and Confessours yea with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like that in his glory we may be like him also O good God what are we on whom thou shouldest shew this great mercy O loving Lord forgive us our unthankfulness and sins O faithful Father give us thy holy Spirit now to cry in our hearts Abba dear Father to assure us of our eternal election in Christ to reveal more and more thy Truth unto us to confirm strengthen and stablish us so in the same that we may live and die in it as Vessels of thy mercy to thy glory and to the commodity of thy Church Indue us with the Spirit of thy wisdome that with good conscience we may alwayes so answer the enemies in thy cause as may turn to their conversion or confusion and our unspeakable consolation in Jesus Christ for whose sake we beseech thee henceforth to keep us to give us patience and to will none otherwise for deliverance or mitigation of our misery then may stand alwayes with thy good pleasure and merciful will towards us Grant this dear Father not onely to us in this place but also to all others elsewhere afflicted for thy Names sake through the death and merit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In his godly Meditations We are rather to be placed among the wicked then among thy children for that we are so shameless for our sin and careless for thy wrath which we may well say to be most grievous against us and evidently set forth in the taking away of our good King and the true Religion in the exile of thy Servants imprisonment of thy People misery of thy Children and death of thy Saints and by placing over us in authority thine enemies by the success thou gavest them in all that they took in hand by the returning again into our Countrey of Antichrist the Pope What shall we do what shall we say who can give us penitent hearts who can open our lips that our mouths might make acceptable confession unto thee O what now may we do Despair no for thou art God and therefore good thou art merciful and therefore thou forgivest sins with thee is mercy and propitiation and therefore thou art worshipped When Adam had sinned thou gavest him mercy before he desired it and wilt thou deny us mercy which now desire the same Adam excused his fault and accused thee but we accuse our selves and excuse thee and shall we be sent empty away Abraham was pulled out of Idolatry when the world was drown'd therein and art thou his God onely Israel in captivity in Egypt was graciously visited and delivered and dear God that same good Lord shall we alwayes be forgotten How often in the wilderness didst thou defer and spare thy plagues at the request of Moses when the people themselves made no Petition to thee and seeing we do not onely make our Petitions to thee but also have a Mediator for us now far above Moses even Jesus Christ shall we I say dear Lord depart ashamed Take into thy custody and governance for ever our souls and bodies our lives and all that ever we have Tempt us never further then thou wilt make us able to bear and alwayes as thy children guide us so that our life may please thee and our deaths praise thee through Jesus Christ our Lord for whose sake we heartily pray thee to grant these things c. not onely to us but c. especially for thy children that be in thraldome under their enemies in exile in prison poverty c. Be merciful to all the whole Realm of England grant us all true repentance and mitigation of our misery And if it be thy good will that thy holy Word and Religion may continue amongst us Pardon our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and if it be thy pleasure turn their hearts Oh mighty King and most High Almighty God who mercifully governest all things which thou hast made look down upon the faithful seed of Abraham c. consecrated to thee by the anointing of thy holy Spirit and appointed to thy Kingdome by thy eternal purpose free mercy and grace but yet as strangers wandring in this vile vile of misery brought forth daily by worldly Tyrants like Sheep to the slaughter Thou hast destroyed Pharaoh with all his Horse and Chariots puffed up with pride against thy people leading forth safely by the hands of thy mercy thy beloved Israel through the high waves of the roaring waters Thou O God the Lord of all Hosts and Armies didst first drive away from the Gates of thy people the blasphemous Senacherib slaying of his Army 85000 by the Angel in one night and after by his own Sons before his Idols didst kill the same blasphemous Idolater c. Thou didst transforâ— and change proud Nebuchadnezzar the enemy oâ— thy people into a bruit beast to eat grass and hayâ— to the horrible terrour of all worldly Tyrants c. Thou didst preserve those thy three Servants iâ— Babylon who with bold courage gave their bodies to the fire because they would not worship any dead Idol and when they were cast into the burning Furnace thou didst give them chearful hearts to rejoyce and sing Psalms and savedâ—â— unhurt the very hairs of their heads turnâ—ng the flame from them to devour their enemies Thou O Lord God by the might of thy right arm which governeth all broughtest Daniel thy Prophet safe into light and life forth of the dark Den of the devouring Lions c. Now also O heavenly Father beholder of all things to whom belongs vengeance thou seest and conâ—iderest how thy holy Name by the wicked Worldlings and blasphemons Idolaters is dishonoured thy sacred Word forsaken refused and despised thy holy Spirit provoked offended thy chosen Temple polluted and defiled Tarry not too long therefore but shew thy power speedily upon thy chosen Houshold which is so grievously vexed and so cruelly handled by thy open enemies Avenge thine own glorâ— and shorten these evil dayes for thine Elects sake Let thy Kingdome come of all thy Servants desired and though we have all offended thy Majesty Yet for thine own glory O merciful Lord suffer not the enemy of thy Son Christ the Romish Antichrist thus wretchedly to delude and draw from thee our poor brethren for whom thy Son once died that by his cruelty after so clear light they they should be made Captives to dumb Idols and devillish inventions of Popish Ceremonies thereunto pertaining Suffer him not to seduce the simple sort with this fond opinion that his false gods blind mumbling feigned Religion or his foolish Superstition doth give him such conquest such victories such triumph and so high an hand over us We know most certainly O Lord that it is not their arm and power but our sins and offences that hath delivered us to their fury and hath caused thee
hath the people to be offended with us for not receiving of a Jesus Christ of wood We bear upon our hearts the Cross of Christ the Son of the everliving God feeling his Word written therein in letters of Gold Baudicon beginning to sing on the Scaffold the Sixteenth Psalm a Frier cried out Do ye hear my Masters what wicked errours these Hereticks sing to beguile the people withall whereupon Baudicon replyed Thou simple Idiot callest thou the Psalms of David the Prophet Errours But no marvel for thus you are wont to blaspheme against the Spirit of God Then turning his eye to his Father who was about to be chained to the Stake he said Be of good courage Father the worst will be past by and by The old man complaining of the blow which the Executioner gave him on the foot as he was fastning to the Post a Frier said Ah these Hereticks they would be counted Martyrs forsooth but if they be but touched a little they cry out as if they were killed Whereupon Baudicon said Think you then that we fear the Tormentâ—rs No such matter for had we feared the same we had never exposed our bodies to this so shameful and painful a kind of death Then he often reiterated those short breathings O God Father everlasting accept the sacrifice of our bodies for thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ his sake With his eyes fixed on Heaven he said to his Father Behold for I see Heavens open and millions of Angels ready prest to receive us rejoycing to see us thus witnessing the Truth in the view of the world Father let us be glad and rejoyce for the joyes of Heaven are set open to us When the fire was kindled he often repeated this in his Fathers ear Faint not Father nor be afraid yet a very little while and we shall enter into the Heavenly Mansions The last words they were heard to pronounce were Iesus Christ thou Son of God into thy hands we commend our spirits Iane the Wife of Robert whilst in Prison separated from her Son Martin was drawn away by a Monk and prevailed with to let go her first faith and having promised to draw her Son Martin from his errours he was suffered to come to her which when he understood O Mother said he what have you done Have you denied him who hath redeemed you Alas What evil hath he done you that you should requite him with this so great an injury and dishonour Now I am plunged into that wo which I have most feared Ah good God! that I should live to see this This pierceth me to the very heart His Mother hearing this and seeing his tears she with tears cried out O Father of mercies be merciful to me miserable sinner and cover my transgression under the righteousness of thy blessed Son Lord enable me with strength from above to stand to my first Confession and make me to abide stedfast therein even to my last breath When they that had seduced her came to her again with detestation she said Avoid Satan get thee behind me from henceforth thou hast neither part nor portion in me I will by the help of God stand to my first Confession and if I may not sign it with ink I will seal it with my blood When Iane and Martin heard the Sentence past returning to Prison they said Now blessed be our God who causeth us thus to triumph over our Enemies This is the wished hour Our gladsome day is come Let us not then said Martin forget to be thankfull for the honour he doth us in conforming us to the image of his Son Let us remember those that have traced this death before us for this is the high way to the Kingdome of Heaven Let us then good Mother go on boldly out of the Camp with the Son of God bearing his reproach with all his holy Martyrs for so we shall find passage into the glorious Kingdome of the everliving God Some of the Company not brooking these words said We see now thou Heretick that thou art wholly possest body and soul with a Devil as was thy Father and Brother who are both in Hell Martin replied Sirs as for your railings and cursings our God will this day turn them into blessings in the sight of all his holy Angels A certain Temporizer endeavouring to stagger Martin by the consideration of the multitude that believed not as he did his Mother said Sir Christ Jesus our Lord saith That it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction and therefore many go in thereat but the gate is narrow that leadeth to life and few there be that find it Do ye then doubt whether we be in the strait way or no when ye behold our sufferings Would you have a better sign then this to know whether we are in the right way Compare our Doctrine with that of your Priests and Monks We for our part are determined to have but one Christ and him crucified We onely embrace the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Are we deceived in believing that which the holy Prophets and Apostles have taught Martin being asked Whether he thought himself wiser then so many learned Doctors answered I pray you Sir doth not Christ our Lord tell us That his Father hath hid the secrets of his Kingdome from the wise and prudent and revealed them to Babes And doth not the Lord oftentimes catch the wise in their own craftiness Then came into the Prison to Martin two men of great Authority and perswading him to recant promised him great matters c. Martin gave them this answer Sirs you present before me many temporal commodities but alas do you think me so simple as to forsake an eternal Kingdome for enjoying a short transitory life No Sirs it is too late to speak to me now of worldly commodities Speak of those spiritual ones which God hath prepared for me to day in his Kingdome I purpose not to hearken after any other Onely let me crave one hours respite to my self to give my self to Prayer Afterwards Martin declared the effect of this combate to certain Brethren in Prison saying Let us lift up our heads Brethren the brunt is over this I hope is their last assault Forget not I pray you the holy Doctrine of the Gospel nor those good Lessons which you have learned from our Brother Guy probably he meant Mr. Guy de Brez of whom before in letter B. Manifest it now to all that you have received them not onely into your ears but also into your hearts Follow me We lead you the way Fear not God will never leave you nor forsake you Iane having ascended the Scaffold cried out to Martin Come up come up my Son As Martin was speaking to the people she said Speak out Martin that it may appear to all that we die not Hereticks She being bound to the Stake said We are Christians and that which we now suffer is
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
if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her The Chancellor pressing him to do as they had done in hopes of the Queens mercy and pardon My Lord said he I desire mercy with Gods mercy i. e. without doing or saying any thing against God and his Truth pag. 290. but mercy with Gods wrath God keep me from Gods mercy I desire and also would be glad of the Qâ—eens favour to live as a Subject without clog on Conscience but otherwise the Lords mercy is better to me then life Life in his displeasure is worse then death and death with his favour is true life He having refused again and again to answer to the Chancellors Quaeries said That no fear but the fear of perjury made him unwilling to answer he having been six times sworn not to consent to the practising of any Jurisdiction or any Authority on the Bishop of Râ—me's behalf within the Realm of England I am not afraid of death I thank God I look and have looked for nothing else from your hands a long time but I am afraid when death cometh I should have maâ—ter to trouble my Conscience by the guilt of perjury As for my death as I know there are twelve hours in the day so with the Lord my time is appointed and when it shall be his good time then I shall depart hence but in the mean season I am safe enough though all the reople had sworn my death into his hands have I committed it and do his good will be done The Earl of Derby sending one of his Servants to him willing him to tender himself He told the Messenger that he thanked his Lordship for his good will towards him but in this case I cannot tender my self more then Gods honour The same Servant saying also Ah Mr. Bradford consider your Mother Sister Friends Kinsfolk Countrey what a great discomfort it will be to them to see you die as an Heretick Mr. Bradford replied I have learned to forsake Father Mother Brother Sister Friends and all that ever I have yea and my own self for else I cannot be Christs Disciple Being askt by a good Gentlewomans Servant that was sent to him How he did he answered Well I thank God for as men in Sailing which be near to the Shore or Haven where they would be would be nearer even so the nearer I am to God the nearer I would be In a Letter to his Mother and Brethren I am at this time in Prison sure enough from starting to confirm that I have preached unto you As I am ready I thank God with my life and blood to seal the same if God vouchsafe me worthy of that honour If we suffer with him we shall also reign wâ—th him Be not therefore faint-hearted but rather rejoyce at the least for my sake who now am in the right and high way to Heaven for by many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God Now will God made known his Children When the wind doth not blow the Wheat cannot be known from the Chaffe but when the blast cometh then flieth away the Chaffe but the Wheat remaineth and is so far from being hurt that by the wind it is more cleansed from the Chaffe Gold when it is cast into the fire is the more precious so are Gods Children by afflictions Indeed I thank God more for this Prison then for any Parlour yea then for any pleasure that eyer I had for in it I find God my most sweet good God alwayes Of all deaths it is most to be desired to die for Gods sake such are sure to go to Heaven Death nor Life nor Prison nor Pleasure I trust in God shall be able to separate me from my Lord God and his Gospel Rejoyce in my sufferings for it is for your sakes to confirm the truth I have taught Howsoever you do be obedient to the Higher Powers that is in no point either in hand or tongue Rebel but rather if they command that which with good conscience you cannot obey lay your head on the Block and suffer what they shall do or say By patience possess your souls In his Letter to the City of London I ask God heartily mercy that I do no more rejoyce then I do having so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my dear Lord and Saviour to suffer Although my sins be manifold and grievous yet the Bishops and Prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his Word his Truth and Religion Let the anger and plagues of God most justly fallen upon us be applied to every one of our deserts that from the bottome of our hearts every one of us may say It is I Lord that have sinned against thee It is my hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetousness uncleanness carnality security idleness unthankfulness self-love c. which have deserved the taking away of thy Word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by Exile Imprisonment Death c. Prepare your selves to the Cross be obedient to all that be in Authority in all things that be not against God his Word for then answer with the Apostle It is more meet to obey God then man Howbeit never for any thing resist or rise against the Magistrates Avenge not your selves Commit your Cause to the Lord. If you feel in your selves an hope and trust in God that he will never tempt you above that he will make you able to bear be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to bear all brunts but if you want this Hope flee and get you hence rather then by your tarrying Gods Name should be dishonoured In his Letter to Cambridge Thou my Mother the University hast not onely had the truth of Gods Word plainly manifested unto thee by Reading Disputing and Preaching publickly and privately but now to make thee altogether excuseless and as it were almost to sin against the Holy Ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romish Rout to suppress the Verity and set out the contrary thou hast my life and blood as a Seal to confirm thee if thou wilt be confirmed or else to confound thee if thou wilt take part with the Prelates and Clergy which now fill up the measure of their Fathers which slew the Prophets and Apostles that all the righteous blood from Abel to Bradford may be required at their hands For the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and blood I beseech you to take Christs eye-salve to anoint your eyes that you may see what you do and have done in admitting the Romish rotten Rags which once you utterly expelled O be not the Dog returned to his vomit be not the Sow that was washed returning to her wallowing in the mire Beware least Satan enter in with seven worse Spirits c. It had been better you had never known the truth then after knowledge to have run
me not six dayes ago saying I am more worthy to be burnt then any that hath been burned yet God's blessing on their hearts for their good report God make me worthy of that dignity and hasten the time that I may set forth his glory Blessed be the time that ever I came into the Kings Bench to be joyned in love and fellowship with such dear children of the Lord. In his Letter to his Wife Are not two sparrows saith Christ sold fer a farthing and yet not one of them shall perish without the will of your Heavenly Father c. As though he should have said if God hath such respect and care for a poor sparrow which is not worth one farthing it shall not be taken in the lime-twig net or pitfall untill it be his good will and pleasure you may be well assured that not one of you whom he so dearly loveth that he hath given his onely dear Son for you shall perish or depart forth of this miserable life without his good will and pleasure Let not the remembrance of children keep you from God The Lord himself will be a Father and a Mother better then ever yoâ—â— or I could have been unto them He himself will do all things necessary for them yea as much as rock the cradle if need be In his Letter to Mr. Bradford If we had been thanful to God for the good Ministers of his Word we had not so soon been deprived both of it and them Take not away all thy true Preachers forth of this Realm O Lord but leave us a seed least England be made like unto Sodom and Gomorrah when thy true Lots be gone Hearken O Heavens and then Earth give ear and bear me witness at the great Day that I do here faithfully and truly the Lord's message to his dear Servant to his singularly beloved and elect child Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloved of God I pronounce and testifie unto thee in the Name of the Lord Jehovah that all thy sins whatsoever they be be they never so many so grievous or so great be fully and freely pardoned released and forgiven thee by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ thine onely Lord and sweet Saviour in whom thou doest undoubtedly believe Christ hath cleansed thee with his blood and cloathed thee with his Righteousness and hath made thee in the sight of God his Father without spot or wrinckle so that when the fire doth his appointed office thou shalt be received as a sweet burnt-sacrifice into Heaven where thou shalt joyfully remaâ—n in God's presence for ever as the true inheriter of his everlasting Kingdom unto the which thou wast undoubtedly predestinate and ordaâ—ned by the Lords infallible purpose and decree before the foundation of the world was laid and that this is most true that I have said I call the whole Trinity the Almighty and Eternal Majesty of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost to my record at this present whom I humbly beseech to confirm and stablish in thee the true and lively feeling of the same Amen Selah In his Letter to his dear and faithful Brethren in Newgate condemned to die Cease not my dearly Beloved so long as you be in this life to praise the Lord with all your hearts for that of his great mercy and infinite goodness he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignity to suffer for his sake not onely the loss of goods wife and children long imprisonment cruel oppression but death it self in the fire This is the greatest promotion that God can bring you or any other into in this vail of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Angel in Heaven is not permitted to have and yet hath the Lord for his dear Son Christ's sake reputed you worthy of the same yea and that before me and many others who have both long looked and longed for the same Rejoyce with double joy and be glad my dear Brethren for doubtless you have more cause then can be exprest But alas I that for my sins am left behind may lament with the holy Prophet Woe is me that the dayes of my joyful râ—st are prolonged Ah cursed Satan which hath caused me so sore to offend my most dear loving Father whereby mine exile and banishment is so long prolonged Oh Christ my dear Advocate pacifie thy Father's wrath which I have justly deserved that he may take me home to him in his sweet mercy In his Letter to Mr. Green c. If they be so blessed of God that die in the Lord as the Holy Ghost saith they be how much more blessed and happy then are you that die not onely in the Lord but for the Lord. O blessed Green c. fresh and green shalt thou be in the Lord's House and thy fruits shall never wither nor decay O happy Mr. Whittle Peter's part thou hast well play'd therefore thy reward and portion shall be like his Now hast thou good experience of man infirmity but much more proof and taste yea sense and feeling of God's abundant bottomless mercyâ— Although Satan desired to sift thee yet Christ thy good Captain pray'd that thy faith should not failâ— God's strength is made perfect by thy weakness c. But alas I lye like the lame man aâ— the Pools side and every one goeth into the place of health before me In his Letter to William Tyms Satan hath two great pieces of Ordinance to shoot at you with the which he cannot hurt you because you have two bul-warks to defend you The first of these terrible Guns that he hath shot at you is fear and infidelity for the uglesomness of death and horrour of your many and great sins But this pellet is easily put away with the sure shield of faith in the most precious death and blood-shedding of our dear Lord and onely Saviour Jesus Christ whom the Father hath given to us wholly to be ours for evermore and with him hath given us all things as Paul saith so that though we be never so great sinners yet Christ is made unto us holiness righteousness and justification He hath clothed us all his merits c. and taken to himself all our sin c. so that if any should be now condemned for the same it must needs be Jesus Christ who hath taken them upon him But indeed he hath made satisfaction for them to the uttermost so that for his sake they shall never be imputed to us if they were a thousand times more then they be The other pestilent Piece he shooteth off at you is to provoke you to put some part of your trust and confidence in yourself and in your own holiness and righteousness that you may that way rob God of his glory and Christ of the honour and dignity of his death but blessed be the Lord God you have also a full strong Bul-work to beat back this pestilent Pellet even the
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
be all honour and glory for ever and ever So be it A short Prayer which Mr. Gilby made for tâ—â— faithful in those dayes O Lord God and most merciful Father we beseech thee for the honour of thâ— Holy Name to defend us from that Antichrist 〈◊〉 Rome and from all his detestable enormities manners laws garments and ceremonies Destroy thoâ— the counsel of all the Papists and Atheists enemiâ—â— of thy Gospel and of this Realm of England Dâ—â—â—close their mischiefs and subtile practises Câ—â— found their devices Let them be taken in theâ— own wiliness And strengthen all those that maiâ—tain the Cause and Quarrel of thy Gospel with iâ—vincible force and power of the Holy Spirit so thâ— they fail not to proceed and go forward to that trâ—â— Godliness commanded in thy Holy Word with 〈◊〉 simplicity and sincerity to thy Honour and Glorâ— the comfort of thine Elect and the confusion 〈◊〉 thine enemies through Jesus Christ our Lord anâ— Saviour Amen Amen And say from the hearâ—â— Amen Glee When the Friers told Madam La Glee that 〈◊〉 was in a damnable estate It seems so indeed saiâ—â—sne being now in your hands but I have a 〈◊〉 that will never leave me nor forsake me for 〈◊〉 that Thou hast said they renounced the Faith It is true said she I have renounced your faith which I am able to shew is rejected and accurseâ— of God and therefore deserves not so much as 〈◊〉 be called Faith When news was brought her that she was coâ—â—demned to be hang'd she fell down upon heâ— knees and blessed God for that it pleased him 〈◊〉 snew her so much mercy as to deliver her by such kind of death out of the troubles of this wretcheâ— world and to honour her so far as to call her 〈◊〉 die for his Truth and to wear his Livery meaning the Haltar which the Hangman had put about her neck Then sitting down at Table to break her fast with the three other condemned Servants of Christ giving thanks to God she exhorted them to be of good courage and to trust unto the end in his free and onely mercy She then called for a clean linen Wastcoat making her self ready as if she had been going to a Wedding Mr. Wâ—rd tells us that she put on her Bracelets for I go said she unto my Husband Being commanded as she was led to execution to take a Torch into her hand and to acknowledge she had offended God and the King Away away said she with it I have neither offended God nor the King according to your meaning nor in respect of the cause for which I suffer I am I confess a sinful woman but I need no such light for helping me to ask forgiveness of God for my sins past or present Life such things your selves who sit and walk in the darkness of ignorance and errour Then one of her Kinsfolks met her in the way and presented to her view her little children praying her to have compassion on them I must needs tell you said she that I love my children dearly but yet neither for the love I bear to them or any thing else in this world will I renounce the Truth or my God who is and will be a Father unto them to provide better for them then I should have done and therefore to his providence and protection I commend and leave them When she saw the three men about to die silent and not to call on God she exâ—orted then thereto and gave them an example Glover Mr. Robert Glover in his Letter to his Wife haâ— many memorable passages the chief I shall collecâ— I thank you heartily most loving Wife 〈◊〉 your Letters sent to me in my imprisonment read them with tears more then once or twicâ— with tears I say for joy and gladness that Goâ— hath wrought in you so merciful a work 1 〈◊〉 unfeigned repentance 2 An humble and heart reconciliaton 3 A willing submission and obâ—â—dience to the will of God in all things Theâ—â— your Letters and the hearing of your godly prâ—â—ceedings have much relieved and comforteâ— me c. and shall be a goodly Testimony for you at the great Day against many worldly and dainâ—â— Dames which set more by their own pleasure anâ— praise in this world then by Gods Glory little reâ—garding as it appeareth the everlasting health 〈◊〉 their own souls or others So long as God shalâ— lend you continuance in this miserable world above all things give your self continually to Prayer lifting up pure hands without anger wrath oâ— doubting forgiving as Christ forgives And that wâ—â— may be the better willing to forgive it is good ofteâ— to call to remembrance the multitude and greatness of our sins which Christ daily and hourâ—â— pardoneth and forgiveth us And because Godâ— Word teacheth us not onely the true manner â—â— praying but also what we ought to do or not to 〈◊〉 in the whole course of our life what pleaseth 〈◊〉 displeaseth God and that as Christ saith The Woâ—â— of God that he hath spoken shall judge us Let youâ— Prayer be to this end especially that God of hiâ— great mercy would open and reveal more and morâ— daily to your heart the true sense knowledge anâ— understanding of his most holy Word and giâ—â— you grace in your living to express the fruit thereof And forasmuch as Gods Word is as the Holy Ghost calleth it The Word of affliction i. e. it is seldome without hatred persecution peril danger of loss of goods and life c. Call upon God continually for his assistance casting your accounts what is like to cost you endeavouring your self through the help of the Holy Ghost by continuance of prayer to lay your foundation so sure that no storm or tempest shall be able to overthrow it remembering alwayes as Christ saith Lots wife i. e. to beware of looking back to that thing that displeaseth God and nothing more displeaseth God then Idolatry that is false worshiping of God otherwise then his Word commandeth They object they be the Church c. My answer was The Church of God knoweth and acknowledgeth no other head but Jesus Christ the Son of God whom ye have refused and chosen the man of sin the Son oâ— perdition enemy to Christ the Devils Deputy and Lieutenant the Pope Christs Church heareth teacheth and is ruled by his Word as he saith My Sheep hear my voice If you abide in me and my Word aâ—ide in you you be my Disciples Their Church repelleth Gods Word and forceth all men to follow their traditions Christs Church dares not adde nor diminish alter or change his blessed Testament but they be not afraid to take away all that Christ instituted and go a whoring as the Scripture saith with their own inventions c. The Church of Christ is hath been and shall be in all ages under the Cross persecuted molested and afflicted the world ever hating them
It is no arrogancy nor presumption in any man to burden God as it were with his promise and of duty to claim and challenge his aid help and assistance in all our perils dangers and distress calling upon him not in the confidence of our own godliness but in the trust of his own promises made in Christ. His Word cannot lye Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee and thou shalt praise me I answered the enemy also on this manner I am a sinner and therefore unworthy to be a witness of this truth What then Must I deny his Word because I am not worthy to proâ—ess it What bring I to pass in so doing but adde sin to sin What is greater sin then to deny the truth of Christs Gospel He that is ashamed of me or of my words saith Christ of him also will I be ashamed before my Father and all his Angels I might also by the same reason forbear to do any of Gods Commandments When I am provoked to pray the enemy may say to me I am not worthy to pray therefore I shall not pray c. When the Bishop came to Lichfield he perswaded me to be a Member of his Church which had continued so many years As for our Church as he called it it was not known he said but lately in King Edward's time I profess my self to be a Member of that Church said I that is builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone And this Church hath been from the beginning said I though it bear no glorious shew before the world being ever for the most part under the Cross and affliction contemned despised and persecuted The Bishop contended on the other side that they were the Church So cried all the Clergy against the Prophets of Ierusalem said I saying The Church the Church c. So much out of Mr. Glover's choice Letter After he was condemned his heart was lumpish and desolate of all spiritual consolation whereupon fearing least the Lord had utterly withdrawn he made his moan to Mr. Austine Bernher his familiar friend telling him how he had prayed night and day to God and yet had no sense of comfort from him The Minister desired him to wait patiently the Lords leisure and howsoever his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was just he exhorted him constantly to stick to the same and to play the man not doubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation whereof said Mr. Bernher he was right certain and sure and therefore desired him whenever any such feeling of Gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch his heart that then he should shew some signification thereof The next day as he was going to the place of his Martyrdome and was come within light of the Stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feel none suddenly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joys that he cried out clapping his hands to Austine and saying in these words Austine He is come he is come c. and that with such joy and alacrity as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life then as one passing out of the world by any pains of death Godfrey When one called Godfrey de Hâ—mmele Heretick he said No Heretick but an unprofitable Servant yet willing to die for his Lord and reckoning this death no death but a life Goodman Mr. Christopher Goodman an exiled Minister of Christ in Queen Mary's dayes declaring the cause of all the then misery in England and the onely way to remedy the same writes as followeth from Geneva If all in whom the People should look for comfort be altogether declined from God as indeed they appear to be at this present time in England without all fear of his Majesty or pity upon their Brethren Then assure your selves dear Brethren and Servants of God there can be no better counsel nor more comfortable or present remedy which you shall prove true if God grant you his Spirit and Grace to follow it then in continual and daily invocation of his Name to rest wholly and onely upon him make him your shield buckler and refuge who hath so promised to be to all them that are oppressed and depend upon him to do nothing commanded against God and your conscience preferring at all times the will of God to the will of men saying and answering to all manner of persons This God hath commanded this we must do That God hath forbidden that we will not do If you will rob us and spoil us for doing the Lords will to the Lord must you make answer and not to us for his goods they are and not ours If ye will imprison us behold you are oppressours if ye will hang us or burn us behold ye are murtherers of them which fear the Lord. And for our part if you take from us this vile and corruptible life we are sure the Lord will grant it us again with joy and immortality both of soul and body If God give you grace to make this or the like answer and strength to contemn their Tyranny you may be sure to find unspeakable comfort and quietness of conscience in the midst of your danger and greatest rage of Satan And thus boldly confessing Christ your Saviour before men as by the examples of thousands of your Brethren before your faces God doth mercifully encourage you you may with all hope and patience wait for the joyful confession of Christ again before his Father and Angels in Heaven that you are his obedient and dearly beloved Servants being also assured of this that if it be the will of God to have you any longer to remain in this miserable world that then his Providence is so careful over you and present with you that no man or power can take away your life from you nor touch your body any farther then your Lord and God will permit them which neither shall be augmented for your plain confession nor yet diminished for keeping of silence for nothing cometh to the Servants of God by hap or chance whose hairs of their heads are numbred Whereof if ye be so assured as ye ought there can be nothing that should make you to shrink from the Lord. If they do cast you into Prison with Ioseph the Lord will deliver you If they cast you to wild beasts and Lions as they did Dâ—niel you shall be preserved If into the Sea with Ionas you shall not be drowned or into the dirty dungeon with Ieremy you shall be delivered or into the fiery Furnace with Shadrach Meshach and Aâ—ednego yet shall not be consumed Contrariwise if it be his good pleasure that you shall glorifie his holy Name by your death what great thing have you lost changing death for life
poor Prisoners I make this my humble suit and prayer to you all my especial good Friends beseeching you by all the bonds of amity in the bowels of mercy to tender the cases of miserable Captives Help to cloath Christ visit the Afflicted comfort the Sorrowful and relieve the Needy The very God of peace guide your hearts to have mercy on the poor and love faithfully together Amen This present Monday when I look to die and to live for ever Yours for ever Bartlet Green In his Letter to Mrs. Elizabeth Clark I shall not cease with continual Prayer to labour for you desiring Almighty God to increase that which he hath long since begun in you of sober life and earnest zeal towards his Region She that is a true Widow and friendless putteth her trust in God continuing day and night in supplication and prayer but she that liveth in pleasure is dead even yet alive And verily she is a true widow that hath married Christ forsaking the vanities of the world and the lusts of the flesh For as the married woman careth how to love and serve and please her Husband so ought the Widow to give all her soul and heart thoughts and words studies and labours faithfully to love God vertuously to bring up her children and houshold and diligently to provide for the poor and oppressed Not to live in pleasure but to watch unto prayer stedfastly laying up all her trust in God Of Anna it is written That she never went out of the Temple but served God with fasting and prayer night and day to â—ring up her children and houshold godly in the nurture and information of the Lord. There are most manifest examples against Parents for the offences of Children Contrariwise how greatly might Hanna rejoyce over Samuâ—l her Son whom she had brought up in the House of the Lord But above all Widows thrice blessed was the happy Mother of the seven Sons that so had instructed them in the fear of the Lord that by no torments they would sâ—rink from the love of his Truth To be liberal to Strangers to wash the Saints feet and minister to them in their adversity Saint Paul as though they onely had been therefore meet appointed onely Widows to minister to the Saints and to gather for the poor Alas That Christ so hungreth and no man will feed him is so sore opprest with thirst and no man will give him drink destitute of all lodging and not relieved sick and not visitted imprisoned and not seen In times past men could bestow large sums of money on Copes Vestments and Ornaments of the Church why rather follow we not St. Ambrose his example who sold the same for the relief of the poor or Chrysostom's command who willed first to deck and garnish the living Temple of God But alas such is the wickedness of these our last dayes that nothing moves us neither the pure Doctrine the godliness of life nor good examples of the Ancient Fathers If in any thing they erred that will their charitable children embrace publish and maintain with sword faggot and fire but all in vain they strive against the stream for though in despite of the Truth by force of the ears of crafty perswasion they may bring themselves into the haven of Hell yet can they not make all men believe that the banks move while the ship saileth nor ever shall be able to turn the direct course of the stream of Gods Truth In another Letter Better is the day of death saith Solomâ—n then the day of birth Happy are the dead that die in the Lord. Man of woman is born in travel to live in misery man through Christ doth die in joy to live in felicity he is born to die and dieth to live Strait as he cometh into the world with cries he uttereth his miserable estate strait as he departeth with Songs he praiseth God for ever Scarce yet in his cradle three deadly enemies assault him after death no Adversary may annoy him whilst he is here he displeaseth God when he is dead he fulfilleth his will Here he dieth every hour there he liveth continually here is sin there is righteousness here is time there is eternity here is harted there is love here is pain there is pleasure here is misery there is felicity Seek therefore the things that are above c. Grey The Lady Iane Grey Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk whose Mother was Daughter to Mary King Henry the Second's Sister having personated a Queen for ten dayes and upon Queen Mâ—ries Proclamation being imprisoned the Queen sent Mr. Fecknam to her two dayes before her death to commune with her and reduce her from the Doctrine of Christ to Queen Maries Religion The effect which communication here followeth Madam said Fecknam I lament your heavy Case c. You are welcome unto me Sir said the Lady Iane if you come to give me Christian Exhortation And as for my heavy Case I thank God I do so little lament it that rather I account the same for a more manifest Declaration of Gods favour towards me then ever he shewed me at any time before and therefore there is no cause why either you or other which bear me good will should lament or be grieved with this my Case being a thing so profitable for my souls health I am here come said he from the Queen and Council to instruct you in the true Doctrine of the right Faith c. I heartily thank the Queen said she who is not unmindful of her humble Subject and I hope no less that you will do your duty therein both truly and faithfully What is then said he requried of a Christian To believe said she in God the Father Son and holy Ghost three Persons and one God What said he is there nothing else required or looked for in a Christian but to believe in him Yes said she We must love him with all our heart with all our soul and with all our mind and our Neighbour as our self Why then said he faith justifies not and saveth not Yes verily said she Faith as Paul saith onely justifies Why said he St. Paul saith If I have all faith without love it is nothing True said she for how can I love him whom I trust not or how can I trust him whom I love not Faith and love go both together and yet love is comprehended in faith How must we love our Neighbour said he To love our Neighbour said she is to feed the hungry to cloath the naked and give drink to the thirsty and to do to him as we would do to our selves Why then said he it is necessary unto salvation to do good works also and it is not sufficient onely to believe It is meet said she that a Christian in token that he follows his Master Christ to do good works yet may we not say that they profit to our salvation for
your Brethren that you have vouchsafed to take me a Prisoner and condemned man by the hand whereby to my rejoycing it is somewhat apparent that your old love and friendship towards me is not altogether extinguished and I trust also that all the things I have taught you in times past are not utterly forgotten c. For the which most true and sincere Doctrine because I will not now account it falshood and Heresie as many other men do I am sent hither by the Queens command to die and am come where I taught it to confirm it with my blood And now Mr. Sheriffs My request to you is That there may be a quick Fire shortly to make an end and in the mean time I will be as obedient unto you as your selves would wish If you think I do amiss in any thing hold up your finger and I have done for I am not come hither as one inforced or compelled to die for it is well known I might have had my life with worldly gain but as one willing to offer and give my life for the truth rather then to consent to the wicked Papistical Religion of the Bishop of Rome c. When the Sheriffs fetcht him from his Chamber to the place of Execution with Bills Weapons c. Mr. Sheriffs said he I am no Traytor neither needed you to have made such a business to bring me to the place where I must suffer for if ye had willed me I would have gone alone to the Stake and have troubled none of you all When he saw the multitude of People that were assembled he said unto them that were about him Alas why be these People assembled and come together peradventure they think to hear something of me now as they have in times past but alas speech is prohibited me Notwithstanding the cause of my death is well known unto them when I was appointed here to be their Pastor I preached unto them true and sincere Doctrine and that out of the Word of God because I will not account the same to be Heresie and untruth this kind of death is prepared for me When he was come to the place where he was to suffer after he had begun to pray a Box was brought and laid before him upon a stool with his Pardon or at leastwise it was feigned so to be from the Queen if he would turn at the sight thereof he cried If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away with it In his Prayer he was overheard to say Lord I am Hell but thou art Heaven I am swill and a sink of sin but thou art a gracious God and merciful Redeemer Thou art ascended into Heaven receive me Hell to be partaker of thy joyes where thou sittest in equal glory with thy Father for well knowest thou wherefore I am come hither to suffer and why the wicked do persecute this thy poor Servant not for my sins and transgressions against thee but because I will not allow their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the denial of the knowledge of thy Truth wherewith it did please thee by thy holy Spirit to instruct me the which with as much diligence as a poor wretch might being thereto called I have set forth to thy glory And well seest thou my Lord and God what terrible pains and cruel torments be prepared for thy Creature such Lord as without thy strength none is able to bear or patiently to pass But all things that are impossible with man are possible with thee Therefore strengthen me of thy goodness that in the fire I break not the Rules of patience or else asswage the terrour of the pains as shall seem most to thy glory When he was at the Stake three irons made to bind him to the Stake were brought one for his Neck another for his Middle and the third for his Legs He refusing them said Ye have no need thus to trouble your selves for I doubt not but God will give strength sufficient to abide the extremity of the fire without bands notwithstanding suspecting the frailty and weakness of the flesh but having assured confidence in Gods strength I am content ye do as ye shall think good When he was first scorch'd with the fire he pray'd saying mildly and not very loud but as one without pains O Jesus the Son of David have mercy upon me and receive my soul. When the second fire was spent and onely burnt his lower parts he said for Gods love good people let me have more fire In the third fire he prayed with somewhat a loud voice Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The Reasons of Mr. Hooper's refusing the Episcopal Habits c. I find thus C. Why do not you my Lord use these innocent and harmless weeds H. I put my self upon the tryal of the Searcher of Hearts that no obstinacy but meer Conscience makes me refuse these Ornaments C. These Ornaments are indifferent of themselves and of ancient use in the Church H. They are useless being ridiculous and superstitious C. Nay my Lord being enjoyned by lawful Authority they become necessary not to salvation but to Church-unity H. Being left indifferent by God it is presumption in man to make them necessary C. By a moderate use of these Ceremonies we may gain Papists into the Church H. While you hope to gain Papists into the Church you lose many Protestants out of it C. You discredit other Bishops who have used this Habit. H. I had rather discredit them then destroy mine own conscience C. How think you being a private person to be indulged with to the disturbance of the publick Uniformity of the Church H. If it please your Grace but to read these Letters I hope you will be satisfied and then he produced the Letters from the Earl of Warwick anâ— King Edward C. These are to desire that in such reasonable things wherein my Lord Elect of Glocester craveth to be born withall at your hands you would vouchsafe your Graces favour the principal cause is that you would not charge him with any thing burdenous to his Conscience I. Warwick WE do understand you stay from Consecrating our well beloved Mr. J. Hooper because hâ— would have you omit and let pâ—ss câ—rtain Rites and Ceremonies â—ffensive to his Conscience whereby you thiâ—â— you shall fall in premunire of Laws We have thoughâ— good by advice of Our Council to discharge you 〈◊〉 manner of Dangers Penalties and Forfeitur◠〈◊〉 should run into by omitting any of the sâ—me and 〈◊〉 Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Disâ—charge Edward Rex In his Letter writ in Answer to one sent hiâ— concerning certain taken in Bow Church-yard whilst they were praying I do rejoyce in thâ—â— men can be so well occupied in this perillous time and flee for remedy to God by Prayer as well foâ— their own lacks
kill the body c. Fear not though they seem terrible unto you neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts Onely let your conversation be as becomes the Gospel c. in nothing fearing your adversaries which is to them a token of damnation and to you of salvation and that of God for unto you it is given not onely to believe in Christ but to suffer for his sake In the Revelation it is written That the fearful shall have their part with the Unbelieving and Abominable in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat but strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Thus I wholly commit you to him and to the Word of his grace which is able to build further beseeching you most heartily to pray for me that I may be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and stand perfect in all things being alwayes prepared and ready looking for the mercy of our Lord unto eternal rest and I will pray for you as I am most bound So I trust he will graciously hear us for his promise sake in Christ. Your Christian Brother a Prisoner of the Lord John Hullier In another Letter to the Congregation of Christs faithful followers Most dear Christians having now the sweet comfort of Gods saving health and being confirmed with his free Spirit be he onely praised therefore I am constrained in my conscience to admonish you as ye tender the salvation of your souls by all manner of means to separate your selves from the Antichristian Company considering what is said in the Revelation If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in the forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured into the cup of his wrath c. The Beast is none other but the carnal and fleshly Kingdome of Antichrist What do they else but worship this Beast and his Image who after they had escaped from the filthiness of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ are yet again tangled therein and overcome using dissimulation for fear of their displeasure doing one thing outwardly and thinking inwardly another So having them in reverence under a cloak and colour to whom they ought not so much as to say God speed and adjoyning themselves to the Malignant Congregation which they ought to abhor as a Den of Thieves and Murderers and a Brothel-house of most blasphemous Fornicators But this feignedness and dissimulation Christ and his Gospel will no wayes allow Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Sâ—n of man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his Father c. Cursed be the dissemblers c. Ye were once enlightned and tasted of the heavenly gift And no man that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh back is apt for the Kingdome of God They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us Wherefore good Christians for Gods dear love deceive not your selves through your own wisdome and through the wisdome of the world which is foolishness before God but certifie and stay your own consciences with the faithful Word of God c. Though Gods mercy is over all his works yet it doth not extend but onely to them that hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope unto the end not being weary of well doing but rather every day waxing stronger and stronger in the inward man In the Revelation where it is entreated of the Beast and his Image it is said Here is the sufferance of Saints and here are they that keep the Commandments and Faith of Iesus Christ intimating that God doth use those wicked men as instruments for a time to try the patience and faith of his peculiar people c. Peradventure you will say What shall we do shall we cast our selves head-long to death I say not so but this I say That we are all bound if ever we look to receive salvation at Gods hands in this case to be wholly obedient to his determinate counsel c. and then to cast all our care on him who worketh all in all for the best unto them that love him Now thus be commandeth Come away from her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Come out from among them and joyn not your selves to their unlawful Assemblies yea do not once shew your selves with the least part of your body to favour their wicked doings Now chuse you which way you will take either the narrow c. or the broad way c. I for my part have now written this short Admonition to you of good will as God is my witness to exhort you to that way which at length you shall prove and find to be best and I do not onely write this but I will with the assistance of Gods grace seal it with my blood Hunter Atwell a Sumner telling William Hunter it was never a merry world since the Bible came abroad in English Say not so for Gods sake said Hunter for it is Gods Book out of which every one that hath grace may learn to know what things both please God and also what displeaseth him Could not we tell said Atwell before this time how God was served No said Hunter nothing so well as we may now if that we might have his blessed Word amongst us still as we have had You must turn or burn said Atwell God give me grace said Hunter that I may believe his Word and confess his Name whatsoever come thereof Whereas you doubt of my belief said Hunter to Wood the Vicar of Southwell I would it were tryed Whether that you or I would stand faster in our Faith Yea thou Heretick said Wood wouldst thou have it so tryed That which you call heresie said Hunter I serve my Lord God withall I would that you and I were fast tyed to a Stake to prove whether that you or I would stand strongest to our Faith It shall not be so tryed said Wood No said Hunter I think so for if I might I think I know who would soonest recant for I durst set my foot against yours eyen to the death Bonner telling him That he was content he should keep his conscience to himself so that he would go to Church and receive c. No said he I will not do so for all the good in the world Then said Bonner I will make you sure enough I warrant you Well said
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
c. but you guilty in the same offences hath he fostered as it were in his own bosome during the time of that most miserable thraldome under Queen Mary and now hath set you at such liberty as the fury of Gods enemies cannot hurt you except that willingly against his Honour you take pleasure to conspire with them God requires of you earnest repentance for your former defection and an heart mindful of his merciful providence and a will ready to advance his glory that evidently it may appear that in vain you have not received these graces of God To performance whereof of necessity it is that carnal wisdome and worldly policy to both which you are too much inclined give place to Gods naked Truth Very love compells me to say That except the Spirit of God purge your heart from that Venome which your eyes have seen destructive to others that you shall not long escape the reward of Dissemblers Now you are in that estate and credit in the which you shall either comfort the sorrowful and affâ—icted for righteousness sake or else you shall molest and oppugne the Spirit of God speaking in his Messengers The Comforters of the afflicted for godliness have promise of comfort in their greatest necessities but the Troublers of Gods Servants how contemned soever they appear before the world are threatned to have their Names in execration to the Posterities following Except that in the Cause of Christs Evangel you be found simple sincere fervent and unfeigned you shall taste of the same cup which Politick Heads have drunk in before I hear that some of that poor Flock of late assembled in Geneva are so extremely handled that those who most rudely have shed the blood of Gods most dear Children find this day among you greater favours then they do Alas This appeareth much to repugne to Christian Charity for whatsoever hath been mine offence this I fear not to affirm in their Cause That if any that have suffered Exile in those most dolorous dayes of Persecution deserve praise and commendation for peace concord sober and quiet living it is they From Diep April 10. 1559. In his Letter to Queen Elizabeth Consider deeply how for fear of your life you did decline from God and bow to Idolatry going to Mass under your Sister Mary her persecution of Gods Saints Let it not appear a small offence in your eyes that you have declined from Christ Jesus in the day of your Battel neither would I that you should esteem that mercy to be vulgar and common which you have received viz. that God hath covered your Offence hath preserved your Person when you were most unthankful and hath Exalted you c. Commonly it is seen that such as refuse the counsel of the Faithful appear it never so sharp are compelled to follow the deceit of Flatterers to their own perdition Edinburg Iuly 28. A. 1559. When Mass was permitted to the Queen for a time Mr. Knox the next Sabbath after the first Mass shewed what terrible plagues God had taken upon Realms and Nations for Idolatry and added That one Mass was more fearful to him then if Ten thousand armed Enemies were Landed in any part of the Realm of purpose to suppress the whole Religion for said he in our God there is strength to resist and confound multitudes if we unfeignedly depend upon him whereof heretofore we have had experience but when we joyn hands with Idolatry it is no doubt but both Gods amiable presence and comfortable defence will leave us and what shall then become of us Alas I fear that experience will teach us to the grief of many When God began to make his words good He did in the audience of many Dec. 1565. ask God mercy that he was not more vehement and upright in suppressing that Idol at the beginning For said he albeit I spake that which offended some which this day they see and feel to be true yet did I not that which might have been done for God had not onely given me knowledge and a tongue to make known the impiety of that Idol but he had given me credit with many who would have put in execution Gods Judgements if I would onely have consented thereto but so careful was I of that common tranquility and so loth was I to offend some that in secret conference with zealous men I travelled rather to mitigate yea to slacken that fervency God had kindled in them then to animate or encourage them to put their hands to the Lords Work wherein I acknowledge my self to have done most wickedly and from the bottome of my heart do ask of my God pardon that I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that Idol in the beginning When the Queen accused him for stirring up her Subjects against her Mother her Self and that he was the cause of much sedition great slaughter in England and that all he did was by Necromancy Madam said Mr. Knox may it please your Majesty patiently to hear my simple answers and first If to teach the Word of God in sincerity if to rebuke Idolatry and to will a people to worship God according to his Word be to raise Subjects against their Princes then cannot I be excused but if the true knowledge of God and his right worshipping be the chief cause which must move men to obey their just Princess from their heart as it is most certain they are wherein can I be reprehended I think and am surely perswaded that your Majesty hath had and now hath as unfeigned obedience of such as profess Christ Jesus within this Realm as ever your Father or Progenitors had of those that were called Bishops And now shortly to answer the other two Accusations I heartily praise my God through Jesus Christ that Satan that enemy of mankind and the wicked of the world have no other crimes to lay to my charge then such as the world it self knoweth to be most false and vain If indeed in any of the places where I was in England during the time of my being there there was either Battel Sedition or Mutiny I shall confess my self a shedder of blood but God so blessed my weak labours in Barwick wherein then commonly used to be slaughter by reason of quarrels that used to arise among Souldiers that there was great quietness all the time that I remained there And whereas they slander me of Magick Necromancy c. all the Congregations that ever heard me know what I spake against such acts and those that use such impiety but seeing my Master was accused thus even that he was possessed with Belzebub I must patiently bear their false accusations But yet said the Queen you have taught the people to receive another Religion then their Princes can allow and how can that Doctrine be of God seeing God commandeth Subjects to be obedient to their Princes Madam said he as right Religion took neither
for one of those precious Chains about his neck in honour of his Lord. Why I pray you said he do you deny me the badge of so excellent an Order Is not my Cause the same with theirs Marsh. Mr. George Marsh Minister in Lancashire writes thus concerning his Troubles My Friends and Relations advised me to flee If I were taken said they and would not recant as they thought I would not and God strengthning and assisting me never shall it would not onely put them to great sorrow and losses and shame but also my self after troubles and painful imprisonment unto shameful death To their counsel my weak flesh would gladly have consented but my spirit did not fully agree thinking and saying thus unto my self That if I so fled away it would be thought and reported that I did not onely flee my Countrey and nearest and dearest Friends but from Christ holy Word of late years within my heart or at least with my life professed and with my mouâ—h taught I knew not what to do but ceased not by earnest prayer to ask and seek counsel of God aâ—â— of other my Friends whose godly judgement and knowledge I much trusted to Still I was undetermined what to do but told a Friend that had prayed with me for direction I doubted not but God according as our prayer and trust was would give me such wisdome and counsel as should be most to his honour and glory the profit of my Neighbours and Brethren and mine own eternal salvation by Christ in Heaven At length one came to me with Letters from a faithful Friend which I never read nor looked on who said thus My Friends advice was that I should in no wise flee but abide and boldly confess the Faith of Jesus Christ. At which words I was so confirmed and established in my Conscience that from thenceforth I consulted no more whether it were better to flee or to tarry but was at a point with my self that I would not flee but go to Mr. Barton who did seek me and patiently bear what cross it should please God to lay upon me Whereupow my mind and conscience being much troubled before was now merry and in quiet state Thereupon I went to Mr. Barton He shewed me a Letter from the Earl of Derby wherein he was commanded to send me to Lathum Thither I went The Earl asked me whether I was one that sowed dissention among the people I denied it and desired to know mine Accusers but that could not be granted He asked me whether I was a Priest I said No but a Minister c. I was asked whether I had ministred with a good Conscience I answered I had ministred one year with a good Conscience I thanked God and if the Laws of the Realm would have suffered me I would have ministred still and if the Laws at any time hereafter would suffer me to minister after that sort I would minister again The Vicar of Prescot having communed with me a good while concerning the Sacrament of the Altar told my Lord and his Council that the answer which I had made before and then made was sufficient for a Beginner and one that did not profess a perfect Knowledge in that matter and thereupon I had more favour Hereupon I was much more troubled in my spirit then before because I had not with more boldness confessed Christ but in such sort as mine Adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against me Hitherto I went about as much as lay in me to rid my self out of their hands if by any means without open denying of Christ and his Word that could be done This considered I cried more earnestly to God to strengthen me with his holy Spirit with boldness to confess him and to deliver me from their enticing words and that I might not be spoiled through their Philosophy and deceitful vanity after the traditions of men and ordinances of the world and not after Christ. The Vicar of Prescot and Parson of Grapnal much exhorted me to leave mine Opinions saying I was much deceived understanding the Scriptures amiss and much counselled me to follow the Catholick Church of Christ and to do as others did I answered My faith in Christ conceived by his holy Word I neither might nor would deny alter or change for any living creature whatsoâ—vâ—r â—e were Afterwards Mr. Sherburn and Mr. Mâ—â—r perswaded me to leave mine Opinions because of the advâ—rsity of the Maintainers of them and the prosperity of the Favourers of the Religion now used I answered That I believed and leaned onely to the Scriptures not judging things by prosperity or adversity They advised me not to let shame hinder me from renouncing mine Opinions I answered That what I did I did not for the avoiding of any worldly shame saying My soul and life were dearer to me then the avoiding of any worldly shame neither yet did I it for any vain praise of the world but in the reverent fear of the Lord. Mr. Sherburn told me that it was great pity I should cast my self away c. I answered That my Life Mother Children Brethren Sisters and Friends with other Delights of this life were as dear and sweet to me as unto any other man and that I should be as loth to lose them as another would if I might hold them with a good conscience and without the ignominy of Christ. But seeing I could not do that my trust was that God would strengthen me with his holy Spirit to lose them all for his sake for I take my self said I for a Sheep appointed to be slain patiently to suffer what cross soever it shall please my merciful Father to lay upon me After this Mr. Moor told me I was unlearned and erred from the Catholick Faith stubborn and stood altogether in mine own conceit I answered For my learning I acknowledge my self to know nothing but Jesus Christ even him that was crucified and that my Faith was grounded on Gods holy Word onely and such as I doubted not pleased God and as I would stand in to the last God assisting me and that I did not say or do any thing of stubbornness self-wilfulness vain-glory or any other worldly purpose but with good conscience and in the fear of God Desiring him to speak to my Lord and his Council that I might find some mercy at their hands but he giving me but short answer then I said I commit my Cause to God who hath numbred the hairs of my head and appointed the dayes of my life saying I am sure God who is a Righteous Iudge would make inquisition for my blood according as he hath promised I desire the Reader of this Relation to pray for me and all them that be in bonds that God would assist us with his holy Spirit that we may with boldness confess his holy Name and that Christ may be magnified in our bodies that we may stand full and perfect
they labourel with Gods Word c. Wherefore until such time as our consciences are otherwise taught and instructed by Gods Word we cannot with safeguard of our consciences take it as many suppose at this time And we trust in God that the Queens Highness and her most Honourable Council will not in a matter of Faith use compulsion or violence because Faith is the gift of God and cometh not of man or of mans Laws nor at such time as men require it but at such time as God giveth it Being asked whether he would stand to what he had said I must need stand to it said he till I be perswaded by a further truth It being replied Nay you will not be perswaded but stand to your own Opinion Nay said he I stand not to mine own Opinion God I take to witness but onely to the Scriptures of Gâ—d and I take God to witness that I do nothing of presumption but that that I do is onely my Conscience and if there be a further truth then I see except it appear a truth to me I cannot receive it as a truth And seeing Faith is the gift of God and cometh not of man for it is not you that can give me Faith nor no man else therefore I trust ye will bear the more with me seeing it must be wrought by God and when it shall please God to open a further truth to me I shall receive it with all my heart In his Confession of his Faith The Lord is the Protector of my life The just shall live by Faith and if he withdraw himself my soul shall have no pleasure in him Thus have I declared my Faith briefly which were no Faith if I were in doubt of it This Faith I desire God to increase in me Praise God for his gifts Nicaise Nicaise a Say-maker in Tournay for refusing to live according to the Customes of the Romish Church and to observe the traditions invented by her c. being condemned and having heard the sentence as he rose up he said Now praised be God As he was led to execution seeing a great multitude of people he lifted up his voice and said O ye men of Tournay open your eyes awake ye that sleep and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give ye light As he joyfully ascended up the Scaffold he said Lord they have hated me without a cause As he was fastning to the Stake he said Eternal Father have pity and compassion upon me according as thou hast promised to all that ask the same of thee in thy sons Name Noyes When Iohn Noyes was asked by his Brother in Law if he did fear death when the Bishop gave judgement against him he answered He thanked God he feared death no more at that time then himself or any other did being at liberty Being bound to the Stake he said Fear not them that can kill the body but fear him that can kill both body and soul and cast it into everlasting fire When he saw his Sister weeping and making moan for him he bade her Weep not for him but weep for her sins When a Fagot was set against him he took it and kissed it and said Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this He said also Good people bear witness that I do believe to be saved by the merits and passion of Jesus Christ and not by my own deeds When the fire was kindled and burned about him he said Lord have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Son of David have mercy upon me In his Letter to his Wife out of Prison You desired me to send you some tokens to remember me I therefore send you these Scriptures even for a remembrance St. Peter saith Dearly beloved be not troubled with this heat that is now come among you to try you as though some strange thing had hapned unto you but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory appeareth ye may be merry and glad If ye be railed on for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God restest on you See that none of you suffer as a Murtherer c. but if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalf for the time is come that judgement must begin at the House of God If it first begin at us what shall the end of them be that believe not the Gospel of God Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in well doing St. Paul saith All that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution St. Iohn saith See that ye love not the world nor the things of the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world which vanisheth away and the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for ever St. Paul saith What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness what company hath light with darkness or what part hath the Believer with the Infidel c. Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selves now saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing so will I receive you and I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty So farewell Wife and Children and leave worldly care and see that ye be diligent to pray Take no thought saith Christ saying what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink or wherewith shall we be clothed after all these things do the Geneiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things but seek ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousness thereâ—f and all these things shall be ministred to you O. Oâ—colampadius He fell sick in the year 1531. and of his age 49. about the same time that Zuinglius was unhappily slain His grief for his death much increased his sickness He foretold his own death was very desirous to enjoy the heavenly Light Sending for the Ministers of the Gospel to him he spake to them thus O my Brethren you see what is done The Lord is come he is he is now calling me away What shall I say unto you the Servants of the Lord whom the love of God your Master the same study and doctrine have most intimately united now that I am to take my leave of you Salvation hopes of Heaven Truth Light for our feet is procured by Christ for us It becomes us to cast away all sadness all fear of life and death c. My Brethren this onely remains That we who have for some time walked in the wayes of Christ continue constant
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
word Iesus Epitaphium in Palmerum Palmerus flammas Christi pro dogmate pâ—ssus Impositum pondus ceu bona Palma tâ—lit Non retrocessit sed contra erdentior ivit Illaesam retinens fortis in igne fidem Propterea in Coelum nunc Palmifer iste receptus Iustitiâ— Palmam not pereuntis habot Paulinus When he had his City Gold Silver and all taken away he said Lord let not the loss of these things trouble me for thou art all and more then all these to me Pareus David Pareus having foreseen the great miseries that would come upon the Palatinate when the Spaniards came in with their Army by Prodigies and Dreams he was perswaded to retire himself At his departure he cried out O Heidelberg Heidelberg But it is better to fall into the hands of God then of men whose tender mercies are cruelty Paschalis It is a small matter said Lewis Paschalis to die once for Christ if it might be I could wish I might die a thousand deaths for him Patingham Patrick Patingham being much prest by Bonner to recant He protested that the Church which the Bishop believed was no Catholick Church but was the Church of Satan and therefore he would never turn to it c. Peloquine The Inquisitors telling Dyonisius Peloquine his life was in his own hands Then said he it were in an ill keeping Christs School hath taught me to save it by losing it and not by the gain of a few dayes or years to lose eternity Person Mr. Anthony Person being come to the place of Execution with a chearfull countenance embraced the Post in his arms and kissing it said Now welcome mine own sweet Wife for this day shalt thou and I be married together in the love and peace of God Pulling the straw unto him he laid a good deal thereof upon the top of his head saying This is Gods Hat now am I dressed like a true Souldier of Christ by whose merits onely I trust this day to enter into his joy Peter The Apostle Peter was crucified his head being down and his feet upward he himself so requiring because he was he said unworthy to be crucified after the same manner form as the Lord was c. Seeing his Wife going to her Martyrdome belike as he was yet hanging upon the Cross he was greatly joyous and glad thereof and cried out unto her with a loud voice Remember the Lord Iesus None but Christ Nothing but Christ. Phileas Phileas Bishop of the Thumitans whilst he was in bonds before he received the Sentence of Death wrote to the Congregation over which he was Bishop exhorting them to persist in the Truth of Christ professed notwithstanding the Torments inflicted upon the Martyrs in his dayes which he thus describes Some beat them with Cudgels some with Rods some with Whips some with Thongs and some with Cords Some of them having their hands bound behind their backs were lifted up upon Timber-logs and with certain Instruments their members and joynts were stretched forth whereupon their whole bodies hanging were subject to the will of the Tormentors who were commanded to afflict them with all manner of torments not on their sides onely but bellies thighs and legs They scratched them with the talens and claws of wild Beasts Some were seen to hang by one hand upon the Engine whereby they might feel the more grievous pulling out of the rest of their joynts and members Some were stretched out after they were beaten upon a new kind of Rack Others were cast down upon the Pavement where they were oppressed so thick and so grievously with torments that it is not almost to be thought what afflictions they suffered Some died of their torments not a little shaming and confounding their enemies by their singular patience Others were condemned and willingly and cheerfully were martyr'd Philpot. Mr. Iohn Philpot Son of Sir Peter Philpot of Huntshire being threatned to be removed from the Kings Bench to Lullards Tower said You have power to transfer my Body from place to place at your pleasure but you have no power over my soul. God hath appointed a day shortly to come in the which he will judge us with righteousness howsoever you judge of us now When Story threatned him with a worse Prison he said God forgive you and give you more mercifull hearts and shew you more mercy in the time of need Do quickly that you have in hand Bonner telling him He marvelled they were so merry in Prison singing and rejoycing in their naughtiness Methinks said he you do not well herein you should rather lament and be sorry My Lord said Mr. Phiâ—pot the mirth that we make is but in singing certain Psalms as we are commanded by St. Paul willing us to be merry in the Lord singing together in Hymns and Psalms We are my Lord in a dark comfortless place and therefore it behoveth us to be merry least as Solomon saith Sorrowfulness eat up our heart St. Paul saith If any man be of upright mind let him sing and we therefore to testifie we are of an upright mind to God though we be in misery do sing After this conference with Bonner I was saith Mr. Philpot carried to my Lords Cole-house again where I with my six Fellows do rouz together in the straw as cheerfully we thank God as others do in their Beds of Down When he was brought before Bonner and the Bishop of Bath c. a second time before he answered any questions he fell down upon his knees before them and prayed thus Almighty God thou art the Giver of all wisdome and understanding I beseech thee of thine infinite goodness and mercy in Jesus Christ to give me most vile sinner in thy sight the Spirit of wisdome to speak and answer in thy Cause that it may be to the contentation of the Hearers before whom I stand and also to my better understanding if I be deceived in any thing Bonner telling the Bishop of Wercester that he did not well to exhort him to make any Prayer for in this point said he they are much like to certain arrant Hereticks of whom Pliny maketh mention that did daily sing Antelucanos Hymnos praise unto God before the dawning of the day Mr. Philpot replied My Lord God make me and all you here present such Hereticks as those were that sang those Morning Hymns for they were right Christians with whom the Tyrants of the world were offended for their well doing Afterwards he made this Protestation I protest here before God and his Eternal Son Jesus Christ my Saviour and the Holy Ghost and his Angels and you here present that be Judges of that I speak that I do not stand in any Opinion of wilfulness or singularity but onely upon my conscience certainly informed by Gods Word from the which I dare not go for fear of damnation The Bishop of Worcester telling him he was of â—â—ch