will strengthen me therein When he was told that his four Quarters should be hanged at four parts of Calice and his Head upon the Lanthern-gate Then shall I not need said he to provide for my Burial Delos Alas said Iames Delos to the Monks that called him proud Heretick here I get nothing but shame I expect indeed preferment hereafter Denley Mr. Iâ—hn Denlâ—y being entreated by Bishop Bonner to recant said God save me from your Counsel In the Fire with the burning flame about him he sung a Psalm and having his face hurt with a Fagot hurled at him he left singing for a while and clapt his hands in his bleeding face and afterwards put his hands abroad and sung again till he died Dionysius Dionysius Areopagita who seeing the generâ—â—â— Eclipse of the Sun at Christ's death said to oneâ— Either the God of Nature now suffers or the frame of the World shall be dissolved and to another God unknown in the flesh doth suffer When he was apprehended by Sisinius the Praefect and sharply reproved for preaching against the worship of their Gods and required to confess his errour said That they were no gods whom they worshipped but Idols the works of mens hands and that it was through meer ignorance folly and idolatry that they adored them adding that there was but one true God as he had preached After he was grievously tormented he was brought before Sisinius the second time who sentenced him to be beheaded forthwith Dyonisius told him he worshipped such Gods as would perish like Dâ—ng upon the Earth but as for my self said he come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth He pray'd thus at his death O Lord God Almighty thou onely-begotten Son and Holy Spirit O Sacred Trinity which art without beginning and in whom is no division Receive the soul of thy Servant in peace who is put to death for thy Cause and Gospel He used to say That he desired these two things of God 1 That he might know the Truth himself and 2 That he might preach it as he ought to others Driver Alice Driver in her first Examination havâ—ng got her Adversaries to acknowledge that a Sacrament is a sign and that it was Christ's Body his Disciples did eat the night before he was crucified Seeing it is said she a sign it cannot be the thing signified and how could it be Christ's Body that was crucified seeing his Disciples had eaten him up over night except he had two Bodies At the end of her second Examination She said Have you no more to say God be honoured You be not able to resist the Spirit of God in me a poor Woman I was an honest poor man's Daughter never brought up in the University as you have been but I have driven the Plough before my Father many a time I thank God yet notwithstanding in the defence of God's Truth and in the Cause of my Mr. Christ by his Grace I will set my foot against the foot of any of you all in the maintenance and defence of the same and if I had a thousand lives they should go for payment thereof When she was tied to the Stake and the iron Chain put about her neck O said she here is a goodly Neckerchief blessed be God for it Drowry Thomas Drowry the blind Boy to whom Bishop Hooper as he was going to the Stake after he had examined him said Ah poor Boy God hath taken from thee thy outward sight but he hath given thee another sight much more precious He that endued thy soul with the eye of Knowledge and Faith Shortly after Bishop Hooper's Martyrdome was cast into Prison Afterwards the Chancellor of Glocester asking him who taught him that Heresie that Christ's Body was not really present in the Sacrament of the Altar he said You Mr. Chancellor when in yonder Pulpit you taught us that the Sacrament was to be received spiritually by Faith and not carnally and really as the Papâ—â— teach But said the Chancellor Do thou as I haâ—â— done and thou shalt live as I do and escape buâ—â—ing Though you said Drowry can so easily dâ—â—pense with your Conscience and mock God aâ—â— the World yet will not I do so Then said tâ—â— Chancellor I will condemn thee God's Will bâ—â— fulfilled said Drowry E. Edward King Edward the Sixth our English Iâ—sias being prest by Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ruley to permit the Lady Mâ—ry to have Mass in heâ—â— House after he had argued notably against iâ—â—bid them be content for he would spend his life and all he had rather then to agree to and graâ—â—â— that he knew certainly to be against the Truth and then fell a weeping insomuch that the Bishop wept as fast as he and the Archbishop tolâ— Mr. Cheek his Scholar had more Divinity in hiâ—â— little finger then all they had in all their Bodies Elizabeth The Lady Elizabeth afterward Queen of England when she came out of the Barge at Traytorâ— Stairs going into the Tower said Here landed as true a Subject being a Prisoner as ever landeâ— at these Stairs And before thee O God I speak it having no other Friends but thee alone Her Gentleman-Usher weeping she demandeâ— of him what he meant so uncomfortably to use her seeing she took him to be her Comfort and not to dismay her especially for that she knew her Truth to be such that no man should have cause to weep for her When the Doors of the Prison were locked and bolted upon her she called for her Book desiring God not to suffer her to build her foundation upon the Sands but upon the Rock wâ—ereby all blasts of blustering weather should have no power against her When she was locked up close in Prison at first she was much daunted but afterwards she brake forth into this Speech The skill of a Pilot is unknown but in a Tempest the valour of a Captain is unseen but in a Battel and the worth of a Christian doth not appear but in time of Tryal and Temptation Mr. Burrough's Mos. Self-denial pag. 31. Upon Gardeners and other Counsellors strict Examination of her she said My Lords you do sift me very narrowly but well I am assured you shall not do more to me then God hath appointed and so God forgive you all Some telling her that they were perswaded God would not suffer Sir Henry Bâ—nâ—field to make her away privately Well said she God grant it be so for thou O God canst mollifie all such tyrannous hearts and disappoint all such cruel purposes and I beseech thee to hear thy Creature which am thy Servant and at thy Command trusting by thy Grace ever so to remain As she passed over the Water to Richmond going towards Windsor in their Journey to Woodstock she espied certain of her old Servants standing on the other side very desirous to see her and sent one of her men standing by unto
Hunter you can do no more then God will permit you Well said B. will you recant indeed by no means No said H. never while I live God willing Bonner asking him how old he was he said He was Nineteen years old Well said B. you will be burned ere you be Twenty if you will not recant H. answered God strengthen me in his Truth Bonner even after Sentence was past offering him if he would then recant to make him a Freeman of the City and to give him Forty pound in money to set up with or to make him Steward of his House c. Hunter said unto him My Lord if you cannot perswade my Conscience by Scriptures I cannot find in my heart to turn from God for the love of the world for I count all things worldly but loss and dung in respect of the love of Christ. If thou diest in this mind said B. thou art condemned for ever God judgeth righteously said H. and justifieth them whom man condemneth unjustly When he was brought to Burntwood to be burned his Father and Mother came to him and desired heartily of God that he might continue to the end in that good way which he had begun and his Mother said unto him That she was glad that ever she was so happy to bear such a Child which could find in his heart to lose his life for Christs Names sake Then said he to his Mother For my little pain which I shall suffer which is but short Christ hath promised me a Crown of Joy May you not be glad of that Mother With that his Mother kneeled down on her knees saying I pray God strengthen thee my Son to the end Yea I think thee as well bestowed as any Child that ever I bare His Father said I was afraid of nothing but that my Son should have been killed in the Prison for hunger and cold the Bishop was so hard to him The night before his Execution he had a dream that he was where the Stake was pitcht where he should be burned and that it was at the Towns end where the Butts stood which was so indeed and that he met his Father going to the Stake and that there was a Priest at the Stake which went about to have him recant and that he said to him Away false Prophet and that he exhorted the people to beware of him and such as he was which things came to pass accordingly Whilst he was led to the Stake the Sheriffs Son came to William and embraced him saying William be not afraid of these men who are here present with Bills and Weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned William answered I thank God I am not afraid for I have cast my account what it will cost me already Then the Sheriffs Son could speak no more to him for weeping When he met his Father according to his dream his Father said unto him God be with thee Son William William answered God be with you good Father and be of good comfort for I hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry At the Stake the Sheriffe told him That there was a Letter from the Queen if he would recant he should live if not he must be burned No said William I will not recant God willing Mr. Brown telling him upon his desire to the people to pray for him as long as he was alive I will pray no more for thee then I will pray for a Dog Mr. Brown said William now you have that you sought for and I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day howbeit I forgive you I ask no forgiveness of thee said Mr. Brown Well said William if God forgive you not I shall require my blood at your hands Then said William Hunter Son of God shine upon me Immediately the Sun in the Firmament shined out of a dark cloud so full in his face that he was constrained to look another way When the Priest came according to his dream he said Away thou false Prophet Beware of them good people and come away from their abominations lest that you be partakers of their plagues Then said the Priest look how thou burnest here so shalt thou burn in Hell William answered Thou lyest thou false Prophet away thou false Prophet away When the fire was kindled his Brother said to him William think on the holy Passion of Christ and be not afraid of Death William answered I am not afraid Then lift he up his hands to Heaven and said Lord Lord Lord receive my spirit Higbed Mr. Higbed of Essex being prest by Bonner to recant answered I will not abjure for I have been of this mind these sixteen years and do what ye can ye shall do no more then God will permit you to do and with what measure ye measure unto us look for the same again at Gods hands When his Articles and Answers were read he said Ye go about to trap us with your subtilties and snares and though my Father and Mother and other my Kinsfolk did believe as you say yet they were deceived in so believing and whereas you say Doctor Cranmer and others c. be Hereticks I do wish that I were such an Heretick as they were and be Then Bonner asked him again Whether he would turn from his error and come to the unity of their Church No said he I would ye would recant for I am in the truth and you in error Hus. Mr. Iohn Hus preaching at the honourable and very solemn Funeral of three in Prague who had been put to death in Prison for calling the Pope Antichrist and speaking against Indulgences at whose Funeral was sung on this wise These be the Saints which for the Testament of God gave their bodies c. much commended them for their constancy and blest God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had hid the way of his Verity so from the prudent of the world and had revealed it to the simple who chose rather to please God then man This occasioned his expulsion out of Prague being before excommunicated by the Pope The Emperour having given safe conduct to Mr. Iohn Hus to come to the general Council at Constance he promised to come professing he was ready alwayes to satisfie all men which shall require him to give a reason of his faith and hope c. and giving notice to all that could object any error or heresie to him to appear and not spare him The Twenty sixth day after he came to Constance two Bishops c. were sent to him to bring him before the Pope and his Cardinals To whom he answered I am not come to defend my Cause particularly before the Pope and his Cardinals but to appear before the whole Council and there answer for my defence openly c. unto all such things as shall be demanded or required of me Notwithstanding forasmuch as
not for murther or theft but because we will believe no more then the Word of God teacheth us Both rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the same When the fire was kindled with lifting up their hands to Heaven in an holy accord they said Lord Iesus into thy hands we commend our spirits Oldcastle Sir Iohn Oldcastle Lord Cobham was of great birth and in great favour with King Henry the Fifth so as Arch Bishop Arundel durst not meddle with him till he knew the Kings mind The King when he heard the Priests Accusations promised to deal with him himself which accordingly he did in private admonishing him to submit himself to his Mother the holy Church and as an obedient Child to acknowledge himself cupable The Christian Knight thus answered the King Most worthy Prince I am alwayes prompt and ready to obey forasmuch as I know you a Christian King and the appointed Minister of God bearing the sword to the punishment of evil doers and for safeguard of them that be vertuous Unto you next my Eternal God owe I my whole obedience and submit thereunto as I have done ever all that I have either of Fortuns or Nature ready at all times to fulfill whatsoever ye shall in the Lord command me But as touching the Pope and his Spirituality I owe them neither suit nor service forasmuch as I know him by the Scripture to be the great Antichrist the son of perdition the open Adversary of God and the abomination standing in the holy Place When he was by a wiâ—e cited to appear before the Arch Bishop c. he told the Messenger though he affirmed to him that it was the Kings pleasure that he should obey that citation of the Sumner that he would in no case consent to those most devillish practises of the Priests Upon his non-appearance the Arch Bishop judged him contumacious and afterwards excommunicated him c. This constant Servant of the Lord perceiving himself compassed on every side with deadly dangers he wrote a Christian Confession of his Faith and signed and sealed it with his own hand which was a brief Exposition of the Common Sum of the Churches Faith called the Apostles Creed In the close thereof I believe the Universal Law of God to be most true and perfect and they which do not follow it in their faith and works at one time or another can never be saved whereas he that seeketh it in faith accepteth it learneth it delighteth therein and performeth it in love shall tast for it the felicity of everlasting innocency This is my faith also that God will ask no more of a Christian Believer in this life but only to obey the Precepts of that most blessed Law If any Prelates of the Church require more or any other kind of obedience he contemneth Christ exalting himself above God and so becomes an open Antichrist All the Premises I believe particularly and generally all that God hath left in his holy Scripture that I should believe This Confession he delivered to the King desiring him that it might be examined by the most godly wife learned men of his Realm and if it be found in all points agreeable to the Verity that he might be holden for a true Christian if it be proved otherwise let it be condemned provided that he be taught a better Belief by the Word of God But the King would not receive it but commanded it to be delivered to his Judges Being threatned by Arch Bishop Arundel that he should be proclaimed an Heretick He said Do as ye shall think best for I am at a point I shall stand to my Bill to the death The Arch Bishop telling him That all Christians should follow the Determinations of holy Church he said That he would gladly believe and observe whatsoever the holy Church of Christs institution had determined or whatsoever God had willed him either to believe or do but that the Pope of Rome with his Cardinals Arch Bishops Bishops c. had lawfull power to determine such matters as stood not throughly with his Word he would not affirm When the Arch Bishop sent him their Determination concerning the Sacrament of the Altar c. he saw that God had given them over for their unbeliefs sake into most deep errours and blindness of mind and that their uttermost malice was purposed against him however he should answer and therefore he put his life into the hands of God desiring his onely Spirit to assist him in his next Answer At his second Appearance the Arch Bishop offering to absolve him from the Curse that was against him He with a chearfull countenance said God hath said by his holy Prophet Maledicam benedictionibus vestris i. e. I shall curse where you do bless and further said I will not desire your Absolution for I never trespassed against you And with that he kneeled down on the pavement holding up his hands towards Heaven and said I shrieve me here unto thee my Eternal Living God that in my frail youth I offended thee O Lord most grievously in pride wrath and gluttony in covetousness and in lechery Many men have I hurt in mine anger c. Good Lord I ask thee mercy And therewith weepingly stood up again and said with a mighty voice Lo good people lo for the breaking of Gods Law and his great Commandements they never yet cursed me but for their own Laws and Traditions most cruelly do they handle both me and other men and therefore both they and their Laws by the promise of God shall utterly be destroyed Being asked if he believed not in the determinations of the Church No forsooth said Ire for it is no God Being taxed to be one of Wickliff's Scholars As for the vertuous man Wickliffe said he I speak it before God and man that before I knew that despised Doctrine of his I never abstained from sin but since I learned therein to fear my Lord God it hath otherwise I trust been with me So much grace I could never find in all your glorious instructions He said further Your Fathers the old Pharisees ascribed Christs miracles to Belzebub and his Doctrine to the Devil and you as their natural children have still the self same judgement concerning his faithfull Followers They that rebuke your vicious living must needs be Hereticks and that must your Doctors prove when you have no Scripture to do it Since the venome of Iudas was shed into the Church ye never followed Christ nor stood in the perfection of Gods Law Being asked what he meant by that venome He answered Your Possessions and Lordships for then cried an Angel in the aire as your own Churches mention Wo wo wo this Day is venome shed into the Church of God Rome is the very nest of Antichrist and out of that nest come all his Disciples of whom Prelates Priests and Monks are the Body these pild Friers are the Tail
when his hour was not yet come departed out of his Countrey into Samaria to avoid the malice of the Scribes and Pharisees and commanded his Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should fly to another Thus did Paul and the other Apostles Albeit when it came to such a point that they could no longer escape then they evidenced that their flying before came not of fear but of godly wisdome to do more good and that they would not rashly without urgent necessity offer themselves to death which had been a tempting of God After he had recanted and was brought to Saint Mâ—ry's Church in Oxford where Dr. Cole after he had preached bitterly against him shewing why he was to be executed notwithstanding his Recantation prest him to evidence to the people his conversion to Popery Dr. Cranmer entreated the people to pray with him and for him that God would pardon his sins especially his Recantation After he had prayed he told them It is a sad thing to see so many so much dote upon the love of this false World and be so careful of it and so careless of Gods love or the World to come therefore this shall be my first exhortation thaâ— you set not your minds overmuch upon this glozing World but upon God and the World to come and to learn to know what this Lesson meaneth which St. Iohn teacheth That the Love of this World is hatred against God Let rich men consider and weigh three Scriptures Luke 18. It is hâ—rd for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of Heaven 1 John 3. He that hath the suâ—stance of this world and seeth his Brother in necessity and shutteth up his mercy from him how can he say that he loveth God James 5.1 2. Go to now ye rich men weep and hard for the miseries that are coming upon you your riches are corrupted Another exhortation is That next under God you obey your King and Queen willingly and gladly without murmuring or grudging They are Gods Mâ—nisters Whosoever resisteth them resisteth the Ordinance of God And now I come said he to the great thing that so much troubleth my Conscience more then any thing that ever I did or said in my whole life and that is the setting abroad a Writing contrary to the Truth which now here I renounce and refuse as things written with my hand contrary to the Truth which I thought in my heart and written for fear of death and to save my life if it might be And forasmuch as my hand offended writâ—ng contrary to my heart my hand shall first be punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned At the Stake when the fire began to burn near him he stretching out his arm put his right hand into the flame which he held so stedfast that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched His eyes lifted up to Heaven he cried out even as long as he could speak O his unworthy hand His last words were the words of Stephen Lord Iesus receive my spirit Cromwel Thomas Lord Cromweâ— Earl of Essâ—x the morning that he was executed having chearfully eaten his break-fast passing out of the Prison down the Hill in the Tower met the Lord Hungerford going to Execution for other matter and perceiving him to be heavy and doleful he willed him to be of good comfort for if you repent said he of what you have done there is mercy enough for you with the Lord who for Christs sake will forgive you and though the break-fast we are going to be sharp yet trusting in the mercy of the Lord we shall have a joyful dinner In his Prayer on the Scaffold O Lord Jesus who art the onely health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in thee Being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed to thy mercy willingly now I leave this frail and wicked flesh in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise restore it to me again at the last day in the resurrection of the Jâ—st I see and acknowledge there is in my self no hope of salvation but all my confidence hope and trust is in thy most merciful goodness Thou merciful Lord wast born for my sake didst suffer hunger and thirst for my sake didst teach pray and fast for my sake all thy holy actions and works thou wroughtest for my sake thou sufferedst most grievous pains and torments for my sake and finally thou gavest thy most precious body and blood to be shed on the Cross for my sake Now most merciful Saviour let all these things profit me c. Let thy blood cleanse and wash away the spots and foulness of â—â— sins let thy righteousness hide and cover my unâ—righteousness Cyprian He went in the time of Persecution into volunâ—tary Banishment lest as he said he should 〈◊〉 more hurt then good to the Congregation When he heard the sentence pronounced aâ—gainst him he said I thank God for freeing mâ— from the Prison of this Body He said Amen to his own sentence of Martyrdome The Proconsul bidding him consult abouâ— it he answered In so just a Cause there needs no deliberation D. Daigerfield William Daigerfield and Ioan his Wife who then gave suck to her tenth child being imprisoned in several Prisons Bishop Brooks sent for the man and told him that his Wife had recanted and so perswaded him to recant and so sent him to his Wife with a Form of Recantation with him which when his Wife saw her heart clave in sunder and she cried out Alas Husband thus long we have continued one and hath Satan so far pervaâ—led with you as to cause you to break the Vow which you made to God in Baptisme Hereupon he bewailed his promise and beg'd of God that he might not live so long as to call evil good and good evil light darkness or darkness light And accordingly it came to pass Damlip Mr. Adam Damlip when he had been almost two years in the Marshalsey considering how he could not employ his talent there to God's Glory as he desired though he had many Favours in Prison resolved to write to the Bishop of Winchester earnestlâ— to desire that he might come to his Tryal for said he I know the worst I can but lose my present life which I had rather do then here to remain and not to be suffered to use my talent to God's Glory When he understood by the Keeper that his suffering was near he was notwithstanding very merry and did eat his meat as well as ever he did in all his life insomuch that some at the Board said unto him they wondred how he could eat his meat so chearfully knowing he was so near his death Ah Masters said he Do you think that I have been so long God's Prisoner in the Marshalsey and have not yet learned to die Yes yes and I doubt not but God
them whom I have taught whereof there is a great number if through me it should come to pass that those things which they have hitherto known to be most certain and sure should now be made uncertain Should I by this my example astonish or trouble so many souls so many consciences endued with the most firm and certain knowledge of the Scriptures and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and his most pure Doctrine armed against all the assaults of Satan I will never do it neither commit any such kind of offence that I should seem more to esteem this vile carcase appoâ—nted unto death then their health and salvation When one of the Bishops took from him the Chalice saying O cursed Iudas c. We take away from thee this Chalice of thy salvation But I trust said he unto God the Father Omnipotent and my Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake I do suffer these things that he will not take away the Chalice of his Redemption but have a stedfast and firm hope that this day I shall drink thereof in his Kingdome The other Bâ—shops took away the Vestments put upon him and each of them giving him their curse Whereunto he saâ—d That he did willingly embrace and hear those blasphemies for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. When the Bâ—shops caused to be made a Crown of Paper in which were printed three ugly Devils and this title set over their heads Hâ—resiarcha A Ring-leader of an Heresie and he saw it he said My Lord Jesus Christ for my sake did wear a Crown of Thorns why should not I then for his sake wear this light Crown be it never so ignominious Truly I will do it and that willingly When it was set upon his head the Bishops said Now we commit thy soul unto the Devil But I said Mr. Hus lifting up his eyes toward Heaven do commit my Spirit into thy hands O Lord Jesus Christ unto thee I commend my Spirit which thou hast redeemed When the people heard his prayers at the Stake they said What he hath done afore we know not but now we see and hear that he doth speak and pray very devoutly and godlily After he had prayed some while being raised by his Tormentors with a loud voice he said Lord Jesus assist and help me that with a constant and patient mind I may bear and suffer this cruel and ignominious death whereunto I am condemned for the preaching of thy most holy Gospel and Word When he beheld the Chain with which his Neck was to be tied to the Stake he smiling said That he would willingly receive the same Chain for Jesus Christs sake who he knew was bound with a far worse Chain The Duke of Bavaria before the fire was kindled coming to him and exhorting him to be mindful of his safeguard and renounce his errors he answered What error should I renounce whenas I know my self guilty of none for as for those things that are falsly alledged against me I know that I never did so much as once think them much less preach them for this was the principal end and purpose of my Doctrine that I might teach all men repentance and remission of sins according to the verity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Exposition of the holy Doctors wherefore with a cheerful mind and courage I am here ready to suffer death He told them at his death That out of the ashes of the Goose so Hus in the Bohemian Language signifies an hundred years after God would raise up a Swan so Luther in that Language signifies in Germany whose singing should affright all those Vultures and who should escape their burning This Prophesie was exactly fulfilled in Lutâ—er who rose up just an hundred years after 1415 the year when Mr. Hus was burnt and though he so enraged the Pope and his powerful party he died in his bed In his Letter to the people of Prague Be circumspect and watchful that ye be not circumvented by the crafty trains of the Devil and the more circumspect ye ought to be for that Antichrist laboureth the more to trouble you The last judgement is near at hand death shall swallow up many but to the elect children of God the Kingdome of God draweth near because for them he gave his own body Fear not death love together one another persevere in understanding the good will of God without ceasing Let the terrible and horrible Day of Judgement be alwayes before your eyes that you sin not and also the joy of eternal life whereunto you must endeavour Let the passions of our Saviour be never out of your minds that you may bear with him and for him gladly whatsoever shall be laid upon you for if you shall consider well in your minds his Cross nothing shall be grievous unto you and patiently you shall give place to tribulations cursings rebukes stripes and imprisonment and shall not doubt to give your lives for his holy truth if need require Know ye Well Beloved that Antichrist being stirred up against you deviseth divers persecutions But I am in good hope that through the mercy of our God and by your Prayers I shall persist strongly in the immutable verity of God unto the last breath I commend you to the merciful Lord Jesus Christ our true God and the Son of the immaculate Virgin Mary who hath redeemed us by his most bitter death without all our merits from eternal pains from the thraldome of the Devil and from sin From Constance A. 1415. In his Letter to his Benefactors I exhort you by the bowels of Jesus Christ that now ye setting aside the vanities of this present world will give your service to the eternal King Christ the Lord. Trust not in Princes nor in the Sons of men in whom there is no health for the Sons of men are dissemblers and deceitful To day they are to morrow they perish but God remaineth for ever He hath his Servants not for any need he hath of them but for their own profit unto whom he performeth that which he promiseth and fulfilleth that which he purposeth to give He casteth off no faithful Servant from him for he saith Where I am there also shall my Servant be yea the Lord maketh every Servant of his to be the Lord of all his possession giving himself unto him and with himself all things O happy is that Servant whom when the Lord shall come he shall find watching Happy is the Servant which shall receive that King of Glory with joy Wherefore well beloved Lords and Benefactors serve you that King in fear In his Letter to the Lord Iohn de Clum The iniquity of the great Strumpet i. e. of the malignant Congregation whereof mention is made in the Apucalyps is detected and shall be more detected with the which Strumpet the Kings of the Earth do commit fornication fornicating spiritually from Christ and as is there said sliding back from
before of these dolorous dayes fore-spake also the everlasting joy prepared for such as should continue to the end The trouble is come O dear Brethren look for the comfort and after the example of the Apostle abide in resisting this vehement storm a little space The third watch is not yet ended Remember that Christ came not to his Disciples till the fourth watch Observe next that the Disciples at the presence of Christ were more afraid then they were before That Christ useth no other instrument but his Word to pacifie their hearts That Peter in a fervency first left the Ship and yet after feared That Christ permitted neither Peter nor the rest of his Disciples to perish in that fear but gloriously delivered all and pacified the tempest There were three causes why the Disciples knew not Christ but judged him to be a Spirit The darkness of the night that letted their eyes to see him The unaccustomed Vision that appeared and it was above nature that a massy weighty and heavy body of a man such as they understood their Master Christ to have should be born up of and walk upon the water of the raging Sea and not sink And finally the horrour of the tempest and great danger they were in perswaded them to look for none other but certainly to be drowned What here hapned to Christ himself daily hapneth to the verity of his blessed Word c. The truth and sincere preaching of his glorious Gospel sent by God for mans deliverance from sin c. is judged to be Heresie and deceiveable Doctrine sent by the Devil to mans destruction The chief note is this The more nigh deliverance and salvation approacheth the more strong and vehement is the temptation of the Church of God and the more nigh that Gods vengeance approacheth to the wicked the more proud cruel and arrogant are they Whereby it commonly comes to pass that the Messengers of Life are judged to be the Authors of all mischief Thus the Israelites cursed Moses alledging that he and Aaron was the whole cause of their last extreme trouble This I write to admonish you that although you see tribulation so abound that no hope be left that yet you decline not from God And that albeit sometimes ye be moved to hate the Messengers of Life that therefore ye shall not judge that God will never shew mercy after No dear Brethren as he hath dealt with others before you so will he deal with you One cause why God permitteth such blood-thirsty Tyrants to molest his Church is this Such is his justice that he will not pour forth his extreme vengeance upon the wicked until such time as their iniquity be so manifest that their very flatterers cannot excuse it Pharaoh was not destroyed till his own houshold Servants and Subjects abhorred and condemned his stubborn disobedience If Gardener Tunstal and Bonner had suffered death when first they deserved it Papists would have alledged as they did that they were reformable neither thirsted they for the blood of any man And of Lady Mary who hath not heard that she was sober merciful and one that loved the Commonwealth of England Had she and her pestilent Council been dead before these dayes their iniquity and cruelty had not so manifestly appeared to the world Thus dear Brethren must the Sons of the Devil declare their own impiety and ungodliness that when Gods vengeance which shall not sleep shall be poured forth upon them all tongues shall confess and say That God is righteous in all his judgements The means Christ used to remove the Disciples fear is onely his Word he said Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid The natural man that cannot understand the power of God would have desired some other present comfort in so great a danger as either to have had the Heavens to have opened and to have shewed them such a light in that darkness that Christ might have been fully known by his own face or else that the winds and raging waves of the Sea suddenly should have ceased or some other miracle that had been subject to all their senses whereby they might have perfectly known that they were delivered from all danger And truly equal it had been to Christ Jesus to have done any of these or any work greater as to have said It is I be not afraid but he would hereby teach us the dignity and effectual power of his holy Word This I write Beloved in the Lord that ye knowing the Word of God not onely to be that whereby were created Heaven and Earth but also to be the Power of God to Salvation to all that believe c. may now in this hour of darkness and most raging tempest thirst and pray that ye may hear yet once again this amiable voice of your Saviour Christ Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid Exercise your selves secretly in revolving that which sometimes you have heard openly proclaimed in your ears and be every man now a faithful Preacher to his Brother If your communication be of Christ assuredly he will come before ye be aware What comfort was in the hearts of the Disciples when they heard these words It is I your Master your Master most familiar whose voice you know whose work you have seen who commanded you to enter into this journey it is I be not afraid cannot be exprest but by those that have experienced the comforts of the Spirit after great conflicts c. It is certain Christs voice had wrought in Peter's heart not onely a forgetting and contempt of the great tempest but such boldness and love that he could fear no danger following but assuredly did believe that nothing could resist his Masters Command and therefore he saith Command me to come q. d. I desire no more then the assurance of thy command If thou wilt command I am determined to obey The waters cannot prevail against me if thou speak the word so that whatsoever is possible unto thee by thy Will and Word may be possible unto me Such as bear reverence to Gods most holy Word are drawn by the power and vertue of the same to believe and follow and obey that which God commandeth be it never so hard and contrary to their affections and therefore are they wonderfully preserved when Gods vengeances are poured forth upon the disobedient In Peter's being afraid seeing a mighty wind and when he began to sink crying Lord save me Three things are principally to be noted From whence cometh the fear of Gods Elect Why they faint in adversity What resteth with them in the time of their fear and down-sinking The cause of our fear who would through the storms of the Sea go to Christ is that we more consider the dangers and lets that are in our journey then we do the Almighty Power of him that hath commanded us to come to himself This I note
and faithful followers of him therein persevering in purity of doctrine and holiness of life Other things Jesus Christ the Lord who is able and willing to look after his own concernments will take care of He will defend his own Church Go to then O my Brethren so let your light shine forth that God the Father may be glorified in us and the Name of Christ be made illustrious and conspicuous by the light of your life Continue to love one another unfeignedly Lead your whole life as in the sight as under the eye of God In vain do we press to holiness if our words be without deeds there is need of the Light of life and the heavenly Spirit if we will confound Satan and convert this world unto Christ the Lord. O my Brethren What a cloud is there arising what a storm a coming what a defection is at hand But it becomes you to stand fast The Lord who is careful of his own affairs will be present with you For my self I pass not the horrible aspersion of corrupting the Truth that is câ—st upon me I am just now going before the Tribunal of Christ and that through grace with a clear conscience There it will appear that I have not seduced the Church The night before he died when a very dear Friend returned to him Oecolampadius asked him What news he had brought His Friend answering None I will tell you some then said Oeculampadius I shall presently be with my Lord Christ. A while after being asked Whether the light offended him He putting his hand to his heart said Here is abundance of light Here is light enough Ogner or Ogvier Robert Ognier's Son said to his Father and Mother at the Stake with him Behold millions of Angels about us and the Heavens opened to receive us To a Frier that railed Thy cursings are blessings To a Nobleman that offered him life and promotion Do you think me such a fool that I should change eternal things for temporary And to the people We suffer as Christians not as Thieves or Murtherers When the Provâ—st of Lile had seized on Robert Ogvier his Wife and his two Sons Baudicon and Martin as they were conveyed along through the streets of the City Baudicon with a loud voice said O Lord assist us by thy grace not onely to be Prisoners for thy Name but to confess thy holy Truth in all purity before men so far as to seal the same with our bloods for the edification of thy poor Church When they were brought before the Magistrates they said unto Robert Ogvier c. It is told us that you never come to Mass yea and also disswade others from coming thereto and that you maintain Conventicles in your Houses He answered Whereas you lay to my charge that I go not to Mass I refuse so to do indeed because the death and precious blood of the Son of God and his sacrifice is utterly abolished there and troden under foot for Christ by one sacrifice hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified The Mass is the meer invention of men and you know what Christ saith In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men As for the second Accusation I cannot nor will deny but there have met together in my House honest people fearing God for the advancement of Gods glory and the good of many and not to wrong any I knew indeed the Emperour had forbid it but what then I knew also that Christ in his Gospel hath commanded it Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there saith he am I in the midst of them Thus you see I could not well obey the Emperour but I must disobey Christ. In this case then I choose rather to obey my God then man When one of the Magistrates demanded what they did when they met together Baudicon the eldest Son of Robert Ogvier answered If it please you my Masters to give me leave I will open the business at large to you Leave being granted he lifting up his eyes to Heaven began thus When we meet together in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to hear the Word of God we first of all prostrate upon our knees before God and in the humility of our spirits do make a confession of our sins before his Divine Majesty Then we pray that the Word of God may be rightly divided and purely preached we also pray for our Sovereign Lord the Emperour and for all his honourable Councellors that the Commonwealth may be peaceably governed to the glory of God yea we forget not you whom we acknowledge our Superiours intreating our good God for you and for this whole City that you may maintain it in tranquility Thus I have summarily related what we do Think you now whether we have offended highly in this matter of our assembling When Robert and Baudicon were condemned they praised God for the Sentence and when they were returned to Prison after Sentence was past they rejoyced that the Lord did them that honour to enroll them in the number of his Martyrs Robert being told by a seducing Frier That iâ— he would give ear to him he would warrant him he should do well Poor man said he how darest thou attribute that unto thy self which belongs to the eternal God and so rob him of his honour For it seems by thy speech that if I will hearken to thee thou wilt become my Saviour No no I have one onely Saviour Jesus Christ who by and by will deliver me from this present evil world I have one Doctor whom the heavenly Father hath commanded me to hear and I purpose to hearken to none other Another Frier exhorting him to have pity of his soul which Christ had redeemed Thou willest me said the good old man to pity mine own soul. Dost not thou see what pity I have on it when foâ— thâ— Name of Christ I willingly abandon this body of mine â—n the fire hoping to day to be with him in Paradise I have put all my confidence in God and my hope wholly is fixt on the merits of Christs Death and Passion he will direct me the right way unto his Kingdome I believe whatsoever the holy Prophets and Apostles have written and in that Faith will I live and die Baudicon said Let my Father alone and trouble him not thus he is an old man and hath an infirm body hinder him not I pray you from receiving the Crown of Martyrdome One telling Baudicon That he would sell all he was worth to buy Fagots to burn him and that he found too much favour He answered The Lord shew you more mercy Some of the Friers having fastned a Crucifix betwixt the old mans hands when Baudicon espied it he said Alas Father what do you now will you play the Idolater even at the last hour and then pulling the Idol out of his hands threw it away saying What cause
Christ may be glorified in us and in them both by life and death In his Letter to his Sister Fear not whatsoever is threatned of the wicked world prepare your back and see it be ready to carry Christs Cross and if you see any untowardness in you as the flesh is continually repugnant to the Will of God ask with faithfull Prayer that the good Spirit of God may lead your sinfull flesh whither it would not My dissolution I look for daily but the Lord knoweth how unworthy I am of so high an honour as to die for the Testimony of his Truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath for long imprisonment for the which his Name be praised for ever In his Letter to certain godly Brethren It is an easie thing to begin to do well but to continue out in well doing is the onely property of the Children of God and such as assuredly shall be saved Blessed are they that persevere to the end God in Rev. 3. doth signifie to the Church That there shall come a time of temptation upon the whole world to try the dwellers on earth from the danger of which temptation all such shall be delivered as observe his Word which Word there is called the Word of patience to give us to understand that we must be ready to suffer all kind of injuries and slanders for the profession thereof Oh how glorious be the Crosses â—f Christ which bring the Bearers of them unto so blessed â—n end Shall we not be glad to be partakers of such shame as may bring us to so high a dignity It is commanded us by the Gospel not to fear them that can kill the body but to fear God who can cast both soul and body into Hell fire so much are we bound to observe this Commandment as any other which God hath given us Now it will appear what we love best for to that we love we will stick What loseth he which in this life receiveth an hundred for one with assurance of eternal life O happy exchange Even now he is of the City and Houshold of the Saints with God he possesseth the peace of God which passeth understanding and is made a fellow of the innumerable company of Heaven and a perpetual friend of all those that have died in the Lord from the beginning of the world Is not this more then an hundred fold Stand and be no cowards in the Cause of your Salvation for his Spirit that is in us is stronger then he which in the world doth now rage against us I beseech you with St. Paul to give your bodies pure and holy sacrifices unto God God tempteth us now as he did our Father Abraham commanding him to sacrifice his Isaac which signifieth mirth joy c. He by obedience preserved his Isaac alive God commands us to sacrifice our Isaac our joy which if we be ready to do as Aâ—raham was our joy shall not perish but live and be increased the Ram shall be sacrificed in the stead thereof onely the concupiscence of the flesh intangled with the cares of this stinging world shall be mortified To withstand the present temptations set before your eyes how our Saviour Christ overcame them in the desert and follow his example if the Devil tempt you to take a worldly wise way that you may have your fair Houses Lands and Goods to live on still say Man liveth not onely by bread c. If the Devil tempt you to forsake the Faith to be conformable to the learned men of the world say It is written a man shall not tempt his Lord God If the Devil offer you large promises of honour dignity c. so that ye will worship Idols say Go behind me Satan it is written a man must worship his Lord God and serve him onely If your Mother Brother Sister Wife Child Kinsman or Friend do seek of you to do otherwise then the Word of God hath taught you say with Christ That they are your Mothers Brothers Sisters Wives Children and Kinsmen which do the will of God the Father In his Letter to Mr. Harrington Glorious is the course of the Martyrs of Christ at this day never had the Elect of God a better time for their glory then this is A man that is bid to a glorious Feast wisheth his Friend to go with him and to be partaker thereof God doth call me most unworthy among others to drink of the Bride-Cup of his Son c. I wish you be as I am except these horrible bands but yet most comfortable to the Spirit Praised be the Lord for the affliction which we suffer and he gives us strength to continue to the end Though my Lords Cole-house be but very black yet it is more to be desired of the Faithfull then the Queens Palace In his Letter to the Lady Vâ—ne The Spirit confirm strengthen and stablish you in the true Knowledge of the Gospel that your faithfâ—ll heart may attain and tast with all the Saints what is the heighth the depth the length and the breadth of the sweet Cross of Christ. Amen Ah! great be the plagues that hang over England yea though the Gospel should be restored again Happy shall that person be whom the Lord shall take out of this world not to see them Ah the great perjury which â—en have run into so wilfully by receâ—ving Antichrist again and his wicked Laws Oh that the Lord would turn his just judgements upon the Authors of the truce-breaking between God and us c. The world wondreth how we can be merry in such extream misery but our God is omnipotent which turneth misery into felicity Believe me Dear Sister there is no such joy in the world as the people of Christ have under the Cross I speak by experience therefore believe me and fear nothing that the world can do unto you for when they imprison our bodies they set our souls at liberty with God when they cast us down they lift us up yea when they kill us then do they bring us to everlasting life What greater glory can there be then to be at conformity with Christ which afflictions do work in us God open our eyes to see more and more the glory of God in the Cross of Jesus Christ and make us worthy partakers of the same Let us rejoyce in nothing with St. Paul But in the Cross of Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world Death why should I fear thee since thou canst not hurt me but rid me from misery to eternal glory J. P. Dead to the world and living to Christ. In another Letter to the same Lady I have felt under the Cross thanks be given to God therefore more true joy and consolation then ever I did by any benefit that God hath given me in my life before For the more the world doth hate us the â—igher God is
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
A CLOUD OF WITNESSES OR THE Sufferers Mirrour Made up of The SWANLIKE-SONGS and other CHOICE PASSAGES of several MARTYRS and CONFESSORS to the Sixteenth Century in their Treatises Speeches Letters Prayers c. in their Prisons or Exiles at the Bar or Stake c. Collected out of The Ecclesiastical Histories of Eusebius Fox Fuller Petrie Scotland And Mr. Samuel Ward 's Life of Faith in Death c. and Alphabetically disposed By T. M. M. A. Hebr. 12.1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us run with patience the race that is set before us James 5.10 Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example of suffering afflliction and patience London Printed for the Author and are to be fold by Robert Boulter in Saint Paul's Church-yard 1665. Gentle Reader THou art desired to take notice that through the transposing of some Leaves of the Manuscript the Authour living far distant there hath been committed an Errour at the Press in Mr. Iohn Bradford's Letters beginning at Page 44. Line 26. immediately before Mr. Iohn Brown Wherefore thou art entreated to turn to Page 68. Line 6. and read to Page 71. Line 26. and so the Mistake will be rectified Renowned Mr. Samuel Ward of Ipswich gives the following testimony to the living speeches of dying Christians which he collected AS for their last Speeches and Apothegms pity it is no better mark hath been taken and memory preserved of them The choice and prime I have culled out of ancient Stories and later Martyrologies English Dutch and French The profit and pleasure hath paid me for the labour of Collecting and the like gain I hope shall quit the cost of thy Reading By these which are but an handful of Christs Camp-Royal it sufficiently appears they had their Faith fresh and lively in the face of their grand Enemy Death and by vertue of their Faith their Spirits Wits and Tongues untroubled and undismayed The learned and ingenious Author of the Preface to Mr. Frith's Treatises of preparation to the Cross under the Title of Vox Pisces or the Book-Fish gives the following Testimony to several of the remarkable passages in this Collection PErhaps unto some Palats no Lequor seemeth desirable but that which hath a delicious tang of the curiosity of these later Times both for method and stile For my part I say with the words in the Gospel Luke 5.39 The old Wine is better And accordingly contemplating and comparing the devout Discourses written in our Language upon the breaking forth of the Light of Reformation I am far more deeply taken with the solid simplicity and powerful Spirit which methinks I find in the Writings of those Confessors and Martyrs who watered the Garden of Reformation with their own bloud in this Land then with the more elaborate and artificial composures written more lately in the Times of our Peace Who in reading the Letters and Ghostly Meditations of blessed Bradford Taylor Philpot c. yea even of other their Brethren less learned that wrote and spake with that Hand Heart and Breath which they were most ready to yield up for the testimony of the Truth doth not therein perceive that lively warmth of holy zeal which is able to awake even a dull and sleepy soul Among which Martyrs as this worthy Frith is one of the first for antiquity so well may he be in the foremost rank for comfortable exhortation and soundness of Doctrine The Collectors Preface THe Speeches of dying men are remarkable the Speeches of dying Christians are much more remarkable How remarkable then are the Speeches of dying Witnesses for Christ It is rationally expected that dying men much more that dying Christians and most of all that dying Witnesses for Christ should speak best at last It is their last And the Sun shineth brightest at setting They are immediately to give in their last account They are upon the borders of Eternity And the motions of Nature are more intense as they draw nearer the Center To be sure Saints are most heavenly when nearest Heaven Rivers the nearer the Sea the sooner are met by the Tide We have good Scripture-ground to expect that dying Christians especially dying Witnesses for Christ should have extraordinary assistances from on high for their last Discourses That the Wine of the Spirit should be strongest in them at their last They have Gods Word for it That in that hour it shall be given them what they shall speak for it is not they that speak but the Spirit of their Father One observeth that when Stephen was to deliver his last speech and to suffer he was filled with the Holy Ghost so that all that sate in the Council looking stedfastly on Stephen saw his face as if it had been the face of an Angel His soul was so warmed by the love of God that he looked both his Adversaries and the tempestuous approaching Storm out of countenance When he was stoned he got a larger sight He saw the Heavens opened and his Majestick Glorious Master the light-giving Diamond of Heaven standing at his Fathers right hand And this he got no doubt as for himself so to hearten all those that were to come after he being the first Martyr after Christ. Hence it hath been often found that their last Speeches have been Oraculous and Prophetical Zenophon personates Cyrus as inspired whilst he is breathing out his last requests The nearer we return to the Original Divinity as Plotinus speaketh the more Divine we grow One observeth from a Scripture instance That what hath been asserted by dying Witnesses hath most speedily come to pass Zachariah told the children of Israel Because ye have for saken the Lord he hath also forsaken you For this he was immediately stoned and the Lord sealed his Word very speedily afterwards For the Assyrians coming with a small company against them the Lord delivered a very great multitude into their hands and so without delay in their sight sealed the words of his dying Witness Zachariah And why his word sooner then Isaiah's Ieremiah's Ezekiel's c. By them he pleaded much longer with his Apostatizing Church I know none but this It was the Lords pleasure and to shew his respect to dying Witnesses that he would have what they say taken special notice of It may be that he might shew that whatever fail the words of dying Witnesses shall not fall to the ground It is true we must not lay such weight upon these sayings as we must lay upon Scripture prophesies for though such sayings may be true prophesies yet we are not infallibly assured that these are prophesies till they be accomplished yet their sayings while dying for and in the Lord do give good encouragement to them that remain alive and so to be much esteemed by them whether they respect the honour of God or the good of souls The last Speeches of Christs
dying Witnesses have extorted even from Heathens acknowledgments to the honour of God that truly the Christians God is a great God yea by them sinners have been converted Iustin Martyr and others by observing the end the Martyrs made were brought out of love with the wayes of sin and in love with the wayes of holiness These Speeches here collected are called Swan-like Songs for their remarkableness A Cloud of Witnesses and The Sufferers Mirrour for their usefulness The Israelites found not onely comfort in the shadow of the Cloud in the Wilderness but a directive vertue therein they were led by it There is a double power in such instances both to Comfort and to Assimulate To see that others have suffered worse is no small comfort to Sufferers Iacob's Sheep conceived according to the colour of the Rods that lay in the Troughs Our conceptions will be like our visions like the examples that are set before our eyes Here as in a Glass even the best may see their spots and all especially Sufferers may learn how to dress themselves for death How can the best of us read these passages without shame for our low attainments for our little proficiency in the School of Christ How unlike are our faces to the faces in this Mirrour How self-denying were they How selfish are we How crucified to the world were they How much glued thereunto are we How easie was it for them to chuse the greatest Sufferings rather then the least Sin How hard is it for us not to chuse the greatest Sin rather then the least Suffering How willing were they to part with all for Christ How unwilling are we to part with littles for Christ What an honour did they esteem it to suffer for Christ to be chain'd to be whipt to be wrackt to be halter'd to be stak'd for Christ Have we such esteems of sufferings for Christ and of such sufferings Are not we ashamed of our glory How patient were they under the greatest tortures How impatient are we under very little troubles How hot was their love to Christ his Truths Ordinances People How cold is ours How zealous were they for the Honour of God How luke-warm are we How magnanimous were they How cowardly and dastardly are we How humble were they How proud are we How broken-hearted were they How hard-hearted are we What sympathizing spirits had they How little fellow-feeling is there now among Christians How active were they for the glory of God and good of souls under their sufferings How slothful are we And how little do we for either under our sufferings How strong was their Faith How weak is ours How fearless were they of man who can only kill the body How fearful are we How many of these Worthies attained unto Assurance and had their Evidences for Heaven clear How are the most of us in the dark as to an interest in God and a right and title to Glory How willing and desirous were they to die even a violent death How loth are we to die even a natural death How did they without the least fear play on the hole of this Asp and with much courage put their hand into the Den of this Cockatrice But how doth the fear of this King of Terrors make us subject to bondage Thus they are useful to shame us They are also usefull to prepare us to die especially a violent death Such examples chalk the way more plainly then bare direction These encourage more heartily these perswade more powerfully these chide unbelief with more authority I beseech you all who are the Lords people said one lately not to scare at suffering for the interests of Christ because of any thing you may see fall out in these days as to the sufferings of his Servants but be encouraged to do and suffer for I assure you in the Name of the Lord he will bear all your charges I do again assure you in his Name he will furnish all your expences and bear all your charges Mr. Rough learn'd the way to Martyrdome by seeing and hearing Austo at the Stake in Smithfield Coming from his burning and being askt where he had been he made answer There where I would not but have been for one of mine eyes would you know where Forsooth I have been to learn the way And soon after he followed him in the same place and the same kind of death Now if one president made him so good a Scholar what Dullards and Non-proficients are we if such a Cloud of Instances work not in us a chearful ability to expect and encounter the same adversary so often foiled before our eyes I shall detain thee no longer from seeing these rare sights but now invite thee in the words of Rev. 6.7 The good Lord adde his blessing that thine eye may affect thy heart and that these Remarkable passages may be thus usefull to all our souls and that the Cloud of Witnesses may not be a standing Witness against any of us Farewell To the Reader Reader THe life present is onely preparative to that to come as the hidden life in the womb to the more perfect and noble life in the world 1 Col. 12. Salvation is not instantaneous The Heirs of Glory make their gradual approaches to it and enter upon their Inheritance by degrees Rom. 13.11 And the nearer they come to Heaven the more heavenly their Spirits are Could a man but hear the last breathings and whispers of dying Saints how would he melt and ravish Like the Sun they appear most great and glorious at setting God often leads them to the top of Pisgâ—h whence they have a prospect of Canaan a little befâ—re they enter in to possess it But although God doth frequently indulge those that die in the Faith of Christ with rare and excellent visions of Christ yet ordinarily those that die for Christ as well as in Christ have a Benjamin's portion in comparison of their Brethren There is a joy proper to Martyrs which is bestowed upon them as an honorarium partly to reward their faithfulness in trials past and partly to encourage them to break through the difficulties which yet remain In these joyes Heaven is let down to Earth glory antedated and a short salvation here obtained 1 Pet. 1.8 During the continuance of this glorious frame they are acted above the ordinary rate of man which makes the world stand at gaze anâ— all that behold them to admire at them Their aspecâ— is rather angelical then humane Acts 6.15 and they seem no longer fit to be reckoned to the Tribe oâ— mortalls on Earth but rather ranked with the glorious Saints and Seraphims in Heaven they no longer wrap themselves up in their garment of flesh but the onely strife among them seems to be whâ— shall first cast it off to put on the garments of glory prepared for them Reader wouldst thou see some of these Earthly Angels men that are a little too low
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
was damb'd and his Child both Iudge you no farther said he then ye may by the Scritures How can your Child being an Infant said Harpsfield believe The deliverance of it said Hankes from sin standeth in the faith of his Parents Saint Paul saying Else were your Children unclean To trust to any said Bonner we bid you not but to pray to them we bid you They that list said Hankes receive your Doctrine You teach me that I should not believe nor trust in any but to call on them and Saint Paul saith How shall I call on him on whom I believe not Bonner calling him fool he said A Bishop must be blameless or faultless sober discreet no chider nor given to anger Mr. Hankes telling Bonner That Christ saith These tokens shall follow them that believe in me They shall speak with new tongues câ—st out Devils and if any drink deadly poyson it shall not hurt them Bonner ask'd him With what new tongues do ye speak Forsooth said Hankes where before I came to the knowledge of Gods Word I was a foul Blasphemer and filthy talker Since I came to the knowledge thereof I have praised God with the sâ—me tongue and is not this a new tongue How do you said Bonner cast out Devils Christ said Hankes did câ—st them out by his Word and he hath left the same Word that whosoever doth credit and believe it shall câ—st out Devils Did you said Bonner ever drink deadly poyson Yea forsooth thee I have said Hankes for I have drunk of the pâ—stilent Traditions and Ceremonies of the Bishop of Rome Bonner threatning that he should be burnt for an Heretick Where prove ye said Hankes that Christ or his Apostles did kill any man for his faith Did not Paul said B. excommunicate Yes my Lord said H. but there is a great difference between excommunication and burning If you will have us grant you to be of God then shew mercy for that God requireth An old Bishop perswading him to learn of his Elders to bear somewhat I will bear with nothing said he that is contrary to the Word of God Fecknam charging him for building his Faith on Latimer â—ranmer Ridley c. I build my Faith said he upon no man and that ye well know for if those men and as many more as they be should recant and deny that they have said or done yet will I stand to it and by this shall ye know that I build my Faith upon no man Chadsey asking him What he said of the Bishop of Rome From him said he and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us Bonner saying You speak of Idols and you know not what they mean God hath taught us what they be said Hankes for whatsoever is made graven or devised by mans hand contrary to Gods Word the same is an Idol Chadsey telling him It was pity he should live In this case said he I desire not to live but rather to die I wouâ—d my part might be to morrow Bonner threatning to send him to Newgate My Lord said he you can do me no better pâ—easure Bonner telling the Keeper His Prisoner would not go to the Sermon Yes my Lord said he I pray you let me go and that that is good I will receive and the rest I will leave behind me Bonner asking after his imprisonment Whether he was the same man he was before he answered I am no Changeling nor none will be Miles Huggard asking him Where he proved that Infants were to be baptized Go teach all Nations said he baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Sir here is none excepted Bonner threatning him again Ye shall do no more said he then God shall give you leave As for your cursings railings and blasphemings I care not for them for I know the moths and worms shall eat you as they eat cloth or wooll His examination he writ himself and subscribed it T.H. Who desireth all faithful men and Brethren to pray unto God to strengthen me in his Truth unto the end Pray pray pray gentle Brethren pray Bonner advising him at his publick examination to speak advisedly for he stood upon life and death Well said he I will willingly receive what shall be put unto me My Lord as you be my friend in causing these my sayings to be written so do you cause them to be read and yet I will never go from them Being exhorted to return again to the bosome of the Mother Church No my Lord said he that will I not for if I had an hundred bodies I would suffer them all to be tâ—rn in pieces rather then I will abjure or recaâ—t Some of his Friends being not a little confirmen by his example and discourses yet being somewhat afraid of so sharp a punishment desired him a little before his death that in the midst of the flame he would shew some token if he could whereby they might be more certain whether the pain of burning were so great that a man might not therein keep his mind quiet and patient Whereupon it was agreed between them that if the rage of the pain were tolerable then he should lift up his hands above his head towards Heaven before he gave up the ghost Accordingly when he had continued long in the fire his speech taken away his skin drawn together his fingers consumed so that all concluded he was dead contrary to all expectation he reached up his hands burning on a light fire over his head to the living God and with great rejoycing as it seemed clapped them three times together He was burned to ashes Iune 10. 1555. In his Letter to the Congregation The holy Spirit conduct and lead you all in all your doings that you may alwayes direct your deeds according to his holy Word that when he shall appear to reward every man according to his works ye may as obedient children be found watching ready to enter into his everlasting Kingdome with your Lamps burning and not be ashamed of this life which God hath lent you c. All flesh saith the Prophet is grâ—ss and all his glory as the flower of the field which for a season sheweth her beauty and as soon as the Lord bloweâ—h upon it it withereth away and departeth Here we are as Pilgrims and Strangers following the footsteps of Moses among many unspeakable dangers c. in danger of that dreadful Dragon and his sinful seed to be tempted devoured and tormented who ceaseth not behind every Bush to lay a baâ—t c. casting abroad his Apples in all places times and seasons to see if Adam will be allured and enticed to leave the living God and his most holy commandment c. promising the world at will to all that will fall down and for a mess of pottage sell and set at naught the everlasting Kingdome of Heaven Therefore I am bold in bonds as
to speak to them or receive any thing of them upon pain of imprisonment Notwithstanding the people cried out desiring God to strengthen them and they prayed for the people and the restoring of his Word At length Mr. Holland embracing the Stake and the Reeds said Lord I most humbly thank thy Majesty that thou hast called me from the stake of death unto the light of thy heavenly Word and now unto the fellowship of thy Saints that I may sing and say Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit Lord bless these thy people and save them from idolatry Hooper Mr. Iohn Hooper in his exile writ a Declaration of Christ and his Office and a Declaration of the holy Commandmants of Almighty God c. In his Epistle before his Declaration of Christ and his Office to the Duke of Somerset Because the right of every just and lawful Heir is half lost and more when his Title and Claim is unknown I have written this little Book containing what Christ is and what his Office is that every godly man may put to his helping hand to restore him again to his Kingdome who hath sustained open and manifest wrong this many years as it appeareth by his evidence and writing the Gospel sealed with his precious blood In his Declaration ch 3. Jesus Christ in all things executed the true Office of a Bishop to whom it appertained to teach the people which was the chiefest part of the Bishops Office and most diligently and straitly commanded by God As all the Books of Moses and the Prophets teach and Christ commanded Peter Iohn 20. and Paul all the Bishops and Priests of his time Acts 20. Christ left nothing untaught but as a good Doctor manifested unto his Audience all things necessary for the health of man Iohn 4. He gave also his Apostles and Disciples after his resurrection commandment to preach and likewise what they should preach Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature teaching them to observe what I have commanded Matt. 28. As they did most sincerely and plainly without all glosses or additions of their own inventions and were as testimonies of the Truth and not the Authors thereof Alwayes in their Doctrine they taught the thing that Christ first taught and Gods holy Spirit inspired them Gal. 1. 2 Cor. 3. Holy Apostles never took upon them to be Christ's Vicar in the Earth nor to be his Lieutenant But said Let a men so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 And in the same Epistle the Apostle Paul hiddeth the Corinthians to follow him in nothing but where he followed Christ chap. 11. They ministred not in the Church as though Christ was absent although his most glorious Body was departed into the Heavens above but as present that alwayes governeth his Church with his Spirit of Truth as he promised Matth. ult Behold I will be with you to the end of the world In the absence of his Body he hath commended the protection and governance of his Church to the Holy Ghost one and the same God with the Father and himself It was no little pain that Christ suffered in washing away the sins of this Church therefore he will not commit the defence thereof to man It is no less glory to defend and keep the thing won by force then it is by force to obtain the victory Therefore he keepeth the defence and governance of the Church onely and solely himself in whom the Devil hath not a jot of right Though the Apostles were instructed in all truth c. they were but Ministers Servants Testimonies and Preachers of this verity and not Christ's Vicars on Earth c. but onely appointed to approve the thing to be good that God's Law commanded and that to be ill which the Word of God condemned Seeing that Christ doth govern his Church alwayes by his holy Spirit and bindeth all the Ministers thereof unto the sole Word of God what abomination is this that one Bishop of Rome c. should claim to be Christ's Vicar on Earth and take upon him to make any Laws in the Church of God to bind the conscience beside the Word of God and by their Superstition and Idolatry put the Word of God out of his place All that are not blinded with the smoke of Rome know the Bishop of Rome to be the Beast Iohn describeth in the Apocalyps as well as the Logician knoweth that risibilitate distinguitur homo a caeteris animantibus Christs supremacy and continual presence in the Church admits no Lieutenant nor general Vicar Likewise it admitteth not the Decrees and Laws of men brought into the Church contrary unto the Word and Scripture of God which is onely sufficient to teach all verity and truth for the salvation of man ch 4. This Law teacheth man sufficiently as well what he is bound to do unto God as unto the Princes of the world Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. Nothing necessary for man but in this Law it is prescribed Of what degree vocation or calling soever he be his duty is shewed unto him in the Scripture And in this it differeth from mans laws because it is absolutely perfect and never to be changed nothing to be added to it nor taken from it And the Church of Christ the more it was and is burdened with mans laws the farther it is from the true and sincere verity of Gods Word Though Basil Ambrose Epiphanius Augustine Bernard and others erred not in any principal Article of the Faith yet they did not inordinately and more then enough extol the Doctrine and Tradition of men and after the death of the Apostles every Doctors time was subject to such Ceremonies and manners that were neither profitable nor necessary Unto the writings of Scripture onely and not unto the writings of men God hath bound and obligated his Church In this passage I admonish the Christian Reader that I speak not of the Laws of Magistrates or Princes that daily order new Laws for the preservation of their Commonwealths as they see the necessity of their Realms or Cities require but of such Laws as men have ordained for the Church of Christ which should be now and for ever governed by the Word of God This Law must prevail We must obey God rather then man The example hereof we have in Daniel of the Three Children who chose rather to burn in the fiery Furnace then to worship the Image that Nebuchadnezzar had made So did the Apostles Acts 5. Cursed be those that make such Laws and cursed be those that with sophistry defend them ch 5. The Authority of Gods word requireth me to pronounce this true Judgement in the case of Images that be not worshipped in the Church that their presence in the Church is against Gods Word as well as to say Sancta Maria ora pro nobis The Old
and necessities as also charitably to pray for them that persecute them So doth the Word of God command all men to pray charitably for them that hate them and not to revile any Magistrate with words or to mean him evil by force and violence They also may rejoyce that in well doing they were taken to Prison Thus fare you well and pray God to send his true Word into this Realm again amongst us which the ungodly Bishops have now banished In his Letter to those Christians so taken Prisoners The grace favour consolation and â—â—d of the Holy Ghost be with you now and ever So be it Dearly Beloved in the Lord ever since I â—eard of your imprisonment I have been marvellously moved with great affections and passions as well of mirth and gladness as of heaviness and sorrow Of gladness in this that I perceived how ye be bent and given to prayer and invocation of Gods help in these dark and wicked proceedings of men against Gods glory I have been sorry to perceive the malice and wickedness of men to be so 〈◊〉 devillish and tyrannical to persecute the 〈◊〉 of God for serving of God c. These 〈◊〉 doings do declate that the Papists Church is 〈◊〉 bloody and tyrannical then ever was the 〈◊〉 of the Ethnicks and Gentiles Trajan the Emperour commanded That no man should be persecuted for serving of God but the Pope and his Church have cast you into Prison being taken doing the Work of God and one of the excellentest Works that is required of Christians viz. whilest ye were in Prayer O glad may ye be that ever ye were born to be apprehended whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righeeousness sake If God had suffered them that took your bodies then to have taken your life also now had you been following the Lamb in pertual joyes away from the company and assembly of wicked men But the Lord would not have you suddenly so to depart but reserveth you gloriously to speak and maintain his Truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shall say for God will go out and in with you and will be present in your hearts and in your mouths to speak his wisdome though it seems foolishness to the world He that hath begun this good work in you continue in the same unto the end Pray unto him that ye may fear him only that hath power to kill both body and soul and to cast them into hell fire Be of good comfort all the hairs of your head are numbred and there is not one of them can perish except your heavenly Father suffer it to perish Now you be in the field and placed in the fore-front of Christs battel Doubtless it is a singular favour of God and a special love of him towards you to give him this preheminence as a sign that he trusteth you before others of his people Wherefore dear Brethren and Sisters continually fight this Fight of the 〈◊〉 Your Cause is most just and godly ye stan◠〈◊〉 the true Christ who is after the flesh in Heâ—â—â—â— and for his true Religion and Honour 〈…〉 amply fully sufficiently and abundantly contained in the holy Testament sealed with Christs own blood How much be ye bound to God who putâ— you in trust with so holy and just a Cause Remember what lookers on you have to see and behold you in your fight God and all his holy Angels who be ready alwayes to take you up into Heaven if ye be slain in his Fight Also you have standing aâ— your backs all the multitude of the Faithful who shall take courage strength and desire to follow such noble and valiant Christians as you be Be not afraid of your Adversaries for he that is in you is stronger then he that is in them Shrink not although it be pain to you your pains be not now so great as hereafter your joyes shall be Read the comfortable Chapters to the Romanes 8.10 15. Hebrews 11.12 And upon your knees thank God that ever ye were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his Names sake Read the second Chapter of Luke and there you shall see how the Shepherds that watched their Sheep all night as soon as they heard that Christ was born at Bethlehem by and by went to see him They did not reason nor debate with themselves who should keep the Wolf from the Sheep in the mean time but did as they were commanded and committed their Sheep unto him whose pleasure they obeyed So let us do now we be called commit all other things to him that calleth us He will take heed that all things shall be well He will help the Husband he will comfort the Wife he will guide the Servants he will keep the House he will preserve the Goods yea rather then it should be undone he will wash the Dishes and rock the Cradle Cast therefore all your care upon God for he careth for you Besides this you may perceive by your imprisonment that your Adversaries weapons against you be nothing but flesh and blood and tyranny for if they were able they would maintain their Religion by Gods Word but for lack of that they would violently compel such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade because the holy Word of God and all Christs doings be contrary unto them I pray you pray for me and I will pray for you Fleet Ian. 14. 1555. In a Letter to certain of his Friends Now is the time of trial to see whether we fear more God or man It was an easie thing to hold with Christ whilst the Prince and world held with him but now the world hateth him it is the true trial who be his Wherefore in the Name and in the Vertue Strength and Power of his holy Spirit prepare your selves in any case to adversity and constancy Let us not run away when it is most time to fight Remember none shall be crowned but such as fight manfully and he that endureth to the end shall be saved Ye must now turn all your cogitations from the peril you see and mark the felicity that followeth the peril either victory in this world of your enemies or else a surrender of this life to inherit the everlasting Kingdome Beware of beholding too much the felicity or misery of this world for the consideration and too earnest love or fear of either of them draweth from God Wherefore think with your selves as touching the felicity of the world it is good but yet none otherwise then it standeth with the favour of God It is to be kept but yet so far forth as by keeping of it we lose not God It is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here but yet so that we tarry not therewithal in Gods displeasure and hereafter dwell with the Devils in fire everlasting There is nothing under God but may be kept so that God being above all things we have
and have neglected my time and have unhappily provoked both my self and others to anger by that Play Wherefore besides other my innumerable faults for this I desire you to invocate the mercy of the Lord that he will pardon me This Letter to this Minister was not to be opened by him before he was sure of Mr. Hus his death In a Treatise De Sacerdotum c. before mentioned he hath these words In writing these things and what else I have written before nothing else hath moved me hereunto but onely the love of our Lord Jesus crucified whose prints and stripes according to the measure of my weakness and vileness I covet to bear in my self beseeching him to give me grace that I never seek to glory in my self or in any thing else but onely in his Cross and in the inestimable ignominy of his Passion I do not therefore doubt but these things will like all such as unfeignedly love the Lord Christ crucified and will not mislike not a little all such as be of Antichrist durst not have so written unless the Lord Jesus Christ crucified by his inward motion had so commanded me Hyperius O what a difference is there said Martin Hyperius betwixt this and eternal fire Who would shun this to leap into that FINIS A CLOUD OF VVITNESSES OR THE Sufferers Mirrour Made up of The SWANLIKE-SONGS and other CHOICE PASSAGES of several MARTYRS and CONFESSORS to the end of the Sixteenth Century in their Treatises Speeches Letters Prayers c. in their Prisons or Exiles at the Bar or Stake c. Collected out of The Ecclesiastical Histories of Eusebius Fox Fuller Clark Petrie Scotland And Mr. Samuel Ward 's Life of Faith in Death c. and Alphabetically disposed By T. M. M.A. The second Part. Deut. 32.7 Remember the dayes of old consider the years of many generations ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee Psal. 44.22 For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as Sheep to the slaughter Phil. 1.28 In nothing be terrified by your adversaries c. Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Robert Boulter 1665. A brief account of what may be expected in this Collection by a friend to the Author READER IT is a comfort Thetis gives her brave Son in Homer that though he should be short liv'd yet he should continue himself in the admiration of posterity Though these blessed Martyrs and Saints departed sought not glory to themselves yet they all obtained a good report and their memory is blessed whilst the memory of the wicked rots or which is far worse stinks I grant many of them went in a siery Chariot to Heaven yet those Mantles that fell from them may through the concurs of God so spirit othâ—rs that they may do worthily in Ephratâ— though they never arrive to the glory of the â—irst Worthies I dâ—ubt not but many of them might by their staying lâ—nger in their houses of Booths have been very beneficial to the World yet Sampson's violent death was not without profit to the Church of God in pulling down the House of the Philistines And therefore I cannot but commend the Essay and elaborate Collections of this Author in reviving the Memories of these Ancient Christians It was well observed by Sir Francis Bacon That old Wood is best to burn and old Friends best to trust and old Books best to read Hence Scholars set a great price upon an ancient Manuscript Here are old things men of ancient dayes and old Books in a new Edition for thy benefit Here you will not find the fault that Historians are commonly guilty of who like flattering Limners draw too favourably or shadow over a wrinckle and slily forge in some secret grace Here is an honest Pen modestly but yet faithfully giving thee an account of Believers who through much faith patience and tribulation entred into the Kingâ—ome of Heaven Here are worthy Patterns for you to follow glorious Copies for you who are but Beginners in the World to write after They all call upon you so to follow them as they followed Christ. Here is a Cloud of Witnesses which if you have with Iesus in your eye you will be the better prepared to lay aside every weight and to run with patience the race that is set before you Man is led by nothing better then by example and examples of great Ones are most effectual Such are these I know abundantly how this lazy formal Age is ready to look on Scripture-Worthies as men unimitable as Giants to whose stature they despair ever to arrive But hâ—re you may be tolled on in your active and passive obedience as lazy Travellers will hâ—ld out with good Company which beat the Path before them Here is no excuse left of frailty which we are ready to make against obedience for thâ—se presidents in all Ages abudantly testifie that we frail men by the power of the same grace of God may reach to the same perfections We are too apt in these dayes to think our selves good enough if we find any worse then our selves but we should not content our selves to run with the Foot-men but to excell the best I have of late thought it a very high way to growth and perfection to collect some of the choicest frames of the best Christians and alwayes set them before us Blessed be the Lord this is done to thy hand and mayest thou reap the advantage of this labour Here thou mayest read thy defects in these holy mens excesses and amend thy self without any diminution to their glory Here thou mayest receive light from that which dazleth thee and lustre from that which at present ecclipseth thee When thou considerest what a dastardly cowardly Spirit is within thee what an Enemy of the Cross of Christ thou art here is that which will promote thy shame that these under the dawnings of Gospel-glory and grace should be as bold as Lions whilâ—t thou art as timerous as an Hare How do we shrink and tremble whilst these were as Rocks in the midst of the Floods standing unmoveable when the Winds blew and the Seas made a noise I heartily wish that the dew of Heaven may fall upon these holy Reliques that such a Spirit may attend the Reader as did these when called before Kings and Rulers for the Name of Christ. I heartily wish that these experiments of Gods presence with his suffering and witnessing Saints may help thee to trust in God I knâ—w you ought to trust God upon his single Bond without a Pawn or Pledge of his Power and Faithfulness but certainly Faith is wonderfully holpen by former experiences in all Ages and therefore let this Epitome of the Boâ—k of Martyrs as to the Martyrs sayings strengthen thy confidence and make thee râ—ly on God as a constant tried Friend Thâ—se are all great instancâ—s that God is seen in the Mount that he hath good
He that believeth God attendeth to his commands And the Devils believe to their little comfort I pray God save you and your Friends from that Believing Congregation St. Hierâ—m exhorts true Preachers to suffer death for the same when evil Priests and false Teachers and the people that be by them deceived are angry with them for preaching the truth though they be Christned as well as others I fear St. Hierom might appear to some Christian Congregation as they will be called to write seditiously to divide the unity of a great honest number confessing Christ in one Baptism one Lord one Faith Hierom calleth the Priests Masters and very proverly Servants teach not their own Doctrine but the Doctrine of their Master Christ to his glory Masters teach not Christs Doctrine but their own to their own glory Your Friends have learned of St. Iohn That every one that confesseth Iesus Christ in flesh is of God and I have learned of St. Paul That there have been not among Heathens but among the Christned who confess Christ with their mouth and deny him with their acts I leave it to your Friends to shew Utrum qui factis negant Christum vita sint ex Deo necne per solam oris confessionem for they knew well enough from the same St. Iohn He that is of God sinneth not and heareth the Word of God Many shall hear I never knew you who shall not onely be Christned but also Prophecy and do many mighty works in the Name of Christ. False Prophets are called naughty Servants Servants because they confess Christ in the flesh and naughty because they deny him in their deeds not giving meat in due season and exercising Mastership over the Flock In the people there is required a judgement to discern when Gods Ordinances are ministred and when mens own lest we take Chalk for Cheese which all edge our teeth and hinder digestion for it is commonly said The blind eateth many a fly as they did which were perswaded of the High Priests to ask Barabbas and crucifie Christ and ye know that to follow the blind guides is to come into the pit with the same Better it were to have a deformity in preaching so that some would preach the truth of God and that which is to be preached without cauponation and adulteration of the Word then to have such an uniformity that the silly people should thereby be occasioned to continue still in their lamentable ignorance corrupt judgement superstition and idolatry c. I see well whosoever will be happy and busie with vae votis shall shortly after come coram noâ—is I shall have need of great patience to bear the false reports of the malignant Church I wonder how men can go quietly to bed who have great Cures and many and yet peradventure are in none of them all I must suffer of necessity and so enter so perillous a thing it is to live godly in Christ Iesus even in a Christian Congregation God make us all Christians after the right fashion Amen In his Letter to King Henry the Eighth Saint Austin saith That he who for fear of any Power hidâ—th the Truth provoketh the wrath of God to come upon him for he feareth men more then God Saint Chrysostome saith That he is not onely a Traitor to the Truth who openly for Truth teacheth a Lye but he also who doth not freely pronounce and shew the Truth that he knoweth These passages made me sore afraid and troubled in conscience and at last drew me to this strait that either I must shew forth such things as I have read and learned in the Scripture or else be of that sort that provoke the wrath of God upon them and be Traitors to the Truth the which thing rather then it should happen I had rather suffer extreme punishment For what other thing is it to be a Traitor to the Truth then to be a Traitor and a Iudas unto Christ who is the very Truth and cause of all Truth who saith That whosoever deny him here before men he will deny him before his Father in Heaven the which denying ought more to be feared and dreaded then the loss of all temporal goods honour promotion fame prison slander hurts banishments and all manner of torments and cruelties yea and death it self be it never so shameful and painful But alas how little do men fear the terrible judgement of Almighty God and especially they who boast themselves to be Guides unto others and challenge to themselves the knowledge of holy Scriptures yet will neither shew the Truth themselves as they be bound nor suffer them that would So that what Christ said to the Pharisees may be said to them Woe be to you c. who shut up the Kingdome of Heaven before men and neither will you enter in your selves nor suffer them that would to enter in Now they have made it Treason to have the Scripture in English Here I beseech your Grace to hear patiently a word or two Though as concerning your Regal Power you are to me and all your Subjects in Gods stead c. yet as concerning that you be a mortal man in danger of sin having in you the corrupt nature of Adam in the which all be conceived and born and so have no less need of the merits of Christs Passion for your salvation then I or other of your Subjects have c. I was bold to write this rude homely and simple Letter to your Grace First I exhort you to make the life and process of Christ and his Apâ—stles in preaching and the words of Christ to his Disciples when he sent them forth to preach his Gospel Christ was born and lived very poor though he might by his Divine Power have had all the Treasures of this World when where he would But this he did to shew us that his Followers should not regard and set by the Riches and Treasures of this World if they happen to them they should not set their hearts upon them It is not against the poverty in spirit which Christ praiseth to be rich to be in dignity and honour so that the heart be not set upon them They be enemies to this poverty in spirit though they have never so little that have greedy desires to the Goods of this World onely because they would live after their own pleasure and lusts I will not that your Grace should take away the Goods due to the Church but take away all evil persons from the Goods and set better in their stead I name nor appoint no person or persons but remit your Grace to the Rule of our Saviour Christ By their fruits ye shall know them The words that Christ spake to his Disciples when he sent them to preach his Gospel are that here they shall be hated and despised of all men worldly and brought before Kings and Rulers and that all evil should be
to confute me by the Scriptures of the Prophets or Evangelists and Apostles and I will be most ready when taught to recant any Errour yea will be the first that shall cast mine own Books into the fire I suppose hereby it is manifest that I have well weighed the perils and dangers as also the divisions and dissentions which have risen through the World by occasion of my Doctrine of which I was yesterday gravely and sharply admonished As for me the face of things is very pleasant when I see discords and dissentions stirred up upon the account of the Word for such is the course the lot and event of the Gospel for Christ saith I came not to send Peace but a Sword I came to set a man at variance with his Father The Emperours Prolocutor telling him That he had not answered to the purpose neither ought he to call in question what hath been in time past defined and condemned in Councils and therefore a plain and direct answer whether he would recant or no was demanded of him Seeing therefore said Luther your most Excellent Majesty c. require a plain answer I will give one and that without horns or teeth Unless I shall be convinced by Scripture testimonies or evident reason for I believe neither Pope nor Councils onely seeing it is evident that they have often erred and contradicted themselves I am so evercome by the Scritures which I have alledged and my Conscience is so captiv'd to the Words of the Lord that I may not neither will I recant at all and that because it is neither safe nor honest to act against Conscience Here I stand I have nothing else to say God be merciful to me The Princes consulted together upon this Answer given by Luther and when they had examined it the Prolocutor endeavoured to refell it telling him That it nothing availeth to renew disputation concerning things condemned by the Church and Councils through so many Ages unless it should be necessary to give a reason to every one of every thing that is concluded but if this should be permitted to every one that gain ayeth the determination of the Church and Councils to be convinced by the Scriptures we shall have nothing certain and established in Christianity And therefore the Emperour required of him a plain and direct Answer either negative or affirmative to this Question Art thou resolved to defend all thy Works as Orthodoxâ— Or wilt thou recant any thing in them Then Dr. Martin besought the Emperour that he might not be compelled to recant against his Conscience captiv'd to and hindred by the holy Scriptures without manifest Arguments to the contrary The Answer said he that is required is a plain and direct Answer I have no other then what I have already given Unless my Adversaries can deliver my Conscience from captivity to those they call Errours by sufficient Arguments I cannot get out of the Net in which I am intangled All things which Councils have determined are not therefore true yea Councils have erred and determined often things contrary to themselves and therefore the Prolocutors Argument falleth I can shew that Councils have erred and therefore I may not revoke what is plainly and diligently exprest in Scripture Hereupon the Emperour resolved to pursue Martin Luther and his Adherents by Excommunication and other means that may be devised to extinguish his Doctrine yet would not violate his Faith but intended to give order for his safe return thither whence he was called and certified the Princes Electors Dukes and the other Estates assembled so much in a Letter to them Before Luther had any Answer from the Emperour several of all ranks visited him and conferred with him among the rest the ArchBishop of Triers sent for him and Dr. Vaeus in the presence of many Nobles protested that Luther was not called to dispute but onely the Princes had procured license from the Emperour benignly and brotherly to exhort him c. To whom he gave this Answer Most gracious and illustious Princes and Lords I give you most humble thanks for your clemency and singular good will from whence proceedeth this admonition I do indeed acknowledge my self altogether unworthy to be admonished by so Mighty Princes I have not reprehended all Councils but onely that of Constence and that because that Council hath condemned the Word of God as appears in that this Article of Iohn Hus That the Church of Christ is the Company of the Elect is condemned by it I am ready to lose blood and life for you so I be not compelled to revoke the manifest Word of God in defence whereof we ought rather to obey God then man Here I cannot avoid scandal There be two manners of offences at Manners and at Faith Now it is not in my power to make Christ not to be a Rock of Offence I am ready to obey Magistrates how wickedly soever they live so that I be not inforced to deny the Word of God Hereupon Dr. Vaeus admonished Luther to submit his Writings to the Emperours and the Princes judgement He answered humbly and modestly That he was so far from fearing their Examination that he was content to suffer his Writings to be discussed most accurately of the meanest so that it were done by the Authority of the Word of God and of the holy Scripture The Word of God said he makes so clearly for me that I may not yield unless I be untaught and taught better by the Word of the Lord. St. Austin writeth thus I give this honour onely unto the Canonical Books to believe them to be altogether true as for other holy and learned Doctors I onely so far believe them as they write the truth St. Paul bids us Prove all things and hold fast that which is good He saith also Though an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine c. Wherefore I humbly beseech you not to urge my Conscience bound in Scripture bonds to deny the so clear Word of God In all other cases I will be most obedient to you The Marquess of Branderburg asking him Whether he was not resolved not to yield unless he were convinced by the holy Scripture Yes said he most noble Lord or else by clear and evident reasons Afterwards Pentinger and Dr. Vaeus endeavoured to perswade Luther to let the Emperour and Empire to pass judgement upon his Writings simply and absolutely He answered That he was ready to do and suffer any thing so that they would build on the Authority of the holy Scripture Otherwise he could not consent for God by the Prophet saith Trust ye not in Princes nor in the children c. Cursed is he that trusteth in man When notwithstanding this answer they urged him more vehemently he told them Nothing is less to be permitted to mans judgement then the Word of God Then they prayed him to submit his Writings to the judgement of the next Council He agreed thereunto
stopt Romes breath And dead will be Romes death In this last Prayer Feb. 18. 1546. I pray God to preserve the Doctrine of his Gospel among us for the Pâ—pe and the Council of Trenâ— have grievous things in hand O heavenly Father my gracious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ thou God of all consolation I give thee hearty thanks that thou hast revealed to met thy Son Jesus Christ whom I believe whom I profess whom I glorifie whom the Pope and the reut of the wicked persecute and dishonour I beseech thee Lord Jesus Christ receive my soul. O my heavenly Father though I be taken out of this life and must lay down this frail body yet I certainly know that I shall live with thee eternally and that I cannot be taken out of thy hands Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou O God of Truth hast redeemed me In this last Will. O Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldst have me live a poor and indigent person upon earth I have neither house nor lands nor possessions nor money to leave Thou Lord hast given me Wife and children Them Lord I give back unto thee Nourish instruct and keep them O thou the Father of Orphans and Judge of the Widow as thou hast done to me so do to them When he saw his Daughter Magdalen ready to die he read to her Isa. 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise c. Adding My Daughter Enter thou into thy Chamber in peace I shall ere long â—e with thee for God will not permit me to see the punishment which hangs over the head of Germany When the Elector gave him a new Gown he said I am made too much of for if here we receive a full recompence for our labours we shall hope for none in another life I say flatly That God shall not put me off with these low things In the Cause of God said he I am content to undergo the hatred and violence of all the world When his head was out of order as it used to be towards his later end he would usually say Strike Lord strike mercifully I am prepared because by thy Word I am forgiven mine iniquities and have fed upon thy body and blood He used to say that three things would destroy Christian Religion Forgetfulness of the Blessings received by the Gospel security which reigns every where and worldly wisdome which will seek to bring all things into Order and to support the publick Peace by wicked counsels Erasmus said of him God hath given to this later age a sharp Physician and that because of the greatness of its diseases Mr. Fox saith of him That Luther a poor Fryer should be able to stand against the Pope was a great miracle that he should prevail against the Pope was a greater and after all to die in peace having so many enemies was the greatest of all When Myconius fell into a Consumption 1541. and wrote to Luther That he was sick unto life and not unto death Luther wrote back I pray Christ our Lord our salvation and health c. that I may not live to see thee and some others of our Colleagues to die and go to Heaven and leave me here among the Devils alone I pray God I may first lay down this dry exhausted and unprofitable Tabernacle Farewell and God forbid that I should hear of thy death while I live The Lord prolong thy life for me This I desire this I will and let my will be done Amen for this will hath the glory of God not my pleasure nor advantage for its end By and by hopeless Myconius recovered and lived six years longer even till after Luther's death Hence Iustus Ionas speaking of him saith That man could have of God what he pleased He would by no means endure that any should be called after his Name for said he the Doctrine which I teach is none of mine neither did Idie for any man neither would Paul 1 Cor. 3.4 c. endure such terms Besides we are all Christians and profess the Doctrine of Christ And lastly because the Papists use to do so calling themselves Pontificians whom we nought not to imitate M. Mallot Often have we hazarded our lives said Iohn Mallot a Souldier for the Emperour Charles the Fifth and shall we now shrink to die for the King of Kings Let us follow our Captain Man Thomas Man having broken Prison after his recantation said If I be taken again of the pild knave Priests I wist well I shall go the holy Angel and then be an Angel in Heaven Accordingly the Sheriffe of London when he had brought him into Smithfield to be burnt put him into Gods Angel He thanked God that he had been instrumental to convert seven hundred persons Marbeck Iohn Marbeck was a skilfull Organist in the Quire of Windsor a man of admirable industry and ingenuity His English Concordance the first that ever was in English Bishop Gardiner himself could not but commend as a piece of singular industry King Henry the Eighth hearing thereof said That he was better imployed then those Priests that accused him Being prest to discover Hereticks and being told he could not do God and the King greater service If I knew said he who were Hereticks indeed it were somewhat But if I should accuse him to be an Heretick that is none What a worm would that be in my conscience so long as I live Yea it were a great deal better for me to be out of this life then to live in such torment He being called a Dolt who would not discover them who should be sent for and would utter then all they can of him Whatsoever said he they shall say of me let them do it in the Name of God I will say no more of them nor of any man else then I know Being further prest to write down what he knew of such he thus prayed unto God O most merciful Father of Heaven thou that knowest the secret doings of all men have mercy upon thy poor Prisoner that is destitute of all help and comfort Assist me O Lord with thy special grace that to save this frail and vile body which shall turn to corruption in its time I have no power to say or to write any thing that may be to the casting away of my Christian Brother but rather O Lord let this vile flesh suffer at thy will and pleasure Grant this O most merciful Father for thy dear Son Jesus Christs sake Then he rose up and began to search his Conscience what he might write and at last writ thus Whereas your Lordship will have me to write of such things as I know not of my Fellows at home May it please your Lordship to understand that I cannot call to remembrance any manner of thing whereby I may justly accuse any one of them
from my head Afterwards Supping in the company of the said Frier and other great Papists and having refused to kiss his hand or to pledge him and being askt why he was so unwise and uncivil in his carriage He answered Oleum eorum non demulcet sed frangit caput meum The oyle of these men doth not supple but breaketh my head Another time a little before his death reasoning stifly for the Truth Mr. Barwick then Fellow of Trinity Colledge told him Well Palmer now thou art stout and hardy in thy Opinion but if thou wert once brought to the Stake I believe thou wouldst tell me another tale I advise thee beware of the fire it is a shrewd matter to burn Truly said Palmer I have been in danger of burning once or twice and hitherto I thank God I have escaped But I judge verily it will be my end at last welcome be it by the grace of God Indeed it is an hard matter for them to burn that have the mind and soul linked to the body as a Thiefs foot is tyed in a pair of Fetters but if a man be once able through the help of Gods Spirit to separate and divide the soul from the body for him it is no more mastery to burn then for me to eat this piece of bread After he had not onely resigned up his Fellowship but left his School at Reading for Conscience sake he went to his Mother at Esham hoping to get from her some Legacies left him by his Father Her first words to him were Thou shalt have Christs curse and mine whithersoever thou goest Oh Mother said he your own curse you may give me which God knoweth I never deserved but Gods curse you cannot give me for he hath already blessed me Whereas you have cursed me I again pray God to bless you and prosper you all your life long At his Trial at Newberry Dr. Ieffery told him he would make him recant and wring peccavi out of his lying lips ere he had done with him But I know said Palmer that although of my self I be able to do nothing yet if you and all mine enemies both bodily and ghostly should do your worst you shall not be able to bring that to pass neither shall ye prevail against Gods mighty Spirit by whom we understand the truth and speak it so boldly Ah said Ieffery are you full of the Spirit are you inspired with the Holy Ghost Sir said Palmer no man can believe but by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost therefore if I were not a Spirtual man and inspired with Gods holy Spirit I were not a true Christian. He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his I perceive said Ieffery you lack no words Christ hath promised said Palmer not onely to give us store necessary but with them such force of matter as the Gates of Hell shall not be able to confound or prevail against it Christ replied Ieffery made such a promise to his Apostles I trow you will not compare with them Palmer answered with the holy Apostles I may not compare yet this promise I am certain pertaineth to all such as are appointed to defend Gods Truth against his enemies in the time of their persecution for the same Then said Ieffery it pertaineth not to thee Yes said Palmer I am right well assured that through his grace it appertaineth at this present to me as it shall appear if I may dispute with you before this Audience Thou art but a beardless Boy replied Ieffery and darest thou presume to offer disputation or to encounter with a Doctor Remember Doctor said Palmer the wind bloâ—eâ—h where is listeth c. Out of the mouth of Infants c. Thou hast hid these things from the wise c. God is not tied to 〈◊〉 wit learning place nor person and though your wit and learning be greater then mine yet your belief in the Truth and zeal to defend the time is no greater then mine The Catholick Church I believe yet not for her own sake but be-because she is holy that is to say a Church that grounds her belief upon the Word of her Spouse Christ. After Dinner Sir Richard Alridges sent for Mr. Palmer to his Lodging and by offers tempted him to recant Mr. Palmer told him that as he had in two places already recounced his livelyhood for Christs sake so he would with Gods grace be ready to surrender and yield up his life also for the same when God should send time When the Knight perceived he would by no means relent Well Palmer said he then I perceive one of us twain must be damned for we be of two Faiths and certain I am there is but one Faith that leadeth to Life and Salvation O Sir said Palmer I hope we both shall be saved How may that be said the Knight Right well Sir said Palmer for as it hath pleased our merciful Saviour according to the Gospels parable to call me at the third hour of the day even in my flowers at the age of four and twenty years even so I trust he will call you at the eleventh hour of this your old age and give you everlasting life for your portion Mr. Winchcome perswading him to take pity on the pleasant flowers of lusty youth before it be too late Sir said Palmer I long for those springing flowers that shall never fade away Brethren said Palmer to his fellow Prisoners an hour before his Execution be of good cheer in the Lord and faint not Remember the words of our Saviour Christ Matth. 5.10 11 12. We shall not end our lives in the fire but change them for a better life yea for Coles we shall receive Pearls For Gods holy Spirit certifieth our spirit that he hath even now prepared for us a sweet Supper in Heaven for his sake which suffered first for us As he arose from Prayer at the Stake two Popish Friers came behind him and exhorted him yet to recant and save his soul. Mr. Palmer answered Away away tempt me no longer away I say from me all ye that work iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my tears When he was bound to the Post he said Good people pray for us that we may persevere to the end and for Christs sake beware of Popish Teachers for they deceive you When the fire was kindled and took hold of his body and the bodies of Iohn Gwin and Thomas Aâ—kine they lifted up their hands to Heaven and quietly and cheerfully as though they had felt no smart cried Lord Iesus strengthen us Lord Iesus assist us Lord Iesus receive our souls After their three heads by force of the raging and devouring flames of the fire were fallen together in a cluster so that they were all judged already to have given up the ghost suddenly Mr. Palmer as a man awaked out of sleep moved his tongue and jaws and was heard to pronounce this
will have his course When his Brother brought him Gun-powder he said I will take it to be sent of God therefore I will receive it as sent of him To my Lord Williams he said My Lord I must be a Suitor to you for divers poor men and my Sister c. There is nothing in all this world troubleth my conscience I praise God this onely excepted When he saw the fire flaming towards him he said Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord receive my soul Lord have mercy upon me In his Letter to all his true Friends I warn you all that ye be not amazed or astonied at the kind of my departure and dissolution for I assure you I think it the most honour that ever I was called to in all my life and therefore I thank my Lord God heartily for it c. For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death are Gods causes and the causes of the Truth then I doubt that the Gospel which Iohn wrote is the Gospel of Christ or that Paul's Epistles are the very Word of God And to have an heart willing to abide and stand in Gods Cause and in Christs Quarrel even unto death I assure thee O man it is an inestimable gift of God given onely to the true Elect and dearly beloved Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven for the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christs Cause St. Peter 1 Pet. 4. saith If ye suffer rebuke in the Name of Christ i. e. in Christs Cause and for his Truths sake then are ye happy and blessed for the glory of the Spirit of God resteth upon you and if for rebukes suffered in the Name of Christ a man is pronounced blessed and happy how much more blessed and happy is he that hath the grace to suffer death also Wherefore all ye that be my true Lovers and Friends rejoyce and rejoyce with me again and render with me hearty thanks to God our heavenly Father that for his Sons sake my Saviour and Redeemer Christ he hath vouchsafed to call me being so vile and sinfull a wretch in my self unto the high dignity of his true Prophets of his faithfull Apostles and of his holy Elect and chosen Martyrs to die in defence and maintenance of his eternal and everlasting Truth If ye love me indeed you have cause to rejoyce for that it hath pleased God to call me to a greater honour and dignity then ever I did enjoy before either in Rochester or London or should have had in Durham whereunto I was last of all elected yea I count it greater honour before God indeed to die in his Cause then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honour that can be given to a man in this world And who is he that knoweth the Cause to be Gods to be Christs Quarrel and of his Gospel to be the Commonweal of all the Elect and chosen Children of God of all the Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven Who is he I say that knoweth this assuredly by Gods own Word and the Testimony of his Conscience as I through the infinite goodness of God not of my self but by his grace acknowledge my self to do and doth in deed and in truth love and fear God love and believe his Master Christ and his blessed Gospel and the Brotherhood the chosen Children of God and also lusteth and longeth for eternal life who is he I say again that would not that cannot find in his heart in this Cause to be content to die Farewell Pembrohe Hall in C. of late mine own Colledge my Cure and my Charge what cafe thou art in now God knoweth I know not well Wo is me for thee mine own dear Colledge if ever thou suffer thy self by any means to be brought from setting forth Gods true Word In thy Orchard I learned without Book all Pauls Epistles yea and I ween all the Canonical Epistles save only the Apocalyps Of which study although in time a great part did depart from me yet the sweet smell thereof I trust I shall carry with me into Heaven The Lord grant that this zeal and love to that part of Gods Word which is a Key to all the Scripture may ever abide in that Colledge so long as the world shall endure O thou now wicked and bloody See of London c. hearken thou whorish Bawd of Babylon thou wicked limb of Antichrist thou bloody Wolf why slayest thou and makest havock of the Prophets of God why murthereft thou so cruelly Christs poor silly Sheep which will not hear thy voice because thou art a stranger and will follow none other but their own Pastor Christ his voice Thinkest thou to escape or that the Lord will not require the blood of his Saints at thy hands Instead of my farewell to thee now I say fie upon thee fie upon thee silthy Drab and all thy false Prophets To you my Lords of the Temporality will I speak c. Know ye that I had before mine eyes onely the fear of God and Christian charity toward you that moved me to write for of you hereafter I look not in this world either for pleasure or displeasure if my talk shall do you never so much pleasure or profit you cannot promote me nor if I displease you can you harm me for I shall be out of your reach I say unto you as St. Paul saith unto the Galatians I wonder my Lords what hath bewitched you that ye so suddenly are fallen from Christ unto Antichrist from Christs Gospel unto mans Traditions from the Lord that bought you unto the Bishop of Rome I warn you of your perill be not deceived except you will be found willingly consenters to your own death Understand my Lords it was neither for the priviledge of the Place or Person thereof that the See and Bishop of Rome were called Apostolick but for the true trade of Christs Religion which was taught and maintained in that See at the first of those godly men and therefore as truly and justly as that See then for that true trade of Religion and consanguinity of Doctrine with the Religion and Doctrine of Christs Apostle was called Apostolick so as truly and as justly for the contrariety of Religion and diversity of Doctrine from Christ and his Apostles that See and the Bishop thereof at this day both ought to be called and are indeed Antichristian The See is the Seat of Satan and the Bishop of the same that maintaineth the Abominations thereof is Antichrist himself indeed As for your displeasure by that time this shall come to your knowledge I trust by Gods grace to be in the hands and protection of the Almighty my heavenly Father the living Lord the greatest of all and then I shall not need I trow to fear what any Lord no nor what King or Prince can do unto me Much cause have you to
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