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 and 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 J. Warwick WE do understand you stay from Consecrating our well-beloved Mr. J. Hooper because be would have you omit and let pass certain Rites and Ceremonies offensive to his Conscience whereby you think you shall fall in premunire of Laws We have thought good by advice of Our Council to discharge you of all manner of Dangers Penalties and Forfeitures you should run into by omitting any of the same and these Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge Edwardus Rex In his Letter writ in Answer to one sent him concerning certain taken in Bow Church-yard Fox Vol. 3 Pag. 116. whilst they were praying I do rejoyce in that men can be so well occupied in this perilous time and flee for remedy to God by Prayer as well for their own lacks and necessities as also charitably to pray for them that persecute them So doth the Word of God command all men to pray charitably for them that hate them and not to revile any Magistrate with words or to mean him evil by force and violence They also may rejoyce that in well doing they werâ— taken to prison Thus fare you well and pray God to send his true Word into this Realm again amongst us which the ungodly Bishops have now banished In his Letter to those Christians so taken Prisoners The grace favour consolation Pa. 1â—â— and aid of the Holy Ghost be with you now and ever So be it Dearly beloved in the Lord ever since I heard of your imprisonment I have been marvellously moved with great affections and passions as well of mirth and gladness as of heaviness and sorrow Of gladness in this that I perceived how ye be bent and given to prayer and invocation of Gods help in these dark and wicked proceedings of men against Gods glory I have been sorry to perceive the malice and wickedness of men to be so cruel devillish and tyranical to persecute the people of God for serving of God c. These cruel doings do declare that the Papists Church is more bloody and tyrannical than ever was the sword of the Ethnicks and Gentiles Trajan the Emperour commanded That no man should be persecuted for serving of God but the Pope and his Church have cast you into Prison being taken doing the Work of God and one of the excellentest Works that is required of Christians viz. whilest ye were in Prayer O glad may ye be that ever ye were born to be apprehended whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousness sake If God had suffered them that took your bodies then to have taken your life also now had you been following the Lamo in perpetual joyes away from the company and assembly of the wicked men But the Lord would not have you suddenly so to depart but reserveth you gloriously to speak and maintain his Truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shall say for God will go out and in with you and will be present in your hearts and in your mouths to speak his wisedome though it seems foolishness to the world He that hath begun this good work in you continue in the same unto the end Pray unto him Mat. 10. that ye may fear him only that hath power to kill both body and soul and to cast them into hell fire Luke 12. Be of good comfort all the hairs of your head are numbred and there is not one of them can perish except your heavenly Father suffer it to perish Now you be in the field and placed in the fore-front of Christs battel Doubtless it is a singular favour of God and a special love of him towards you to give him his preheminence as a sign that he trusteth you before others of his people Wherefore dear Brethren and Sisters continually fight this Fight of the Lord. Your Cause is most just and godly ye stand for the true Christ who is after the flesh in Heaven and for his true Religion and Honour which is amply fully sufficiently and abundantly contained in the holy Testament sealed with Christs own blood How much be ye bound to God who puts you in trust with so holy and just a cause Remember what lookers on you have to lee and behold you in your fight God and all his holy Angels who be ready alwayes to take you up into Heaven if ye be flain in his fight Also you have standing at your backs all the multitude of the Faithful who shall take courage strength and desire to follow such noble and valiant Christians as you be Be not afraid of your Adversaries 1 Joh. 4. for he that is in you is stronger than he that is in them Shrink not although it be pain to you your pains be not now so great as hereafter your joyes shall be Read the Comfortable Chapters to the Romans 8.10 15. Hebrews 11.12 And upon your knees thank God that ever ye were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his Names sake Read the second Chapter of Luke and there you shall see how the Shepherds that watched their Sheep all night as soon as they heard that Christ was born at Bethelem by and by went to see him They did not reason not debate with themselves who should keep the Wolf from the Sheep in the mean time but did as they were commanded and committed their Sheep unto him whose pleasure they obeyed So let us do now we be called commit all other things to him that calleth us He will take heed that all things shall be well He will help the Husband he will comfort the Wife he will guide the Servants he will keep the House he will preserve the Goods yea rather then it should be undone he wil wash the Dishes and rock the Cradle Cast therefore all your care upon God for he careth for you Besides this you may perceive by your imprisonment that your Adversaries weapons against you be nothing but flesh and blood and tyranny for if they were able they would maintain their Religion by Gods Word but for lack of that they would violently compel such as they cannot by holy Scripture perswade because the holy Word of God and all Christs doings be contrary unto them Ipray you pray for me and I will pray for you Fleet Jan. 24. 1555. In a Letter to certain of his Friends Pa. 156. Now is the time of trial to see
pretence of the true Religian c. that have killed more souls with heresie and superstition than all the Tyrants that ever killed bodies by fire sword or banishment c. and all souls that trust to these Hypocrites live to the Devil in everlasting pain as is declared by Hells following the pale Horse These pale Hypocrites stave stirred up Earthquakes i. e. he Princes of the world against Christs Church They have darkned the Sun and made the Moon bloody and have caused the Stars to fall from Heaven i.e. they have darkned with mists and daily darken the Sun of Gods word Pa. 159. imprisoned and chaised and butchered Gods true Preachers which â—nch only light at the Sun of Gods Word that their light cannot shine unto the world as they would Whereupon it comes to pass that many Christians fall from Gods true Word to hypocrisie most devillish superstition and idolatry In his Letter to Bishop Farrar Dr. Taylor Mr. Bradford and Mr. Philpot Prisoners in the Kings Bench in Southwark I am advertised that we shall be carried shortly to Cambridge there to dispute for the faith and for the Religion of Christ which is most true that we have and do profess I am as I doubt not ye be in Christ ready not only to go to Cambridge but also to suffer by Gods help death it self in the maintenance thereof I write this to comfort you in the Lord that the time draweth near and is at hand that we shall testifie before Gods enemies Gods Truth Yours and with you unto death in Christ J. H. May 6. 1554. In his Letter to his Wife Pa. 160. As the Devil hath entred into their hearts that they themselves cannot or will not come to Christ to be instructed by his holy Word so can they not abide any others to become Christians and lead their lives after the Word of God buâ— hate persecute rob imprison and kill them whether male or female though they have never offended Gods or Mans Law yea though they daily pray for them and wish them Gods grace having no respect to Nature The Brother persecuteth the Brother the Father the Son and most dear Friends are become most mortal Enemies And no marvel for they have chosen sundry Masters the one the Devil the other God The one agree with the other as God and the Devil agree between themselves Gen. 21. Gal. 4. As he that was born after the flesh persecuted in times past him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Therefore forasmuch as we live in this life amongst so many great perils and dangers the only remedy is what Christ hath appointed Luke 21. Ye shall possess yourselves in patience When troubles come we must be patient and in no case violently nor seditiously to resist our persecutors because God hath such care of us that he will keep in the midst of all troubles the very hairs of our heads c. And seeing he hath such care of the hairs of our head how much more doth he care for our life it self Their cruelty hath no farther power than God permitteth and that which cometh unto us by the will of our heavenly Father can be no harm loss destruction to us but rather gain wealth and felicity That the spirit of man may feel these consolations the giver of them the heavenly Father must be prayed unto for the merits of Christs Passion for it is not the nature of man that can be contented until it be regenerated and possessed with Gods Spirit to bear patiently the troubles of mind or body When the mind of man sees troubles on every side threatning poverty yea death except the man weigh these brittle and uncertain treasures that be taken from him with the riches of the life to come and this life of the body with the life in Christs blood and so for the love and certainty of the heavenly joyes contemn all things present doubtless he shall never be able to bear the loss of goods and life The Christian mans faith must be alwayes upon the resurrection of Christ when he is in trouble and in that glorious Resurrection he shall see continual joy yea victory and triumph over all persecution trouble sin death hell the Devil and all other persecutors the tears and weepings of the faithful dried up their wounds healed their bodies made immortal in joy their souls for ever praising the Lord in conjunction and society everlasting with the blessed company of Gods Elect in perpetual joy Col. 3. If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father When he biddeth us seek the things that are above he requireth that our minds never cease from prayer and study in Gods Word untill we see know and understand the vanities of this world the shortness end misery of this life and the treasures of the world to come the immortality thereof the joyes of that life and so never cease seeking until such time as we know certainly and be perswaded what a blessed man he is that seeketh the one and findeth it and careth not for the other though he lose it and in seeking Pa. 161. to have right judgement between the life present and the life to come we shall find how little the pains imprisonment standers lies and death it self is in the world in respect of pains everlasting the Prison infernal and Dungeon of Hell the Sentence of Gods judgement and everlasting Death When a man hath by seeking the Word of God found out what the things above be then must he seâ— his affections upon them And this Command is more hard than the other for mans knowledge many times sees the best men know that there is a life to come better than this present c. Yet they set not their affection upon it they do more affect and love indeed a trifle of nothing in this world that pleaseth their affection than the treasure of all treasures in Heaven We must set our affections on things above i. e. when any thing worse than Heaven offereth it self to be ours if we will give our good wills to it and love it in our hearts then ought we to see by the judgement of Gods Word whether we may have it without Gods displeasure if we cannot if the riches of this world may not be gotten nor kept by Gods Law neither our lives continued without the denial of his honour we must set our affections upon the riches and life that is above and not upon things that be upon the earth This second Command requires that as our mind judgeth Heavenly things to be better than Earthly and the life to come better than the present life so we should chuse them before other and prefer them c. These things be easie to be spoken of but not so easie to be used and practised Read Psa 88. wherein is contained the prayer of
right Yet said Rolph take heed of him he is a blood-sucker c. I fear not said Alcock he shall do no more to me than God will give him leave and happy shall I be if God will call me to dye for his Truths sake In his first Letter to Hadley he writes thus O my Brethren of Hadley why are ye so soon turned from them which called you into the Grace of Christ to another Doctrine Though those should come unto you that have been your true Preachers and preach another way of salvation then by Jesus Christs death and passion hold them accursed yea if it were an Angel came from Heaven and would tell you that the sacrifice of Christs body upon the Cross once for all were not sufficient for all the sins of all those that shall be saved accursed be he Why cometh this plague upon us Cometh not this upon thee because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thine own wickedness shall reprove thee and thy turning away shall condemn thee that thou mayest know how evil and hurtful a thing it is that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Algerius Pomponius Algerius Fox Vol. 2. pag. 181. whilst he was a Prisoner at Venice before he was burnt at Rome writ thus in his comfortable Letter to the Christians departed out of Babylon into Mount Sion To mitigate your sorrow which you take for me I cannot but impart unto you some portion of my joyes which I feel to the intent you may rejoyce with me I shall utter that which scarce any will believe I have found a nest of honey an honey-comb in the entrails of a Lion In the deep dark Dungeon I have found a Paradise of pleasure In the place of sorrow and death tranquility of hope and life when others do weep I do rejoyce when others do shake and tremble there I have found plenty of strength and boldness in strait bands and cold irons I have had rest Behold he that was once far from me now is present with me whom once I could scarce feel I now see most apparently whom once I saw afar off now I behold near at hand whom once I hungred for the same now approacheth and reacheth his hand unto me he doth comfort me and heapeth me up with gladness he driveth away all bitterness he ministreth strength and courage c. O how easie and sweet is the Lords yoke Learn ye well-beloved how amiable the Lord is how meek and merciful who visiteth his servants in temptations neither disdaineth he to keep company with us in such vile and stinking Caves Will the blind and incredulous world think you believe this or rather will it not say thus No thou wilt never be able to abide long the burning heat the pinching hardness of that place c. The rebukes and frowning faces of great men how wilt thou suffer Dost not thou consider thy pleasant Countrey the Riches of the World thy Kinsfolk the delicate pleasures and Honours of this life Dost thou forget the solace of thy Sciences and fruit of all thy Labours Wilt thou thus lose all thy labours which thou hast hitherto sustained Finally fearest thou not death which hangeth over thee O what a fool art thou which for one words speaking mayest salve all this and wilt not But now to answer Let this blind world hearken to this again What heat can there be more burning then that fire which is prepared for thee hereafter What things more hard and sharp and crooked than this present life which we lead What thing more odious and hateful than this world here present And let these worldly men here answer me What Countrey can we have more sweet than the Heavenly Countrey above What treasures more rich or precious than everlasting life and who be our Kinsmen but they which hear the Word of God Where be greater riches or dignities more honourable than in Heaven And as touching the Sciences let this foolish world consider Be not they ordained to know God whom unless we do know all our labours our night-watchings our studies and all our enterprises here serve to no purpose all is but labour lost Furthermore let the miserable worldly men answer me What remedy or safe refuge can there be unto him who lacks God who is the life medicine of all men how can he be said to fly from death when he himself is already dead in sin If Christ be the way verity life how can there be any life without Christ The solely heat of the Prison to me is coldness the cold winter to me is a fresh spring in the Lord. He that feareth not to be burned in the fire how will he fear the heat of weather Or what careth he for the pinching frost which burneth for the love of the Lord The place is sharp and tedious to them that be guilty but to the innocent it is mellifluous Here droppeth the delectable dew here floweth the pleasant Nectar here runneth the sweet milk here is plenty of all good things In this world there is no mansion firm to me and therefore I will travel up to the New Jerusalem which is in Heaven and which offereth it self to me without paying any Fine or Income I have travelled hitherto laboured and sweat early and late watching day and night and now my travels begin to come to effect What man can now cavil that these our labours are lost which have followed and found out the Lord and Maker of the World and which have changed death with life If to dye in the Lord be not to dye but to live most joyfully where is this wretched worldly Rebel which blameth us of folly for giving away our lives unto death O how delectable is this death to me to taste of the Lords Cup. I am accused of foolishness for that I do not rid my self out of these troubles when with one word I may But doth not Christ say Fear not them which kill the body but him which killeth both body and soul and whosoever shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heaven and he that denyeth me before men him will Falso deny before my Heavenly Father Seeing the words of the Lord be so plain how or by what authority will this wise Counsellor approve this his counsel which he doth give God forbid that I should relinquish the commandements of God and follow the counsels of men for it is written Blessed is the man that hath not gone in the way of sinners and hath not stood in the counsel of the ungodly c. Psal 1.1 God forbid I should deny Christ where I ought to confess him I will not set more by my life then by my soul neither will I exchange the life to come for this world here present This Letter he underwrit thus From the delectable Orchard of Leonine Prison 12 Calend. August An. 1555. Allen. Sir Edmond Tyrrel bidding Rose
Christ shall be on the same Augustine Boughs fall off trees said he and stones out of buildings Ward pa. 140. and why should it seem strange that mortal men dye Austine Austine a Barbar Fox Vol. 2. pag. 124. born about Hennegow in Germany as he was led to execution being desired by a Gentleman to have pity upon himself and if he would not favour his life yet that he would favour his own soul He answered What care I have of my soul you may see by this that I had rather give my body to be burned than to do that thing that were against my conscience B Babilas Babilas Bishop of Antiâ—ch St. Chrysost cont Gentiles being cast by Decius into a filthy stinking Prison for the name of Christ with as many irons as he could bear intreated his Friends that visited him that after his death they would bury with him the signs and tokens of his valour meaning his bolts and fetters Now said he will God wipe away all tears Ward pag. 141. and now I shall walk with God in the land of the living Bainham Mr. James Bainham Fox Vol 2. pag. 300. when he repented of his Recantation in Austin's Church in London He declared openly with weeping eyes that he had denyed God and prayed all the people to beware of his weakness and not to do as he did For said he If I should not return again unto the truth this Word of God he having a New Testament in his hand would damn me both body and soul at the Day of Judgement He perswaded them to die by and by rather than to do as he did for he would not feel such an hell again for all the worlds good When he was at the Stake in the midst of the flaming fire which had half consumed his Arms and Legs he spake these words O ye Papists Behold ye look for miracles and here now you may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a Bed of Down it is to me as a Bed of Roses Barbevil John Barbevil said to the Friers that called him ignorant Ass Ward pag. 162. Well Admit I were so yet shall my bloud witness against such Balaams as you be Bale Mr. John Bale in his excellent Paraphrase in Apocalyps See the image of both Churches printed 1550. In his Preface He that will live godly in Christ Jesus and be a patient sufferer he that will stand in Gods fear and prepare himself to temptation he that will be strong when adversity shall come and avoid all assaults of Antichrist and the Devil let him give himself wholly to the study of this prophesie He that knoweth not this Book knoweth not what the Church is whereof he is a member It containeth the universal troubles persecutions and crosses that the Church suffered in the Primitive Spring what it suffereth now and what it shall suffer in the later Times by the subtilties of Antichrist and his Followers the cruel Members of Satan and it manifesteth what Promises what Crowns and what Glory the said Congregation shall have after this present Conflict with the Enemies that the promised Rewards might quicken the hearts of those that the Torments feareth Unto St. John were these Mysteries revealed when he was by the Emperor Domitianus exiled for his Preaching into the Isle of Patmos at the cruel Complaints of the Idolatrous Priests and Bishops and by him writ and sent out of the same exile into the Congregations The Contents of this Book are from no place more freely and clearly opened nor told forth more boldly than out of exile Flattery dwelâ—ing at home and sucking there still his Mothers breasts may never tell out the truth he seeth so many dangers on every side as displeasure of Friends decay of Name loss of Goods offence of Great men and jeopardy of Life c. The forsaken wretched sort hath the Lord provided alwayes to rebuke the world of sin hypocrisie blindness for nought is it therefore that he hath exiled a certain number of believing Brethren the Realms of England of the which afflicted Family my faith is that I am one Whereupon In have considered it is no less my bounden â—â—uty under pain of damnation to admonish Christs flock by this present Revelation of their perils past and dangers to come for contempt of â—he Gospel which now reigneth there above all 〈◊〉 the Clergy Graciously hath the Lord calâ—ed them especially now of late but his voice is â—othing regarded His Servants have they impriâ—ned tormented and slain having his Verity in much more contempt then before We looked for a time of peace saith the Prophet Jeremiah and we fare not the better at all we waited for a time of health and we find here nothing else but trouble And no marvel considering the Beasts head that was wounded is now healed up again so workmanly as Rev. 13. mentioneth The abominable hypocrisie idolatry pride and filthiness of those terrible termagaunts of Antichrists holy houshold those two-horned Whoremongers those Conjurers of Egypt and lecherous Locusts leaping out of the bottomless Pâ—t which daily deceive the ignorant multitude with their Sorceries Charms must be shewed to the World to their utter shame and confusion To tell them freely of their wicked works by the Scriptures I have exiled my self for ever from mine own native Countrey Kindred Friends Acquaintance which are the great delights of this life and am well contented for the sake of Christ and for the comfort of my Brethren there to suffer poverty penury abjection reproof and all that shall come beside Here are we admonished before-hand of two most dangerous evils neither to agree with those Tyrants that wage war with the Lamb in his elect Members nor yet to obey those deceitful Bishops thaâ— in hypocrisie usurp the Churches Titles O those hath our heavenly Lord premonished us in this heavenly work of his and graciously called us away from their abominations lest we should be partakers of their sins and so receive of their plagues If we unthankfully neglect it the greateâ— is our danger Barlaam He holding his hand in the flame over the Altar Fox Vol. 1 pag. 118. Ward pag. 141. sung that of the Psalmist Thou teachest my hands to war and my fingers to fight I have been reported said Dr. Fox Vol. 2 pag. 527. Barnes at the Stake to be a Preacher of Sedition and disobedient to the Kings Majesty but here I say to you that you are all bound by the command of God to obey your Prince with all humility and with all your heart and that not onely for fear of the sword but also for conscience sake before God Yea I say further If the King should command you any thing against Gods Law if it be in your power to reâ—ist him yet may you not do it Basil When Valens the Emperour sent his Officers to him seeking to turn him from the
the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Do you not receive the very body and blood of Christ No surely said she I believe that the Supper I neither receive flesh nor blood but Bread and Wine which Bread when it is broken and Wine when it is drunken putteth me in remembrance how that for my sins the Body of Christ was broken his Blood shed on the Cross and with that Bread and Wine I receive the Benefits that come by the breaking of his Body shedding of his Blood for our sins on the Cross Why said he doth not Christ speak these words Take eat this is my Body Require you any plainer words Doth he not say it is his Body I grant he saith so said she and so he saith I am the Vine I am the Door and yet is not the Vine or the Door Doth not St. Paul say Rom. 4. He calleth things that are not aâ— though they were When Fecknam took his leave he said That he was sorry for her for I am sure said he that we two shall never meet True it is said she that we shall never meet except God turn your heart for I am assured unless you repent turn to God you are in an evil case and I pray God in the Bowels of mercy to send you his Holy Spirit In her Letter to her Father Father although it hath pleased God to hasten my death by you by whom my life should rather have been lengthened yet can I so patiently take it as I yield to God more hearty thanks for shortening my woful dayes than if all the world had been given unto my Possessions with life lengthened at my own will Pag. 33. Although my death at hand to you seem right woful to me there is nothing that can be more welcome than from this vale of misery to aspire to that heavenly Throne of all joy and pleasure with Christ our Saviour in whose stedfast faith if it be lawful for the Daughter so to write to the Father the Lord that hitherto hath strengthened you so continue you that at last we may meet in Heaven with the Father the Son and the holy Ghost In her Letter to Mr. Harding formerly her Fathers Chaplain and a zealous Preacher of the Gospel but then turn'd Papist she writes thus As oft as I call to mind the dreadful and fearful saying of God That he which layeth hold on the Plough Luke 9. and looketh back is not meet for the Kingdome of Heaven and on the other side the comfortable words of our Saviour Christ to those That forsaking themselves do follow him I cannot but marvel at thee and lament thy Case who seemed sometime to be the lively Member of Christ but now the deformed Imp of the Devil sometime the beautiful Temple of God but now the filthy and stinking Kennel of Satan sometime the unspotted Spouse of Christ but now the shameless Paramour of Antichrist sometime my faithful Brother but now a Stranger an Apostate sometime a stout Christian Souldier but now a cowardly Run-away yea when I consider these things I cannot but cry out upon thee thou seed of Satan and not of Judah whom the Devil hath deceived the world hath beguiled and the desire of life subverted and made thee of a Christian an Infidel Wherefore hast thou taken the Testament of the Lord in thy mouth Wherefore hast thou instructed others to be strong in Christ when thou thy self dost now so shamefully shrink so horribly abuse the Testament and the Law of the Lord When thou thy self preachest not to steal yet most abominably stealest not from men but from God and committing most hainous facriledge robbest Christ thy Lord of his right members thy body soul and choosest rather to live miserably with shame to the world than to die and gloriously with honour reign with Christ in whom even in death is life Why dost thou now shew thy self most weak when indeed thou oughtest to be most strong The strength of a fort is unknown before the assault but thou yieldest thy hold before any battery be made Oh wretched and unhappy man what art thou but dust and ashes and wilt thou resist thy Maker that fashioned and framed thee Wilt thou now forsake him that called thee from the custome-gathering of the Romish Antichristians to be an Ambassadour and Messenger of his Word He that first framed thee and since the first Creation and Birth preserved thee nourished and kept thee yea and inspired thee with the Spirit of Knowledge I cannot say of grace shall he not now possess thee Darest thou deliver up thy self to another being not thine own but his How canst thou having knowledge or how darest thou neglect the law of the Lord and follow the vain traditions of men and whereas thou hast been a publick Professor of his Name become now a Defacer of his glory Wâ—lt thou refuse the true God and worship the invention of man the golden Calf the whore of Babylon the Romish Religion the abominable Idol the most wicked Mass Wilt thou torment again rent and tear the most precious Body of our Saviour Corist with thy bodily and fleshly teeth Wilt thou take upon thee to offer up any Sacrifice unto God for our sins considering that Christ offered up himself as Paul saith upon the Cross a lively Sacrifice once for all Can neither the punishment of the Israelites which for their Idolatry they oft received nor the terrible threatnings of the Prophets nor the curses of Gods own mouth fear thee to honour any other God than him Dost thou so regard him that spared not his dear onely Son for thee so diminishing yea utterly extinguishing his glory that thou wilt attribute the praise and honour due unto him to the Idols which have mouths and speak not eyes and see not ears and hear not which shall perish with them that made thee Pa. 34. Confounded be all they that worship them Christ offereth up himself once for all and wilt thou offer him up again daily at thy pleasure But thou wilt say thou dost it for a good intent Oh sink of sin Oh child of perdition Dost thou dream therein of a good intent where thy conscience bears thee witness of Gods threatned wrath against thee How did Saul how for that he disobeyed the Word of the Lord for a good intent was thrown from his worldly and temporal Kingdome Wilt thou for a good intent dishonour God offend thy Brother and danger thy soul wherefore Christ hath shed his most precious blood Wilt thou for a good intent pluck Christ out of Heaven and make his death void deface the triumph of his Cross by offering him up daily Wilt thou either for fear of death or hope of life deny and refuse thy God who enriched thy poverty healed thy infirmity and yielded to thee his Victory if thou couldst have kept it Dost thou not consider that the thread of thy life
hangeth upon him that made thee who can as he please either twine it harder to last the longer or untwine it again to break the sooner Dost thou not then remember the saying of David Psa 104. When thou takest away thy Spirit O Lord from men they die and are turned again to their dust but when thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made and thou shalt renew the face of the earth Mat. 10. Remember the saying of Christ in his Gospel Whosoever seeketh to save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Again Whosoever loveth Father or Mother above me is not meet for me He that will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his Cross and follow me What Cross the Cross of infamy and shame of misery and poverty of affliction and persecution for his Names sake Let the oft falling of these Heavenly Showres pierce thy stony heart Let the two edged sword of Gods holy Word sheer asunder the sinews of worldly respects even to the marrow of the carnal heart that thou mayest once again forsake thy self and embrace Christ and like as good subjects will not refuse to hazard all in the defence of their earthly and temporal Governour so fly not like a white-liver'd Milk-sop from the standing wherein thy chief Captain Christ hath set thee in array of this life Psal 16. Fight manfully come life come death the Quarrel is Gods and undoubtedly the Victory is ours But thou wilt say I will not break unity what not the unity of Satan and his members not the unity of darkness not the agreement of Antichrist and his adherents Tully saith of Amity Amicitia non est nisi inter bonos But mark my Friends yea Friend if thou beest not Gods enemy there is no unity but where Christ knitteth the knot among such as he is The agreement of all men is not an unity but a conspiracy Thou hast heard some threatnings against those that love themselves above Christ and against those that deny him for love of life saith he not He that denies me before men Mat. 10. I will deny him before my Father in Heaven And to the same effect writeth Paul It is impossible that they which were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God if they fall away c. should be renewed again by repentance Heb. 10. And again If we shall willingly sin after we have received the knowledge of his Truth there is no oblation left for sin but the terrible expectation of judgement and fire which shall devour the adversaries Thus Paul writeth and this thou readest and dost thou not quake and tremble Well if these terrible thundring threatnings cannot stir thee to cleave unto Christ and forsake the world yet let the sweet consolation and promises of the Scriptures let the example of Christ and his Apostles holy Martyrs and Confessours incourage thee to take faster hold of Christ Hearken what he saith Mat. 5. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you for my sake Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you Hear what Isaiah saith Fear not tho curse of men Isa 51. be not afraid of their blasphemies for worms and moths shall eat them up like cloath and wooll but my righteousness shall endure for ever and my saving health from generation to generation What art thou then saith he that fearest a mortal man the child of man which fadeth away like the flower and forgetteth the Lord that made thee that spread out the Heauens and laid the foundation of the earth I am the Lord thy God that maketh the sea to rage and be still whose Name is the Lord of Hosts I shall put my Word in thy mouth and defend thee with the turning of the hand Christ also saith unto his Disciples They shall accuse you Luke 12. Mat. 13. and bring you before Princes and Rulers for my Names sake and some of you they shall persecute and kill but fear you not and care you not what you shall say for it is the Spirit of your Father that speaketh within you even the hairs of your head are all numbred Pag. 35. Lay up treasures for your selves where no thief cometh nor moth corrupteth Fear not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Mat. 10. John 15. but fear him that hath power to destroy both soul and body If ye were not of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Let these and such like consolations taken out of Scriptures strengthen you to God-ward Let not the examples of holy men women go out of your mind as Daniel and the rest of the Prophets of the three children c. Return return again into Christs war and as becometh a faithful warriour Eph. 6. put on that armour that St. Paul teacheth to be most necessary for a Christian man And above all things take unto you the shield of Faith and be you provoked by Christs own example to withstand the Devil to forsake the world to become a true and faithful member of his mystical Body who spared not his own Body for our sins Throw down your self with the fear of his threatned vengeance for this so great hainous offence of Apostacy and comfort your self on the other hand with the mercy blood and promise of him who is ready to turn unto you whensoever you turn unto him Disdain not to come again with the lost Son seeing you have so wandred with him Be not ashamed to turn again with him from the swill of Strangers to the delicate of your most benigne and loving Father acknowledging that you have sinned both against Heaven and against Earth Against Heaven by staining the glorious Name of God and causing his most sincere and pure Word to be evil spoken of through you Against Earth by offending so many of your weak Brethren to whom you have been a stumbling block through your sudden slâ—ding Be not ashamed to weep bitterly with Peter to wash away the filth and mire of your offensive fall to say with the Publican Luke 18. Lord be merciful to me a sinner Remember the horrible History of Julian of old and the lamentable case of Spira of late whose case methinks should be so green in your remembrance that being a thing of our time you should fear the like inconvenience seeing you are fallen into the like offence Last of all let the lively remembrance of the last Day be alwayes before your eyes remembring the terrour that at that time shall befall the Runagates Fugitives from Christ who setting more by
not of God ye deceive your selves for both the body and soul must concur together in the honour of God 1 Cor. 6. for if an honest wife be bound to give both heart and body to faith and service in marriage and if in honest wives faith in the heart cannot stand with a who rish or defiled body much less can the true faith of a Christian in the service of Christianity stand with the bodily service of external idolatry for the mystery of Marriage is not so honourable between man and wife as it is between Christ and every Christian Therefore dear Brethren pray to the heavenly Father that as he spared not the soul nor the body of his dearly beloved Son but applied both of them with extream pain to work our salvation both of soul and body so he will give us all grace to apply our souls and bodies to be Servants to him Let us not deride our selves and say our souls serve him whatsoever bodies do to the contrary for civil order and policy But alas Pa. 164. I know by my self what troubleth you viz. the great danger of the world that will revenge ye think your service to God with sword and fire with loss of goods and lands but dear Brethren weigh on the other side that your enemies and Gods enemies shall not do as much as they would but as much as God shall suffer them who can trap them in their own counsels and destroy them in the midst of their furies Remember ye be the Work-men of the Lord and called into his Vineyard there to labour till Evening-Tide that you may receive your penny which is more worth then all the Kingdoms of the Earth but he that called us into his Vineyard hath not told us how fore and how fervently the San shall trouble us in our labour but hath bid us labour and commit the bitterness thereof to him who can and will so moderate all afflictions that no man shall have more laid upon him then in Christ he shall be able to bear unto whose merciful tuition and defence I commend both your souls and bodies Yours with my poor Prayer J. H. In a Letter to a Merchant of London I thank God and you for the great help and consolation I have received in time of adversity by your charity but most rejoyce that you be not alter'd from truth although falshood cruelly seeketh to disdain her Judge not my Brother truth by outward appearance for truth now worse appeareth and is more vilely rejected then falshood Leave the outward shew and see by the Word of God what is truth and accept truth and dislike her not though man call her falshood As it is now so it hath been heretofore truth hath been rejected and falshood received Such as have professed truth have smarted and the friends of falshood laughed them to scorn The one having the commendation of truth by man but the condemnation of falshood by God flourishing for a time with endless destruction the other afflicted a little season but ending with immortal joyes Wherefore dear Brother ask and demand of your Book the Testament of Jesus Christ in these woful and wretched dayes what you should think and what you should stay your selves upon for a certain truth and whatsoever you hear taught try it by your Book whether it be true or false The dayes be dangerous and full of peril not onely for the world and worldly things but for Heaven and neavenly things It is a trouble to lose the treasure of this life but yet a very pain if it be kept with the offence of God Cry call pray and in Christ daily require help succour mercy wisdome grace and defence that the wickedness of this world prevail not against us In his Letter to Mrs. Wilkinson I am very glad to hear of your health and do thank you for your loving tokens but I am a great deal more glad to hear how Christianly you avoid Idolatry and prepare your self to suffer the extremity of the world rather then to endanger your self to God You do as you ought to do in this behalf and in suffering of transitory pains you shal avoid permanent torments in the world to come Use your life and keep it with as much quietness as you can so â—hat you offend not God The ease that cometh with his displeasure turneth at length to unspeakaâ—le pains and the gains of the world with the loss of his favours is beggary and wretchedness In his Letter to Mr. Hall and his Wife The dayes be dangerous and full of peril but let us comfort ourselves in calling to remembrance the dayes of our Fore-fathers upon whom the Lord sent such troubles that many hundreds yea thousands died for the testimony of Jesus Christ both men and women suffering with patience and constancy as much cruelty as Tyrants could devise and so departed out of this miserable world to the bliss everlasting where now they remain for ever looking alwayes for the end of this sinful world when they shall receive their bodies again in immortality and see the number of the Elect associated with them in full and consummated joyes and as vertuous men suffering Martyrdom now rest in joyes everlasting their pains ending their sorrows and beginning their ease so did their constancy and stedfastness animate confirm all good people in the truth and gave them encouragement to suffer the like rather then to fall with the world to consent unto wickedness and idolatry Wherefore my dear Friends seeing God hath illuminated you in the same true faith wherein the Apostles and Evangelists and all Martyrs suffered most cruâ—â— death thank him for his grace in knowledge and pray to him for strength and perseverance that ye be not ashamed nor afraid to confess it Ye be in the truth and the gates of Hell shall never prevaiâ— against it nor Antichrist with all his Imps prove iâ— false they may persecute and kill but never overcome Be of good comfort and fear God more then man This life is short and miserable happy be they that can spend it to the glory oâ— God In his Letter to Mrs. Pa. 165. Warcop I did rejoyce to understand that you be fully resolved by Gods grace to suffer extremity rather then to go from the truth which you have professed As you be travelling this perillous journey take this Lesson with you practised by the Wise men Matth. 2. Such as travelled to find Christ followed onely the Star and as long as they saw it they were assured they were in the right way and had great mirth in their journey but when they entred into Jerusalem whereas the Star led them not thither but to Bethlem there asked the Citizens the thing that the Star shewed before they were not onely ignorant of Bethlem but lost the sight of the Star c. The Word is the onely Stat that sheweth us where Christ is and which way we may come
of sin and in love with the wayes of holiness These Speeches here collected are called Swan-like Songs for their remarkableness A Cloud of Witnesses and The Sufferers Mirrour for their usefulness The Israelites found not onely comfort in the shadow of the Cloud in the Wilderness but a directive vertue therein they were led by it There is a double power in such instances both to Comfort and to assimulate Solamen miseris c. 1 Cor. 10.13 To see that others have suffered worse is no small comfort to Sufferers Jacob's Sheep conceived according to the colour of the Rods that lay in the Troughs Our conceptions will be like our visions like the examples that are set before our eyes Here as in a Glass even the best may see their spots and all especially Sufferers may learn how to dress themselves for death How can the best of us read these passages without shame for our low attainments for our little proficiency in the School of Christ How unlike are our faces to the faces in this Mirrour How self-denying were they How selfish are we How crucified to the world were they How much glued thereunto are we How easie was it for them to chuse the greatest Sufferings rather then the least Sin How hard is it for us not to chuse the greatest Sin rather then the least Suffering How willing were they to part with all for Christ How unwilling are we to part with littles for Christ What an honour did they esteem it to suffer for Christ to be chain'd to be whipt to be wrackt to be halter'd to be stak'd for Christ Have we such esteems of sufferings for Christ and of such sufferings Are not we ashamed of our glory How patient were they under the greatest tortures How impatient are we under very little troubles How hot was their love to Christ his truths ordinances People How cold is ours How zealous were they for the honour of God How luke-warm are we How magnanimous were they How cowardly and dastardly are we How humble were they How proud are we How broken-hearted were they How hard-hearted are we What sympathizing spirits had they How little fellow-feeling is there now among Christians How active were they for the glory of God and good of souls under their sufferings how slothful are we And how little do we for either under our sufferings How strong was their Faith How weak is ours How fearless were they of man who can only kill the body How fearful are we How many of these Worthies attained unto Assurance and had their Evidences for Heaven clear How are the most of us in the dark as to an interest in God and a right and title to Glory How willing and desirous were they to die even a violent death How loth are we to die even a natural death How did they without the least fear play on the hole of this Asp and with much courage put their hand into the Den of this Cockatrice But how doth the fear of this King of Terrors make us subject to bondage Thus they are useful to shame us They are also useful to prepare us to die especially a violent death Such examples chalk the way more plainly Longum iter per praecepta breve efficax per exempla Seneca then bare direction These encourage more heartily these perswade more powerfully these chide unbelief with more authority I beseech you all who are the Lords people said one lately not to scare at suffering for the interests of Christ because of any thing you may see fall out in these dayes as to the sufferings of his servants but be encouraged to do and suffer for I assure you in the Name of the Lord he will bear all your charges I do again assure you in his Name he will furnish all your expences and bear all your charges Mr. Rough learn'd the way to Martyrdome by seeing and hearing Austo at the Stake in Smithfield Coming from his burning and being askt where he had been he made answer there where I would not but have been for one of mine eys would you know where forsooth I have been to learn the way And soon after he followed him in the same place and the same kind of death Now if one president made him so good a Scholar what Dullards and Non-proficients are we if such a Cloud of Instances work not in us a chearful ability to expect and encounter the same adversary so often foiled before our eyes I shall detain thee no longer from seeing these rare signts but now invite thee in the words of Rev. 6.7 The good Lord adde his blessing that thine eye may affect thy heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come and see and that these Remarkable passages may be thus usefull to all our souls and that the Cloud of Witnesses may not be a standing Witness against any of us Farewell To the Reader Reader THe life present is onely preparative to that to come as the hidden life in the womb to the more perfect and noble life in the world 1 Col. 12. Salvation is not instantaneous The Heirs of Glory make their gradual approaches to it and enter upon their Inheritance by degrees Rom. 13.11 And the neares they come to Heaven the more heavenly their Spirits are Could a man but hear the last breathings and whispers of dying Saints how would he melt and ravish Like the Sun they appear most great and glorious at setting God often leads them to the top of Pisgah whence they have a prospect of Canaan a little before they enter in to possess it But although God doth frequently indulge those that die in the Faith of Christ with rare and excellent visions of Christ yet ordinarily those that die for Christ as well as in Christ have a Benjamin's portion in comparison of their Brethren There is a joy proper to Martyrs which is bestowed upon them as an honorarium partly to reward their faithfulness in trials past and partly to encourage them to break through the difficulties which yet remain In these joys Heaven is let down to Earth glory antedated and a short salvation here obtained 1 Pet. 1.8 During the continuance of this glorious frame they are acted above the ordinary rate of man which makes the world stand at gize and all that behold them to admire at them Their aspect is rather angelical then humane Acts 6.15 and they seem no longer fit to be reckoned to the Tribe of mortals on Earth but rather ranked with the glorious Saints and Seraphims in Heaven they no longer wrap themselves up in their garment of flesh but the onely strife among them seems to be who shall first cast it off to put on the garments of glory prepared for them Reader wouldst thou see some of these Earthly Angels men that are a little too low for Heaven and much too high for Earth Wouldst thou see poor frail Creatures trampling the World under their feet and
Faith Burroughs in Moses Self-denial pa. 117. And first of all great preferments were offered him Basil rejected them with scorn Offer these things said he to Children When he was afterwards threatned grievously Threaten said he your Purple Gallants that give themselves to their pleasures When the Emperors Messenger promised him great preferment Alas Sir Clarks Lives Part 1. pag. 101. said this Bishop of Caesarea these speeches are fit to catch little Children that look after such things but we that are taught and nourished by the holy Scriptures are ready to suffer a thousand deaths rather than to suffer one syllable or tittle of the Scripture to be altered When the Emperour threatned to banish him Leighs Saints Encouragements in evil times pag. 9. c. if he obeyed not he said Those Bag-bears were to be propounded to Children but for his part though they might take away his life yet they could not hinder him from professing the Truth When Modestus the Praefect asked him Clark pag. 101. Know you not who we are that command it No body said Basil whilst you command such things Know ye not said the Praefect that we have Honours to bestow upon you They are but changeable said Basil like your selves Hereupon he threatned to confiscate his Goods to torment him to banish him or kill him he answered He need not fear confiscation that had nothing to lose nor banishment to whom Heaven onely is a Countrey nor torments when his body would be dash'd with one blow nor death which is the onely way to set him at liberty The Praefect telling him he was Mad he said Opto me in aeternum sic delirare I wish I may for ever be thus Mad. The Praefect another time threatning him with death he said Would it would fall out so well on my side that I might lay down this carkass of mine in the quarrel of Christ and in the defence of his Truth who is my Head and Captain The Praefect desiring that he would not by rashly answering throw himself away offered him a day and night to consider further of it but Basil said I have no need to take further counsel about this matter Look what I am to day the same thou shalt find me to morrow but I pray God that thou change not thy mind Benden Alice Benden For Vol. 3. pag. 796. when she was in Prison at Canterbury agreed with a fellow Prisoner to live both of them with two pence half penny a day to try thereby how well they could sustain penury and hunger before they were put to it At her first coming into the Bishops Prison she was much troubled and expostulated why her Lord did suffer her to be sequestred from her loving Fellows in so extreme misery But was comforted by these words Why art thou so heavy O my soul The right hand of the Lord can change all At the stake she took forth a shilling of Philip and Mary which her father had bowed and sent her when she was first in Prison desiring her Brother there present to return the same to her Father again that he might understand she never lacked money whilst she lay in Prison Bennet Mr. Thomas Bennet a School-master in Exceter For Vol. 2. 314. being press'd by a Doctor a Gray Frier to recant for putting upon the doors of the Cathedral in Schedules That the Pope is Antichrist and that we ought to worship God onely and not the Saints said I take God to record my life is not dear to me I am weary of it seeing your detestable doings to the utter destruction of Gods flock so that I desire death that I may no longer be partaker of your detestable idolatries and superstitions or be subject unto Antichrist your Pope Away from me I pray you vex my soul no longer ye shall not prevail If I should hear and follow you this day everlasting death should hang over me a just reward for them that prefer the life of this world before life eternal Berger Peter Berger burnt at Lions 1553. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 140. beholding the multitude at the stake said Great is the Harvest Lord send Labourers I see the heavens open to receive me Betken When she was brought to the Rack she said Fox Vol. 3. Suppl p. 49 My Masters wherefore will you put me to this torture seeing I have no way offended you Is it for my Faith's sake you need not torment me for that for as I was never ashamed to make confession thereof no more will I be now at this present before you I will freely shew you my mind therein But for all this when they proceeded on with what they intended Alas my Masters said she If it be so that I must suffer this pain then give me leave first to call upon God Her request they granted whilst she was praying one of the Commissioners was so surprised with fear and terrour that by and by he swouned and could not be fetcht again and so she escaped the torture Bilney Mr. Fox Vol. 2 pag. 268. Thomas Bilney in a Letter to Dr. Tonstal Bishop of London he gives this account of his conversion The woman which was twelve years vexed with the bloudy Flux had consumed all that she had upon Physicians and yet was still worse and worse until such time as she came to Christ and after she had once touched the hem of his vesture through faith she was healed O mighty power of the most High which I also most miserable sinner have ofâ—en tasted and felt Before I came to Christ I had likewise spent all I had upon ignorant Physicians They appointed me Fastings Watchings buying of Pardons and Masses c. But at last I heard speak of Jesus even then when the New Testament was first set out by Erasmus At first I was allured to read rather for the Latine having heard it was eloquently done than for the Word of God At the first reading I hit upon this sentence of Sr. Paul O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul in 1 Tim. 1. It is a true saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief This sentence through Gods instruction and inward working did so exhilarate my heart being before wounded with the guilt of my sins insomuch that my bruised bones leapt for joy after this the Scripture began to be more pleasant to me then the honey or the honey-comb Therein I learned that all my Travels all my Fasting and Watching all the redemption of Masses and Pardons without faith in Christ were but a hasty and swift running out of the right way or else much like the vesture made of Fig-leaves wherewithall Adam and Eve went about in vain to cover their nakedness and could never obtain quietness and rest till they believed in the promise of God that Christ the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents
head Neither could I be relieved or eased of the sharp stingings of my sins before I was taught of God that even as Moses exalted the serpent in the Desart so shall the Son of man be exalted that all which believe on him should not perish but have everlasting life As soon as I began to taste and savour this heavenly Lesson which none can teach but God onely I desired the Lord to encrease my faith And at last I desired nothing more then that I being so comforted by him might be strengthened by his holy Spirit and grace from above to teach the wicked his wayes which are mercy and truth that the wicked may be converted unto him by me who somtimes was also wicked Accordingly I did teach and set forth Christ being made for us by God his Faher our Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. Who was made sin for us i.e. a Sacrifice for sin that we through him should be made the righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. Who became accursed for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law Gal. 2. I taught that all men should first acknowledge their sins and condemn them â—fterward hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is by faith in Christ c. Rom. 3. And forasmuch as this hunger and thrist was wont to be quenched with the fulness of mans righteousness Therefore oftentimes have I spoken of those works exhorting all men not so to cleave to them as they being satisfied therewith should loath or wax weary of Christ For those things I have been cryed out of attached and now cast into prison His abjuration cost him dear Pa. 271. it brought him even to despair his Friends were fain to be with him night and day Bishop Latimer saith That he thought all the Word of God was against him and sounded his condemnation To bring any comfortable Scripture to him was as though a man should run him through with a sword The day before his Execution Pa. 277. some Friends finding him eating heartily with much cheerfulness and a quiet mind they said They were glad to see him at that time so heartily to refresh himself O said he I imitate those who having a ruinous house to dwell in yet bestow cost as long as they may to hold it up In Prison he divers times proved the fire Leigh 's Saints Encouragements in evil times p. 27. by putting his finger near to the candle at the first touch of the candle his flesh resisting and he withdrawing his finger did after chide his flesh in these words Quid unius membri inustionem ferre non potes quo pacto cras totius corporis conflagrationem tolerabis What said he canst thou not bear the burning of one member and how wilt thou endure to morrow the burning of thy whole body I seel Fox Vol. 2. pag. 277. and have known it long by Philosophy that fire is hot yet I know some recorded in Gods Word even in the flame felt no heat and 〈◊〉 believe that though my body will be wasted by it my soul shall be purged thereby At the same time he most comfortably treated among his Friends of Isa 43.1 2 3. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy Name Thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt for I am the Lord thy God the Holy one of Israel thy Saviour The comfort whereof never left some of his Friends to their dying day The next morning the Officers fetching him to Execution a certain Friend entreated him to be constant and to take his death patiently Bilney answered I am sailing with the Mariner through a boisterous sea but shortly shall be in the Haven c. Help me with your Prayers Bland Mr. John Bland a Kentish Minister Fox Vol. 3. pag. 373. in his Prayer at the stake Lord Jesus for thy love I do willingly leave this life and desire rather the bitter death of thy Cross with the loss of all earthly things than to abide the blasphemy of thy Holy Name or else to obey man in the breaking of thy Command This death is more dear unto me than thousands of gold and silver Such love O Lord hast thou laid up in my breast that I hunger for thee as the Deer wounded desireth the soyl Blehere Levine Blehere said to his Friends Ward pag. 160. offering to rescue him by tumult Hinder not the Magistrates work nor my happiness Father thou soresawest the sacrifice from eternity now accept of it I pray thee Bongeor Agnes Bongeor Fox Vol. 3. pag. 849. having prepared her self to go with her Fellow-martyrs to the stake putting on a Smock made for that purpose and sending away her sucking infant to a Nurse through a mistake of her Name in the Writ Bowyer being put for Bongeor was kept back Hereupon she made piteous moan wept bitterly c. Because she went not with them to give her life in defence of her Christ of all things in the world life was least looked for by her In this perplexity a Friend came to her and put her in mind of Abraham's offering up Isaac I know quoth she that Abraham's will before God was accepted for the deed in that he would have done it if the Angel of the Lord had not stay'd him but I am unhappy the Lord thinks not me worthy of this dignity and yet I would have gone with my company with all my heart and because I did it not it is now my chief and greatest grief She was grieved because she had not offered her self though she had given away her child which was more than Abraham was put to Bossu Francis le Bossu Fox Vol. 3. cons. p. 68. a French Martyr to encourage his children to suffer martyrdom with himself he thus spake unto them Children we are not now to learn that it hath alwayes been the portion of Believers to be hated cruelly used and devoured by Unbelievers as sheep of ravening wolves if we suffer with Christ we shall also reign with him Let not these drawn swords terrifie us they will be but as a Bridge whereby we shall pass over out of a miserable life into immortal blessedness We have breathed and lived long enough among the wicked let us now go and live with our God He and his two Sons were killed embracing each other in the Massacre at Lyons in France 1572. Bradford Mr. John Bradford Fox Vol. 3. p. 281 282. the night before he was carried to Newgate he dreamt that Chains were brought for him to the Counter and that the day following he should be carried to Newgate and that the next day he should be burnt in Smithfield which
and thy Adversaries be confounded Avenge thou thy own cause O thou God of Hosts Help all thy people and me especially Pa. 146 147. because I have most need Set my heart strait in case of Religion to acknowledge thee one God to worship none other God to reverence thy Name and keep thy Sabbaths Set my heart right in matters of humane conversation to honour my Parents to obey Rulers and reverence the Ministry of the Word to have hands clean from bloud true from theft a body free from Adultery and a tongue void of all offence but purge the heart first O Lord c. In his Meditation concerning the sober usage of the body and the pleasures of this life Pa. 184 185. O that I could consider often and heartily that this body God hath made to be the tabernacle and mansion of our soul for this life but by reason of sin dwelling in it is become now to the soul nothing else but a prison and that most strait vile stinking filthy c. Then should I not pamper up my body to obey it but bridle it that it may obey the soul then should I flye the pain it patteth my soul unto by reason of sin and provocation to all evil and continually desire the dissolution of it with Paul and the deliverance from it as much as ever did prisoner his deliverance out of prison for alonely by it the Devil hath a door to tempt and so to hurt me If it were dissolved and I out of it then could Satan no more hurt me then wouldst thou speak unto me face to face then the conflicting â—ime were at an end then sorrow would cease and â—oy would encrease and I should enter into inestiâ—able rest In his Meditation for exercise of true mortification Pa. 189 190. He that will be ready in weighty matâ—ers to deny his own will and to be obedient to the will of God the same had need to accustome himself to deny his desires in matters of less weight â—nd to exercise mortification of his will in trifles If we cannot watch with Christ one hour as he â—ith to Peter we undoubtedly can much less go to â—eath with him Wherefore that in great temptaâ—â—ons we may be ready to say with Christ Not my â—ill but thiâ—e be done c. Help me to accustome â—â—y self continually to mortifie my concupiscence 〈◊〉 pleasant things i. e. of wealth riches glory liberty favour of men meats drink apparel ease yea and life it self c. In his Meditation of Gods Providence Pa. 192.193 This ought to be unto us most certain that nothing is done without thy Providence O Lord i.e. without thy Knowledge i. e. without thy Will Wisdom and Ordinance for all these Knowledge doth comprehend in it c. This will we must believe most assuredly to be all just and good howsoever otherwise it seem so unto us But though all things be done by thy Providence yet Providence hath many and divers means to work by which means being contemned thy providence is contemned also Pa. 194. Indeed when means cannot be had then should we not tye thy Providence to means but make it free as thou art free for it is not of any need that thou usest any instrument or mean to serve thy Providence Thy Power and Wisdome is infinite and therefore should we hang on thy Providence even when all is clean against us Grant Dear Father that I may use this knowledge to my comfort and commodity in thee i. e. Grant that in what state soever I be Pa. 195. I may not doubt but the same doth come to me by thy most just Ordinance yea by thy merciful Ordinance for as thou art just and thou art merciful yea thy mercy is above all thy works Look for thy help in time convenient not onely when I have means by which thoâ— mayest work and art so accustomed to do but also when I have no means but am destiture yea when all means be directly and clean against me granâ— I say yet that I may still hang on thee and on thy Providence not doubting of a Fatherly end in thy good time And least I should contemn thy Providence or presuming upon it by uncoupling those things which thou hast coupled together preserve me from neglecting thy ordinary and lawful means in all my needs if so be I may have them Pa. 196. and with a good conscience use them although I know thy Providence be not tyed to them farther than pleaseth thee Howbeit so that I depend in no part on the means or on my diligence wisdom and industry but on thy Providence which more and more perswade me to be altogether fatherly and good how far soever otherwise it appear yea is felt of me In his Meditation of Gods presence Pa. 197 198. There is nothing that maketh more to true godliness of life than the perswasion of thy presence Dear Father and that nothing is hid from thee but all to thee is open and naked even the very thoughts which one day thou wilt reveal either to our praise or punishment in this life as thou didst David's faults 2 King 12. or in the life to come Mat. 25. Grant to me Dear God mercy for all my sins especially my hid and close sins c. and that henceforth I alwayes think my self conversant before thee so that if I do well I pass not the publishing of it as Hypocrites do if I do or think any evil I may know that the same shall not alwayes be hid from men Grant me that I may alwayes have in mind that day wherein all my works shall be revealed so in trouble and wrong I shall find comfort and otherwise be kept through thy grace from evil In his Meditation of God's power beauty Pa. 199. and goodness Because thou Lord wouldest have us to love thee not onely dost thou will entice allure and provoke us but also dost command us so to do promising thy self unto such as love thee and threatning us with damnation if we do otherwise whereby we may see both our great corruption and naughtiness and also thine exceeding great mercy towards us What a thing is it that power riches authority beauty goodness liberality truth justice which all thou art good Lord cannot move us to love thee whatsoever things we see fair good wise mighty are but even sparkles of thy power beauty goodness wisdome which thou art In his Meditation of death Pa. 202 203. c. O Dear Father That our hearts were perswaded that when we go out of the prison of the body and so taken into thy blessed company then Whatsoever good we can wish we shall have and whatsoever we loath shall be far from us c. Then should we live in longing for that which we now most loath Pa. 204. If we remember the good things that after this life shall ensue without wavering in the certainty
of faith the passage of death shall be the more desired It is like a sailing over the sea to thy home and countrey it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of the soul and body It is the best Physician It is like a woman in travail for as the child â—eing delivered cometh into a more large place than the womb wherein it did lye before so the soul being delivered out of the body cometh into a much more large and fair place even into Heaven In his Prayer for the remission of sins Pa. 224 225. O gracious God who seekest all means possible how to bring thy children to the see ling and sure sense of thy mercy and therefore when prosperity will not serve then sendest thou adversity graciously correcting them here whom thou wilt shall with thee elsewhere live for ever We poor Misers give humble praises and thanks to thee Dear Father that thou hast vouchsafed us worthy of thy correction at this present hereby to work that which we in prosperity and liberty did neglect For the which neglecting and many other our grievous sins whereof we now accuse our selves before thee most merciful Lord thou mightest have most justly given us over and destroyed both souls and bodies But such is thy goodness towards us in Christ that thou seemest to forget all our offences and wilt that we should suffer this Cross now lay'd upon us for thy Truth and Gospels sake and so to be thy witnesses with the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Confessors yea with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like Pa. 226. 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 more thy Truth unto us to confirm strengthen and stablish us so in the same that we may live and dye 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 than 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 See the godly Meditations of Mr. John Bradford pag. 415. We are rather to be placed among the wicked than 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 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 Pag. 6. O what now may we do Despair no for thou art God therefore good thou art merciful therefore thou forgivest sins with thee is mercy propitiation 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 Pag. 7. 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 only 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 Pag. 11. Take into thy custody and governance for ever our souls and bodies our lives and all that ever we have Tempt us never further than thou wilt make us able to bear and alwayes as thy children guide us so that our life may please thee 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 thraldom under their enemies in exile in prison poverty c. Pag. 12. 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 Pag. 49. 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 Kingdom by thy eternal purpose free mercy and grace but yet as strangers wandring in this vile vale of misery brought forth daily by worldly Tyrants like Sheep to the flaughter Thou hast destroyed Pharaob 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 Pag. 50. 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 transform and change proud Nebuchadnezzar the enemy of thy people into a bruit beast to eat grass and hay to the horrible terrour of all worldly Tyrants c. Thou didst preserve those thy three Servants in 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 Pag. 51. and savedst unhurt
the very hairs of their heads turning 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 Pag. 52. c. Now also O heavenly Father beholder of all things to whom belongs vengeance thou seest and considerest how thy holy Name by the wicked Worldlings blasphemous Idolaters is dishonoured thy sacred Word forsaken refused 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 cruelpy handled by thy open enemies Avenge thine own glory 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 Pag. 53. 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 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 Pag. 54. that it is not their arm and power but our sins and offences that hath delivered us to their fury and hath caused thee to turn away from us But turn again O Lord let us fall into thine hands c. least these vain Idolaters do rejoyce at the miserable destruction of those men whom they make Proselytes and from thy Doctrine Apostates But O Lord thy will be fulfilled this is thy righteous judgement to punish us with the tyrannical yoke of blindness because we have cast away from us the sweet yoke of the wholesom Word of thy Son our Saviour Yet consider the horrible blasphemies of thine and our enemies Pag. 55. They say in their hearts there is no God which either can or will deliver us Wherefore O heavenly Father the Governour of all things the Avenger of the Causes of the poor the fatherless the widow and the oppressed look down from Heaven with the face of thy fatherly mercies and forgive us all former offences and for thy Son Jesus Christs sake have mercy upon us who by the force and cruelty of wicked and blasphemous Idolaters without causes approved are haled and pulled from our own houses are slandered slain and murdered as Rebels and Traytors like persons pernicious pestiferous leditious pestilent and full of mortal poyson to all men contagious whereas we do meddle no farther but against the hellish powers of darkness c. which would deny the will of our Christ unto us we do contend no farther but onely for our Christ Crucified and the onely salvation by his blessed Passion Pag. 56. Therefore O Lord for thy glorious Names sake for Jesus Christs sake c. make the wicked Idolaters to wonder and stand amazed at thy Almighty power Use thy wonted strength to the confusion of thine enemies and to the help and deliverance of thy persecuted people All thy Saints do beseech thee therefore The young Infants which have some deal tasted of thy sweet Word by whose mouths thou hast promised to make perfect thy praises whose Angels do always behold thy face who besides the loss of us their Parents are in danger to be compelled and driven without thy great mercies to serve dumb and insensible Idols do cry and call unto thee Their pitiful Mothers with lamentable-tears lye prostrate before the Throne of thy Grace Pag. 57. Thou Father of the fatherless Judge of the widdows and Avenger of all the oppressed Let it appear O Lord Omnipotent that thou dost here Judge Avenge and punish all wrongs offered to all thy little Ones that do believe in thee Do this Oâ— Lord For thy Names sake Arise up O Lord and thine enemies shall be scattered and confounded So be it O Lord most merciful at thy time appointed In his Letter to Mr. Pa. 323. Warcup Be not so dainty as to look for that at God your dear Fathers hands which the Fathers Patriarks Prophets Apostles Evangelists Saints and his own Son Jesus Christ did not find i. e. all fair way and fair weather to Heavne The Devil standeth now at every Inne-door in this City and Countrey of thiâ— World crying unto us to tarry and Lodge in this or that place till the storms be over-past not thaâ— he would not have us to wet our skin but that the time of our running our Race might over-pass us â—o our utter destruction Fear not the Flail fear not the Fanning-wind fear not the Milstone fear not the Oven for all these make you more meet for the Lords tooth In his Letter to Dr. Hill Pa. 326. Such as think it enough to keep the heart pure notwithstanding that the outward man curry favour as they deny God to be jealous one that will have the whole man having created redeemed and sanctified â—oth for himself so they play the Dissemblers with the Church of God by their parting stakes between God and the World offending the Godly whom either they provoke to fall with them or make more careless and conscienceless if they have fallen and occasioning the wicked and obstinate to triumph against God and the more vehemently to prosecute their malicâ— against such as will not defile themselves in body or soul with the Romish Rags now received among us Call to mind that there are but two Masters two kind of people two wayes and two Mansion places The Masters be Christ and Satan the people the Servitors to either of these the wayes be strait and wide the Mansions be Heaven and Hell This World is the place of trial of Gods people and â—he Devils servants by whom they follow The Cross it is that doth make the tryal In his Letter to Royden and Esing Pa. 333. Whom would it grieve which hath a long journey to go through a piece of foul way if he knew that after that the way should be most pleasant yea the journey should be ended and he at his resting place most happy Who will be afraid or loth to leave a little pelf for a little time if he knew he should afterwards very speedily receive most plentiful riches Who will be unwilling for a while to forsake his wife children friends c. when he knoweth he shal shortly after be associated to them inseparably even after his own hearts desire Who will be sorry to forsake his life who is most certain of eternal life Who loveth the shadow better than the body Who can desire the
my friends get ye hence The presence of God to whose goodness I commend my soul is abundantly sufficiently for me Colver Sheep we are for the slaughter said Francis Colver to his two Sons Ward pa. 163. massacred together with himself this is no new thing let us follow millions of Martyrs through temporal death unto eternal life Coo. Roger Câ—â— being asked by the Bishop of Norwich Fox Vol. 3419. whether he would not obey the Kings Laws answered As far as they agree with the Word of God I will obey them Whether they agree with the Word of God or no we are bound to obey them said the Bishop though the King were an Infidel Coo replyed If Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had so done Nebuchadnezzar had never confessed the Living God Constantine Being carried with other Martyrs in a Dung-Cart to the place of Execution Ward pa. 154. he spake thus Well yet are we a precious odour and a sweet savour to God in Christ Cornford John Cornford one of the last five that suffered Martyrdome in Queen Mary's dayes when the Sentence should have been passed Fox Vol. 3. pag. 893. and they should have been executed by the Papists being moved in Spirit with a vehement zeal for God in the name of them all pronounced Sentence of Excommunication against the Papists in these words In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the most mighty God and by the power of the holy Spirit and the authority of his holy and Apostolick Church We do hereby give into the hands of Satan to be destroyed the bodies of those Blasphemers and Hereticks that do maintain any errour against his most holy Word or do condemn his most holy Truth for Heresie to the maintenance of any false Church or seigned Religion so that by this thy just judgment against thy Adversaries thy true Religion may be known to thy great glory and our comfort to the edifying of all our Nation Lord Jesus So be it It is observable that within six dayes after this Excommunication Quen Mary died and the tyranny of all English Papists with her Conlogue Brethren and Sisters said Peter Conlogue of Breda at the Stake be you alwayes obedient to the Word of God and fear not those that can kill the body Fox Vol. 3. pag. 50. for on the soul they can have no power as for me I am now going to meet my glorious Spouse the Lord Jesus Christ Cranmer When Dr. Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury was Excommunicated he said Fox Vol. 3. pag. 92. From this your Judgement and Sentence I appeal to the just Judgement of God Almighty trusting to be present with him in Heaven for whose presence in the Altar I am thus condemned In his Letter to Mr. Wilkinson Pa. 677. The true Comforter in all distresses is onely God through his Son Jesus Christ Whosoever hath him hath Comfort enough although he were in a Wilderness all alone He that hath twenty thousand in his company if God be absent is in a miserable Wilderness In him is all comfort and without him is none Wherefore I beseech you seek your dwelling there where you may truly and rightly serve God dwell in him have him ever dwelling in you After he had recanted and was brought to Saint Mary'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 Pa. 669. 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 that you set not your minds overmuch upon this glozing World but upon God and the World to come to learn to know what this Lesson meaneth which St. John teacheth That the Love of this World is hatred against God Let rich men consider and weigh three Scriptures Luke 18. It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heavin 1 John 3. He that hath the substance 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 howl for the miseries that are coming upon you your riches are corrupted Another exhortion is That next under God you obey your King and Queen willingly gladly without murmuring or grudging They are Gods Ministers 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 than 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 writing 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 Jesus receive my spirit Cromwel Thomas Lord Cromwel Earl of Essex Fox Vol. 2. pag. 529. 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 â—erceiving 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 Seaffold O Lord Jesus Pa. 515. 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 will in better wise restore it to me again at the last day in the resurrection of the Just I see and acknowledge there is in my self no hope of salvation but all my considence hope and trust is in
keep us and also comfort us with the Holy Ghost and set our Conscience at peace and make us be glad in God Pag. 69 c. c. Christian patience hath certain conditions whereby it is known to be true patience 1 It grudgeth not neither excuseth it self as though it should suffer unworthily for his sins wherefore he sitteth down and holdeth his peace as Jeremiah saith 2 It casteth all carefulness on God and committeth it self wholly to God that Gods will be done and not his 3 It humbleth himself and casteth off the pleasures of the World A Prep to the Cross Pag. 70. 4 He is merry and ready to suffer yet more heavy and grievous evils We must look for help in all afflictions for God promiseth his help saying I am with you Fear ye not I will strengthen you But the manner Pag. 72. time and kind of help is unknown unto us that Faith and Hope may have place which sticketh to these things which are not seen nor heard God delivereâ—â— when most need is Pag. 76. that his glory may shine the brighter He will therefore help Pag. 89. when we be in â— manner compelled to despair in all humane help and when all carnal counsel deceiveth us for God only will be glorified He doth prolong help for our utility and profit Pa. 91. that he might exercise and prove Faith by temptation so that he onely might possess the title and name of Helper He that believeth makes not haste Pag. 92 93. He which yet seems a far off shall appear at the end and shall not lye although he tarry yet look for him for he is coming and at the last he shall come and shall not be slow It is also a great comfort to them that be in affliction to remember that they have Christ See cha 12 of the Prep to the Cross l. 1. and c. 12. l. 2. See p. 105. and his Prophets and Apostles and all good and holy men for their examples Furthermore it is a great comfort to the godly that the wicked whom God doth use as a rod to scourge the godly go not clear away without punishment whom he maketh either shamefully ashamed or through their own counsel he doth take them and bringeth them into the same destruction which they themselves have studied and found out for others The cause is For he that huâ—teth one faithful Pa. 109 110. wrongeth not onely him but God who doth revenge the injury and wrong done to the faithful as injury done to himself He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Saul Saul why persecutest thou me If thou beest tempted concerning the Gospel Pa. 136 c. or suffering persecution for the Gospel think of these Scriptures He that receiveth not my Cross and follows not me is not worthy of me If any man will come after me let him forsake himself and take his Cross and follow me For he that will save his soul shall lose it Contrariwise he that loseth his soul for my sake shall find it He that will confess me before men I will confess him before my Father The Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy The Servant is not above his Lord all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution If thou must dye and leave Wife and Children and thy dear Friends say The Lord shall be their Defender for God both will and is able to cherish mine to nourish and defend them for he is the Father of the fatherless and the Widows Husband I forget things behind my back See also chap. 16. l. 2. and endeavour my self to those things that are before my face They that have Wives let them be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not If Satan say thou must forsake the world what then Answer thou contrariwise I shall attain Heaven For blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. All the world lyeth in wickedness All that are born of God overcome the world and this is the victory which overcometh the world our faith All the world shall perish with its lusts and desires Love not the world nor the things of the world We are strangers in this world citizens of Heaven Ye sons of men why love ye vanities and seek lies how long love you infancy or childhood The godly have most comfort See p. 176 c. of the Preparation c. though in this life they be as sheep ordained to be flain and seem forsaken of God c. yet they do not despair no not in death but are sure they shall pass through death to life eternal c. Also they have this comfort that their death is good and precious they also know that through Christs death death is overcome and abolished Pa. 180. Christ by his death hath changed their death into a sleep Such as be at the point of death Pa. 184. ought to take comfort and be strong in that they know that they carry with them both Letter and Token which is Baptisme whereby their death is incorporate with the death of Christ and that it is not their death so much as the death of Christ Wherefore let them surely trust that they shall overcome as that death of Christ hath overcome Pa. 191. Unto the godly it is a great comfort that they know that death is not in the power of Tyrants nor put into the hand of any Creature least they should be much troubled c. they shall onely die when it pleaseth the Lord. We cannot live any longer than the Lord hath appointed and we shall not die Pa. 193. though we be in the greatest peril and extream jeopardy before our hour Then wherefore should they fear death Pa. 202. they cannot live longer than God hath appointed nor die any sooner It is the comfort of the godly in all adversity See pag. 205 c. that through the Grace of God they shall be revived and raised up as well the body as the soul the souls to Justice the bodies to Glory This hope the wicked have not Pa. 223 224. c. It is a great comfort that affliction shall not endure continually and the afflictions of this time are not worthy of the Glory which shall be shewed upon us Our trouble which is but temporal and light worketh an exceeding eternal weight of Glory unto us who look not on the things that are seen but on them which are not seen If a man praise a very fool saith Mr. Frith in his Preface to his Mirrour and think his wit good and profound he is indeed more fool than the other Thus seeing man praiseth and commends riches honour c. and such other vain and transitory things which are but as a dream and vanish like a flower of the field when a man should have most need of them he himself is more vain than
those things which are but vanity If God hath opened the eyes of thy mind saith the Mirrour it self and have given thee Spirit Wâ—sdome through the knowledge of his Word See the glass to know thy self p. 13. 14 c. boast not thy self of it but rather fear and tremble for a chargeable Office is committed unto theâ— which if thou fulfil it is like to cost thee thy life at one time or other with much trouble and persecution but if thou fulfill it not then shall thâ— Office be thy Damnation For St. Paul saith Wâ— is to me if I preach not And by the Prophet Ezekiâ— God saith If I say unto the wicked that he shall die tâ— death and thou shew him not of it the wicked shall 〈◊〉 in his iniquity but I shall require his blood at thy hand But peradventure our Divines would expound these Texts onely of them that are sent and have cure of souls Whereunto I answer That every man that hath the light of Gods Word revealed unto him is sent wheresoever he seeth necessity 〈◊〉 hath the cure of his Neighbours soul e. g. If God hath given me my sight and I perceive a blind man going in the way which is ready for lack of fight to fall into a pit wherein he would likely perish I am bound by Gods Command to guide him till he be past that jeopardy or else if he perish therein his blood shall be required at my hands Thus if I perceive my Neighbour like to perish for lack of Christs Doctrine then am I bound to instruct him with the knowledge God hath given me or else his blood shall be required at my hand Peradventure they will say that there is already one appointed to watch the Pit c. and therefore I am discharged and need take no thought Whereunto I answer I would be glad that so it were notwithstanding if I perceive that the Watchmen be asleep or run to the Alehouse c. and through his negligence espy my Neighbour in danger of the Pit then am I nevertheless bound to lead him from it I think that God hath sent me at that time to save that soul from perishing and the Law of God and Nature that bindeth me thereunto which chargeth me to love my Neighbour as my self Hag. 1. to do unto him as I would be done unto If God hath given thee riches c. thou art yet the very owner of them but God is the Owner who saith by the Prophet Gold is mine and silver is mine and he hath for a season made thee a Steward of them to see whether thou wilt be faithful in the distribution of them according to his Commands Our spiritual Possessionaries are double Thieves and Murtherers as concerning the body besides their murthering of the soul for lack of Gods Word which they will neither preach or suffer any other to do it purely but persecute them and put them unto most cruel death First they are Thieves and Murtherers because they distribute not what they have from charitable Forefathers to the intent it should have been ministred unto the Poor but upon Horses Coaches c. gorgeous apparel and delicate fare c. Thus they defraud the Poor of their bread and so are Thieves and because this bread is their life they are Murtherers also Besides they are Thieves and Murtherers for withdrawing their perfect Members from labour whereby they might minister unto their Neighbours necessities I speak of as many as are not occupied about preaching Gods Word Besides these and many other Treatises he wrote also several choice Letters whilest he was Prisoner in the Tower In his Letter to the faithful Followers of Christs Gospel See his Works pag. 81 82. he thus expresseth himself It cannot be express'd Dearly Beloved in the Lord what joy and comfort it is to my heart to perceive how the Word of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you so that I find no small number walking in the wayes of the Lord according as he gave us Commandment willing that we should love each other as he loved us Now have I experience of the saith which is in you and can testifieâ— that it is without simulation that ye love not iâ— word and tongue onely but in deed and truth What can be more trial of a faithful heart than tâ— adventure not onely to aid and succour by the means of other which without danger may not be admitted unto us but also personally to visit the Poor oppressed and see that nothing be lacking unto them but that they have both ghostly comfort and bodily sustenance notwithstanding the strait inhibition and terrible meancing of these worldly Rulers even ready to abide the extreamest jeopardies that Tyrants can imagine This is an evidence that you have prepared your selves to the Cross of Christ according to the Counsel of the Wise man which saith My Son when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord prepare thy self unto tribulation This is an evidence that you have cast up your accounts and have wherewith to finish the Tower which ye have begun to build and I doubt not but he that hath begun this work in you shall for his Glory accomplish the same even unto the coming of the Lord which shall give unto every man according to his deeds And albeit God of his secret Judgements for a time keep the rod from some of them that ensue his steps yet let them surely reckon upon it for there is no doubt but all which will live devoutly in Christ must suffer persecution for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth and chasteneth every child that he receiveth If ye be not under correction of which we are all partakers then are ye bastards and not children Nevertheless we may not suppose that our most loving Father should do that because he rejoyceth in our blood or punishment but he doth it for our singular profit that we may be partakers of Holiness and that the remnants of sin which through the frailty of our Members rebel against the Spirit and Will causing our works to go unperfectly forward and may some deal be suppressed least they should subdue us and reign over us Of these things God had given me the speculation before and now it hath pleased him to put in ure and practise upon me I ever thought yea and do think that to walk after Gods Word would cost me my life at one time or another and although the Kings Grace should take me into his Favour and not suffer the bloody Edomites to have their pleasures upon me yet will I not think that I am escaped but that God hath onely deserred it for a season to the intent that I should work somewhat that he hath appointed me to do and so to use me to his Glory And I beseech all the faithful followers of the Lord to arm themselves with the same supposition marking themselves with the sign of the Cross not
her to dâ—e 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 Ward pag. 151. as if she had been going to a Wedding Mr. Ward tells us that sâ—e 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 Use 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 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 exhorted them thereto and gave them an example Glover Mr. Robert Glover in his Letter to his Wife hath many memorable passages Fox Vol. 3. pag. 422. the chief I shall collect I thank you heartily most loving Wife for your Letters sent to me in my imprisonment I read them with tears more than once or twice with tears I say for joy and gladness that God hath wrought in you so merciful a work 1 An unfeigned repentance 2 An humble and hearty reconciliation 3 A willing schmâ—ssion and obedâ—ence to the will of God in all things These your Letters and the hearing of your godly proceedings have much relieved and comforted me c. and shall be a goodly Testimony for you ar the great Day against many worldly and dainty Dâ—mes which set more by their own pleasure and praise in this world than by Gods Gâ—ory little regarding as it appeareth the everlasting health of their own souls or others So long as God shall lend you continuance in this miserable world above all things give your self continually to Prayer lifting up pure hands without anger wrath or doubting forgiving as Christ forgives And that we may be the better willing to forgive it is good often to call to remembrance the multitude greatness of our sins which Christ daily and hourly pardoneth and forgiveth us And because Gods Word teacheth us not onely the true manner of praying but also what we ought to do or not to do in the whole course of our life what pleaseth or displeaseth God Joh 12. and that as Christ saith The Word of God that he hath spoken shall judge us Let your Prayer be to this end especially that God of his great mercy would open and reveal more more daily to your heart the true sense knowledge and understanding of his mest holy Word and give 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 1 Cor. 1. 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 it 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 remembring alwayes as Christ saith Lots wife Luke 17. i. e. to beware of looking back to that thing that displeaseth God and nothing more displeaseth God than I dolatry that is false worshiping of God otherwise than 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 of perdition enemy to Christ Pa. 423. the Devils Deputy and Lieutenant the Pope Christs Church heareth teacheth and is ruled by his Word John 1 as he saith My Sheep hear my voice If you abide in me and my Word abide in you you be my Disciples Their Church repelleth Gods Word forceth all men to follow their traditions Christs Church dares not add nor diminish alter or change his blessed Testament Acts 7. 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 because they are not of the world but these persecute murther slay and kill such as profess the true doctrine of Christ be they in learning living conversation and other vertues never so excellent Christ and his Church referred the trial of their doctrine to the Word of God John 5. and gave the people leave to judge thereof by the same Word search the Scriptures But this Church taketh away the Word from the people and suffereth neither learned nor unlearned to examine or prove their doctrine by the Word of God The true Church of God laboureth by all means to resist and withstand the Iusts desires motions of the world the flesh the Devil these for the most part give themselves to all voluptuousness c. I likened them to Nimrod whom the Scripture calls a mighty Hunter telling them That that which they could not have by the Word they would have by the Sword and be the Church whether men will or no. Beware of such as shall advertise you something to bear with the world as they do for a season There is no dallying with Gods matters It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God Remember the Prophet Elias 1 Chr. 18 Luke 9. Why halt ye on both sides Remember what Christ saith He that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh back is not worthy of me And seeing God hath hitherto allowed you as a good Souldier in the foreward play not the Coward neither draw back to the rere-ward Saint John numbreth among them that shall dwell in the fiery Lake such as be fearful in Gods Cause Set before your eyes alwayes the examples of such as have
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 theâ— were the Church So cried all the Clergy againsâ— the Prophets of Jerusalem said I saying The Church the Church c. So much out of Mâ— Glover's choice Letter After he was condemned Pa. 427. his heart was lumpish and desolate of all spiritual consolation whereupon fearing least the Lord had utterly withdrawâ— he made his moan to Mr. Austine Bernher his familiar friend telling him how he had prayed nigâ— and day to God and yet had no sense of comsoâ— from him The Minister desired him to wait patiently the Lords leisure and howsoever his present seeling was yet seeing his cause was just he exhorted him constantly to stick to the same anâ— to play the man not doubting but the Lord in 〈◊〉 good time would visit him and satisfie his desâ—â— with plenty of consolation whereof said Mâ— Bernher he was right certain and sure and therefore desired him whenever any such feeling 〈◊〉 Gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch 〈◊〉 heart that then he should shew some significatiâ—â— thereof The next day as he was going to the place of his Martyrdome and was come within sight of the Stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feel none suddenly he was so mightily replonished 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 than as one passing out of the world by any pains of death Godfrey When one called Godfrey de Hammele Heretick Ward pag. 157. 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 See hit Sermon on Act. 4.19 Enlarged and Printed at Gena 1558. Pa. 216 c. 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 in deed 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 prefering at all times the will of God to the will of men faying 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 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 corruprible 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 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 patience wait for the joyful confession of Christ again Pa. 218. 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 present with you that no man or power can take away your lise from you nor touch your body any farther than 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 at ye ought there can be nothing that should make you to shrink from the Lord. I they do cast you into Prison with Joseph the Lord will deliver you If they cast you to wild beâ—sts and Lions as they did Daniel you shall be preserved If into the Sea with Jonas Pâ— 219. you shall not be drowned or into the dirty dungeon with Jeremy you shall be delivered or into the fiery Furnace with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego 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 misery for felicity continual vexation and trouble for perpetual rest and quietness churing rather to die with shame of the world being the Servants of God than to live among men in honour being the Servants of Satan and condemned of God Otherwise if you give place to the wickedness of men to escape their malice and bodily dangers you shew your selves therein to fear man more than the mighty and dreadful God him that hath but power of your body and that at Gods appointment then God himself who hath power after he hath destroyed the body to cast both soul and body into hell fire there to remain everlastingly in torments unspeakable And moreover Pa. 220. that which you look to obtain by these sinful shifts you shall be sure to lose with grief and trouble of conscience for this saying of your Master being true and certain that They which seek to save their life meaning by any worldly reason or policy shall lose it Mat. 16. What shall be their gains at length when by dissimulation and yielding to Popish Blasphemy they dishonour the Majesty of God to enjoy this short miserable and mortal life to be cast from the favour of God and company of his heavenly Angels to enjoy for a short time their goods and possessions among their fleshly and carnal Friends when as their conscience within shall be deeply wounded with hell-like torments when Gods curse and
indignation hangeth continually over the heads of such ready to be poured down upon them when they shall find no comfort but utter despair with Judas who for this worldly riches as he did have sold their Master Pa. 221. seeking either to hang themselves with Jadas to murther themselves with Francis Spira to drown themselves with Justice Hales or else to fall into a raging madness with Justice Morgan What comfort had Judas then by his money received for betraying his Master was he not shortly after compelled to cast it from him with this pitiful voice Mat. 27. Pa. 222. I have sinned in betraying innocent blood Then dear Brethren in Christ what other reward can any of you look for committing the like offences There is no trust but in God no comfort but in Christ no assurance but in his promise by whose obedience onely you shall avoid all danger Mat. 10. And whatsoever you lose in this world and suffer for his Name it shall be here recompenced with double according to his promise and in the world to come with life everlasting which is to find your life when you are willing to lay it down at his Commandment I am not ignorant how unnatural a thing it is contrary to the flesh willingly to sustain such cruel death as the Adversaries have appointed to all the Children of God who mind constantly to stand by their profession yet to the Spirit notwithstanding is easie joyful for though the flesh be frail the Spirit is prompt and ready Pa. 223. Whereof praised be the name of God you have had notable experience in many of your Brethren very Martys for Christ who with joy patiently and triumphing have suffered and drunk with thirst of that bitter Cup which nature so much abhorreth wonderfully strengthened no doubt by the secret inspiration of Gods holy Spirit so that there ought to be none among you so feeble weak or timerous whom the wonderful examples of Gods present power and singular favour in those persons should not encourage bolden and fortifie to shew the like constancy in the same Cause and Profession Nevertheless great cause we have thankfully to consider the unspeakable mercy of God in Christ who hath farther respect to our infirmity that when we have not that boldness of Spirit to stand to the death as we see others he hath provided a present remedy that being persecuted in one place we have liberty to flee into another When we cannot be in our own Countrey with a safe conscience except we would make open profession of our Religion which is every mans duty Pa. 224. and so be brought to offer up our lives in sacrifice to God in testimony that we are his he hath mollified prepared the hearts of Strangers to receive us with all pity and gladness where you may be also not onely delivered from the fear of death and the Papistical Tyranny practised without all measure in that Countrey but with great freedom of conscience hear the Word of God continually preached the Sacraments of our Saviour Christ purely and duely ministred without all dregs of Popery or Superstition of mans invention to the intent that you being with others refreshed for a space and more strongly fortified may be also with others more ready and willing to lay down your lives at Gods appointment for that is the chiefest grace of God and greatest perfection to fight even unto blood under Christs Banner and with him to give our lives Pa. 225. But if you will thus flee Beloved in the Lord you must not chuse unto your selves places according as you fancy as many of us who have left our Countrey have done dwelling in Popish places among the enemies of God in the midst of impiety some in France as in Paris Orleance Roan some in Italy as in Rome Venice Padua which persons in fleeing from their Queen run to the Pope fearing the danger of their bodies feek where they may poyson their souls thinking by this means to be less suspected of Jezebel shew themselves afraid ashamed of the Gospel which in times past they have stoutly professed And lest they should be thought favourers of Christ have purposely ridden by the Churches and Congregations of his Servants their Brethren neither minded to comfort others there nor to be comforted themselves wherein they have shewed the coldness of their zeal towards Religion given no small occasion of slander to the Word of God which they seemed to profess Pa. 226. This manner of fleeing then is ungodly c. Neither is it enough to keep you out of the Dominions of Antichrist and to place your selves in corners you may be quiet and at ease and not burthened with the charges of the poor thinking it sufficient if you have a little exercise in your houses in reading a Chapter or two of the Scriptures and then will be counted zealous persons and great Gospellers No Brethren and Sisters this is not the way to shew your selves manful souldiers of Christ except you resort where his Banner is displayed Pa. 227. and his Standard set up where the Assembly of your Brethren is and his Word openly preached and Sacraments faithfully ministred for otherwise what may a man judge but that such either disdain the company of their poor Brethren whom they ought by all means to help and comfort according to that power that God hath given them for that end onely and not for their own ease or else that they have not that zeal to the House of God the Assembly of his Servants and to the spiritual gifts and graces which God hath promised to pour upon the diligent hearers of his Word as was in David who desired being a King Rather to be a door-keeper in the House of God Psal 84. than to dwell in the tents of the ungodly lamenting nothing so much the injuries done to him by his Son Absalom which were not small as that he was deprived of the comfortable exercises in the Tabernacle of the Lord which then was in Sion Neither doth there appear in such persons that greedy desire whereof Isaiah makes mention which ought to be in the Professours of the Gospel Pa. 228. Isa 2. who never would cease or rest till they should climb up to the Lords hill meaning the Church of Christ saying one to another Let us ascend to the hill of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his wayes and we shall walk in his footsteps for the Law shall come forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Which zeal the Prophet doth not mention in vain but to shew what a thirst and earnest desire should be in true Christians and how the same appeareth in seeking and resorting to those places where it is set forth in greatest abundance and perfection as was after Christs Ascension in Jerusalem And as that zeal shewed them to