other Heresie Schism Rebellion Treason or Faction and whatsoever else is contrary to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel or the Prosperity and good estate of this Realm our only desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence and fear abstaining and keeping our Souls and Bodies from all remnants of the Roman Religion Idolatry Imposition and vain will-worship of what sort soever We witness against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy and Priesthood of this Nation as utterly disagreeing from the Testament of Christ and Ministry there appointed in their Offices Callings Administrations and Lord like Livings and Maintenance against the confuse prophane and irreligious multitude of all sorts of vitious Livers baptized into and retained in the Body of the Church of England without voluntary profession of and holy walking in the Faith of the Gospel against their manner of Worship and Service by reading Prayers out of a Book instead of true Spiritual invocation on the Name of the Lord and briesly against all their Popish Abuses and Relicks of the man of sin whatsoever And because this our Testimony maketh against the irregular Authority of the Prelates reproveth their evil Actions and disproveth their Pomp Stateliness Rich Revenues Stipends c. therefore have they in all hostile manner set themselves against us Persecuting us unto Bands Exile and Death it self reproaching us as Schismaticks Donatists Prownists Seditions persons c. though they could never convince us of these or any the like crimes and though we have not ceased neither by Gods Grace will cease to wish and procure good to their Souls and Bodies in the Lord now therefore our humble Request is unto your Majesty Honours and Worships that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to return into our native Country there to live in Peace practizing the Faith of Christ which we profess and have long since set forth to the view of the World in our publick Confession wherein none hitherto have shewed us any Error and seeing the People of other Nations are by your Majesty and Honours suffered in this Realm though differing from the Ecclesiastical state of the same we hope that your Highness Natural and Loyal Subjects may find like favour at your hands for although we cannot but hold and Witness the Truth of God against the corruptions remaining yet hold we in no wise lawful for our selves or any Subjects to attempt the reforming or abolishing of these or any the like abuses for God hath committed the Sword into your Majesties hand alone who in his time will perswade we trust your Royal heart to fulfil his will and execute his Judgments upon the Remainders of the Spiritual Babylon which will turn to as great Honour to God Honour to your Majesty and good of this Realm as the abolishing of Abbats Munks Fryart Mass Images c. hath turned heretofore So the Lord of Lords and Ruler of Rulers of the Earth will establish your Crown and Kingdom unto Length of dayes and howsoever this our Suit shall be regarded we will not cease in all places of our Pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majesty your Honours Worships and all our Country whom God Almighty bless with Long Life and happy dayes on Earth and Crown with Everlasting Glory in the highest Heavens Amen I find that in the year 1604. in this Kings Reign four Persons were banished the Land of England after they had suffered three Moneths Imprisonment for no other cause but seperating themselves from the Church of England refusing to Communicate joyn or pertake with the same in their publick Ministry and Worship reputing many corruptions to be still remaining amongst them which were derived from Popery And thus I have given an Account of such as suffered for Religion in those times and now to conclude I have this further to write by what I have observed upon Histories in several Ages viz. That while any People were under Suffering and Oppression for their Consciences endeavouring to serve and worship God in that Way they believed to be most agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth then the publick Way established in the Kingdom whilst they travelled under this Bondage and Suffering they were low in their minds and the Lord had regard unto them for their hearts were tender and the Lord appeared for them and now when the Lord had tryed this People and at last put Power into their hands and raised them as it were from a low estate they soon forgot his kind dealings with them as for Example the Independants and Presbyterians some of whom I have seen neer forty years since dregged out of their Meetings in private Houses and their Cloathes tore and their Faces covered as it were with dirt and their blood spilt and in this suffering condition they made many Covenants and Vowes to the Lord but this very People afterwards coming into Places of Authority and killing and taking Possession got themselves into the High-Places of the Earth and soon forgot their time of deep Sufferings and being exalted into Goverment they tread in the same steps those had trodden that were their great Persecutors and then they turn'd as riggid Persecutors if not worse then those they had turned out as witness the Innocent Blood they shed both in Old-England and New whose Cruelty under the Visor of a more righteous Cloak is too large here to insert but will be matter sufficient for another Volum and therefore I here conclude this AN ACCOUNT OF THE Just Iudgments of God INFLICTED UPON PERSECUTORS Wherein is shewed The Wicked Lives and most horrible Untimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old Collected out of Ancient Histories and out of the Scriptures CHAP. I The remarkable and righteous Judgments of God which have befaln several Persecutors for Conscience sake mentioned in the Old Testament THe Old Serpent the Devil The Old Serpent who was the first Persecutor for Righteousness sake that ever was in the World who for that very cause hath hunted after the blood of the Saints even from the beginning unto this day was for his Persecution cursed of God above all Creatures Gen. 3.14 Cain persecuted his godly Brother Abel until Death Cain and that for no other cause but for Righteousness sake even because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Good and Righteous 1 John 3. 12. was therefore cursed of God with a bitter curse even from the Presence of God and from the Earth and made a Fugative and Vagabond in the Earth yea so great was his punishment that he said It was greater then he could bear Gen. 4.11 12 13. Ishmael was another Persecutor for he was a Mocker of his Brother Isaac Ishmael the true Seed of God and therefore was cast out with his Mother out of the Family of the Faithful that he might have no part in the Inheritance in the true Seed unto whom the Promise was made Gen. 12.9 10
contrary to all Law Equity and Conscience where they alone are the Plantiffs the Accusers the Judges and the Executioners of their most fearful and barbarous Tyranny They should not by the Laws of this Land go any further in Cases of Religion then their own Ecclesiastical Censure and then refer us to the Civil power their Fore-fathers Gardner Bonner and Story dealt thus equally and we crave but this Equity Oh let her Excellent Majesty our Soveraign and your Wisdoms consider and accord unto this our just Petition for Streams of Innocent Blood are like to be spilt in secret by these Blood-thirsty-men except her Majesty and your Lordships do take order with their most cruel and inhuman proceedings We crave for all of us but the Liberty either to die openly or to live openly in the Land of our Nativity If we deserve death it beseemeth the Majesty of Justice not to see us closely murthered yea starved to death with hunger and cold and stifled in loathsome Dungeons If we be guiltless we crave but the benefit of onr Innocency viz. That we may have peace to serve our God and our Prince in the place of the Sepulcher of our Fathers Thus protesting our Innocency complaining of Violence and Wrong and crying for Justice on the behalf and on the name of that righteous Judge the God of Equity and Justice we continue our Prayers unto him for her Majesty and your Honours whose hearts we beseech him to incline towards this our most equal and just Suit This complaint was Penned by H. Barrow and is by me truly Copied Verbatim out of my Author through CHRIST JESUS our Lord. And now I find that besides many that ended their dayes in loathsome Prisons there were six executed who sealed up their Testimonies with their blood the six that were executed are these viz. Henry Barrow and John Greenwood at Tyburn John Penry at Thomas a Waterings neer London William Dennis at Thetford in Norfolk and Câ—ppin and Elias at Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk I have here inserted as followeth two Letters of John Penry which was all I could meet with by which Letters the Reader may see what a Zeal and religious Courage was stirring in these people at this day To the distressed faithful Congregation of Christ in London and all the Members thereof whether in bonds or at liberty these be delivered my beloved Brethren M. F. Johnson M. D. M. S. M. S. M. G. I. M. I. M. H. M. B. M. S. R. B. M. R. M. K. N. B. M. B. I. M. N. P. W. C. P. A. my Brethren M. I. C. W. B. A. P. M. M. M. E. C. C. D. G. M. A. B. with the rest of you both men and women as if particularly I named you all which stand members of this poor afflicted Congregation whether at liberty or in bonds Jesâ—â— Christ that great King and Prince of the Kings of the Earth bless you coâ—fâ—â—t you with his invinceable Spirit that you may be able to bear and over come these great Tryals which you are yet and I with you if I â—â—â—e to undergo for his Names sake in this Testimony Beloved let us think our Lot and Portion more then blessed that now are vouchsafed the favour not only to know and to profess but also to suffer for the sincerity of the Gospel and let us remember that great is our reward in Heaven if we endure unto the end I testifie unto you for mine own part as I shall answer before Jesus Christ and his Elect Angels that I never saw any Truth more clear and undoubted then this witness wherein we stand First Against false Offices Secondly The callings Thirdly The works Fourthly The maintenance left and retained in this Land by and from Popery Fifthly Against the obedience which spiritually either in Soul or in Body is yielded and the communion that is had with these inventions of darkness Sixthly The mingling of all sorts in these Assemblies Seventhly The worship done but scant in one of the three parts of the Commission given by our Saviour scant done I say in one of the three parts of the Commission by the best Teachers of this Land and I thank my God I am not only ready to be bound and banished but even to die in his Cause by his strength yea my Brethren I greatly long in regard of my self to be dissolved and â—o live iâ— the blessed Kingdom of Heaven with Jesus Christ and his Angels with Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Moses Job David Jeremiah Daniel Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles and with the rest of the holy Saints both men and women with the glorious Kings Prophets and Martyrs and Witnesses of Jesus Christ that have been from the beginning of the World particularly with my two dear Brethren Master Henry Barrow and Master John Greenwood which have last of all yielded their Blood for this pretious Testimony confessing unto you my Bretheren and Sisters that if I might live upon the Earth the dayes of Methusala twice told and that in no less Comfort then Peter James and John were in the Mount and after this life might be fure of the Kingdom of Heaven that yet to gain all this I durst not go from the former Testimony wherefore my Brethren I beseech you be of like mind herein with me I doubt not but you have the same pretious faith with me and are Partakers also of far more glorious Comfort then my barren and sinful Soul can be strive for me and with me that the Lord our God may make me and all us able to end our Cause with joy and patience strive also that he may stay his blessed hand if it be his good pleasure and not make any further breach in his Church by the taking away of any more of us as yet to the discouraging of the weak and the lifting up of the horn of our Adversaries I would indeed if it be his good pleasure live yet with you to help you to bear that grievous and hard Yoke which yet ye are like to sustain either here or in a strange Land and my good Brethren seeing Banishment with loss of goods is likely to betide you all prepare your selves for this hard entreaty and rejoyce that you are made worthy for CHRIST's Cause to suffer and bear all these things And I beseech you in the Bowels of Jesus Christ that none of you in this case look upon this particular Estate but regard the general state of the Church of God that the same may go and be kept together whithersoever it shall please God to send you Oh the Blessing will be great that shall ensue this care whereas if you go every man to provide for his own House and to look for his own Family first neglecting poor Sion the Lord will set his Face against you and scatter you from the one end of Heaven to the other neither shall you find a resting place for the Soles of your Feet or a
mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes about an hundred pound weight they took therefore the Body of Jesus ad wound it in a Linnen Cloath with the Spices as the manner of the Jews is to bury and Joseph when he had wrapped him in a clean Linnen Cloth laid it in his own Sepulchre which he had hewn out of a Rock wherein never man was laid Joseph buries Jesus his Body and which was in a Garden in a place where Jesus was Crucified and Joseph roled a great Stone to the door of the Sepulchre and Mary Magdelene and Mary the Mother of Joses which came with him from Galilee beheld where they had laid him and sat over against the Sepulchre and they returned and prepared Spices and Oyntments and rested the Sabboth day The Sepulcher is watched by Pilate Command according to the commandments the next day the Pharisees besought Pilate that he would command the Sepulchre to be made sure until the third day shewing him a reason which when he had yielded unto they went and made the Sepulchre sure sealing the Stone and setting a Watch. In the end of the Sabboth or when the Sabboth was now past when it dawned towards the first day of the week in the Morning very early whiles it wâ—â— yet dark came Mary Magdelene and Mary the Mother of James and Salome bringing Spices which they had bought that they might see the Sepulchre and anoint Jesus and they said among themselves who shall role away the Stone from the door for us and when the Sun was risen coming to the Sepulchre they saw the stone was roled away for behold there was a great Earth quake for the Angel of the Lord came down from Heaven and roled away the Stone and sate upon it and they went in and found not the Body of the Lord Jesus and it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereat that behold two men came to them in shining Raiment their Countinances was as Lightening and their Garments white as Snow Matthew and Mark speak but of one Angel and the Keepers for fear did shake and became as dead men and when the Woman were afraid and bowed their faces to the Earth the Angel said unto them fear not ye I know ye seek Jesus which was Crucified why seek ye the living among the dead he is not here he is risen as he said come and see the place where the Lord was laid and remember what he said while he was yet in Galilee with you saying the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinfull men and be Crucified and the third day rise again but go ye quickly and tell his Disciples and Peter that he is risen again from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him behold I have told you then the Woman remembered the Words of Jesus and they departed quickly out of the Sepulchre with fear and wonder and great joy and ran that they might tell his Disciples but they said nothing to any man as they went for they were afraid and when the Women told these things to the Eleven and to all the rest their words seemed unto them as idle Tales but Mary Magdelene telling Peter and the other Disciple whom Jesus loved they have taken away the Lord and we know not where they have laid him Peter therefore and that other Disciple went out and came to the Sepulchre but that other Disciple out-ran Peter and came first to the Sepulchre and when he stooped down he saw the Linnen Cloathes lying but went not in then came Peter following him and went into the Sepulchre and seeth the Linnen Cloathes lie and the Napkin that was about his head not lying with the Linnen Cloaths but wrapped together in a place by it self then went in that other Disciple and saw and believed and Peter went unto his own home wondering at what was done for as yet they knew not the Scriptures that he must rise again from the dead and the Disciples went unto their own home But Mary Magdelene stood without at the Sepulchre weeping and whilest she yet wept she stooped down into the Sepulchre and seeth two Angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain who said unto her Woman why weepest thou she said unto them They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene and when she had said thus she turned her self back and saw Jesus standing but knew not that it was him and Jesus said unto her Why weepest thou Whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the Gardner answered and said If thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Jesus saith unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go and tell my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father unto my God and your God and she came and told his Disciples and those that had been with him She goes and tells the Disciples of it The Disciples believed her not as they were weeping and mourning that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things unto her but they when they heard that he was alive and had been seen of her believed not And as the Women went from the Sepulchre that they might tell his Disciples behold Jesus meets them and spake unto them saying Be not afraid go ye and tell my Brethren that I go into Galilee there shall they see me Now when they were going behold some of the Watch came into the City and shewed unto the High-Priests all things that were done and when they were assembled with the Elders they took Counsel that they should give large Money to the Souldiers that they should say that his Disciples came by night and stole him away whilest they slept and if this comes to the Governors Ears we say they will perswade him and secure you so they took their Money and did as they were taught and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews to this day And behold two of them went into the Country that same day to a Village sixty Furlongs from Jerusalem called Emmaus Christ appear'd to two of the Disciples as they were going to Emmaus and as they journyed Jesus went along with them and they telling what things were done in those dayes concerning Jesus of Nazareth how he was Crucified and that he rose again Jesus shews them out of the Sciptures that it behoved Christ to suffer and to enter into his Glory And in the Village when he had taken Bread and given thanks and brake it and given it unto them he was known unto them their Eyes being opened although he appeared in another Form but he vanished out of their sight and they rose up that same hour and returned to
in their Breast wrought upon their Habit in memorial of the Star that did appear at the time that Christ was born at Bethlchem There was saith the History so many Sects of Monks Fryars and Nuns Balaus in appendice at this time upon a suddain started up in England that the Common-wealth was so oppressed and exhausted by them that it was not able to satisfie their exorbitant and greedy desires The Monks years since Christ 1170 called Praemonstratenses descended down from Heaven as they themselves brag in the Bishopwrick of Lodan at a place which they call Praemonstratum Bruscius Polidor the Author of this order was Northbertus a Priest born in Lorrain who patcht up an order or rule for his New-begotten Monks out of Augustines rule which was afterwards approved and confirmed by Pope Calixtus the second they wear a long white Cloath Coat open before and a Lynnen Surplice over and over that along white Cloak a Corner Cap or Hat when they go abroad of the same colour and underneath all Dublets Breeches Linnen-Shirts Shoes and white Stokins these Monks have Lands and Revenues to maintain themselves and are Rich wheresoever they live this Sect began about the year 1170. and had Abbyes in England but at this time I hope there is not one English man of that Sect. About this time appeared first in England the Order of Crutched-Fryars years since Christ 2244 this order is more Antient then all the former Orders if the Reader will believe them for they say that Clitus Peters Disciple and the third Bishop of Rome after him was warned by an Angel to build for him an House to entertain all those that fled thither for the Christian Religion sake which he with all speed performed so that in a short time many godly men repaired thither and were entertained who for many years after bare a Cross in their hands in memorial of the Death of Christ A thing unlike to be true that Clitus should be warned by a Angel to build an House for a company of lazy Fryars to entertain all those that fled to Rome for the Christian Religion sake whereas the very names of Monks or Fryars was not then or many hundred years after either known or heard of in the Church of God and withal the Persecution was then so great in Rome that the Saints themselves were constrained to forsake the City Matth. West Monast Balaus and therefore it is not creditable that Christians should fly thither for relief Pope Pius commanded these Fryars to wear a Sky-coloured Habit but now this Order wears a Cross of red Cloath or Scarlet fixed to their Habit on their Breast and wear black these Fryars do likewise live by their Lands and Revenues they had a Monastery heretofore at Tower-hill which is now put to a better use being built up into Tenements In the time of Pope Innocent the third the Trinitarian Fryars began to shew themselves to the World one Johannes Matta and one Felix Anchorita who lived a Solitary life in France were warned in their sleep as they report to repair to Rome to the Pope and to seek for a place of him to build a Cloister and this Pope as they say was warned in a Vision to entertain them which he did and ordained that they should wear a white Habit with a red and Sky-coloured Cross wrought on their Breast in the same their charge was to go and gather Money to redeem Christians that were Captives under the Turks and were called Monks of the Redemption of Captives but instead of Redeeming Captives they purchased Lands with the Money they gathered so that the Captives if they had no reward from Christ for suffering for his sake they were like to have no Redemption from these Fryars Bridget of Sweethland being a Widdow did institute an Order of Fryars and Nuns and coming her self to Rome Sebellicus Enne 9. l. 4. Polydor l 7. c. 4. obtained of Pope Urban the fifth a Confirmation of the same Order or Institution that both Sex should live together in one Cloister having a Wall between them and that the Nuns should lie in the uppermost Chambers and the Fryars underneath them The next is the Minorite Fryars they wear a morish-coloured Habit and never eat Flesh Butter or Cheese but feed on the best Fish and Oyle the finest Bread and purest Wine the best Spices Fruit Herbs and Roots that they can buy for their Money they had a Cloister built for them at Barkhamsted in England in the Year 1257. The Mendicant or Begging Fryars do wear a long white Coat of Cloath down to their heels all loose with a Cowle or Hood of the same when they are in their Cloisters but when they go abroad they wear another black Coat over the other with another Cowle both their Coats are then bound close to their Bodies with a broad leather Girdle or Belt which Girdle is a very holy thing if they may be believed for they call it Saint Austins Girdle and many Lame people do wear it for pure devotion sake looking upon it to have some singular Virtue in it this leather Belt is given to none but those that are special good Benefactors and such as pay dearly for it which brings them in no small benefit The next is the Carmelite Fryars their first appearance in the word was in the year 1270. that is Fryars of the Order of the blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel at first they were ordained to wear a party-coloured Habit white and red made in the form of a man the which they then dreamed to be like unto that which Elias did use to wear but afterwards Pope Honorius forbid them to wear that Habit as being not well befitting their Profession and therefore a black long habit and a Cowle was given them and over that a long white Robe or Cloak as best agreeing with Virginity Another sort is the Franciscan or Gray Fryars of whom it is said They would not touch any Money and made a show as if they abstained from all Flesh and did eat nothing but raw Herbs and Roots and did wear Wooden Clogs instead of Shoes railing against other Fryars who Possessed Money and eat Meat wore Shoes and Stokings c. But these did not long persevere in this Austere life but their delight was to fare delitiously and to cram their Guts with the best Dainties There is a sort of these Franciscans called Penitentiarian these wear no Linnen as they say neither Doublet Breeches nor Hose but only a little pair of Linnen Drawers to save their skin from their course habit instead of Shoes they wear wooden Clogs which are under their Feet bound over with Leather Straps their habit is made of a very course Cloath and close before reaching down to their heels with a Cowle close to their head made of the same and also a gray Rope made of hair full of knots instead of a Girdle about
call it Have ye nâ—â— had my Brother Tomkins before you whose hand when you had burned most cruelly ye burn also his body and not only him but a great many of the numbers of Christ men that feared God and lived Vertuously and also the Queens true Subjects and seeing to these Saints you have shewed so little mercy shall it seem to my Lord and this Audience that ye shew me more favour no no my Lord but if you mean as you say why then examine you me of that I am not bound to answer you unto Bonner Well what sayest thou by the Sacrament of the Altar is it not the very body of Christ Flesh Blood and Bone as it was born of the Virgin Smith I have answered that it is none of Gods order neither any Sacrament but mans own vain invention and shewed him the Lords institution But when he was so earnestly before the Audience declaring that we knew nothing bringing out his hoc est Corpus meum to lay in my dish I proved before the Audience that it was a dead God declaring the distinction appointed between the two Creatures of Bread and Wine and that a body without Blood hath no life at which Harpsfield found himself much offended and took the Tale out of my Lords mouth saying Harpsfield I will prove by the Scriptures that you blaspheme God in so saying for it is given in two parts because there is two thing shewed that is to say his Body and his Passion as saith St. Paul and therefore is the Bread his Body and the Wine the representation of his death and blood shedding Smith You falsify the Word and rack it to serve your purpose for the Wine was not only the shewing of his passion but the Bread also for our Saviour saith so oft as you do this do it in remembrance of me and St. Paul saith so oft as you eat of this Bread and Drink of this Cup you shall shew the Lords death till he comes and here is as much reverence given to the one as the other Then rose up the Lord Bishop and the Lord Mayor desired me to save my Soul To whom I answered I hope it was saved through Christ Jesus desiring him to have pity on his own soul and remember whose Sword he carried At which I was carried into the Garden and there abode until the rest of my Friends were Examined and so were we sent away with many foul farewels to Newgate again the Lord Bishop giving the Keeper a charge to lay me in Limbo The Substance of another Examination of Robert Smith before the said Bishop Upon Saturday at Eight of the Clock I was brought to his Chamber again and there by him examined as followeth Bonner Thou Robert Smith sayst that there is no Catholick Church here on Earth Smith You have heard me both speak the contrary and you have written it as a Witness of the same Bonner Yea but I must ask thee this question how sayst thou Smith Must you of necessity begin with a Lye it maketh manifest that you determine to end with the same but there shall no Lyars enter the Kingdom of God nevertheless if you will be answemed ask mine Articles that were written yesterday and they shall tell you that I have confessed a Church of God as well in Earth as in Heaven and yet all one Church and one mans Members even Christ Jesus Bonner Well what sayest thou to Auricular confession is it not necessary to be used in Christs Church and wilt thou not be shriven of the Priest Smith It is not needful to be used in Christs Church as I answered yesterday but if it be needful for your Church it is to pick mens purses and such pick-purse matters is all the whole rabble of your Ceremonies for all is but money matters that ye maintain Bonner How art thou able to prove that Confession is a Pickpurse matter Art thou not ashamed so to say Smith I speak by experience for I have both heard and seen the fruits of the same for first we see it hath been a bewrayer of Kings secrets and the secrets of other mens Consciences who being delivered and glad to be discharged of their sins have given to Priest great sums of money to absolve them and sing Masses for their Souls health and began to tell him an Example of a Gentleman in Norfolk who being bound in Conscience through the perswasion of the Priest gave away a great part of what he had the which thing when his Brother heard he went to London and declaring it to the Council how that by subtilty the Priest had robbed his Wife and Children he recovered a great part again to the value of two or three hundred pounds as I was relating this the Bishop saw it savoured not to his purpose but began to revile me and said By the Mass if the Queens Majesty were of his mind I should not come to talk before any man but should be put into a Sack and a Dog tyed unto the same and so should be thrown into the Water Smith To which I answered again saying I know you speak by practice as much as by speculation for both you and your predecessors have sought all means possible to Kill Christ secretly Witness M. Hunn whom your predecessors caused to be thrust in at the Nose with hot burning needles and then to be hanged and said he hanged himself and also a good Brother of yours a Bishop of your profession having in his Prison an Innocent man whom because he saw he was not able by the Scriptures to be overcome he made him privily to be Snarled and his Flesh to be torn and pâ—â—kt away with a pair of Pinsors and bringing him before the People said the rats had eaten him Thus according to your Oath is all your dealing and hath been and as you taking upon you the Office do not witâ—out Oaths open your Mouths no more do you without Murther maintain your Traditions Bonner Ah you are a Generation of Lyars there is not one true Word that cometh out of your Mouthes Smith Yes my Lord have said that Jesus Christ is dead for my sins and risen for my Justification and this is no Lye Bonner How sayst thou Smith to the seven Sacraments believest thou not that they be Gods order that is to say the Sacrament of c. Smith As for the Sacrament of the Altar and all your Sacraments they may well serve your Church but Gods Church hath nothing to do with them neither have I any thing to do with them nor you to examine me of them Bonner Why is Gods order changed in Baptism in what point do we differ from the Word of God Smith First in Hallowing your Water in Conjuring the same in Baptizing Children with Annointing and Spitting in their Mouths mingled with Salt and with many other lewd Ceremonies of which not one point is able to be proved in Gods order Bonner By the
blessing upon any thing you take in hand The Lord my Brethren and Sisters hath not forgotten to be gracious unto Sion you shall yet find dayes of peace and rest if you continue faithful This standing and treading of us under his feet this subverting of our cause and right in Judgment is done by him to the end that we should search and try our wayes and repent us of our Carelesness Prophaneness and Rebellion in his sight but he will yet maintain the Cause of our Souls and redeem our lives if we return to him yea he will be with us in Fire and Water and will not forsake us if our Hearts be only and especially of the Building of Zion whithersoever we go Let not those of you then that either have Stocks in your hands or some likely Trades to live by dispose of your selves where it may be most commodious for your outward Estate and in the mean time suffer the poor ones that have no such means either to bear the whole Work upon their weak Shoulders or to end their dayes in sorrow and mourning for want of outward and inward comforts in the Land of Strangers for the Lord will be an Avenger of all such dealings but consult with the whole Church yea with the Brethren in other places how the Church may be kept together and built whithersoever they go let not the Poor and the Friendless be forced to stay behind here and to break a good Conscience for want of your support and kindness unto them that they may go with you And here I humbly beseech you not in any outward regard as I shall answer before my God that you would take my poor and desolate Widdow and my mess of Fatherless and Friendless Orphans with you into exile whithersoever you go and you shall find I doubt not that the blessed Promises of my God made unto me and mine will accompany them and even the whole Church for their sakes for this also is the Lords Promise unto the holy Seed as you shall not need much to demand what they shall eat or wherewith they shall be clothed and in short time I doubt not but they will be found helpful and not burthensome to the Church only I beseech you let them not continue after you in this Land where they must be inforced to go again unto Aegypt and my God will bless you even with a joyful return unto your own Country for it There are you who I doubt not will be careful of the performance of the will of your dead Brother in this point who may yet live to shew this kindness unto yours I will say no more Be kind loving and tender-hearted the one of you towards the other labour every way to encrease love and to shew the duties of love one of you towards another by visiting comforting and relieving one the other even for the reproach of the Heathen that are round about us as the Lord saith Be watching in prayer especially remember those of our Brethren that are especially endangered particularly those our two Brethren M. Studley and Robert Boule whom our God hath strengthned now to stand in the fore-front of the Battel I fear me that our carelesness was over great to sue unto our God for the lives of these two so notable Lights of his Church who now rest with him and that he took them away for many respects seeming good to his Wisdom so also that we might learn to become careful in prayer in all such causes pray for them then my Brethren and for our Brother M. Fran. Johnson and for me who am likely to end my dayes either with them or before them that our God may spare us unto his Church if it be his good pleasure or give us exceeding faithfulness and be every way comfortable unto the Sister and Wife of the dead I mean unto my beloved M. Barrow and M. Greenwood whom I most heartily salute and desire much to be comforted in their God who by his Blessings from above will countervail unto them the want of so notable a Brother and Husband I would with you earnestly to write yea to send if you may to comfort the Brethren in the West and North Countries that they faint not in these Troubles and that also you may have of their advice and they of yours what to do in these desolate times and if you think it any thing for their further comfort and direction send them conveniently a Copy of this my Letter and of the declaration of my Faith and Allegiance wishing them before whomsoever they be called that their own Mouthes be not had a Witness against them in any thing yea I would wish you and them to be together if you may whithersoever you shall be banished and to this purpose to bethink you before hand where to be yea to send some who may be meet to prepare you some resting place and be all of you assured that he who is your God in England will be your God in any Land under the whole Heaven for the Earth and the fulness thereof are his and blessed are they that for his Cause are bereaved of any part of the same Finally my Brethren the eternal God bless you and yours that I may meet with you all unto my comfort in the blessed Kingdom of Heaven Thus having from my Heart and with tears performed it may be my last duty towards you in this Life I salute you all in the Lord both men and women even those who I have not named as heartily as those whose names I have mentioned for all your names I know not And remember to stand stedfast and faithful in Jesus Christ as you have received him unto your Immortallity And he Confirm and Establish you to the end for the praise of his Glory Amen The 24th of the 4th Moneth April 1593. Your Loving Brother in the Patience and Sufferings of the Gospel John Penry a Witness of Christ in this Life and a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed I found also a Letter of the said Penry to his Wife which being large I have only inserted some particular sentences thereof as followeth To my beloved Wife Ellinor Penry Partaker with me in this life of the sufferings of the Gospel in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ and resting with me in undoubted hope of the glory that shall be revealed all strength and comfort with all other spiritual graces be multiplyed through Christ Jesus our Lord. I see my blood layd for my Beloved and so my dayes and Testimony drawing to an end for ought I know and therefore I think it my duty to leave behind me this Testimony of my love towards so dear a Sister and loving a Wife in the Lord as you have been unto me First then I beseech you stand fast in that Truth which you and I profess at this present in much outward discomfort and danger let nothing draw you to be subject