taught heresie And hee desired all them present to beare him witnesse that he tooke the Traditions and Religion of the Pope to bée most erronious false and against the doctrine of holy Scriptures which hee had often proued by preaching and writing and the Pope to bee very Antichrist so often preached by the Apostles and Prophets in whom most euidently doth concurre all the signes and tokens whereby hee was painted vnto the world to bee knowne by for hee aduanceth himselfe aboue all Emperours and Kings of the world whom he affirmeth to hold of him and to be at his commandement and the stories make mention of his intollerable pride and tyranny vsed to them as no King would haue done to his subiects nor a good maister to his seruants setting his féet vpon Emperours necks and making others to hold his stirrops and remoued others from their Empires hath not onely occupied the highest places in the world aboue Kings but hath presumed to fit in the seat of Almighty God which is the conscience of man to kéepe the possession thereof he hath promised forgiuenesse of sins he hath brought in Gods of his own framing and inuented a new religion full of lucre quite contrary to the Scriptures only for maintaining of his kingdome displacing Christ from his glory holding his people in miserable seruitude of blindnesse to the losse of a number of soules which God at the latter day shall exact at his hands boasting in his Canons decrées that he can dispense against Peter Paul the old Testament New that in his fulnesse of power he can do as much as God If any man can be aduanced aboue him let him be iudged Antichrist This enemy of God and our redemption is so euidently painted out in the Scriptuers with such manifest tokens which all sée clearely appeare in him that except a man will shut his eyes and heart against the light hee cannot but know him therefore I will neuer giue my consent to the receiuing of him into the Church of England and my Lord sand you that be here examine your own consciences you are sworne against him you are learned and can iudge the truth I pray God you be not wilfully blind I haue discharged my conscience to the world I will write my mind to her grace which letter you may sée in the book at large Storie and Martine diuers times interrupted him saying he spake blasphemy and would faine haue the Bishop put him to silence who notwithstanding suffered him to end his spéech Then they charged him that he was sworne vnto the Pope when he was made Archbishop but he denied it and said It appeareth that he did not by the record of the countrey which one of them confessed Many maruelled that in so perilous a time he had so sincerely proceeded choosing rather to venture the losse of his life and all his glorious pompe then to do any thing that might spill his conscience Then they obiected that he was married which he confessed Doctor Martine said his children were bond-men to the Sea of Canterbury At which he smiled saying If a benificed Priest had a Concubine and had bastards by her they are not bond-men to the benifice I trust you wil make my childrens cause no worse Then D. Martine demanded of him who was the supreme head of the Church he said Christ Martine said you made K. Henry supreme head of the Church He said of the people of England Ecclesiasticall Temporal and not of the Church for Christ is the onely head of the Church and of the Faith and Religion of the same The Articles of religion touching the Sacrament denying transubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Masse and the reall presence he affirmed as he taught in his Booke Then they cited him to appeare 80 daies after at Rome and then sent him to prison where thou maist sée their visored face of Iustice as though the Court of Rome would condemne no man before hee answered for himselfe but the same time the Pope sent letters executory vnto the King and Queene to disgrade and depriue him which was done before twenty dayes were done And though he were kept in prison at the end of the 80 dayes hee was decreed Contumax and thereupon condemned Upon S. Valentines day next after the Archbishop was disgraded and condemned by Bonner Thurlby Bishop of Ely who sometimes was Cranmers Chaplaine and preferred by him at which time Bonner which a long time had borne great malice towards him and reioyced greatly see this day wherein he might triumph ouer him at his pleasure made an Oration to the people in this sort This is the man who hath euer despised the Popes holinesse and now is to be iudged by him this is the man that hath pulled downe so many Churches and now is come to be iudged in a Church this is the man that contemned y â— blessed Sacrament of the Altar and now is come to be condemned before the said Sacrament hanging ouer the Altar this is the man that like Lucifer sate in the place of Christ vpon an Altar to iudge others and now is come before the Altar to bee iudged himselfe Thus he continued halfe an houre heaping vp a number of lies together beginning euery one with This is the man so lothsomly that he made euery man weary When they had disgraded him they stript him of his gowne put vpon him a poore yeoman Bedles gowne thrid-bare and as ill-fauouredly made as could be and a Townsmans cap vpon his head and so deliuered him to the secular power in this filthie gowne he was carried vnto prison The Queene Bishops hauing kept the Archbishop now almost three yeares in prison seeing by no means they could preuaile with him all this while to turn him from his religion they suborned certaine men which should by intreaty and faire promises or any other means allure him to recantation so the wily Papists flocked about him labouring to draw him from his former sentence to recantation especially Henry Sidall and Frier Iohn a Spaniard they shewed him how acceptable it would be to the Kings Queene and how gainfull it would be both bodily spiritually they added that the Councell Noble-men bare him good wil promising him both his life ancient dignity saying the matter was but small the setting of his hand to a few words but if hee refused there was no hope of pardon for the Queene was purposed that shee would haue Cranmer a Catholique or else no Cranmer at all By these and such like prouocations they at last wâ—nne him to subscribe It may bee supposed that it was for hope of life and better dayes to come But it appeareth by a Letter of his to a Lawyer that the most cause why hee desired his life to bee delayed was that hee might make an end of a Booke against Marcus Antonius a Papist which hee had begun but it is manifest
six women with the Lord of the place to be condemned for Hereticks because they said since Peter none was true Uicar of Christ but they onely which followed the pouerty of Christ. Hee condemned of heresie George the King of Boheme and depriued him made his whole stocke to be reiected and gaue his Kingdome to Mathias King of Panonia Pope Alexander the sixt succéeded him Hee receiued two thousand Florens for poisoning Gemen the Turkes brother at Rome Hee sent for help of the Turkes against the French King He was vngratefull to the Cardinals that chose him He commanded Marcinellus one of them to haue his hands and tongue cut off for speaking against his vices After sitting with his Cardinals and the rich Seâ—ators of Rome at dinner his man vnawares bringing a wrong Bottle vnto him he with his Cardinals about him were poisoned In his time the Angel which stood on the top of the Popes Church was beaten down with thunder which thing seemed to declare the ruine of the Pope-dome Pius the third succéeded Pope after him Iulius the second passing all other in iniquitie as he was going to warre he cast the keyes of S. Peter into the riuer Tybris saying being the keyes of Peter would not serue him to his purpose he would take himselfe to the sword of Paul By this Iulius partly with warre partly with cursings in seuen yeares 200000. Christians were destroyed he got many Citties out of Princes hands by bloudshed when he was made Pope he tooke an oath to haue a Councel within two yeares but breaking his Oath he was occupied in warres whervpon nine of his Cardinals departed from him and appointed a Councell at Pâ—sa they alledged the cause for that the Pope was forsworne and that they had diuers other crimes to accuse him of purposing to remooue him from his seate which hee had obtained through bribes and ambition Iulius commanded vnder great paine that none obeyed them the next yéere he called a Councell The French King seeing the Pope take part with the Uenetians against him called a Councell at Thurin in which Councell they agréed that the Pope ought not to war against any Prince without cause and that it was lawfull for the King to defend himselfe against him and that vniust excommunications were not to bée feared After the King sent to the Pope the decrées of the Councell who accursed the French King with all his Kingdome and the next yeare after this warlike Pope dyed The lamentable handling of RICHARD HVN who was priuily murdered in Lolards Tower in London HVN had a Child died in his house the Curate claiming the bearing-shéet for a Mortuarâ— Hun answered The Infant had no property therein whereupon he was cited to the Spirituall Court he sued the Curate in a Premunire and then the Priests of mallice accused him of heresie and brought him to Lolards Tower where he was found dead hanging by the necke in a girdle of silke The Bishop of London called Richard Fitziames and Doctor Horsey his Chancelor said â—e hanged himselfe and the Temporalty said he was murdered The Coronor summoned a Iury and viewed the body and many times they were with the Kings Councell and heard their opinions but in the mean season the Bishop burnt the dead carkase in Smithfield to the abhomination of the people but after the matter had beeâ—e heard by the Kings Iudges and after by the Kings Councell the King being present at lasâ— Doctor Horsey the Chancelor and one Charles the Bel-ringer of Pauls anâ— Ioseph the Bishops Somner were indicted of murder and the said Charles being in the Tower of London of his owne frée will said that Maister Chancelor deuised and wrote with his own hand all the heresies that were laid to Huns charge and that when Richard Hunne was slaine Iohn Bell-ringer bare vp a Waxe Candle and I went next to him and Maister Chancelor came vp last and Hunne was lying in his bed and Maister Chancelor said Lay hands on the Theefe and so all we murdered him and I put the girdle about his necke and Iohn Bell-ringer and I did heaue him vp and maister Chancelor pulled the girdle ouer the staple and so Hun was hanged The said Charles told Iulian Little his maid he killed him by putting a Wyer vp into his nose Before that time the Chanceller commaunded to be put vpon Huns necke a great coller of Iron with a great Chaine which is to heauy for any man or beast to weare and long to endure And before Huns death the Chanceller came into the Lolards Tower and kneeled downe before Hunne holding vp his hands and asked him forgiuenesse of all he had done and must doe to him And on the Sonday before the night in which he was destroyed he caused the Penitentiary of Paules to go to Hun and say a Gospell and make for him Holy Water and Holy bread and giue him which was done The Bishop did all he could by word or writing to the King and Cardinals and the Councell to smother the matter affirming that he hanged himselfe and that the Iury was forsworne and that the said Charles spoke that which he had done as before by reason of durance of imprisonment and that if the King and Councel should fauour this matter he should not be able to goe abroad for Heretickes and by the meanes of him and the spiritualty and money the Chancelor caused the Kinges Atturney to confesse on his arraignement him not to be guilty so he escaped to Excester and for shame neuer durst after come to London The Historie of Doctor VVESALIANVS THis Wesalia was complained vpon to Piorherus Archbishop of Mentz by the Thomists which is an Order holding of Thomas de Aquino The Bishop made him answer he should giue vp all his workes and writings which he had made and preached This being done they deuided them amongst themselues that euery man might finde out what errours and heresies they could His Articles and opinions were these That all men be saued fréely and through méere grace by faith in Christ Iesus frée-will to be nothing only that we should beléeue the word of God and not the glosse of any man or fathers that the word of God is to be expounded by the collation of one place with another that Prelats haue no authoritie to make lawes or expound the Scriptures by any peculiar right more then another that mens traditions as Fastings Feasts long prayers Pilgrimations and such like are to be reiected Extream vnction and confirmation to be reproued confession and satisfaction to be reprehended the primacy of the Pope he also affirmed to be nothing Upon which Articles this Wesalia by a generall assembly was condemned and his books to be burned He bring required of the Councell what he thought of the Uicar of Christ in earth He said he beléeued that Christ left no such Uicar in earth for ascending into heauen hee said Behold I am with you c. By
the Bishop of Rochester preached in the reproofe of Martine Luther and in the honour of the Pope and his Cardinals insomuch that hee forgot the Gospell he preached vpon his Sermon was much commended of the Cardinals and Bishops This yeare the New Testament was first translated into English and brought into this Realme by William Tindall This yéere the good Lodouicus King of Hungary pursued by the Turk was faine to take the Marsh where with his horse falling into a Bogge was swallowed vp and â—rowned his body afterwards found was royally buried in Uienna George Carpenter of Emering was burned in Monuchen of Bauaria for maintaining of these foure Articles First that he did not beleeue that Priests could forgiue sinnes neither that a man could call God out of heauen neither that God was in the bread that the Priests hang vpon the Altar Fourthly that the element of water in Baptisme doth not giue grace Then one asked him whether he feared not his Iudgement neither loued his Wife and Children and if he would recant he should returne to them and be pardoned Wherevnto hee answered my wife and Children are so dearely beloued vnto mee that they cannot be bought from mee for all the Duke of Bauaria his riches But for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them as hee was going to execution one bid him beleeue the Sacrament of the Altar and not to beleeue it to be onely a signe Hee answered hee beleeued the Sacrament to bee a signe of the body of Christ offered for vs Then he said why doest thou so little esteeme Baptisme beeing Christ was baptized Hee answered not the baptisme of Christ but his suffering was our Saluation Him this day will I confesse before the world Hee is my Sauiour in him I will beléeue Then one bid him put his trust in God and say if I erre truely I repent To whom hée answered God suffreth me not to erre Then one bid him not to hazard the matter but to choose some Christian brother not to confesse thy self vnto but take Councell off He said it would be too long Then one said Our Father He answered truely thou art our Father and no other this day I trust to be with thée The other said Hallowed be thy Name He answered my God how little is thy Name Hallowed in this world Then he said thy Kingdome come He said let thy kingdome come this day vnto me that I may come to the Kingdome the other said Thy will be done in earth as in heauen He said for this cause O Father I am now héere that thy will may be finished and not mine Then the other said Giue vs this day our dayly bread He said th' onely liuing bread Iesus Christ shall be my food The other said And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs He answered with a willing minde doe I forgiue all men friends aduersaries The other said Leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill He answered O my Lord without doubt then shalt thou deliuer me for I haue laid my hope onley on thee Then one said doest thou think it necessary after death to pray for thée or say Masse for thée He said so long as the soule is in my body pray for me that God would giue me grace patience with all humility to suffer death with a true faith but when my soule is from my body I haue no néed of your prayers He was desired of certaine to shew some signe of beliefe when he was in the fire Hee answered so long as I can speake I will call vpon Iesus I haue neuer séene the like constancie of a man his countenance neuer changed colour he went chéerefully to the fire and said this day will I confesse my God before the whole world when he was in the fire he stil â—ryed Iesus Iesus and so ioyfully yéelded vp his spirit Leonard Keyser of Bauaria was burned for the Gospel hâ— being a Student 〈◊〉 Wittenberge was sent for by his Brothren if euer hee would sée his father 〈◊〉 he should come with spéed and as he was comming by the commandement of the Bishop of Passaw he was taken by his Mother and Brethren His Articles were first that faith iustifieth secondly that works are the fruits of faith Thirdly that the Masse is no Sacrifice or Oblation That Confession Satisfaction the vow of Chastitie Purgatory difference of dayes for affirming onely two sacrifices and inuocation of Saints Hee maintained three kindes of Confâ—ssion the first of Faith which is alwaies necessary the second of Charitie which serueth when any one doth offend his neighbour hee ought to reconcile himselfe againe Mat. 18. The third is to aske Councell of the ancient Ministers of the Church sentence beeing giuen against him he was disgraded he was rounded and shauen clothed in a short gowne a round Cap set vpon his head all cut and iagged and so deliuered to the seculer power As hee was led to burning hee said O Lord Iesu remaine with me sustaine and help me and giue me force and power In the fire he cryed O Lord Iesu I am thine haue mercy vpon me and saue mee this was the blessed end of that good man In this yéere the Senate people of Berne which are most of power amongst the Switzers assigned a Disputation within the Citie and called vnto the same the Bishops of Constans Basil Sedâ—ne and Lozanna warning them to come themselues and bring their Diuines or else lose their possessions they appointed that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament should onely bee of authoritie granting safe conduct to all that would come thether that there should bee no chiding that euery one should speak his minde freely and in such sort that it might be written and whatsoeuer should be there agreed vpon should be ratified and obserued throughout all their Dominions there were ten Articles to be disputed vpon as followeth 1 The true Church wherof Christ is head proceedeth of Gods Word perseuereth in the same and heareth no other man voice 2 The same Church maketh Lawes without Gods word therefore we are not bound to mens traditions but in as much as they be consonant to Gods word 3 That Christ only hath made satisfaction for the whole world to say there is â—ny other way to saluation or meanes to put away sinnes is to deny Christ. 4 That it cannot be proued by Scriptures that the body and bloud of Christ is really and corporally receiued in the Sacrament 5 The Masse wherein Christ is presented offred vnto his Father for the quick and the dead is against the scriptures a contâ—mely to the sacrifice of Christ. 6 That onely Christ is to be called vpon as Mediator to God for vs. 7 That in the Scriptures there is no place after life wherein soules should bâ— purged wherefore prayers ceremonies yearely Dyrges and obits which are bestowed vpon the dead
any appearance of flesh therefore there is no transubstantiated body of his in the Saâ—rament and on the contrary the forme and condition that you see in the Sacrament pertaineth to bread which cannot be there without the subiect therefore of necessity we must confesse bread to be there Taylor put vp the writing to Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury so hee was forced to defend his cause openly in the Court the Archbishop had not yet sanored the doctrine of the Sacrament which he afterward was an earnest teacher of Lambert was faine to appeale from the Bishop to the King Steuen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester as he was most cruell so hee was most subtile gaping to get occasion to hinder the Gospell Hee priuily admonished the King what great hatred he had gotten of al men for abolishing the Bishop of Romes authoritie and for subuerting the Monasteries and for the diâ—orcement of Queene Katharine and now the time serued if he would take it to remedie all these matters and pacifie their minds that be offended if on this man Lambert he would manifest how stâ—utly he would resist hereticks whereby he shall discharge himselfe of all suspicion of being a fauourer of new Sects whereupon the King appointed a day for argument before him when the time was come the Bishop argued the foresaid points against Lambert which he answered most effectually but the King and the Bishops would not suffer him to conclude his arguments When the King minded to breake vp his counterfeit disputation he said to Lambert What sayest thou now to the reasons and instructions of these learned men Art thou satisfied Wilt thou liue or die thou hast yet free choyse Lambert answered I submit my selfe to the will of your Maiestie the King said submit thy selfe to the handes of GOD not to mine then said Lambert I commit my soule to the handes of GOD but my body I submit to your clemencie Then said the King if you commit your selfe to my clemencie you must die for I will not be a patrâ—n vnâ—o hereticks Then he bade Cromwell reade the sentence of condemnation against hâ—m which he did though he was the chiefe friend of the Gospellers this was by the poâ—icie of Cranmer that if Cromwell should haue refused to do it he might incurre the like danger And in the sentence was contained a decrée that the same should be set vpon the Church porches and be read foure times euery yeare in euery Church throughout the Realmâ— whereby the worshipping of the bread should be the more fixed in the hearts of the people The Answers of IOHN LAMBERT to diuers Articles administred to him VVHere you aske me of frée-will whether a man haue frée-will that he may deserue ioy or paine we deserue nothing by doing the commandements of God as it appeareth by the Parable of the Master which when his seruant is come from worke will make him waite on him vntill he hath eaten and after giue him leaue to eate and yet thanketh him not because he hath done but his duetie so should you say you are vnprofitable seruants when you haue done that which you were bound to doe therefore when we haue done well we should not magnifie our owne free-will but his grace by which we did it And though â—race be promised in many places to the kéepers of Gods precepts yet such reward shall neuâ—r be attained of vs but by the grace and benefit of him which worketh all things in all creatures We should not doe works for loue of reward nor for dread of paine but because they doe please God and if we only ayme at the contenting of his pleasure reward vndoubtedly would insue good déeds as heat inseparably followeth fire Thus wee should serue God for loue as children and not for reward and dread as seruants We haue no frée-will nor abilitie of our selues to doe the will of God but as Esay saith We are subiect and thrald vnto sinne and Paule saith By the grace of God we are set at libertie Touching eareâ— coâ—â—ession it was not ordained of God bâ—t of man in the booke called Historia tripaâ—tita you shall find how it was first instituted and after vndone againe because of a huge vilâ—anie committed by a Minister vpon a woman through conâ—ession And touching their power to forgiue sinnes I say onely Christ looseth a sinner which is contrite by his promise and the Priest can but declare the promise neither doth the declaring of the promise by the Priest benefit any one vnâ—esse he be loosed from his sinne by credence in the promise ministred And Chrysostome in his booke in opere imperfecto affirmeth that the keyes of heauen are the doctrine of the word of God Ministers doe binde and loose after a sort as Christ told Paule Thou shalt open their eyes that they may be conuerted from darknes vnto light Here Paule is said to open the eyes of mens hearâ—s yet to speake properly it is God that doth it therefore Dauid prayeth Reuela oculos meos and it is said of Iohn Baptist That he should turn the harts of the fathers vnto the children and the vnbeleeuers vnto the wisdom of the wise although to turne mens hearts only belongeth to God but so we vse to speake Metonomiâ—â— Touching inioyning of penance I know none that men need to admit neither ought you to iniâ—yne any except casting away the old vice and taking the new vertue which euery â—rue penitent intendeth or ought to intend Touching the question whether grace be giuen only by the Sacraments God sendeth his grace where it pleaseth him either with them or without them and when he pleaseth and many lewd persons receiue the Sacraments that are destitute of grace to their confusion yet in due receit of the Sacraments God giueth grace Where you aske whether all things necessary to saluation are in Scripture S. Chrysostome saith he would haue a true preacher of Gods law not to swerue therefrom neither on the right hand nor the left for hee that should thereunto adde or withdraw should enterprise to be wiser then God And Saint Cyprian in his Epistle ad Cicilium fratrem teacheth how we ought to heare Christ only not regarding traditions of men like as he doth in diuers other places And this agreeth well with Scripture which is called the word of saluation the administration of righteousnesse the word of truth the rodde of direction our spirituall food the spirituall sword that we ought to fight withall against all temptations and assaults of our glostly enemies the seed of God the kingdome of heauen the keyes of the same the power of God the light of the world the law of God his wisedome and Testament euery one of which wordes will giue sufficient matter of argument that following the same doctrine only shal haue sufficient safe-conduct to come vnto the inheritance promised though no other way or meaâ—s were annâ—xed vnto the same In the hundred and eightéene
man but consent of deeds Rid. If it were a trifling ceremonie or indifferent for the continuance of common quietnes I could be content to beare it But the Masse tendeth openly to the ouerthrow of Christs institution I ought by no meanes in word or deed consent thereto That of the Fathers is ment of them that suppose they be defiled if any secret vice be either in the Ministers or in the Communicants with them and is not ment of them which abhor Superstition and wicked traditions of men and will not suffer them to be in steede of the Gospell Lat. The Mary bones of the Masse are detestable and by no meanes to be borne with all it cannot be amended but by abolishing it for euer for if you take away â—blation and adoration which hang vpon Consecration and transubstantiation the Papists will not set a button by the Masse onely for the gaine that followeth therin for if our English Communion were a gainefull vnto them as the Masse they would striue no more for the Masse Anto If you refuse to goe to Masse you forsake the Church for the Masse is the Sacrament of vnitie without the Arke there is no saluation the Church is the Arke and Peters ship Augustine saith he shall not haue God his Father which acknowledgeth not the Church his mother And he also saith be thy life neuer so well spent out of the Church thou shalt not inherit the Kingdome of heauen Ridley The Catholick Church is the Communion of Saints the Citie of GOD the spouse of Christ the body of Christ the pillar of truth this Church I honour in the Lord but the rule of this Church is the word of God as many as walke according to this rule peace bee vpon them and vpon Israel that pertaineth to God the guide of this Church is the Holy Ghost the marks of this Church are these The preaching of Gods word due administration of the Sacraments Charitie and obseruing of Ecclesiasticall Discipline according to the word of God these are the heauenly Ierusalem which consisteth of those which are borne aboue This is the mother of vs all I will liue and die the child of this Church forth of this there is no saluation it is onely knowne by the Scriptures which is the true Church indeed the bread which we breake according to the institution of Christ is the Sacrament of the vnity of Christs mysticall body for we being many are one bread and one body because we are partakers of one bread but in the Masse the Lords institution is not obserued for there we are not all partakers of one bread but one deuoureth it all Lat Yea what fellowship hath Christ with Antichrist it is not lawful to beare the yoke with Papists Seperat your selues from them saith the Lord it is one thing to be the Church indéed and another thing to counterfet the Church not all that he couered with the Title of the Church are the Church indéed When S. Paul saith Seperate your selues from them He addeth if any man follow other doctrine he is puffed vp and knoweth nothing For it is ignorance to know many things and not Christ but if thou knowest Christ thou knowest enough though thou know no more Therefore he would know nothing but Christ and him crucified as many as be Papists and Masse-mongers may well bee said to know nothing for they know not Christ they take much away from the merite of Christ. Anto. That Church which you describe is inuisible but Christs Church is visible and knowne For hee saith tell it to the Church which is in vaine to goe to the Church if a man cannot tell which it is Rid. If we cannot see the true Church that is not the fault of the Church but either of our owne blindnes or of Satans darknes but the word is a Candle vnto vs and a light vnto our steps to shâ—w the true Church Anto. The Church of Christ is vniuersall dispersed through the whole world the great house of GOD good and euill mingled together Goates Shéepe Corne and Chaffe it is the net which gathereth all kinde of Fishes it cannot erre for CHRIST IESVS hath promised it his good Spirit to leade it in all truth and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it he will be with it to the end of the world What it shall binde or lose in earth shall bee ratified in Heauen it is the truth Augustine saith I beleeue the Gospell because the Church biddeth me beleeue it this Church alloweth the Masse therefore it must be followed RidI The Church is taken three manner of waies in the Scripture sometime for the whole multitude of the professors of Christ but as euery one is not a Iew which is a Iew outwardly nor all that be of Israel are counted the seede So euery one that is a Christian outwardly is not so indeede For hee that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his The Church that Christ Iesus is head of stands onely of liuing Stones Christians in heart and truth and not in worde onely The multitude of the good are the true Church the multitude of the euill is the malignant Church and Synagogue of Satan These be the three takings of the Church and though there be seldom mention in Scriptures in this interpretation yâ—t in the greatest assemblies of the world this Church hath borne the greatest swing But if any will affirme that vniuersalitie doth so appertaine vnto the church that Christs promises to the Church must needes bee vnderstood of that where was that vniuersall Church in the times of the Patriarks and Prophets Of Noah Abraham and Moses when they would haue stoned him of Helias of Ieremy in the times of Christ and the dispersion of the Apostles in the time of Arius When Constantius was Emperour â—and Felix Bishop of Rome succeeded Lyberius Lyra vpon Mathew saith the Church doth not stand in men by reason of their power and dignitie whether it be Ecclesiasticall or Seculer for Princes and Popes and other inferiours haue fallen away from GOD Therefore the Church consisteth in those persons in whom is true knowledge and Confession of the Faith and truth euill men are in the Church in name but not in deed Latimer Touching the vehement saying of Saint Augustine I would not beleeue the Gospel but for the Church Melancton vpon this saith the Church is not a Iudge but a witnes there were some that lightly esteemed the Iudgement of the Church and preaching and reiected the outward word and stucke onely to there inward reuelations This droue Saint Augustine into that vehemencie in which he seemeth to them that vnderstand not his meaning to prefer the Church before the Gospel and that it had authoritie ouer the same but that godly man neuer thought so Anto Generall Councels represent the vniuerfall Church and Christ hath promised to be in the middest where two or three be gathered together in his name
that he was commended by the Ambassadors to the king for his singular wisedome grauitie and learning that he wonne such great credit that he was alone sent Ambassador to the Emperour to debate this businesse but the Emperour refused to determine the matter but remitted the whole question to the Popes court after he was sent to Rome Ambassadour to the Pope where he behaued himselfe with â—o lesse diligence that he compelled the Popes chiefe diuines by arguments to grant the mariage to be against the law but yet by the dispensation of the Pope it might be made lawfull Warram Archbishop of Canterbury dying he was sent for by king Henrie and made Archbishop of Canterbury then came in the question of the Popes supremacy and all the weight of the businesse was chiefly laid vpon Cranmers shoulders he therefore alone receiued answered and confuted all the obiections of the Papists he proued that the Popes Lordship was not brought in by any authoritie of Scriptures but by ambitious tyranny and that the chiefest power on earth belonged to the Emperor to kings and Potentates to whom the Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests by Gods commandement were no lesse subiect then other men and therefore it were best by the consent of the king and other estates the ambitious Lordship of the Pope being driuen out of England should keepe it selfe within his owne Italy as a riuer is kept within his bankes which was performed by act of Parliament then by little and little he reformed the Church into a more wholesome discipline of Christ and laboured to banish the Popes errours heresies and corruptions and he obtained of the king that certaine learned men should make a booke of Ecclesiasticall institutions which was called the Bishops Booke then the abolishing of Monasteries began to be talked of the kings desire was that all the Abbey lands should come vnto his coffers the Archbishop and others would haue them imployed to other good vses whereby the king being bent against Cranmer especially by the instigation of Gardiner Bishop of Winchester which sought all occasions to hinder the Gospel he set forth the 6. Articles by full consent of Parliament which contained the summe of Popish religion What slaughter by the space of 8. yeares these Articles made is already declared but after he forgoing his anger with the Archbishop séeing he stood against him in conscience not in stubburnesse he began to fauour him and thought to haue taken away the 6. Articles and reformed other matters if he had liued but Cranmer and the Lord protector brought it to passe in king Edwards dayes his story how he was vsed in Quéene Maries reign is mentioned before and his disputations at Oxeford and how he was condemned there and left in prison vntill this time And because the sentence was voyde in law because it was giuen by persons excommunicated for they were not then absolued by the Pope nor his authoritie receiued in the realme therefore there was a new commission sent from the Pope for the conuiction of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley and the Bishop of Glocester was appointed the Popes delegate and after they had condemned Latimer and Ridley as before is said The said Legate and his company being set in Saint Maries Church apparelled in his Pontificalibus as if the Pope in person had bene there the Bishop of Canterbury was brought before them putting off his cappe he did obeysance to the king and quéenes proctors then looking in the Legats face he put on his bonnet againe making no obedience toward him wherefore the Bishop sayd vnto him that it might beséeme him well waying the authoritie which he did represent to doe his duety to him he answered hee had sworne neuer to admit the Pope into this Realme and therefore he would commit nothing by signe or token which might argue his consent to the reâ—eiuing of him and that he did it not to any contempt of his person Then the Legate made an eloquent oration to put him in remembrance that from a meane gentleman he was raised to bee a Princes Ambassadour and further to be Archbishop and Primate of the Realmealmost 30 yeares and sâ— farre in trust with the king that he made him president of his councel and after left him in speciall trust for the gouernement of the young Prince during his minoritie such blessing God had giuen him whilest he continued in the Catholicke faith He exhorted him on the other side to consider how he was now fallen from his dignities and officices and in high displeasure of the King and Quéene iudged to die for high treason and all these things to haue happened vnto him only because he had seuered himself from the Sea of Rome and was become a father of new deuised religion and although your estate is so miserable that the meanest in this assembly will not change his condition and calling with you yet further he was like to fall by the iust iudgement of God into hell and euerlasting damnation if he did not repent of his errours and schismes whilest he had time of repentance whereunto he exhorted him earnestly repeating many places of Christs mercies to them that repent and shewed that to returne to the Church was the oâ—ely way to saue both body and soule and I doubt not but the King and Quéene will perdon your condemnation of treason if you will returne vnto the Church and forsake your opinions which I desire you to do Then Cranmer desired license to speake which was gently granted him first he made protestation that hee did not answere to him as to a lawfull Iudge because he was deputed for the Pope but to giue a reason of his faith which God hath commanded him to doe to euery one that shall demand a reason thereof Then he said My Lord you haue learnedly put me in remembrance of many things touching my selfe which I will not answere I acknowledge Gods goodnesse vnto me and thanke him as heartily for this estate that now I am in as euer I did for the time of my prosperity shewing that his greatest griefe was to sée the Popes Iurisdiction restored to England againe Alas what hath the Pope to do in England whose lawes are so farre different from the Lawes of this realme that whosoeuer sweareth to both must néedes incurre periury in the one And I am heartily sorry to thinke that her grace the day before her Coronation tooke an oath to obserue the lawes of this realme and also tooke an oath to the Bishop of Rome promising to maintaine that Sea which was impossible but shee must néeds be forsworne in the one And as for the matter of Heresie wherewith you charge mee I call God to witnesse I know none which I maintaine but if it be heresie to deny the Popes authority and the religion which the sea of Rome hath published vnto the world these latter yeares then all the ancient Fathers of the primitiue Church the Apostles and Christ himselfe