iustifying these are to be remooued and separated a sonder the lawe from the Gospel and faith from workes Otherwise in the person that is iustified and also in order of doctrine they ought coÌ„monly to goe necessarily together Therfore where soeuer any question or doubt riseth of saluation or our iustifying before God there the law al good works must be vtterly excluded and stand apart Grace free Promise simple Faith alone that grace may appeare free the promise simple and that faith may staÌ„d alone Which faith alone without law or workes worketh to euery man particularly his saluation through mere promise and the free grace of God This worde particularly I adde Particularly for the particulare certifying of euery mans hart priuately and peculiarly that beleueth in Christ. For as the body of Christ is the cause efficient of the redemption of the whole world in generall so is faith the instrumentall cause The body of Christ is the efficient cause of our redemption in generall Faith is the instrumental cause of euery mans particular saluation by which euery man applieth the sayde body of Christ particularly to his owne saluation So that in the action and office of iustification both law workes here be vtterly secluded and exempted as things hauing nothing to doe in this behalfe The reason is this for seing that all our redemption vniuersally springeth only froÌ„ the body of the sonne of God crucified then is there nothing that can stande vs in steade but that onely wherewith thys bodye of Christ is apprehended Now for somuch as neither the law nor works but faith onely is the thing which apprehendeth the body and death of Christ Note the obiecte of faith Faith with her obiecte onely saueth A similitude beâ—tweene the brasen Serpente and Christes bodye therfore faith onely is that matter which iustifieth euery soule before God thorough the strength of that obiect which it doth apprehend For the obiect onely of our faith is the body of Christ like as the brasen Serpent was the obiecte onely of the Israelites looking and not of their handes working by the strength of which obiect through the promise of God immediatly proceeded health to the beholders So the body of Christ being the obiecte of our faithe striketh righteousnesse to our soules not through working but beleuing onely Thus you see howe faith being the onely eye of our soule Faith is only the eye of the soule which â—â—â—keth to Christ. standeth alone with her obiecte in case of iustifying but yet neuerthelesse in the body she standeth not alone for besides the eye there be also handes to worke feete to walke eares to heare and other members moe euery one conuenient for the seruyce of the body and yet there is none of them all that can see but onely the eye So in a christian mans life and in order of doctrine ther is the law there is repentance there is hope charitie and dedes of charitie all which in life and in doctrine are ioyned necessarily do concurre together and yet in the action of iustifying there is nothing els in man that hath any parte or place but onely Fayth apprehending the obiect which is the body of Christ Iesus for vs crucified in whom consisteth all the worthines and fulnes of our saluation by faith that is by our apprehending and receauyng of him according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Whosoeuer receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen all such as beleued in his name c. Also Esay 53. And this iust seruaunt of mine in the knowledge of him shall iustifie many c. Argument Da. Apprehending and receauing of Christ onely maketh vs iustified before God As many as receaued him to them he gaue power c. â—ohn 1. And â—e by the knâ—wâ—â—dge of him shall iustifie many c. Esay 53. Iohn 1. ti Christ onely is apprehended and receaued by Faith si Ergo faith onely maketh vs iustified before God Argument Ba Iustification commeth onely by apprehending and receiuing of Christ. Esay 53. ro The lawe and workes do nothing pertaine to the apprehending of Christ. co Ergo the law and workes pertaine nothing to Iustification Argument Ce Nothing which is vniust of it selfe can iustifie vs before God or helpe any thing to our iustifying All our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes Esay 64. sa Euery worke we do is vniust before God Esay 54. re Ergo no worke that we do can iustifie vs before God nor helpe any thing to our iustifying Argument Ca If workes could any thing further our iustification theÌ„ should our works some thing profit vs before God When â—e haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruantes Luke 17. Without me can ye do nothing Iohn 15. me No workes doe the best we can doe profite vs before God Luke 17. stres Ergo no workes that we doe can any thynge further our iustification Argument Ba All that we can do w t God is only by Christ. Ihon. 15. ro Our workes and merites be not Christe neyther anye part of him co Ergo our workes merits can do nothing with God Argument Da That which is the cause of condemnation cannot be the cause of iustification The lawe worketh anger Rom. 4. ri The law is the cause of condemnation Rom. 4. j. Ergo it is not the cause of iustification A consequent We are quit and deliuered from the law Rom. 7. Now are we quitte and deliuered from the law being dead to that wherein we were once holden Rom. 7. Ergo we are not quâ—t and deliuered by the law Forsomuch therfore as the truth of the Scripture in expresse words hath thus included our saluation in faith onely we are enforced necessarily to exclude all other causes and meanes in our Iustification and to make this difference betwene the lawe the Gospel betwene faith and works affirming with the Scripture word of God that the lawe condemneth vs our works do not auaile vs and that faith in Christ onely iustifieth vs. And thys difference and distinction ought diligently to be learned and retained of all christians especially in conflict of conscience betweene the law and the gospel faith and works grace and merites promise condition Gods free election and mans freewil So that the lyght of the free grace of God in our saluation may appeare to all consciences to the immortal glory of Gods holy name Amen The order and differences of places The Gospel Antitheta The law Faith Works Grace Merites Promise coÌ„ditioÌ„ Gods fre election maÌ„s fre wil. The difference and repugnance of these foresayde places being wel noted and exâ—ended it shall geue no smal light to euerye faithfull christian both to vnderstande the Scripture to iudge in cases of conscience and to reconcile such places in the olde and newe Testament as els may seeme to repugne according to the rule
the Sacramentes to a worldly authority we ought to reiect him as S. Paule willeth vs Gala. 1. To open therfore the true sense of the Scripture in the places aforesayd and first to begin with the 16. Chapiter of Mathew here is to be obserued that the question being put in generall of Christ to all his Apostles what they thought or iudged of him Peter aunswering for them all as he was alwayes ready to answere sayd Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God The place of Math. 16. expounded To whom Iesus aunswered agayne Blessed be thou Symon the Sonne of Iona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen And I say to thee thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it That is to say vpon this rocke of thy confession of mee to be the Sonne of GOD Rom. 10. I will builde my Churche for this fayth conteineth the whole summarye of our fayth and saluatioÌ„ as it is written Rom. 10. The word of fayth that we do preach is at hande Faith the mother of saluatioÌ„ Peter the first confessor of Christ. in thy mouth and in thine hart For if thou confesse with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ with thy hart do beleue that God raised him froÌ„ death to life thou shalt be saued c. And this confession being first vttered by the mouth of Peter vpon the same confession of his not vpon the person of Peter Christ buildeth his Church as Chrisostome expoundeth that place in the 26. Sermon of y e feast of Pentecost saying Not vpoÌ„ the person of Peter The church builded vppon the confession of Peter not vppon the Person of Peter but vpoÌ„ the fayth Christ hath builded his church And what is the fayth This Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God What is to say vpon this rocke That is vpon this confessioÌ„ of Peter c. And with this saying of Chrisostome all auÌ„cient expositors sayth Tonstal treating that place do agree For if we should expouÌ„d that place that the church is builded vpoÌ„ the person of Peter we should put an other fouÌ„dation of the Church then Christ which is directly agaynst S Paule saying No man may put any other foundation 1. Cor. 3. but that which is put already which is Christ Iesus c. And because Peter was the first of all the Apostles What is the primacye of Peter and how it commeth that confessed this that Christ is the sonne of God by y e which fayth all men must be saued thereof commeth the primacy that is the first place or standing of Peter in the nuÌ„ber of all the Apostles And as Peter was the firste of them that confessed Christ to be the sonne of God so was he most ardent in his fayth most bolde and hardy in Christ as appeared by his comming out of the shippe in the great tempest and also most vehemeÌ„t in his maysters cause as appeared by drawing out his sword and after the Lords resurrection is declared in the 2.3.4 chapiter of the Actes where as the Iewes withstanding the Apostles preaching the fayth of Christ Peter as most ardent in fayth The honoâ—able names of Peter in the olde Doctors how wherfore they be geuen was euer most ready to defend the fayth against the impugners therof speaking for them all vnto the people c. and therfore hath these honorable names geuen him by the auncient interpreters y t some times he is called the mouth of the Apostles y e chiefe of the Apostles some time the Prince of the Apostles some time the President of the whole Church some time hath the name of primacy or priority attributed to him And yet the sayd Peter notwithstanding these honourable names geueÌ„ vnto him that he should not haue a rule or a iudicial power aboue all the other Apostles it is plain by S. Paule and many other Gala. 2. First S. Paule Gal. 2. playnly declareth the same saying That as the Apostleship of the Circumcision that is of the Iewes was geuen by Christ to Peter so was the Apostleship of the Gentiles geuen to me among the Gentiles The authority of the Apostles all a like Hereby it appeareth that Paule knew no primacy of Peter concerning people places but amoÌ„g the Iewes And therof S. Ambrose expounding that place sayth thus The primacy of the Iewes was geuen chiefely to Peter Ambrosius albeit Iames and Iohn were ioyned with him as the primacy of the GeÌ„tiles was geuen to Paule albeit Barnabas was ioyned with hym So that Peter had no rule ouer all Act. 10. Also in the Actes 10. when Peter was sent for to Cornelius a Gentile he durst not go to him without a speciall vision geuen him from heauen by the Lord. Item that all the Apostles had like dignity and authority Ephes. 2. it appeareth by S. Paule Ephes. 2. Where he sayth Now ye are not straungers nor foreners but ye be Citizens wyth the Sayntes and of the household of almighty God builded saith he vpon the foundation of the Apostles The Church founded not of Peter onely but of the Apostles and the Prophets Christ being the corner stone vpon whom euery edifice being builded groweth vp to an holy teÌ„ple in our Lord. c. Here he sayth that they be builded not vpon the foundation of Peter onely but vpon the foundation of the Apostles so that al they be in the foundation set vpon Christ the very rocke wherupoÌ„ standeth the whole Church In the 21. chap. also of the Apoca. the new City and the heauenly Hierusalem of almighty God is described of the holy ghost Apoc. 21. not with one fouÌ„dation onely of Peter but with 12. foundations after the number of the Apostles S. Cyprian Lib. De simplic prael geueth record likewise to the same Cypria lib. De simplic Prelato that the Apostles had equall power dignitye geuen to them by Christ. And because al should preach one thing therfore y e beginning therof first came by one which was Peter who confessed for them all That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God Euery byshop hath his parte wholy to himselfe saying further that in the Church there is one office of all the Bishops whereof euery man hath a part allowed wholy vnto him Now if the Bishop of Rome may meddle ouer all where hee will then euery man hath not wholy his part for the bishop of Rome may also meddle in his part ioyntly with him so that now he hath it not wholy which is agaynst Cyprian S. Austen likewise expounding the Gospell of Iohn in the 50. treaty Aug. in Ioan. tractat 50. speaketh there of the keyes of Peter Whiche he sayth were geuen of Christ to Peter not for himselfe alonely but for the whole Church Cyrillus expounding the last
so many thowsandes it pleaseth his mercy to choose me to be one in whome he will suffer For although it be moste true that iuste patior i. I iustly suffer for I haue bene a great hypocrite and a greeuous synner the Lorde pardon me yea hee hath done it he hath done it in deede yet hic autem quid mali fecit i. What euill hath he done Christ whome the Prelates persecute his verity which they hate in me hath done no euill nor deserueth death Therefore ought I most hartely to reioyce of this dignation and tender kyndnesse of the Lord towardes me This is a singular mercy of God to haue death which is a due punishment for sinne â— turned into a demonstration testification of the Lordes truâ—he 4. Reg. 2. which vseth the remedy for my sinne as a testimoniall of hys Testament to his glory to my euerlasting comfort to the edefying of his Church and to the ouerthrowing of Antichrist and hys kingdome O what am I Lorde that thou shouldest thus magnifye me so vile a man and miser as alwayes I haue bene Is this thy wont to sende for suche a wretche and an hypocrite as I haue bene in a fiery Charyot as thou diddest for Helias Oh deare Fathers be thankefull for me and pray for me that I styll may be found worthy in whom the Lord would sanctify his holy name And for your part make you readye for we are but your gentlemen hushers Nuptiae agni paratae sunt venite ad nuptias 1. The mariage of the Lambe is prepared come vnto the mariage I now go to leaue my flesh there where I receiued it He meaneth that he should be conueyed by the Queenes Garde into Lankeshire to be burnte as the aduersaryes had once determined lyke as Ignatius was by a company of soldiours conueyed to Rome and cast to the Leopardes I shall be coÌ„ueied thither as Ignatius was at Rome to Leopardis by whose euill I hope to bee made better God graunt if it be his will that I aske it may make them better by me Amen For my farewell therfore I write and send this vnto you trusting shortly to see you where we shall neuer be separated In the meane season I will not cease as I haue done to commende you to our father of heauen And that you would so do by me I most hartely praye euerye one of you You knowe nowe I haue moste neede But fidelis Deus qui nunquam sinet nos tentaâ—i supra id quòd possumus i. Faythfull is God which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength He neuer didde it hytherto nor now I am assured he will neuer do Amen A dextris est mihi non mouebor Propter hoc laetabitur cor meum quia non derelinquet animam meam in inferno nec dabit me sanctum suum per gratiam in Câ—risto videre corruptionem E carcere raptim expectens omni momento carnificem i. He is on my righte hand therefore I shall not fall Wherefore my hart shall reioyce Psalme 16 for he shall not leaue my soule in hell neither shall suffer me his holy one by his grace in Christ to see corruption Out of prison in haste looking for the Tormentour The 8. of February Ann. 1555. Iohn Bradford * To the honourable Lord Russell now Earle of Bedford being then in trouble for the verity of Gods Gospell THe euerlasting and most gracious God and Father of our Sauiour Iesu Christ A letter of M. Bradford to the Lord Russell now Earle of Bedford â—lesse your good Lordshippe with all maner of heauenlye blessinges in the same Chryst our onely comfort and hope Amen Praysed be God our Father which hath vouched you worthye as of fayth in his Christ so of his Crosse for the same Magnifyed be his holy name who as he hath deliuered you from one crosse so he hath made you willing I trust and ready to beare another wheÌ„ he shall see his time to lay it vpon you for these are the most singular giftes of God geuen as to few The excellencye of fayth and what it worketh so to none els but to these few whiche are moste deare in his sight Fayth is reckoned and worthely among the greatest gyftes of GOD yea it is the greatest it selfe that we enioy for by it as we be iustified and made Gods childreÌ„ so are we temples and possessours of the holy spirite yea of Christ also Eph. 4. And of the Father hymselfe Iohn 14. By fayth we driue the Deuill away 1. Peter 5. We ouercome the world 1. Ioh. And are already Citttizens of heauen and fellowes wyth Goddes deare Sayntes But who is able to reckon the riches that this fayth bringeth with her vnto the soule she sitteth vpon No man or Aungell And therefore as I sayd of all Gods giftes she may be set in the top and haue the vpmost seate The which thing if men considered in that she commeth alonely from Goddes owne mercy seat Fayth commeth by hearing the word and not by hearing Masse by the hearing not of Masse or Mattyns Dyriges or such drasse but of the worde of God in such a toung as we canne and doe vnderstand as they would be diligent and take greate heede for doyng or seeyng any thyng whiche might cast her downe for then they fal also so would they with no lesse care read and heare Goddes holy word ioyning thereto most earnest and often prayer aswell for the more and better vnderstanding as for the louing liuyng and confessing of the same mauger the head of the deuill the worlde our fleshe reason goodes possessions carnall frends wife children and very life here if they should pull vs backe to harken to the voyce and counsell for more quiet sure and longer vse of them Philip. 1. Now notwithstanding this excellency of fayth in that we read the Apostle to matche therewith yea as it were to preferre suffering persecution for Christes sake I trowe no man will be so fond as to thinke otherwise but that I and all Goddes children haue cause to glorify and prayse God whiche hath vouched you worthye so greate a blessing The efficacy of the crosse and what it worketh in Gods children For though the reason or wisedome of the worlde thinke of the Crosse according to theyr reach and according to theyr present sence and therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominye and shame Yet Gods Scholers haue learned otherwise to thinke of the Crosse that is the frame house in the which God frameth his children lyke to his sonne Christ the Fornace that fineth Gods golde the high way to Heauen the Sute and Liuery that Gods seruauntes are serued withall the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory For they I meane Gods scholers as your Lordshyp is I trust doe enter into Goddes sanctuary Psalme 72. least theyr fecte slippe They looke not as beastes do on thinges
I come to redemption so to iustification and so to election On thys sorte I am sure that warely and wisely a man maye walke in it easely by the light of Gods spirite in and by his woorde seeing this Faith not to be geuen to all men 2. Thes. 3. but to suche as are borne of God Predestinate before y e world was made after the purpose and good wil of God which wil we may not call into disputation but in trembling and feare submit our selues to it as to that whych can will none otherwise then that whych is holy righte and good howe farre soeuer otherwise it seeme to the iudgemeÌ„t of reason which must needes be beaten downe to be more careful for Gods glory then for mannes saluation whyche dependeth onely thereon as all Gods children full well see for they seeke not the glory whych commeth of men but the glory which commeth of God Ieremie 9. Ihon 5. They knowe God to be a God whych doeth on earthe not onely mercye but also iudgement which is hys Iustice and moste Iustice althoughe oure foolishe reason cannot see it And in thys knowledge they glory and reioice though others through vaine curiositie grudge murmure there againste Thus brieflye I haue sente you my minde and meaning concerning this matter Hereafter you shal haue I thinke your letter particularly answeared by M. Philpot as also if I haue time and so you require it I will doe Iohn Bradford Notes vpon the same Epistle and to the matter of election appertaining AS touching the doctrine of Election wherof thys letter of M. Bradforde Notes this 〈◊〉 added and manye other his letters moe doe much intreate three thinges must be considered 1 Firste what Gods election is and what is the cause thereof 2 Secondly howe Gods election proceedeth in woorking our saluation 3 Thirdly to whome Gods election pertaineth and howe a man may be certaine thereof Betweene Predestination and Election Differâ—â—â—â— betweenâ— predestination and Election thys difference there is Predestination is as well to the reprobate as to the Elect. Election onely pertaineth to them that be saued Predestination in that it respecteth the Reprobate is called Reprobation in that it respecteth the saued is called Election and is thus defined Predestination is the eternal decreement of God Definitioâ— of predâ—â—â—â—â—nation purposed before in him selfe what shall befall on all men eyther to saluation or damnation Election is the free mercy grace of God in his owne wil through faith in Christ his sonne Election defined chusing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him In thys definition of Election firste goeth before the mercy and grace of God as the causes therof whereby are excluded al woorkes of the lawe and merites of deseruing whether they goe before faith or come after So was Iacob chosen and Esau refused The 〈◊〉 of the deâ—â—â—nition examined Mercy and grace before either of them began to woorke c. Secondly in that thys mercy and grace of God in this definition is said to be free thereby is to be noted the proceeding and woorking of God not to be bounde to any ordinarie place or to any succession of chaire nor to state and dignitie of persone nor to worthinesse of bloude Free meâ—â—â— and grace c. but all goeth by the meere wil of his owne purpose as it is written Spiritus vbi vult spirat c. And thus was the outward race and stocke of Abraham after flesh refused whych seemed to haue the preeminence and an other seede after the spirite raised vp to Abraham of the stones that is of the Gentiles So was the outwarde Temple of Hierusalem and chaire of Moses whyche seemed to be of price forsaken and Gods chaire aduanced in other nations So was tall Saule refused and little Dauid accepted the riche the proude the wyse of this worlde reiected and the woorde of saluation daily opened to the poore and miserable abiects the hie mountaines caste vnder and the lowe valleys exalted c. Thirdly where it is added in his owne will by thys falleth downe the free will purpose of man The free mercy and grace of God in his owne will Rom. 9. with all hys actions counsels strength of nature according as it is written Non est volentis neque currentis sed miserentis Dei c. i. It is not in hym that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So we see how Israel raÌ„ long yet got nothing The Gentiles vnneth begaÌ„ to set out and yet got the game So they which came at the first houre did labor more yet they which came last were rewarded with the first Math. 20. The working will of the Pharisie seemed better Math. 20. but yet the Lords will was rather to iustifie the Publicane Luke 18. Luke 18. The elder sonne had a better wil to tary by his father and so did in dede and yet y e fat Calfe was geuen to the yonger sonne that ran away Luk. 15. Wherby we haue to vnderstand Luke 15. howe the matter goeth not by the will of man but by the will of God as it pleaseth hym to accept according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Gods mercy in 〈◊〉 the elect 〈◊〉 includeth the condition 〈◊〉 fayth in Christ. The free mercy and grace of God in 〈◊〉 owne 〈◊〉 will tâ—â—rough 〈◊〉 in Chriâ—â— his sonâ—â— our Lorâ—â— Non ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex Deo nati sunt c. i. Which are borne not of the wil of the flesh nor yet of the wil of man but of God Furthermore as al then goeth by the will of God onely and not by the wil of man so againe here is to be noted that this wil of God neuer goeth with out faith in Christ Iesus his sonne And therefore fourthly is this clause added in the definition through faith in Christe his sonne Whych faith in Christ to vs ward maketh altogether For first it certifieth vs of Gods election As this Epistle of M. Bradforde doth wel expresse For whosoeuer wil be certaine of hys election in God let him first begin with his faith in Christ which if he finde in him to stande firme he may be sure and nothing doubt but that he is one of the number of Gods elect Secondly the said faith and nothing els is the onely coÌ„dition and meanes wherupon Gods mercy grace election vocation and al Gods promises to saluation do stay according to the woordes of S. Paule Si permanseritis in fide c. i. If ye abide in the faith Colos. 1. Thirdly this faith also is the immediate and nexte cause of oure Iustification simply wythout any other condition annexed For as the mercy of God his grace election vocation and other precedent causes doe saue and iustifie vs vppon condition if we beleue in Christ so this faith onely in Christe wythout condition
is the next and immediate cause which by Gods promise worketh our iustification according as it is wrytten Crede in Dominum Iesum saluus eris tu domus tua i. Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued thou and thy whole house Actes 16. And thus muche touching the definition of Election wyth the causes thereof declared Which you see nowe to be no merites nor woorkes of man whether they go before or come after faith but onely the meere mercy of God through faith For like as all they that be borne of Adam doe taste of his malediction though they tasted not his apple so al they that be borne of Christ which is by faith take part of the obedience of Christ although they neuer did that obedience them selues whyche was in hym Rom. 5. Nowe to the second consideration let vs see likewise how The second â—onsideration and in what order this election of God proceedeth in chusing and electing them which hee ordaineth to saluation which order is this In them that be chosen to life first Gods mercy and free grace bringeth foorth election Election worketh vocation or Gods holy calling which vocation thorowe hearing bringeth knowledge and faith of Christ Grace Election â—ocation Fayth â—uâ—â—ificatioÌ„ Glorification Mans free-will Blynd â—ortune Man wisedome Mans Learnâ—ng Maâ—s 〈◊〉 Worâ—es of the lawe excluded from the causes of our saluatioÌ„ in Chriâ—t Faith through promise obtaineth iustification Iustification thorow hope waiteth for glorification Election is before time Uocation and faith commeth in time Iustification and glorification is wythout ende Election depending vppon Gods free grace and will excludeth all mannes will blinde fortune chaunce and all peraduentures Uocation standing vpon Gods election excludeth all mans wisedome cunning learning intention power and presumption Faith in Christ proceding by y e gift of the holy Ghoste and freely iustifying man by Gods promise excludeth all other merites of men all condition of deseruing and all works of the law both Gods law and mans law with all other outward meanes what soeuer Iustification comming freely by Faith standeth sure by promise without doubt feare or wauering in this lyfe Glorification pertaining onely to the life to come by hope is looked for Grace and mercy preuenteth Election ordaineth Uocation prepareth and receiueth the word whereby commeth faith Faith iustifieth Iustification bringeth glory Election is the immediate and next cause of vocation Uocation which is the working of Gods spirit by the woord is the immediate and next cause of faith Faith is the immediate and next cause of iustification And this order and connexion of causes is diligeÌ„tly to be obserued Papistes 〈◊〉 and the doctrine 〈…〉 because of the Papistes which haue miserably confounded and inuerted this doctrine thus teaching that almighty God so farre foorth as he foreseeth mans merites before to come so doeth he dispense his election Dominus pro vt cuiusque merita fore praeuidet ita dispensat electionis gratiam And againe Nullis praecedentibus meritis Dominum rependere electionis gratiam futuris tamen concedere That is That the Lorde recompenseth the grace of election not to any merites preceeding but yet graunteth the same to the merites which follow after As though we had our election by our holinesse that followeth after not rather haue our holinesse by Gods election going before But we folowing the scripture say otherwise that the cause onely of Gods election Election is hys owne free mercy and the cause only of our iustification is our faith in Christ and nothing els As for example first concerning Election if the question be asked why was Abraham chosen and not Nachor Why was Iacob chosen not Esau Why was Moses elected and Pharao hardened Why Dauid accepted and Saule refused Why fewe be chosen and the moste forsaken It can not be answeared otherwise but thus because it was so the good will of God In like maner touching vocation and also faith if the question be asked why this vocation gifte of faith was geuen to Cornelius the Gentil and not to Tertullius the Iewe Whye to the poore to the babes and little ones of this world of whom Christ speaketh I thanke thee Father which haste hidde this from the wise c. Mathew 11. Whye to the vnwise Vocation bringeth fayth the simple abiectes and outcastes in thys worlde Of whome speaketh S. Paule 1. Cor. 1. Yee see your calling my brethren howe not many of you c. Why to the sinners and not to the iust Why the beggers by the hye wayes were called and the bidden gestes excluded We can goe to no other cause but to Gods purpose election and saye wyth Christe our Sauiour Quia pater sic complacitum est ante te i. Yea father for so it seemed good in thy sight Luke 18. And so for Iustification likewise if the question be asked why the Publicane was iustified Iustification by fayth onely and not the Pharisey Luke 18. Why Marie the sinner and not Symon the inuiter Luke 11. Why harlottes and Publicanes goe before the Scribes and Pharisees in the kingdom Mat. 21. Why the sonne of the free woman was receiued and the bond womans sonne being hys elder reiected Genes 21. Why Israel whych so long sought for righteousnes found it not and the Gentiles whych sought not for it found it Rom. 9. Wee haue no other cause heereof to render but to say wyth S. Paule because they soughte for it by woorkes of the Lawe and not by Faith which faith as it commeth not by mans will as the Papist falsly pretendeth but only by the election and free gift of God so it is only the immediate cause whereunto the promise of oure saluation is annexed according as we read And therefore of faith is the inheritaunce geuen as after grace that the promise might stande sure to euery seede Rom. 4. Item in the same chap. Faith beleeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked is imputed to righteousnesse And thus concerning the cause of our saluation yee see howe faith in Christ onely and immediately without any coÌ„dition doth iustifie vs How fayth and election are lincked together in the acte of Iustifiyng being so linked with Gods mercye and election that where so euer election goeth before there faith in Christ must needes folow after And againe whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesu through the vocation of God he must needes be partaker of Gods election Whereuppon resulteth nowe the thirde note or consideration whych is to consider whether a man in this life may be certaine of his election To answere to which question thys first is to be vnderstande The third consideration that although oure election and vocation simplye in deede be knowen to God onely in hym selfe à priore yet notwythstanding it may be knowen to euery particular faithfull man à posteriore Election knowen to God simply Election knowen to man by meanes that is
by meanes which meanes is faith in Christ Iesus crucified For so much as by hys faith in Christe a man is iustified and thereby made the childe of saluation reason must needes lead the same to be then the childe of election chosen of God vnto euerlasting life For howe can a man be iustified but he must needes be saued and howe can a man be saued but by consequence it foloweth that he must also be elected And therefore of Election it is truely sayd De electione iudicandum est à posteriore that is to say Fayth is the meanes wherby we be certified of our Election wee must iudge of election by that which commeth after that is by oure faith and beliefe in Christ which faith although in time it followeth after election yet is it the proper and immediat cause assigned by the scripture which not onely iustifieth vs but also certifieth vs of thys election of God Whereunto likewise well agreeth thys present letter of M. Bradford wherein he sayeth Election allbeit in God it be the first yet to vs it is the last opened And therefore beginning first sayth he wyth creation De electione iudicandum est a posterâ—ore Election fiâ—st knowen to God and last opened to man I come froÌ„ thence to the redemption and iustification by faith and so to election Not that faith is the cause efficient of election being rather the effect thereof but is to vs the cause certificatory or the cause of our certification wherby we are brought to the feeling and knowledge of our election in Christe For all be it that election first be certaine in the knowledge of God yet in our knowledge Faith onely that wee haue in Christe is the thynge that geueth to vs our certificate and comfort of thys election Wherefore who soeuer desireth to be assured that he is one of the electe number of God lette hym not clyme vp to heauen to knowe but let hym descende into hym selfe and there searche hys Faith in Christe the sonne of God whyche if hee finde in hym not fained by the working of Gods holy spirite accordingly thereuppon let hym staye Euery man to stay himsâ—lfe vpon Gods generall promise and so wrappe hym selfe wholely both body and soule vnder Gods generall promise and cumber hys heade wyth no further speculations knowing thys that who so euer beleueth in him shall not perish Ihon. 3. shall not be confounded Ro. 9. shal not see death Ih. 8. shal not enter into iudgemeÌ„t Ih. 5. shall haue euerlasting life Iâ— 3.7 shall be saued Mat. 28. Act. 16. shal haue remission of al his sinnes Act. 10. shal be iustified Rom. 3. Ga. 2. shal haue flouds flowing oute of him of water of life Iohn 7. shall neuer die Iohn 11. shal be raised in the last day Iohn 6 shal finde rest to hys soule and shal be refreshed Math. 11. Now then for so much as we see faith to be the ground wherupon depeÌ„deth the whole coÌ„dition of our iustifying let vs discusse in like maner what is this faith whereof the scripture so much speaketh What fayth is Diuers kindes of fayth for the more plaine vnderstanding of the simple For many kindes there be of faith as a man maye beleeue euery thing that is true yet not euery truth doeth saue neither doth the beleeuing of euery truth iustifie a man Euery truth hath his fayth but euery truth iustifieth not no more doth euery fayth He y t beeleueth that God created all things of nought beleueth truely He that beleueth that God is a iust God that he is omnipoteÌ„t that he is mercifull that he is true of promise beleeueth well and holdeth the truthe So hee that beleeueth that God hath his election from the beginning and that he also is one of the same electe predestinate hath a good beliefe and thinketh wel but yet this beliefe alone except it be seasoned with an other thing wil not serue to saluation as it auailed not the olde Iewes which so thought of them selues and yet thinke to this day to be only Gods elect people Fayth the action Christ the obiect of fayth Fayth Christ correlatiues Onely the faithe whiche auaileth to saluation is that whose obiect is the body and passion of Iesus Christe crucified So that in the act of iustifying these two fayth and Christ haue a mutual relation and must alwaies concurre together faith as the action which apprehendeth Christe as the obiect which is apprehended For neither doeth the passion of Christe saue wythout faith Christ without faith saueth not Fayth without Christ helpeth not neither doeth faith helpe except it be in Christ As we see the body of man sustained by bread drinke not except the same be receiued and conueied into the stomacke and yet neither doeth y e receiuing of euery thing sustaine mans body except it be meate and drinke whych haue power to geue nourishment In like sort it is with faith for neither doth the beleuing of euery thing saue but onely faith in the bloud of Christ neither again doth y e same bloud of Christ profite vs except by faith it be receiued And as the sunne being the cause of all lighte shineth not but to them onely which haue eyes to see nor yet to them neither vnlesse they will open their eyes to receiue the light so the Passion of Christ is the efficient cause of saluation but faith is the coÌ„dition wherby the sayd passion is to vs effectuall Grace Election Vocation Christes death causes externe of our saluatioÌ„ Fayth the onely interne cause of mans saluation Fayth is an action in man but not of man Vertues and workes of charitye though they be good giftes of God in man yet they serue not to iustification Fayth taketh his dignitye of his obiect Looking vp to the brasen Serpent and beleeuing vpon the body of Christ compared The error of the Papistes peruerting the mind of Gods testament how and wherin And that is the cause why we say with the Scripture that faith only iustifieth vs not excluding thereby al other externe causes that goe before faith as grace mercy election vocation the death of Christe c. all whiche be externe causes working our saluation through faith But when we say that faith only iustifieth vs the meaning thereof is thys that of all internall actions motions or operations in man geuen to him of God there is none other that contenteth pleaseth God or standeth before hys iudgement or can helpe any thing to the iustifying of man before him but only this one action of faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God For although the action of praying fasting almes pacience charity repentance the feare and loue of God be hie giftes in man and not of man geuen of God to man yet be none of al these actions in man imputed of God to saluation but only this one action of faith in maÌ„ vpon Christ Iesus the sonne
beganne by little to fall from hym and the concourse of the other mans auditors more and more encreased Which when Cornelius perceaued hee perswaded Campeius that vnlesse hee prouided that man to be dispatched the estimation of the Churche of Rome would thereby greatly decay But when they could not openly bryng theyr purpose about secretly thys way was deuised that Cornelius Ioannes shuld come to opeÌ„ disputatioÌ„ which disputatioÌ„ endured til 3. of the clocke after midnight At length when neyther part coulde agree Ioannes was bid to returne home to his house Who as he was come downe to the lower steps where the place was most straitest so that his frendes could not come to rescue him although by drawing theyr swords they declared their good willes was theyr taken and layd fast in prison When the day came Mollius taken and imprisoned by Card Campeius suche tumulte and stirre was in the whole Cittie that Cornelius was driuen to hide himselfe Also Campeius the Cardinall with the bishop there were both contemned of the studentes The next day y e Bishop of Bononie sent his ChauÌ„celour to Iohn in the prison to signifie vnto him y t either he must recant or els burne But he beyng of a bold cheerefull spirite would in no wise be brought to recant This one thing greeued him that hee should be condemned his cause being not heard In the meane season Laurentius Spatha aboue mentioned being generall of that order in most spedy wise posted vp to Rome there so practised with the Cardinall S. Crucis the Proctor in the court of Rome for the gray Fryers that the Pope wrote downe his letters to Campeius that he shoulde deliuer the sayd Iohn out of prison so that he notwithstanding within 3. monthes after should personally appeare at Rome Mollius deliuered out of prison by meanes of Spatha the generall Thus the 30. daye of hys imprysonment he was deliuered who but for comming of the popes letters had bene burned within 3. daies after Moreouer with the sayde Mollius Cornelius also was cited to make hys appearance likewyse at Rome and there was deteined in prison by the Cardinall S. Crucis till hys cause shoulde be decided The frendes of Mollius gaue hym counsayle not to go to Rome offred hym mony to go to Germany but he would not saying that the Gospell must also be preached at Rome After he was come to Rome appeared before Pope Paule 3. humbly hee desired Mollius appeareth before the Pope that the cause being so weighty might come in publicke hearyng but that could not be obtayned Then was he coÌ„maunded to write his minde in Articles and to bring his proofes which he dilligeÌ„tly performed entreating of Originall sinne Iustification by sayth Free will Purgatory and other such like prouing the sayd articles by the authoritie of the Scripture and of auncient fathers and so exhibited the same to the bysh of Rome Upon this certain Cardinals and Bishops were assigned to haue the cause in hearing who disputed with him 3. dayes could not refell that which he had prooued At last answere was made vnto him thus that it was trueth which he affirmed neuerthelesse the same was not meet for this present tyme for that it coulde not be taught or published without the detriment of the Apostolicke sea wherefore he should absteyne hereafter from the * The Popes church can not abide S. Paules Epistles Epistles of S. Paule and so returne agayne safe to Bononie there professe * Paules Epistles must geue place to Philosophie Philosophy Thus as he was returned to Bononie and al men there were desirous to know of his case how he sped at Rome openly in the pulpit he declared all thinges in order as they were done and gaue God thankes Herewith Campeius beyng more offended then before obteyned of the Pope that the generall of the order should remoue the sayd Iohn Mollius from Bononie and place him some other where So Mollius from thence was sent to Neaples Mollius in great daunger at Neaples there was appoynted reader and preacher in the Monastery of S. Laurence But Petrus the Uiceroy there not abiding his doctrine so neerely sought his death that he had much adoe to escape with lyfe and so departing froÌ„ thence he went wandring into Italy from place to place preaching Christ whersoeuer he came Not long after this when Cardinall CaÌ„peius was dead he was called againe vnto Bononie by a good Abbot named De Grassis an 1543. where hee renued again y e reading of S. Paules Epistle after a secret sort Mollius the second tyme apprehended for reading S. Pauls Epistles as he did before but y t could not be long vndiscouered Wherupon by y e meanes of Cardinall de Capo and by Bonauentura the generall he was apprehended the second tyme and brought to Fauentia layd there in a filthy stincking prison where he continued foure yeres no man hauing leaue once to come to him During which tyme of his induraÌ„ce he wrote a Commentary vpon the bookes of Moses but that labour by the malignitie of the aduersaryes was suppressed Mollius agayne deliuered At length through the intercession of the Earle Petilianus and of the foresaid good Abbot De Grassis he was agayn deliuered and sent to Rauenna where he made hys abode a few months with the Abbot ad S. Vitalem there agayne taught the Gospell of Christ as before The 〈◊〉 â—eale of Mollius and whensoeuer hee spake of the name of Iesu hys eyes dropt teares for he was fraught with a mighty feruency of gods holy spirite In proces of tyme when this Abbot was dead his sureties began to be weary of theyr bond and so was he agayne now the thyrd tyme reduced into prison by the popes Legates There were then 4. men of great authoritie who beyng styrred vp of GOD had pitty vpon hym and bayled hym out of prison Of whom one of the sayd sureties tooke y e sayd Mollius home to instruct hys children in the doctrine of religion and good letters Furthermore at the fame of this man suche a concourse of people came to see him that the aduersaryes beganne to consult wyth themselues to kill hym least hys doctrine shuld disparse farther abroad to the detriment of the Churche of Rome Wherupon commaundement was sent to the popes Legates to lay handes vpon hym and to send hym vp fast bound to Rome Where agayne Mollius the fourth tyme imprisoned now the fourth tyme he was imprisoned in the Castle of Nome and there continued 18. monthes being greatly assaulted sometimes with flattering promises sometyme with terrible threates to geue ouer hys opinion but hys building could not be shaken for it was grounded vpon a sure rocke Thus Doct. Mollius beyng constant in the defence of Christes Gospell was brought The coÌ„stancie of Doct. Mollius and of the Weauer w t certayn other
they which kept the straites perceiuing that their enemies prepared themselues to fight fell down vpon their knees and made their praiers vnto God that it woulde please hym to take pitie vpon them The prayer of the Angronian and not to looke vpon their sinnes but to the cause which they mainteyned to turne the harts of their enemies and so to worke that there might be no effusion of bloud and if it were his wyll to take them with their wiues infantes out of this world that he would then mercifully receiue them into his kingdome In this sort most feruent prayers were made of all those that kept the passages with exhortation that they should altogether cry vnto God and craue hys succour and assistance in thys great distresse All this the Lord of Trinitie and the army did well perceiue Their prayers thus ended sodenly they perceyued their enemies comming towards them through the vines to wynne the top of the mountayne of Angrongne In the meane tyme the Prior of Saint Iohn and Iacomel were within the temple of Angrongne and communed wyth the Rulers touching an agreement These were sent thyther by the Lord of Trinitie to keepe the people occupyed To be short the combat began in diuers places and endured for a long space in the passages of Angrongne The poore Waldoys being but few in number and some of them hauing but slings and crossebowes were sore pressed with the multitude of their enemies A combatâ— betweene the Lorde of trinity the Waldoys At length they retired to the toppe of the mountaine where they defended themselues vntill night When they had found a place where they might wythstande their enemies still pursuing them they turned themselues and slue diuers of them and hurt many When the euening came the enemies rested and were about to encampe themselues there to suppe and lodge all night Which thing when the Angrongnians perceiued they fell to prayer desiring God to assist and succour them but the enemies flouted them and laughed them to scorne Then y e poore people deuised to send a drumme into a litle valley hard by And as they were makyng their prayers vnto God the drumme sounded in y e valley the Lord of Trinitie caused his souldiers whiche were about Beholde the polecye of this pore people to encampe themselues to remoue thence which was a great vauntage to the poore people whiche now were sore weeried with trauaile al wet with sweating and very thyrstie and in great perill if God had not geuen them some litle breathing time Many of the enemies that day were slayne and many hurt of the which very few escaped In so much that they reported that the shot was poysoned which this poore simple people neuer vsed to do in all these warres Of the Angrongnians that daye there were but three slayne and one hurt which afterwardes was well healed agayne This combate gaue greate courage to the Waldoys and sore astonished the aduersaries The same tyme the army retyring burnt many houses and made greate spoyle as they went destroyeng also the wines which were in the presses The sayd Lord of Trinitie with his army camped in a village beyond Tour in the valley of Luserne at the foote of the hill betweene Angrongne and y e other townes of y e valley of Luserne Gods secret in â—â—ement in helping his and punishing his enemies which professed y e Gospell They of the sayd village were alwayes sore against y e Waldoys haters of true religion and were glad of this outrage and violence done against the professours therof but they had their iust plague for they were all destroied After this the sayde Lorde of Trinitie caused the Fortresse to be built agayne which the Frenchmen had rased and placed there a garrison and after sent another to the Forte of Uillars which is of the valley of Luserne and an other he sente to the Fortresse of Perouse and a fourth garrison he placed in the Castle of S. Martin They of Angrongne seeyng themselues to be now as it were in a sea of troubles after they had recommended themselues vnto God by prayer and committed their cause vnto him sent to them of Perouse of S. Martin and of Pragela for ayde and succour which sent them all the helpe that they were able The nexte daye folowing there came letters to Angrongne from the Lord of Trinitie The effect whereof was this A crafty mesâ—aâ—e of the Lord of Trinitie to the Angronians that he was sorye for that whiche was done the day before and that he came not thyther to make warre against them but onely to view if it were a place conuenient to build a Fort therein to serue the Duke Furthermore that his souldiers seeing the people assembled as it were to defie them vpon that occasion onely were stirred vp to geue assault and to set vpon them Also that he was sory that suche spoyle was made of their goodes and suche hurt done by fire But if they would shew themselues obedient to y e Duke he had good hope that al should be wel and trusted that some good agreement shoulde be made The Angrongnians answeared that they were marueylously agreeued to be so assaulted The Angronians aunswere to the message spoyled and tormented by the subiectes of their liege and naturall prince and as they had oftentymes before offered themselues to be more faythful and obedient to their soueraigne prince the Duke then any of all his subiects besides so yet still they offered the same obedience Also they most humbly besought hym not to thinke it strange if they being constrayned by such extreame necessitie defended themselues Finally as touching their Religion they affirmed that it was the pure word of God euen as it was preached by the Prophetes and Apostles and the same which their predecessours had obserued for certayne hundreth yeares past Moreouer that the cause was not coÌ„cerning the goodes of the world but the honour and glory of God the saluation or destruction of the soules both of them and theirs and therefore it were much better for them to dye all together then to forsake their religion and yet if it might be proued vnto them by good demonstration out of the word of God that they were in errour not by force of armes by bloud and fire they would then yeeld themselues with all obedience most humbly beseeching him and all other the Lordes of the Countrey of Piemont to be their intercessours and aduocates to the Duke in this behalfe The towne of Vellers assaulted Upon Monday being the fourth day of Nouember the Lord of Trinitie sent his army to Uillars and Tailleret The lesser company ascended toward Uillers The people seeing their enemies aproching after they had called vppon God with feruent prayer The towne of Tailleret assaulted strongly defended themselues and slue many many also were hurt and the rest fled The other companye ascended
of your power and that from hencefoorth ye shall accept repute and take the Kings Maiestie to be the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England and that to your cunning witte and vttermost of your power without guile fraude or other vndue meane ye shall obserue keepe mainteine and defend the whole effects and contents of all and singular Actes and Statutes made and to be made within this Realme in derogation extirpation and extinguishment of the Byshop of Rome and his authoritie and all other Actes and Statutes made and to be made in reformation and corroboration of the Kings power of supreme head in earth of the Church of England and this ye shall do agaynst all maner of persons of what estate dignitie degree or condition they be and in no wise do nor attempt nor to your power suffer to be done or attempted directly or indirectly any thing or things priuely or apertly to the let hinderance dammage or derogation thereof or of any part thereof by any maner of meanes or for any maner of pretense And in case any othe bee made or hath bene made by you to any person or persons in maintenance or fauour of the Bishop of Rome or his authority iurisdiction or power ye repute the same as vaine and adnihilate so helpe you God c. In fidem praemissorum ego Edmundus Boner electus confirmatus Londonensis Episcopus huic praesenti chartae subscripsi ¶ Ecclesiasticall matters an 1538. It will be iudged that I haue lingred peraduenture too much in these outward affaires of Princes and Ambassadours Anno 1538. Wherefore leauing with these by matters perteynyng to the Ciuill state a while I mynde the Lord willyng to put my story in order agayne of such occurreÌ„ts as belong vnto the Church first shewyng such Iniunctions and Articles as were deuised and set forth by the kyng for the behoofe of his subiectes Wherein first is to be vnderstaÌ„ded that the kyng when he had taken the title of supremacie from the Byshop of Rome and had translated the same to himselfe and was now a full Prince in his owne realme although he wel perceiued The king and his counsaile bearing with the weakenes of the people by y e wisedome and aduise of the Lord Cromwell and other of his CouÌ„saile that the corrupt state of the Church had neede of reformatioÌ„ in many thyngs yet because he saw how stubburne and vntoward the hartes of many Papistes were to be brought from their old persuasions and customes and what businesse he had with them onely about the matter of the Popes title he durst not by and by reforme all at once which notwithstaÌ„dyng had bene to be wished but leadyng them fayre and softely as he might proceeded by litle and litle to bryng greater purposes to perfectioÌ„ which he no doubt would haue done The booke of articles deuised by the king for queitnes of the people c. if the Lord Cromwell had lyued and therfore first he began with a litle booke of Articles partly aboue touched bearyng this title Articles deuised by the Kynges highnesse to stable Christen quietnesse and vnitie among the people c. * Articles deuised by the kyng IN the contentes of which booke first be set forth the Articles of our ChristiaÌ„ Creede which are necessarely and expressely to be beleued of all men Of 3. SacrameÌ„ts Then with the kynges Preface goyng before foloweth the declaration of iij. Sacramentes to witte of Baptisme of Penaunce and of the Sacrament of the Aultar In the tractation wherof he altereth nothyng from the old trade receaued heretofore froÌ„ the Church of Rome Further then procâ—edyng to the order and cause of our iustificatioÌ„ he declareth that the onely mercy and grace of the father promised freely vnto vs for his sonnes sake Iesu Christ and the merites of his Passion and bloud Of iustification be the onely sufficient and worthy causes of our iustification yet good workes with inward contrition hope and charitie and all other spirituall graces and motions be necessarily required and must needes coÌ„curre also in remission of our sinnes that is our iustification and afterward we beyng iustified must also haue good workes of charitie and obedieÌ„ce towardes God in the obseruyng and fulfillyng outwardly of his lawes and commaundementes c. As touching Images Of Images he willeth all Byshops preachers to teach the people in such sorte as they may know how they may vse them safely in Churches and not abuse them to Idolatry as thus that they be represeÌ„ters of vertue and good example and also by occasioÌ„ may be styrrers of meÌ„s myndes and make them to remember themselues and to lameÌ„t their sinnes and so farre he permitteth them to stand in Churches But otherwise for auoydyng of Idolatrie he chargeth all Byshops preachers diligently to instruct the people that they coÌ„mit no Idolatry vnto them in sensyng of them in kneelyng and offeryng to theÌ„ with other like worshyppynges whiche ought not to be done but onely to God And likewise for honoryng of Saintes the Byshops and preachers be commauÌ„ded to informe the people Of honoring of Saintes how Saints hence departed ought to be reuerenced honored how not That is that they are to be praysed honored as the elect seruauÌ„ts of Christ or rather Christ to be praysed in them for their excellent vertues plaÌ„ted in them for their good example left vs teachyng vs to lyue in vertue goodnes not to feare to dye for Christ as they did also as aduauncers of our prayers in that they may but yet no confidence nor any such honour to be geuen vnto them which is onely due to God And so forth charging the sayd spirituall persons to teache their flocke that all grace and remission of sinnes and saluation can no otherwise be obteined but of God onely No mediation but by Christ. by the mediation of our Sauiour Christ who is onely a sufficient Mediatour for our sinnes and that all grace and remission of sinne must proceede onely by mediation of Christ and no other From that he commeth further to speake of rites ceremonies in Christes Church Of rites and ceremonyes as in hauyng vestimentes vsed in Gods seruice sprinklyng of holy water giuyng of holy bread bearyng of CaÌ„dles on Candlemas day taking of ashes bearyng of Palmes creepyng to the Crosse settyng vp the Sepulcher hallowing of the fonte with other like customes rites ceremonies all which old riâ—es and customes the foresayd booke doth not by and by repeale but so farre admitteth them for good and laudable as they put men in remeÌ„braunce of spirituall thynges but so that the people withall must be instructed how the sayd ceremonies conteine in them no such power to remitte sinne but onely that to be referred vnto God by whome onely our sinnes be forgeuen vs. And so concluding with Purgatory he maketh an ende of those Articles
well geuyng drinke as bread c. And thirdly howsoeuer those places De fractione panis be taken yet it maketh little for them but rather against them For if the Sacrament were administred amongst them in fractione panis i. in breakinge of breade then must they nedes grauÌ„t that if bread was there broken Ergo there was breade Exod. 12. forasmuche as neither the accidences of bread without breade can be broken neither can the naturall body of Christ be subiect to any fraction or breakyng by the Scripture which sayeth The natural body of Chryst may not be broken Accidences no man can breake No bread is there to be brokeÌ„ Ergo there is nothing in the Sacrament broken And yee shall breake no bone of him c. Wherfore take away the substance of breade and there can be no fraction And take away fraction how then do they make a Sacrament of this breaking whereas neither the substance of Christes body neither yet the accidences wythout their substance can be broken neither agayne will they admit any bread there remaining to be broken And what then was it in thys their Fractione panis that they did breake if it were not Panis that is Substantia panis quae frangebatur To conclude if they say that this fraction of bread was a Sacramentall breaking of Christes bodye so by the like figure let them saye that the being of Christes naturall body in the Sacrament is a Sacramental being and we are agreed Item they obiecte further and say An other obiection agaynst both kindes that the churche vpon due consideration may alter as they see cause in rites ceremonies and Sacraments Aunswer The institution of this sacrament standeth vpon the order example commandement of Christ. Aunswere This order he tooke First he deuided the breade seuerally froÌ„ the cuppe and afterward the cuppe seuerally from the breade 1. Order 2. Example 3. commauÌ„dement Secondly this he did not for any neede on his behalfe but onely to geue vs example how to do the same after him in remembraunce of his death to the worldes ende Thirdly beside this order taken and example left hee added also an expresse commaundement Hoc facite Doe thys Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this c. Against this order example and commaundement of the Gospel no Church nor councell of men nor aungell in heauen hath any power or authoritie to change or alter according as we are warned If any bring to you any other Gospell beside that ye haue receiued holde him accursed c. Item an other Obiection Galat. â— An other obiection agaynst both kindes Act. â— And why maye not the Churche say they as well alter the fourme of thys Sacramente as the Apostles did the fourme of Baptisme where in the Actes S. Peter sayth Let euery one be baptised in the name of Iesu Christ. c. Aunswere Thys text sayeth not that the Apostles vsed thys fourme of baptising I baptise thee in the name of Christ. Aunswere c. but they vsed many times this manner of speache to be baptised in the name of Christe not as expressing thereby the formable words of baptising but as meaning this that they would haue them to become members of Christe The Apostles changeâ—â— the 〈◊〉 Baptiâ—â—â— and to be baptised as Christians entring into his baptism and not only to the Baptisme of Iohn and therfore althoughe the apostles thus spake to the people yet notwithstanding when they baptised any themselues they vsed no doubte the forme of Christ prescribed and no other Item among many other obiections they alledge certaine perils and causes of waight and importance as spilling sheding or shaking the bloud out of the cuppe or souring or els sticking vpon mens beardes c. for the which they say it is wel prouided the halfe communion to suffice Wherunto it is soone aunswered that as these causes were no let to Christ to the Apostles to the Corinthians and to the brethren of the Primitiue Churche but that in theyr publike assemblies they receiued al the whole Communion as well in the one part as in the other Mans 〈◊〉 sin in 〈…〉 owne 〈…〉 God so neither be the sayd causes so important nowe to adnull and euacuate the necessarye commaundement of the Gospell if we were as carefull to obey the Lorde as wee are curious to magnifie oure owne deuises to strayne gnattes to stumble at strawes and to seeke knottes in rushes whych rather are in oure owne phantasies growing then there where they are sought 〈…〉 Eccle. 〈…〉 Cap. 5. In summa diuers other obiections and cauillations are in Popish bookes to be found as in Gabriell the difference made betwene the laitie and Priests also the distinction vsed to be made betweene the Priestes communion and the laicall communion Where is to be vnderstand that when Priests were bidde to vse the laicall communion thereby was ment not receauing vnder one kinde as lay men doe nowe but to absteyne from consecrating and onely to receaue as the lay men then did Some also alledge certeyne speciall or particular examples as of the cuppe onely seruing for the bread or of the bread only sent to certeine sicke folke for the cuppe And heere they inferre the story of Sozomenus touching the woman in whose mouth the Sacrament of bread whiche she onely receaued without the cuppe was turned to a stone c. other alledge other priuate examples likewise of infants aged meÌ„ sicke persons men excommunicate phrentickes and madde men or men dwelling farre off from Churches All respects 〈◊〉 geue 〈◊〉 to the â—â—â—dience of the worde in mountaynes or wildernes c. All which priuate examples neither make any instance against the auncient custome of publicke congregations frequented from the Apostles time and much lesse ought they to derogate from the expresse and necessarye precept of the Gospell which saith to all men without exception Hoc facite c. Bibite ex hoc omnes c. The third Article Priuate Masses trentall Masses and dirige Masses as they were neuer vsed before the time of Gregory The 3. article vi C. yeares after Christ so the same do fight directly agaynste our christian doctrine as by the definition therof may wel appeare The Masse is a worke or action of the priest applied vnto men for meriting of grace Ex opere operato in the which Action the Sacrament is first worshipped Definition of the Masse and then offered vp for a sacrifice for remission of sinnes à poena culpa for the quicke and the dead Of this definition as there is no part but it agreeth with their owne teaching so there is no part thereof which disagreeth not from the rules of christian doctrine especially these as follow The first rule of Christian doctrine 1. The first rule is Sacramentes be instituted for some principall end and vse out of the which vse they are no sacraments
any man thinke that it is vncomely for his virgin to remayne ouer long vnmaried and if neede so require let him doe what he thinketh good he sinneth not let them mary And agayne both be good he saith but yet the one to be better he concludeth saying Therefore he that ioyneth in Matrimony his virgin doth wel but he that doth not doth better Which agreeth wel with the text aboue speaking of both kindes as well the man as the woman where he sayth If thou take a wife thou sinnest not and if the virgin take a husband she sinneth not If therfore it be no sinne for the man to take a wife nor for the virgine to take a husband after the apostles mynd neither doth diminish theyr felicity but rather encrease it for as much as both do well so both be blessed we then which take wiues for our infirmity what doe we sinne in hauing them Or if the apostle do suffer permit to euery man for the auoyding of fornication to haue his wife we then which come of the same lumpe or masse taking our sinnefull flesh of the sinnefull flesh of Adam are not able otherwise to conteine why are we not permitted for y e same cause by the same permissioÌ„ to haue likewise our wiues but are enforced to forsake them being maryed Wherfore either do you permit vs folowing the apostle to haue our wiues or els teach vs that we come not of the same masse 〈◊〉 is perâ—â—tted to 〈◊〉 infirmity 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 as other men be Ergo 〈◊〉 ought to be permitted to Priests also either els shew vs that the same sufferauÌ„ce permission is not grauÌ„ted to vs by the Apostle which is graunted to other Which cause peradueÌ„ture you wil thus pretend that this sufferance was graunted of the Apostle not to the clergy or to any of our order but only to lay meÌ„ Which cannot well be defended neyther by the wordes of the Apostle nor by any circumstaunce of his Epistle for as much as there is no certayne distinction or denomination either of persoÌ„s or degrees or professions there meÌ„tioned neither doth he make any difference either in names or offices of men either of them which wrote vnto him either of those persons of whom he wrote or els of those to whoÌ„ he answereth but onely in general to the whole church of the Corinthians as he himself in the beginning of his Epistle purporteth in these wordes Paule called the Apostle of Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1. by the will of God Sosthenes his brother to the church which is at Corinth such as be sanctified in Christ Iesus called sayntes with all that inuocate the name of the Lord. c. And after a few other wordes which here for breuityes sake we omit as not being greatly to the purpose pertinent thus he inferreth These premisses being then wel considered we besech you to haue regard compassioÌ„ of our infirmity most humbly desiring you not to oppresse vs with this violence For as we haue sufficiently before proued no man ought to be coÌ„strayned vnto continency agaynst his wil neither is thys kindâ— of vertue commaunded of God to any man of necessity 〈◊〉 continencye is no vertue but onely of voluntary deuotion to be offred vnto the Lord as he himselfe speaketh in the Gospell All men can not receiue this saying but to whom it is geuen Whereunto he gently exhorteth them that can take it saying He that is able to receiue this let him receiue it c. Wherefore for distinctions sake Moyses is not himselfe commauÌ„ded to cloth Aaron and his sonnes with breeches as in these wordes going before Math. 15. Thou shalt cloth with these Aaron thy brother and his sonnes with him c. But he thus sayth Thou shalt make linnen breches that they theÌ„selues may couer the filth of theyr flesh That they themselues sayth he may couer the filth of theyr flesh Thou sayth he shalt make the breches for the bishop and his sonnes thou shalt teach the rule of chastity thou shalt exhort them to absteine from the company of theyr wiues which shall do the priestes office Yet laying vpon none violently the sayd yoake of continency but whosoeuer shal be priests and shal serue the aulter shall of their owne accord surcease from the vse of matrimony which when they shall do of theyr owne voluntary consent shall take vpon them the purpose of coÌ„tinency to serue the aulter then shall the grace of God be present which as it did apparell those other priestes aforesayd with attyre for theÌ„ conuenient so shall it instruct these aboundantly how they ought to liue and to teach And this sence well agreeth with the text that foloweth saying And when thou shalt wash the father and his sonnes with water â—â—od 29. thou shalt take the garmentes that is the strayt coat the tunicle the brestlappe and put them vpon Aaron gird them to him with a brodered girdle of the Ephod Then thou shalt put the myter vpon his head and shalt put the holy crowne vpon the miter and thus shall he be consecrated Also thou shalt bring his sonnes and put coates vpon them and shalt gird them with girdles both Aaron his sonnes and shalt put bonettes on them and the Priestes office shal be theirs for a perpetuall law Thus then you see a commaundement of receiuing the linnen breches of Moyses Wherby it playnely appeareth The place of Moyses Exod. â—9 applyed that Aaron and his sonnes first did apparrell themselues with this kind of apparell and so entred in to be washed inducted annointed coÌ„secrated by the hands of Moyses By the which we are playnely taught that the yoke of continency is not to be inforced vpon any man against his will but is to be receiued of God with a proÌ„pt a deuout will Which thing also Dyonisius Areopagita that godly wise man the Disciple of S. Paule and ordeined of hym B. of Athenes in a certayne Epistle of his sent to Pymtus B. of the Gnasians in which he toucheth many things of mariage and chastity as is in y e Ecclesiastical history rehearsed doth admonish the sayd Pymtus and prayth him that he will lay no grieuous burthens vpon the neckes of the Disciples neither inferre any necessity of compelled chastity vpon the brethren whereby the infirmity of some of theÌ„ might be in daunger Ex histor Tripartita And Pymtus answering to Dyonisius agayn sheweth himself willing to embrace the senteÌ„ce of his wholesome couÌ„cell The same also did Paphnutius the diuine chaste bishop who in y e couÌ„cell of Nice as the Tripertite history doth shew vs when the fathers which there were present went about to restrayne Priestes from mariage he rising vp amongst theÌ„ moued with the zeale of mans infirmity desired theÌ„ that they would not so doe but rather to leaue it vnto the voluntary discretioÌ„ of euery man least
Tolwine defended himself saying that he tooke occasion so to do by the kinges Iniunctions whyche say that ceremonyes should be vsed all ignorance superstition set apart In y e end this Tolwyne was forced to stand at paules crosse to recaÌ„t his doctrine doings Rob. Wisedome Tho. Becon Preacher The same time also Robert Wisedome The recantation of W. Tolwin parish Priest of S. Katherines in Lothbery and Tho. Becon were brought to Paules crosse to recant and to reuoke theyr doctrine and to burne theyr bookes Sir George Parker Person of S. Pancrace This priest and parsoÌ„ of S. Pancrace Little Allhalowes and Curate of little Alhallowes was noted suspected and conuented before the Ordinary for certayne bookes especially for hauing Vnio dissidentium c. Sir Iohn Birch Priest I. Byrch priest of S. Botolphes lane was complayned of by one M. Wilson for being a busy reasoner in certayne opinions which agreed not wyth the popes church Alexander Seton a Scottishman and a worthye Preacher Alexander Seton was denounced detected presented by 3. priestes Alex. Seton Chaplein to the Duke of Suffolke of whoÌ„ one was felow of Whittington colledge called Rich. Taylor An other was Ioh. Smith The thyrd was Ioh. Huntingdon who after was conuerted to y e same doctrine himselfe This Seton was Chaplayne to the duke of Suffolke and by him was made free Denison In his sermon preached at S. Anthonies his aduersaries picked agaynst him matter coÌ„teining 15. obiectioÌ„s or rather cauillatioÌ„s which for example I thought here to exhibite to the reader to the intent that men may see not only what true doctrine Seton then preached consonant to the Scriptures but also what wraÌ„gling cauillers caÌ„ do in deprauing that is right or in wrasting that is wel meÌ„t or in carping that they vnderstand not or in seking out faults where none is as by these theyr sinister cauillations may appeare * Certayne places or Articles gathered out of Setons Sermons by his aduersaryes THe sayings and wordes of Alexander Seton spoken preached by him in his sermon Articles gathered out of Alex Setons sermons by his aduersaryes made the xiij day of Nouember at afternoone in the Parish Churche of S. A. in London Paule saith of our selues we can do nothing I pray thee then where is thy will Art thou any better theÌ„ Paul Iames Peter and all the Apostles Hast thou any more grace then they Tell me now if thy will be any thing or nothing If it be any thing tel me whether it be to do good or ill If thou say to do ill I will graunt thou hast a greater deale If thou say to doe good I aske whether is more somewhat or nothing For Paul said he could do nothing and I am sure thou hast no more grace then Paul and his companions Scripture speaketh of three thinges in man the fyrst is will the other two are consent and deed The first that is will God worketh without vs 1. Will. 2. Consent 3. Deede No will in man of himselfe to do good and besides vs. The other two he worketh in vs and wyth vs. And here he alledged S. Augustine to proue that we can will nothing y t is good Moreouer he said thou hast not one iot no not one title to do any good There is nothing in heauen nor earth creature nor other that can be any meane towardes our iustification nor can or may satisfy God the father for our sinne saue onely Christ and the shedding of his bloud He that preacheth that workes doe merite or be any meane to our saluation or any part of our iustificatioÌ„ preacheth a doctrine of the deuill Ouâ— workes merite nothing to saluation If any thing els saue onely Christ be any meane towards our iustificatioÌ„ then did not Christ only iustify vs. I say that thy good woorkes nor any thing that thou canst do can be one iot or title towards thy iustificatioÌ„ For if they be then is not Christ a full iustifier and that I will proue hy a familier example Be it in case that I haue .2 seruantes the one is called Iohn and the other Robert I promise to send you such a day xx.l. by Iohn my seruant and at my day I send you by Iohn my seruant xix l.xix s. xi d. ob q. and there lacketh but one farthing which Robert doth bring thee and so thou hast thy xx.l. euery penye and farthing Yet will I aske if I be true of my promise or no and thou mayst say nay And why because I promised to send thee that whole xx pound by Iohn and did not for there lacked a farthing which Robert brought Wherefore I say if thy workes do merite or bring one litle iot or title toward thy iustification then is Christ false of his promise which sayd that he would do altogether One Scripture I will bring you which they can not writhe to proue that Christ was onely promised to be our onely Iustifier our onely meane and that is in the xxij of Genesis where it is written In thy seede shall all people bee blessed meaning therby onely Christ and he said not in thy seedes nor in the workes of thy seedes Wherfore all they that preach that workes be any part or meane toward our iustification do make God false of his promise They that preach that works do merit do make works the tree which are but the fruits of iustice wrought by him that is already a iust man which can not chuse but brynge forth good fruit I would aske a question whether he that worketh be a good maÌ„ Good fruites make not a good man but a good man cannot câ—use but to make good fruites Mans workes made checkmate with christ or bad for he must be one of them If he be a good man he can not chuse but bring forth good fruites if he be an ill maÌ„ he can bring forth no fruit but ill fruit for a good tree cannot bring forth ill fruit He that sayth that works do merit any thing towards our saluation doth make workes checke mate with Christ plucketh from Christ that is his geueth it to workes Some will aske wherfore then should I do good workes I aunswere good workes are to be done for no cause els but onely for the glory of God and not that they do merite any thing at all And he that sayth that workes are to bee done for any other cause theÌ„ for the glory of God only and will haue theÌ„ to merite or be any meane towardes our iustification I say he lyeth and beleue him not He that caÌ„ shew me in any scripture that works do merite or by any meane to our iustification for the first scripture I will without any further iudgemeÌ„t lose both mine eares for the second my toung and for the third my necke For I dare say he cannot prooue in all the whole scripture one title wherfore beleue them not Men
not for any feare of the lawe but only intised and lead with a gracious liberty and faithfull loue not doing any thing because it is commaunded but because it is pleasant and acceptable vnto them though it were not commaunded for they that would do otherwise should be counted the people of the lawe Synagoge c. 28 In the whole new law is no vrgent precept nor greeuous but onely exhortations to obserue thinges necessary for soule health fol. 63. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelat. is this A christian should worke nothing by compulsion of the law but all through the spirit of liberty as Paule saith in the 2. of the first epistle to Tim. The law is not geuen to a righteous man For whatsoeuer is done by compulsion of the law is sinne for it is not done with a glad and willing spirit but with a contrary will and rebelling against the law and this truly is sinne Therefore in the fourth of the second Epistle to the Cor. He calleth the preachers of the new Testament the Ministers of the spirit 2. Cor â— and not of the letter because they teach grace and not the law Wherfore in the whole newe testamente are there no vrgent or greeuous precepts but only exhortations to obserue those thinges whiche are necessary to our health Neither dyd Christ and his Apostles at any time compel any man And the holy Ghost was for that cause called Paracletus that is to say an exhorter and comforter c. 29 All things necessary are declared in the new Testament 25. 〈◊〉 but no man is compelled but to doo according to their owne wyll Therefore Christ teacheth Math. 28. that a rebell should not bee killed but auoyded fol. 63.66 The wordes in the Reuelat. are these In the new Testament are all things declared which we ought to do and leaue vndone what reward is ordeined for them that do leaue vndone and of whome to seeke finde and obteyne helpe to do and leaue vndone But no man is compelled but suffered to do according to their owne will Therefore in the 18. of Math. he teacheth that a rebell shoulde not be killed but auoided put out of coÌ„pany like a Gentile c. 30 Christ forbad that one place should be taken as holy 30 〈◊〉 and another prophane but would that all places shoulde bee indifferent fol. 65. The place 〈◊〉 The Pope maâ—eth 〈◊〉 of place 〈◊〉 the Gospel 〈…〉 31. Article The place is this Christ taking away the difference of all places will be worshipped in euery place Neither is thee in his kingdome one place holy an other prophane but aâ— places are indifferent neither canst thou more hartily better beleue trust and loue God in the temple at the altar in the churchyard then in thy â—arne vineyard kitchine or bed And to be shorte the martyrs of Christ haue honored him in darcke dungeons and prisons c. 31 He rayleth agaynst all the rites and ceremonies of the Masse as he were mad fol 68. The place out of the which this article is collected is as followeth This place â—oteth 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 iudgement of them which let more by the precepts of men then by the commaundement of Godâ— yet herein he vseth no â—ayling terme If a Nunne touch the superaltare or the Corpores as they call it it is a sinne To touche the Chalice is a great transgression To say Masse with an vnhalowto Chalice is a greuous offence To doe sacrifice in vestimentes which are not consecrated is a haynous crime It is reputed for a sinne if in ministring any Sacrament the Priest doe lacke any ornament that perteyneth thereunto If he call a childe or speake in the wordes of the Canon it is a sinne He offendeth also that doth stut or stamber in the wordes of the Canon He sinneth that toucheth the holy Reliques of Sayntes He that toucheth the Sacrament of the aultar eyther with hand or finger though it be for necessity to plucke it from the roufe of his mouth committeth such villanous iniquity that they will scrape shaue of the quick flesh from the part which did touch it I think at length they will sley the toung the roufe of the mouth y e throte and the belly because they touch the sacrament But to hurt thy neighbor or priuily to conuey away any of his goods or not to helpe him in his need is in a maner counted for no sinne nor yet regarded c. 3â— Article 32 No labor is now a dayes more tedious then saying of Masse Mattens c. Which before God are nothing but greuous sinnes fol 70. 32. Article 33 The sinnes of Manasses and other wicked kinges sacrificing theyr owne children are but light and childish offences to those The cursed sacrifices of the Gentiles may not be compared to ours we are seuen times worse GeÌ„tiles then we were before we knew Christ. fol. 70. This place may â—â—eme to speake somewhat vehemently peraduenture but yet I see no heresie in it The wordes out of the whiche these two Articles are gathered are these They are so oppressed those hee meaneth which are vnder the seruitude of the Popes lawes decrees that they fulfill them onely with the outwarde worke for theyr willes are cleane contrary as we see by experience in troublesome busines of Uigilles Masses Houres which both must be sayd and song In the which they labour with such wearinesse that now a dayes no labour is more tedious Yet neuerthelesse the cruell exactors of these moste hard workes compell men to worke such thinges without ceasing which before God are nothing but grieuous sinnes although before men they be good workes and counted for the seruice of God Here are inueÌ„ted the intisementes of the senses through organes musicke and diuersity of songes but these are nothing to the spirit which rather is extinct through these wantoÌ„ trifles Ah Christ with what violence with what power are they driuen headlong to sinne perish through this abhomination It is horrible to looke into these cruell wherlepoles of consciences 〈…〉 21. Lestrigones were a people 〈◊〉 Giants about the 〈◊〉 of Italy who as Homer sayth vsed to eate meÌ„s flesh which perish with so great paynes and labor what light offences to these are the sinnes wherin Manasses and other wicked kinges sinned by doing sacrifice with theyr owne children and progeny Truely the cursed sacrifices of the most rude gentils no not of the Lestrigones may be compared vnto ours The saying of Christ may be verified in vs seuen more wicked spirites make the ende worse then the beginning For I say that we Gentiles are worse 7. times then we were before we knew Christ. c. 34 It were better to receiue neither of the partes of the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter 34. Article then the one alone fol. 73. The truth of this place 〈◊〉 well 〈…〉
Antichrist the other not Idols were worshipped of both nations y e profauatyng of the Supper and Baptisme was lyke vnto them both wicked superstition raigned on both partes and true worship was deformed and defaced with detestable hipocrisie Truely it is most false that they do affirme and say that I had subscribed vnto such kynde of heresies as though they had bene conformable vnto the law of God when as nothyng is more aduerse or repugnaunt therevnto for euen now of late God of hys goodnesse and mercy had opened my daâ—elyng eyes and hath drawen me out of the filthy slow of Idolatry and superstition in the which amongest others I haue so long tyme wallowed and tumbled Neither is it any lesse absurde that they affirme me to haue allured many to embrace the same except peraduenture they do vnderstand that I haue oftentymes wished that the yoke of Antichrist should be shaken and cast off from the neckes of the Scottes as it is from the Englishe men whiche thyng with a sincere and vpright heart and with an earnest mynd I do now also wish and desire The 5. Article That the Scottish nation and their Clergy be altogether blynded 5. Article whome he did also say and affirme that they had not the true Catholike fayth And this he dyd openly teach and preached also that hys fayth was much better more excellent then the faith of all the clergy in the realme of Scotland Borthwike No man will deny that people to be blynded which neyther heareth Christ nor his Apostles Such is the people of Scotland I speake of those vnto whom the veritie and truth of Christ hath not yet opened or manifested it selfe There is no cause therefore why they should accuse me of heresy Furthermore how farre of the nation and people of Scotland be from the hearyng of Christ albeit the premisses do sufficiently declare in that they do chalenge vnto the Romishe Antichrist the autoritie which Christ and hys Apostles do declare Antithesis oâ— comparison betweene the religioÌ„ of Scotâ—â—â—h men and the religion of Christ. Christ himselfe to be endued with all and that contrary to the worde of GOD they forbid priests to marry I will adde some thing more unto it where by the matter may be more euident Christ calleth himselfe the dore whereby all men ought to enter in at Iohn the x. chapter Contrariwise the Scottes doe say and affirme that we must enter in by the virgine Mary and Saint Peter Christ in the fourth of Iohn sayth The tyme shall come when as the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and truth the Scottes builde themselues hye temples and chappels for Idols in the which euen as Israell in tymes past they commit fornication Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrews and x. chapter sayth That Christ by one onely oblation hath made perfect all those for euermore which are sanctified which saying confirmeth also the wordes of Christ hangyng vppon the Crosse saying it is finished signifieng that by hys death there was a finall ende set vnto all sacrifices which are offered vp for sinnes But the Scottish church men as they are blasphemers in deede so do they bragge and boast that they daily offer vp Christ for the sinnes both of the quicke and of the dead God commaundeth vs that we shall not worship any grauen Image The Scottes do not onely fall downe flatte before Images but also offer vp incense vnto them Saint Paule teacheth vs that Christ is made our wisedome righteousnesse satisfaction and redemption The Scottes beyng wyse men in theyr owne conceites preferre and embrace traditions fayned inuented out by mans head before the lawe of God they stablish righteousnesse in their owne workes sanctification in holy water and other externall things redemption in pieces of lead which they doe buy of their great Antichrist who then will quarell with me that I doe lye that the people of Scotland are blind and that my faith which doth onely behold the word of God to be much more better and excellent then theirs The 6. Article Agreeably to the ancient errors of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus Archheretikes condempned in the Councell of Constance 6. Article he hath affirmed and preached that the clergy ought not to possesse or haue any temporall possessions neyther to haue any iurisdiction or authoritie in temporalties euen ouer theyr owne subiectes but that all these things ought to be taken from them as it is at this present in England Borthwike The Lord in the xviij chapter of the booke of Numbers sayd thus vnto Aaron The Leuiticall law is no necessary rule now binding But he meaneth here of excessiue landes possessions of Abbeyes and religious he uses addict to them but the princes may diminish or conuert theÌ„ otherwise vpon considerations thou shalt possesse nothyng in theyr land neyther shalt thou haue any portion amongest them I am thy portion and inheritage amongst the children of Israell for vnto the sonnes of Leuy I haue geuen all the tithes of Israel that they should possesse them for their ministery which they do execute in the tent of ordinaries Albeit I do not doubt but that the order of the Leuites and of our clergy is farre different and variable For the administration of theyr sacred and holy thyngs after theyr death passed vnto their posterity as it were by right of inheritaunce which happeneth not vnto the posteritie of our clergy in these dayes Furthermore if any heritage be prouided or gotten for them I doe not gaynesay but that they shall possesse it But still I doe affirme that all temporall iurisdiction should bee taken from them for when as twise there rose a contention amongst the Disciples which of them should be thought the greatest Christ aunswered The kyngs of nations haue dominion ouer them and such which haue power ouer them are called beneficiall you shall not do so For he which is greatest amongst you shall be made equall vnto the yongest or lest and he which is the prince or ruler amongst you shall be made equall vnto hym which both minister mynding thereby and willyng vtterly to debarre the ministers of hys word from all terrene and ciuill dominion and Empire For by these poyntes he doth not onely declare that the office of a pastor is distinct and deuided from the office of a prince and ruler Ciuill dominion â—â—fering from Ecclesiasticall but that they are in effect so muche different and seperate that they cannot agree or ioyne together in one man Neither is it to be thought that Christ did set or ordaine an harder law then he himself before did take vpon hym Forsomuch as in the 12. of Luke certayne of the company sayd vnto hym Maister commaund my brother that he deuide his inheritaunce with me He aunswered Man who made me a Iudge or deuider amongest you We see therefore that Christ euen simply did reiect and refuse the office of a Iudge
Pope Leo with what heape of tragicall wordes and exclamations doth he fare and rage agaynst y e true seruant of God poore Luther for disturbing y e church of God when it is the Pope onely his fathers house that troubleth and long hath troubled the true Church of the Lord as by his doings all the world may see enough to much In the meane time read I besech thee with iudgement this impudent false slaunderous Bull of the Pope with the appeale also of Luther agayn from the sayd pope The copy wherof because they be rare to be gotten hath not bene hetherto commonly sene being before omitted I thought to coÌ„mit here to history as I had it out of certayn Registers the maner tenor wherof is this as foloweth A copy of the Bull of Pope Leo x. no lesse sclaunderous then barbarous agaynst Martin Luther and his doctrine Leo Papa .x. LEo Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam Exurge Domine iudica causam tuam The Bul of pope Leo agaynst M. Luther Memor esto impropriorum eorum quae ab insipientibus fiunt tota die Inclina aurem tuam ad preces nostras quoniam surrexerunt vulpes querentes demoliri veneam cuius tu torcular solus calcasti ascensurus ad patrem eius curam regimeÌ„ Que sequntur vide superiore aeditione Pag. 1459. administrationem Petro tanquam capiti tuo vicario eiusque successoribus instar triumphantis Ecclesiae commisisti c. ¶ The sayd sclaunderous and barbarous Bull of Pope Leo the x. agaynst Luther in English with the aunswere of Luther ioyned to the same LEo Byshop seruaunt of the seruauntes of God for a perpetual memory hereof Rise vp O Lord iudge thy cause Remember the rebukes wherewith we are scorned all the day loÌ„g of foolish rebukers Encline thy eare to our prayers The Popes Bull in Engliâ—he for Foxes are risen vp seeking to destroy thy vineyarde the vinepresse wherof thou onely hast trodeÌ„ and ascending vp to thy Father hast committed the charge and regiment therof vnto Peter as chiefe head and to thy Uicare and his successors The wilde Bore out of the woode seeketh to exterminate and roote vp thy Uineyard Rise vp Peter and for this thy pastorall charge committed to thee from aboue enteÌ„d to the cause of the holy Church of Rome the mother of all churches Note here and marke good reader how the Church of Rome holdeth by the bloud of S. Peter not by the bloud of Christ. and of our fayth which thou by the commaundement of God didst consecrate wyth thine owne bloud agaynst which as thou hast foretold vs false lyers haue risen vp bringing in sects of perdition to their owne spedy destruction Whose touÌ„g is like fire full of vnquietnes and replenished with deadly poysoÌ„ who hauing a wicked zeale and nourishing contentions in theyr harts do bragge and lye agaynst the verity Rise vp Paul also we pray thee which hast illuminate the same Church with thy doctrine and like martyrdome For now is sprong vp a new Porphecy who as they said Porphyry then vniustly did sclaunder the holy Apostles so semblably doth this man now sclaunder reuile rebuke byte and barcke agaynst the holy Byshops our predecessors not in beseeching them but in rebuking them And where he distrusteth his cause there he falleth to opprobrious checkes rebukes after the wonted vse of heretickes whose vttermost refuge is this as Hierome sayth y t wheÌ„ they see theyr cause go to wracke then like Serpentes they cast out theyr venime with theyr toung and when they see themselues neare to be ouercome they fall to rayling For though heresies as thou sayest must needes be for the exercise of the faythfull yet least these heresies should further encrease and these Foxes gather strength agaynst vs it is needfull that by thy meanes and helpe they be suppressed and extinguished at the beginning Finally let all the whole vniuersall Churche of Gods Saynts and Doctours rise vp whose true expounding of holy Scripture being reiected certayne persons whose hartes the father of lyes hath blinded and wise in theyr owne conceites as the maner of heretickes is do expouÌ„d the scriptures otherwise then the holy Ghost doth require folowing onely theyr owne sense of ambition and vayne-glory yea rather do wrast and adulterate the Scriptures so that as Hierome sayth now they make it not the gospel of Christ but of man or which is worse of the deuill Let all the holy church I say rise vp wiâ—h the blessed Apostles together make intercessioÌ„ to almighty God that the errors of all schismatickes being rooted stocked vp his holy Church may be conserued in peace and vnity For of late which for sorrow we can not expresse by credible information and also by publick fame it hath come to our eares yea we haue seene also read with our eyes diuers and sundry errors of which some haue bene condemned by counsels and constitutions of our predecessors containing expresly y e heresies of the Greekes of the Bohemians Respectiuely some agayn respectiuely either heretical or false or sclaunderous or offensiue to good eares or such as may seduce simple myndes newly to be raysed vp by certayne false pretensed Gospellers who by curious pride seeking worldly glory against the doctrine of the apostle would be more wise then becommeth them whose babling as S. Hierome calleth it without authority of the Scriptures should finde no credit vnlesse they should seme to coÌ„firme theyr false doctrine euen with testimonies of the scripture but yet falsely interpreted Which worketh vs so much the more grief for y t those heresies be sprong in y e noble nation of the Germaines vnto the which natioÌ„ we with our predecessors haue alwayes borne speciall fauor and affection For after the Empyre was first translated by the Church of Rome from the Greekes vnto the Germaines the said our predecessors and we haue alwayes had them as speciall fautors defenders of this our Church and they haue alwaies shewed themselues as most earnest suppressors of heresies as witnes wherof remaine yet those laudable coÌ„stitutions of the Germane Emperors set forth and confirmed by our predecessors for the liberty of the Church and for expulsing heretickes out of all Germany and that vnder greuous penalty and losse of al theyr goods and lands Which constitutioÌ„s if they were obserued this present day both we and they should now be free from thys disturbaunce The Germaines in olde tyme most addicted to popery aboue al other nations Furthermore the heresy of the Hussites Wicleuistes of Hierome of Prage being condeÌ„ned and punished in the CouÌ„cel of Constance doth witnes y e same Moreouer doth witnes the same so much bloud of y e Germanes spilt fighting agaynst the Bohemians To coÌ„clude the same also is confirmed witnessed by the learned true confutatioÌ„ reprobation and condeÌ„nation
the deuill and defendeth meÌ„ from deceptions of phantasy c. Thus ye haue heard the author and father of holly water which some also ascribe to Pope Sixtus which succeeded Alexander But as y e Papists do not agree in the fyrst authour or institutor of this hallowing of Elementes so I thinke the same vntruely to be ascribed to either but leauing the probation of this to farther leasure let vs nowe heare in our owne tongue theyr owne words which y e vse in this theyr coniuration The forme and wordes vsed of the Priest in coniuring Salt I coniure thee thou creature of Salte by the ✚ liuyng God Salt coniured by the ✚ true God by the holy God c. That thou mayest be made a coniured Salte to the saluation of them that beleue And that vnto all suche as receiue thee thou mayest be health of soule and body and that from out of y e place wherein thou shalt be sprinckled may flie away and depart all phantasy wickednes or craftines of the deuils subtlety and euery foule spirit c. The forme of coniuring water Water coniured I coniure thee thou creature of water in the name of ✚ God the father almighty and in the name of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue ✚ of the holy Ghost that thou become a coniured water to expell all power of the enemy c. Who seeth not in these wordes blasphemye intollerable how that which only is due to the bloud of Christ and promised to fayth onely in him the same is transferred to earthly and insensate creatures to be saluation both to bodye and spirite inwardlye to geue remission of sinnes to geue health and remedy agaynst euils and deuils against all phantasies wickednesse and all foule spirites and to expell the power of the enemy c. If this be true whereto serueth the bloud of Christ and the vertue of Christian fayth Therfore iudge thy selfe gentle Reader whether thou thinke this trompery rightly to be fathered vpon those ancient fathers aforenamed or els whether it may seme more like trueth that Iohn Sleydan writeth whose woordes in his second booke de Monarchijs are these Ioan 〈◊〉 danu◠〈◊〉 de 4. â—â—â—narch Horum decreta sunt in libris inserta conciliorum sed ex his plaeraque tam sunt leuicula tam nugatoria tam aliena prorsus a sacris literis vt credibile sit ab alijs longo post teÌ„pore fuisse conficta c. That is The decrees of these foresaid Bishops and Martyrs be inserted in the booke of Counsels but of these decrees many therof be so childish so trifling and so farre disagreeing from the holy scripture Many 〈…〉 imputeâ— the oldâ— theâ—â— which 〈◊〉 none oâ— theirs that it is very like that the same were fayned and counterfayted of others long after theyr time c. Thus muche sayth Sleydane with moe woordes in that place Unto whose testimony if I might be so bolde also to adde my coniecture I would suppose the coniuration of this foresayd water and Salte to spring out of the same fountayne from whence proceeded the coniuring of flowers and braunches because I see the order and manner of them both to be so like and vniforme as may appeare The maner of halowing flowers and braunches I coniure thee thou creature of flowers and brauÌ„ches in the name of ✚ God the father almighty Floures braunch hallowâ— and in the name ✚ of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue of the holy ✚ Ghost Therfore be thou rooted out and displaÌ„ted from this creature of flowers and braunches all thou strength of the aduersary all thou host of the deuill and all the power of the enemy eueÌ„ euery assault of the deuils c. And thus much concerning the antiquity of holy bread and holy water wherby thou mayst partly coniecture the same not to be so olde as Steuen Gardiner in hys Letter agaynst mayster Ridley aboue mentioned woulde haue Pag. 753. being both deceiued himselfe and also goyng about to seduce other Furthermore as touching the reseruing of reliques the memoriall of sayntes brought into the masse Ex Actiâ— Rom. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Gregoriâ—â— Gregory the thyrd is the author therof who also added to the canon therof this clause Quorum solennitates hodie in coÌ„spectu diuinae maiestatis tuae celebrantur c. Finally it were to long to recite euery thing in order deuised and brought in particularly to the masse and to y e Church For after that mans brayne was once set on deuising it neuer coulde make an end of heaping rite vppon rite and ceremony vpon ceremonye till all religion was turned well nighe to superstition Thereof commeth oyle and creame brought in by Pope Siluester not wont to be hallowed but by a byshop Oyle 〈◊〉 creame The 〈◊〉 onelâ— linnen That the corporas shuld not be of silcke but onely of fine linnen cloth That the Psalmes should be song on sides the one side of the quier singing one verse the other an other with gloria patri c. That baptisme should be ministred at no other time in the yere but onely at Easter and at whitsontide saue onely to infantes and such as were in extreame infirmity and that it should be requyred 40. dayes before Autor 〈◊〉 Conciliâ—â— Tomo 〈◊〉 Hallow of the 〈◊〉 at Easteâ—â— Whitsoâ—â—tide Christ iâ— of bellâ— Ex ponâ— cali 〈…〉 No beaâ—â— so determined by Pope Siricius and therfore was it that fontes were halowed onely at these two seasons the which hallowing they keep yet still but the ordinaunce they haue reiecte Item that belles also were Christened Item no Prieste shoulde weare a beard or haue long hayre so appoynted by Pope Martine the first Item that auriculare confession shoulde be made that the booke of decrees and decretals should be stablished and transubstauntiation confirmed in whiche three Actes Pope Innocentius the thyrd was the chiefest doer Transuâ—â—stantiatâ—â— about the yeare of our Lord. 1215. And thus haue ye in sum the gatheringes of the masse with the Chanon and all the appurtenaunce of the same which not much vnlike to the Crow of Esope being patched with the feathers of so manye byrdes was so long a gethering that the temple of Salomon was not so long in building as the Popes Masse was in making Whereby iudge now thy selfe good Reader whether this Masse did proceede from Iames and other Apostles or no. And yet this was one of the principall causes for which so much turmoyle was made in the Church with the bloudshed of so many Godly men suffering in so many quarters of this realme some consumed by fire some pined away with huÌ„ger some hanged some slayne some racked some tormented one way some another and that onely or chiefelye for the cause of this aforesayd popish Masse as by the reading of this story folowing by the grace of Christ our Lord shall appeare more
vs notwythstanding when they were charged therewithall they aunsweared Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus that is we ought more to obey God then man euen so we may and doe answere you God is more to be obeyed then maÌ„ your wicked lawes can not so tongue tie vs but we will speake the truthe The Apostles were beaten for theyr boldnesse and they reioyced that they suffered for Christes cause Yee haue also prouided roddes for vs and bloudy whippes yet when ye haue done that whiche Goddes hande and Counsell hathe determined that yee shall doe be it life or deathe I truste that God wil so assist vs by his holy spirite and grace that wee shall paciently suffer it praise God for it and whatsoeuer become of mee and others whiche nowe suffer for speaking and professing of the truthe yet be yee sure that Goddes woorde will preuaile and haue the ouer hande when youre bloudy lawes and wicked decrees for want of sure foundation shall fal in the dust and that which I haue spoken of your Actes of Parliament the same may be sayd of the generall Councels of these latter dayes whych haue bene wythin these fiue hundreth yeares where as the Antichrist of Rome by reason of hys vsurped authority ruled the roaste and decreed suche things as made for his gaine not regarding Goddes glorye and therefore are they to be spoken wrytten and cried against of all such as fear God and loue hys truthe And thus muche I purposed to haue sayde concerning the first poynte Nowe touching the second poynte That where as my Lorde Chauncellour hadde the daye before sayde hys pleasure of them that ruled the Realme while hee was in prysone and also reioyced as though God hadde make this alteration euen for his sake and his Catholike Churche as hee calleth it and to declare as it were by myracle that we were before in a Schisme and Heresie and the Realme was nowe brought to an vnitie and to a trueth and I can not tell whereto Thereto was I fully purposed to haue sayde Secondlye my Lorde where as yee yesterdaye so highly dispraised the gouernment of them that ruled in innocent King Edwardes dayes it maye please your Lordshippe to vnderstande that wee poore Preachers whome yee so euill allowe did moste boldly and plainely rebuke theyr euill gouernaunce in manye things speciallye theyr couetousnesse and neglecte and small regarde to liue after the Gospell as also theyr negligence to occasion other to liue thereafter wyth mo things then I can now rehearse Thys can all London testifie wyth vs I would also haue tolde hym what I my selfe for my parte did once at Pauls Crosse concerning the misuse of Abbeys and other church goodes and I am assured right well that neuer a Papiste of them all did euer so much therein as I did I thanke the Lorde therefore I was also as it is well knowen faine to aunsweare therefore before all the Counsell and manye of my brethren did the like so that wee for the not rebuking of theyr faultes shall not aunsweare before God nor be blame worthy before menne Therefore lette the Gentlemen and the Courtiers them selues and all the Citizens of London testifie what we did But my Lord you could not abide them for that which they did vnto you and for that they were of a contrary Religion vnto you Whereâ—ore in that you seeme so infest against them it is neither any iust or publique cause but it is your owne priuate hate that maketh you to reporte so euill of their gouernaunce And yee may now say what yee list of them when they be partely dead and gone and partly by you put out of office But what shal be sayde of you when your fall shall folowe yee shall then heare And I muste say my conscience to you I feare me ye haue and wil with your gouernance bring England out of Gods blessing into a warme sunne I pray God you doe not I am an Englishe manne borne and God knoweth doe naturally wishe well to my Countrey And my Lorde I haue often prooued that the thyngs which I haue much feared afore hande shoulde come to passe haue in deede followed I praye God I may faile of my gessing in thys behalfe but truely that will not be wyth expellyng the true woorde of God out of the Realme and wyth sheading of innocent bloude And as touching your reioycing as thoughe God had sette you alofte to punishe vs by myracle for so you reporte and bragge openly of yourselfe and to minister Iustice if wee will not receaue youre holye fathers mercye and thereby to declare youre churche to be true and oures false to that I aunsweare thus Goddes workes be wonderful are not to be compreheÌ„ded and perceiued by maÌ„s wisedome not by the witte of the moste wise and prudent Yea they are soonest deceiued and doe moste easely iudge amisse of Goddes wonderfull woorkes that are moste worldly wise God hathe made all the wisedome of thys worlde foolishnesse first Corrinthians the firste and the seconde Chapter Dedit dilectam animam suam in manus inimicorum eius Hierem. xij That is Hee doeth putte his beloued and deare heart into the handes of the ennemies thereof Thys thing doeth God whiche thing all wise menne accompte to be the moste foolish and vnwise parte that can be Will the wise of the worlde trowe ye putte their most deare frendes and tenderly beloued children into their enmies handes to kill slaye burne c. that is vnto them a madnesse aboue all madnesse And yet doeth God vse thys order and thys is an highe and singular wisedome in his syght which the world taketh to be most extreme madnes Canne the worlde shewe a cause whye hee suffered the greate multitude of innocente children to be murthered of Herode of Ascalon or why he putte that moste holy man Iohn Baptiste into the handes of Herode hys sonne to be headed and that in prisone secreatly wythout open iudgement moste tyrannously Whye he suffered hys beloued Apostle Iames to be beheaded of another Herode Acts 12 Whye he suffered his beloued seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be foure hundred yeares in thraldome and bondage and vnder Pharao And all the stocke of Iuda and Beniamin hys beloued children and Churche to come vnder the power sweard and tyrannie of Nabuchodonosor No verely but hys true Catholicke Churche knoweth diuers causes heereof whyche are nowe too long to reherse and whych I would right gladly shew if I had time But this I am righte sure off that it was not because that the aforesayd Godly menne were in heresies and subiecte to false gods seruices and Idolatrie and that theyr aduersaries were men of God and beloued of God The contrarye was true Ihon Baptist was beloued of God and Herode hated and so foorth of the rest and Iohn Baptist the innocent children Iames the Children of Israel in Egypte and in Babylon were the catholike members and
Catholicke Church Bradford No though you haue excommunicate me out of your Church yet am I in the Catholicke Churche of christ and am and by Gods grace shal be a childe an obedient childe of it for euer I hope Christ will haue no lesse care for me Transubstantiation to beleeue or not to beleue many hundreth yeares after Christ. then he had for the blinde man excommunicated of the Synagoge and further I am sure that the necessary Articles of the fayth I meane the twelue Articles of the Creede I confesse and beleue with that which you call the holy church so that euen your church hath taken somthing to much vpon her to excommunicate me for that which by the testimonye of my Lorde of Duresme in the booke of the sacrament lately put forth was free many an hundred yeare after Christ to beleue or not beleue Harps What is that Brad. Transubstantiation Harps Why ye are not condemned therfore onely Brad. For that and because I deny that wicked men do receiue Christes body Harpsfield You agree not with vs in the presence nor in any thing els Bradford How you beleue you know for my part I coÌ„fesse a presence of whole Christ God and man to the fayth of the receauer Harpsfield Nay you must beleue a reall presence in the sacrament Brad. In the Sacrament Nay I will not shut him in nor tyâ— him to it otherwise then faith seeth and perceiueth Christ not included really in the Sacrament If I should include Christ really present in the sacrament or tye hym to it otherwise then to the faith of the receiuer then the wicked men should receiue him which I doe not nor will by Gods grace beleue Harpsfield More pitty But a man may easely perceaue you make no presence at all and therefore you agree not therein with vs. Brad. I confesse a presence and a true presence but to the fayth of the receauer Christes body present to the fayth of the receauer What quoth one that stoode by of Christes very bodye which dyed for vs. Brad. Yea euen of whole Christ God man to feed the fayth of hym that receiueth it Harps Why this is nothing els but to exclude y e omnipotency of God and all kinde of miracle in the sacrament Brad. I do not exclude his omnipotencie but you doe it rather for I beleue that Christ can accoÌ„plish hys promise None denyeth omipotencye more then the Papistes which say that Christes body cannot be in the sacrament vnlesse the substance of bread be away the substaunce of bread and wyne being there as well as the accidents which you beleue not When we come to the Sacrament we come not to feede our bodies and therfore we haue but a little peece of bread but we come to feed our soules with Christ by fayth whiche the wicked doe want and therefore they receiue nothing but Panem domini as Iudas did not Panem Dominum as y e other Apostles did Harps The wicked do receaue the very body of Christ but not the grace of his body Brad. They receiue not the body For Christes bodye is no dead carcase he that receaueth it receaueth the spirite which is not without grace I trow Argument who so receaue the body of Christ do receiue the fruite and grace of lyfe no wicked do receiue fruite and grace of lyfe Ergo no wicked men receiue the bâ—dy of Christ. Masse in S. Ambrose tyme. That is false for Scolasticus was not before S. Ambrose tyme. The chiefe parts of the Popish Masse Harps Well you haue many erroures You count the Masse for abhomination and yet S. Ambrose sayd Masse and so he read out of a book written a sentence of S. Ambrose to proue it Brad. Why sir the masse as it is nowe was nothing so in S. Ambrose time Was not y e most part of the Canon made sithen by Gregory and Scolasticus Harps In deede a great peece of it was made as ye say by Gregory but Scolasticus was before Saint Ambrose tyme. Brad. I weene not howbeit I will not contend S. Gregory sayth that the Apostles sayd Masse without the Canon onely with the Lordes prayer Harps You say true for the Canon is not the greatest part of the Masse the greatest part is the sacrifice eleuation transubstantiation and adoration Brad. I can away with none of those Harps No I thinke the same but yet Hoc facite telleth plainely the sacrifice of the Church Brad. You confound Sacrifices not discerning betwixt the sacrifice of the Church Sacrifice of the Church Sacrifice for the Church and for the Church The sacrifice of the Church is no propiciatory sacrifice but a gratulatory sacrifice And as for Hoc facite is not referred to any sacrifising but to the whole action of takyng eatyng c. Harps You speake not learnedly now for Christ made his supper onely to the twelue Apostles Note this doctrine good reader not admittyng his mother or any of the seuenty Disciples to it Nowe the Apostles do signifie the Priestes Brad. I thinke that you speake as you would men should vnderstand it for els you would not keepe the cup away from the Laitie Wee haue great cause to thanke you that you will geue vs of your bread For I perceiue you order the matter so as though Christ had not commanded it to his whole Church Harps Then Harpsfield would haue proued Eleuation by a place of Basilius Brad. Eleuation was not brought in indeede before the time of pope Honorius 3. I haue read y e place which seemeth to make nothing for eleuation but be it as it is this is no tyme for me to scan the doubtfull places of the doctors with you I haue bene in prison long without bookes and al necessaries for study and now death draweth nye and I by your leaue must now leaue of to prepare for him Harps If I could do you good I would be right glad eyther in soule or body For you are in a perillous case both wayes Brad. Syr I thanke you for your good will My case is as it is I thanke God it was neuer so well w t me for deathe to me shal be life Creswel It were best for you to desire maister Archedeacon that he woulde make sute for you that you might haue a time to conferre Harps I will do the best I can for I pittie his case Bradford Sir I will not desire anye body to sue for tyme for me I am not wauering neither woulde I that anye body should thinke I were so But if you haue the charity and loue you pretend towardes me and thereto do thinke that I am in an errour I thinke the same shuld moue you to do as ye would be done to As ye thinke of me so doe I of you that you are farre out of the way and I do not only thinke it but also am thereof most assured And in thys and such like gentle
your selfe borne in a blessed time that haue found this grace with God to be a vessell of honour to suffer with his Saints yea with his sonne My beloued God hath not done so with many The Apostle saith Not many noble 1. Cor. 1. not many riche not many wise in the world hath the Lord God chosen Oh then what cause haue you to reioyce that amongst the not many he hath chosen you to be one For that cause hath God placed you in your office that therefore ye might the more see his speciall dignation and loue towards you It had not bene so great a thyng for M. Hopkins to haue suffred as M. Hopkins as it is for M. Hopkins also to suffer as M. Shiriffe Oh happy day that you were made shiriffe by the which as God in this world would promote you to a more honourable degree so by suffering in this roome he hath exalted you in heauen and in the sight of his church children to a much more excellent glory When was it read that a shiriffe of a citie hath suffred for the Lordes sake Where read we of any Shiriffe that hath bene cast in prison for conscience to Godward How could God haue delt more louingly w t you then herein he hath done To the end of the worlde it shall be written for a memoriall to your prayse that Rich. Hopkins shiriffe of Couentry for conscience to do his office before God was cast in the Fleete and there kept prisoner a long tyme. Happy twise happy are you if herefore you may geue your life Neuer could you haue attayned to this promotion on this sort out of that office How do you preach now not onely to all men but specially to magistrates in this realme Who would euer haue thoght that you should haue bene the first magistrate that for christes sake should haue lost any thing R. Hopkins the first Magistrate that suffered for his conscience As I sayd before therfore I say againe that your state is happy Good brother before God I write the truth vnto you my conscience bearing me witnes that you are in a most happy state with the Lord and before his sight Be thankfull therefore reioyce in your trouble pray for pacience perseuere to the ende let pacieÌ„ce haue her perfect worke Iacob 1. If you want this wisedome and power aske it of God who will geue it to you in his good tyme. Hope still in him yea if he should slay you yet trust in hym wyth Iob and you shall perceiue that the ende will be to finde him mercyfull full of compassion for he will not breake promise with you which hitherto did neuer so with any He is with you in trouble he heareth you callyng vppon hym yea before you cal your desires are not only known but accepted through Christ. If now and then he hide hys face from you it is but to prouoke your appetite to make you the more to long for him This is most true He is a comming and will come he will not be long But if for a tyme he seeme to tary yet stand you still and you shall see the wonderfull workes of the Lord. Oh beloued wherefore should you be heauy Is not Christ Emanuell God with vs Shall you not find that as he is true in saying In the world you shall haue trouble 1. Cor. 1. so is he in saying In mee you shall haue comfort He doth not sweare only that trouble will come but with all he sweareth that comfort shall ensue And what comfort such a comfort as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man can conceiue Oh great comfort who shall haue this Forsooth they that suffer for the Lord. And are not you one of them Yea verily are you Then as I said happy happy and happy againe are you my dearely beloued in the Lord. You now suffer with the Lord surely you shall bee glorified with him Call vpon God therfore in your trouble and he will heare you yea deliuer you in such sort as most shall make both to his your glory also And in this calling I hartily pray you to pray for me your fellow in affliction Now we be both going in the high way to heauen for by many afflictioÌ„s must we enter in thether whether God bring vs for his mercies sake Amen Amen Your fellow in affliction Iohn Bradford ¶ To my good Sister Maistresse Elizabeth Browne GOod sister God our Father make perfect the good hee hath begun in you vnto the end A lette◠〈◊〉 M Bradâ—â—â—â— to Mistâ—â—â— Browâ—â— now 〈◊〉 Mistres Rushbrough I am afrayde to write vnto you because you so ouercharge your selfe at all tymes euen when so euer I doe but send to you commendations I would bee more bold on you then many others and therfore you might suspend so great tokens til I should write vnto you of my need which thyng doubtlesse I would do if it vrged me Deare sister I see your vnfained loue to me wardes in God and haue done of long time the which I do recompence with the like and will do by gods grace so long as I liue therefore I hope not to forget you but in my poore prayers to haue you in remembraunce as I hope you haue me 2. Tim. â— Otherwyse I can do you no seruice except it bee now and then by my writyng to let you from better exercise where yet the end of my writyng is to excite and stir vp your hart more earnestly to go on forwards in your well begon enterprise For you know none shal be crowned but such as striue lawfully none receiueth the gleue but those that runne to the appointed marke Heb. 10. None shall be saued but such as persist and continue to the very end Therfore deare Sister remember that we haue neede of patience that when we haue done the good will of God wee may receiue the promise Patience and perseueraunce bee the proper notes whereby Gods children are knowne from counterfaites They that perseuere not were alwayes but hypocrites Many make godly beginnings yea their progresse seemeth meruailous but yet after in the end they fayle These were neuer of vs sayâ—h S. Iohn for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued vnto the very end Go to now therfore myne own beloued in the Lord Wholsome lessons of lyfe as you haue well begun and well gone forward so well persist and happily end and then all is yours Though this be sharpe and sower yet it is not tedious or long Do all that euer you doe simply for God and as to God so shall neuer vnkyndnesse nor any other thyng make you to leaue of from well doyng so long as you may do well Accustome your selfe now to see God continually that he may be all in all vnto you In good thyngs behold his mercy and apply it vnto your selfe In euill thyngs
in the supper of Christ which the Sacramente of the aultar as the Papists call it and vse it doth vtterly ouerthrow is a true and very presēce of whole Christ God and man to the fayth of the receiuer but not to the stander by looker vpon as it is a true very presence of bread wine to the sences of men to beleue this I saye will not serue and therfore as an herericke I am condemned and shal be burned whereof I aske God hartily mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my deare Lorde God and Sauiour to suffer For albeit mo manifold sinnes euen sithen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onely this tēporal but also eternall fire in hell much more then my former sinful life which y e Lord pardō for his Christes sake as I knowe he of his mercy hath done neuer will lay mine iniquities to my charge to condēnation so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name althogh I say my manifold and greeuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that mā or deuill can do vnto me and therfore I confesse that the Lorde is iust that his iudgements be true and deserued on my behalfe yet y e Bishoppes and Prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himselfe his worde his trueth and Religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioice that euer I was borne and hetherto kept of the Lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth y e heauenly father to glorifie his name to testifie hys truth to confirme his veritie to repugne his aduersaries Oh good God and mercifull father forgeue my great vnthākfulnes especially herein And you my dearely beloued for the Lord Iesu Christes sake I humbly and hartily in his bowels bloude do now for my last Vale and farewell in this present lyfe beseeche you and euerye of you that you will consider this worke of the Lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hipocrisie and carnall securitie professe not the Gospell with tongue and lippes onely but in hart veritie frame and fashion your liues accordingly beware Gods name be not euill spoken of and the Gospell lesse regarded by your conuersation God forgeue me that I haue not so hartily professed it as I shoulde haue done but haue sought much my selfe therein The Gospell is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wyne and therfore cannot be put in old bottels without more great hurt thē good wine to the bottels If we will talke with y e Lorde we must put of our shoes and carnall affections if wee will heare the voyce of the Lorde we must wash our garmentes and be holy if we will be Christes disciples wee must deny our selues take vp our crosse and follow Christ we cannot serue two maysters If we seeke Christs kingdome we must also seeke for the righteousnes thereof Christian profession requireth Christian conuersation To this petition Let thy kingdome come we must ioyne Thy will be done done on earth as it is in heauen If wee will not be doers of the worde but hearers of it onely we sore deceiue our selues If wee heare the gospell and loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles and builders vpon the sand The Lordes spirite hateth fayning deceitfulnes the Lord abhorreth if we come to him wee must beware that we come not with a double hart for then may chance that God will aunswere vs according to the blocke which is in our heart and so we shall deceiue our selues and others To fayth see y t we couple a good conscience least wee make a shipwracke Fayth would be coupled euer with a good conscience To the Lord we must come with fear and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucifie our flesh with the lustes and concupiscences therof if we wil be vnder grace sinne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the Lord and draw nigh to him with our lips and leaue our hartes els where least the Lordes wrath waxe hot He exhorteth to repentance and he take from vs the good remayning In no case can y e kingdome of Christ approch to them that repent not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repent and be hartily sory y t we haue so carnally so hipocritically so couetously so vaynegloriously professed the gospell For all these I confesse my selfe to the glory of God that he may couer mine offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger plagues of God most iustly fallen vpon vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our hartes euery of vs may say It is I Lord that haue sinned agaynst thee it is my hipocrisie my vaynglory my couetousnes vncleanes carnalitie securitie idlenes vnthankfulnes selfeloue Our sinnes prouoke persecutiō and such like which haue deserued the taking away of our good king of thy word and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmēt and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and increase of authoritie and peace to thine enemies Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. He exhorteth to pray how to pray with repentance Turne to vs agayne O Lorde of hostes turne vs vnto thee correct vs but not in thy furie least we be consumed in thyne anger chastice vs not in thy wrathful displeasure reproue vs not but in the middest of thine anger remember thy mercy For if thou marke what is done amisse who shall be able to abide it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshipped Oh then be mercifull vnto vs y t we might truely worship thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name be mercifull vnto our sinnes for they are great O heale vs and help vs for thine honor Let not the wicked people say where is their God c. On this sort my right dearely beloued let vs hartilye bewayle our sinnes repent vs of our former euil life hartily and earnestly purpose to amēd our lyues in all things continually watch in prayer diligently and reuerently attend heare and reade the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Praying hearing reading the holy scriptures Let vs reproue the workes of darckenes Let vs flee frō al Idolatrye Let vs abhorre the Antichristiā and romish rotten seruice detest the popishe Masse abrenounce their Romishe God prepare our selues to the crosse be obedient to all that be in authoritie in all thinges that be not agaynst God and his word for then aunswere with the Apostles It is more meete to obey God then man Howbeit neuer for any thinge resiste Obedience to magistrates in all that is not agaynst Gods word
or rise agaynst the magistrates Auenge not your selues but commit your cause to the Lord to whome vengeance pertayneth and he in his tyme will reward it If you feele in your selues an hope and trust in God that he will neuer tempt you aboue that he will make you able to beare Patience be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to beare all bruntes But if you want this hope flee and get you hence rather then by your tarying Gods name should be dishonored In summe cast your care on the Lorde knowing for most certayne that he is carefull for you with him are all the heares of your head numbred so that not one of them shall perish without his good pleasure and wille muche more thē nothing shall happē to your bodies which shall not be profitable how soeuer for a time it seeme otherwise to your sences Hang on the prouidence of God We ought to depend vpon Gods prouidence alwayes not onely when you haue meanes to helpe you but also when you haue no meanes yea when all meanes be agaynst you Geue him this honour which of all other thinges he most chiefly requireth at your handes namely beleeue that you are his children through Christ that he is your father and God through him y t he loueth you pardoneth you al your offences he is with you in trouble and will be with you for euer When you fall he will put vnder his hande you shall not lye still before you cal vpon him he heareth you out of euill hee will finally bryng you and deliuer you to his eternall ioy Doubt not my dearly beloued hereof doubt not I say this will God your father do for you in respect not of your selues but in respect of christ your Captayne your Pastor your keeper out of whose hands none shal be able to catch you All our hope is only in Christ for his sake to be receaued in him be quiet oftē cōsider your dignitie namely how that ye be Gods children the saints of God citizens of heauen temples of the holy Ghost the thrones of God members of Christ and Lordes ouer all Therfore be ashamed to think speake or do any thing that should be vnseemely for Gods children Gods saynts Christes members To beare the Crosse. c. Marueile not though the deuil and the worlde hate you though ye be persecuted here for the seruaunt is not aboue his mayster Couet not earthly ryches Mortification feare not the power of man loue not this world nor thinges that be in this world but long for the Lord Iesus his comming at whiche time youre bodies shall be made like vnto his glorious body when he appeareth you shall be like vnto him when your lyfe shall thus be reuealed then shall ye appeare with him in glory In the meane season liue in hope hereof Let the lyfe you lead be in the faith of the sonne of God For the iust doth liue by fayth which fayth fleeth from al euill followeth y e word of God as a Lanterne to her feete and a light to her steppes her eyes be aboue where Christ is shee behouldeth not the thinges present but rather thinges to come she glorieth in affliction she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not like to be compared to the glory whiche God will reueale to vs We must liue in the fayth of Christ. The property of fayth and in vs. Of this glory GOD graunt vs here a liuely taste then shall wee runne after the sent it sendeth forth It wil make vs valiaunt men to take to vs the kingdome of God whyther the Lorde of mercy bryng vs in hys good tyme through Chryste oure Lorde to whome with the father and the holy ghost three persōs and one God be al honour and glory world without end Amen My dearly beloued I woulde gladly haue geuen here my body to haue bene burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I haue taught here vnto you But that my Countrey must haue Therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good will towardes euery of you Impute the want herein to tyme and trouble Pardon me mine offensiue and negligent behauiour when I was amongest you With me repent labour to amend Continue in the trueth whiche I haue truely taught vnto you by preaching in al places where I haue come Gods name therefore be praysed Confesse Christ when you be called whatsoeuer commeth therof and the God of peace be with vs all Amen This xi of Februar an 1555. Your brother in bondes for the Lordes sake Iohn Bradford To the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge TO all that loue the Lorde Iesus and his true doctrine being in the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge An other letter of M. Bradford to the vniuersity of Cambridge Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lord nowe not onely prisoned but also condemned for the same true doctrine wisheth grace peace and mercye with increase of all godlines from God the father of all mercy through the bloudy passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ by the liuely working of the holy spirite for euer Amen Although I looke hourely when I should be had to the stake my right dearely beloued in the Lord and although the charge ouer me is great and strayt yet hauing by the prouidēce of God secretly pen and an ynke I could not but something signifie vnto you my solicitude which I haue for you and euerye of you in the Lord though not as I woulde yet as I may You haue often and openly heard the truth speciallye in this matter wherein I am condemned disputed and preached that it is needeles to do any more but onely to put you in remembraunce of the same but hitherto haue you not heard it confirmed and as it were sealed vp as now you doe and shall heare by me that is by my death and burning For albeit I haue deserued through my vncleannes hypocrisie auarice vainglory idlenes vnthankfulnes and carnalitie wherof I accuse my selfe to my confusion before the world that before God through Christ I might as my assured hope is I shall find mercy eternall death and hell fire much more then this affliction and fire prepared for me yet my dearly beloued it is not these or any of these thinges wherfore the prelates do persecute me but Gods verity and truth yea euen christ him selfe is the onely cause and thing wherefore I nowe am condemned The Martyrs persecuted of the prelates not for their sinnes but onely for Christ. and shal be burned as an hereticke for because I will not graunt the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his churche here and euery where vppon earth by Gods ordinaunce and because I will not graunt suche corporall reall and carnall presence of Christes body bloud in the sacrament as doth transubstanciate the