reasonable that he that â—y words and gentleness cannot be made to yield to that which is right and good he that will not be subject to Gods Word should be punished by the Laws These things ought to take place against him who refuseth to do that is right and just according to true godliness not against him which cannot bear superstitions quietly but doth hate and detost from his heart such kind of proceedings and that for the glory of the Name of God Whosoever love their Countrey in Truth i. e. in God they will alwayes judge if at any time the Laws of God and man are contrary that a man ought rather to obey God then man and they that think otherwise and pretend a love to their Countrey forasmuch as they make their Countrey to fight as it were against God in whom consisteth the onely stay of that Countrey such are to be judged most deadly enemies and Traitors to their Countrey Satan indeed hath ever this dart in readiness to hurl against his Adversaries to accuse them of sedition that he may bring them if he can in danger of the higher Powers Thus Ahab said unto Elias Art thou he that troubleth Israel The false prophets complained of Jeremy to their Princes that his words were seditious and not to be suffered The Scribes and Pharises accused Christ as a seditious person and one that spake against Caesar. Did not they at the last cry If you let this man go you are not Caesars friend Thus the Oratour Tertullus accused Paul before Felix the Deputy We have found this man saith he a pestilent fellow and a stirrer up of sedition unto all the Iews in the whole world But were these indeed seditious persons God forbid but they were of men falsly accused and wherefore I pray you but because the reproved before the people their guiles superstitions and deceits A man indeed ought to obey his Prince but in the Lord and never against the Lord for he that knowingly obeyeth his Prince against God doth not a duty to the Prince but is a deceiver of the Prince and a helper to him to work his own destruction He is also unjust which giveth not to the Prince that is the Princes and to God that is Gods Hitherto you see good Father how I have in words onely made a flourish before the fight which I shortly look for and how I have begun to prepare certain kind of weapons to fight against the adversary of Christ. And here methinks I see you suddenly lifting up your head to Heaven after your manner and then looking upon me with your Prophetical Countenance and speaking thus unto me Trust not my Son I beseech you vouchsafe me the honour of this Name for in so doing I shall think my self both honoured and loved of you Trust not to these word-weapons for the Kingdome of God is not in words but in power Remember alwayes the words of the Lord Do not imagine aforehand what and how you will speak for it shall be given you even in that same hour what ye shall speak Mat. 10. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Mar. 11. I pray you therefore Father pray for me that I may cast my whole care on him and trust on him in all perils for I know and am surely perswaded that whatsoever I can think aforehand is nothing except he assist me with his Spirit when the time is Pray that I may out of a true Faith say with David I will not trust in my bow and it is not my sword that shall save me Psal. 44. For he hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse c. But the Lord delights in them that fear him and put their trust in his mercy I beseech you Pray pray pray that I may enter this fight onely in the Name of God In his Letter to Mr. Bradford and his Fellow-Prisoners How joyfull it was to us to hear the report of Dr. Tailor and of his godly Confession c. I assure you it is hard for me to express Blessed be God which was and is the Giver of that and of all godly strength and stomack in the time of adversity It is not the slanderers evil tongue but a mans evil deed that can with God defile a man and therefore with Gods grace ye shall never have cause to doubt but that we will continue c. Sir Blessed be God with all our evil reports grudges and restraints we are merry in God and all our cure and care is and shall be by Gods grace to please and serve him of whom we look and hope after these temporal and momentary miseries to have eternal joy and perpetual felicity with Abraham c. through Jesus Christ our Lord. In his Letter to his Cousin I can do no less then lament their case who for fear of trouble or loss of goods will do in the sight of the world those things they know and are assured are contrary to the Will of God being assdred their end will be so pitifull without speedy repentance that I tremble to think of it Alas such as should in this dangerous time have given you and me comfortable instructions have perswaded us to follow I lament to rehearse it superstitious Idolatry yea and the worst of all is they seek to prove it by Scriptures The Lord for his mercy turn their hearts Amen In another Letter to Mr. Bradford Oh dear Brother seeing the time is now come wherein it pleaseth the Heavenly Father for Christ our Saviour his sake to call upon you and to bid you come happy are you that ever you were born thus to be found awake at the Lords Calling If it be not the place that sanctisieth the man but the holy man doth by Christ sanctifie the place then happy and holy shall be that place where in thou shalt suffer and which shall be sprinkled over with thy ashes in Christs Cause All thy Countrey may rejoyce of thee that it ever brought forth such an one which would render his life again in his Cause of whom he had received it We do look now every day when we shall be called on blessed be God I ween I am the weakest many wayes of our company and yet I thank our Lord God and Heavenly Father by Christ that since I heard of our dear Brother Rogers his departing and stout confession of Christ and his Truth even unto death my heart blessed be God rejoyced of it that since that time I never felt any lumpish heaviness in my heart as I grant I have felt sometimes before Oh good Brother blessed be God in thee and blessed be the time that ever I knew thee In his