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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	church_n	reason_n	1,519	5	4.9993	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51699	A cloud of witnesses, or, The sufferers mirrour made up of the swanlike-songs, and other choice passages of several martyrs and confessors to the sixteenth century, in their treatises, speeches, letters, prayers, &c. in their prisons, or exiles, at the bar, or stake, &c. / collected out of the ecclesiastical histories of Eusebius, Fox, Fuller, Petrie, Scotland, and Mr. Samuel Ward's Life of faith in death, &c. and alphabetically disposed by T.M., M.A.; Cloud of witnesses. Part 1	Mall, Thomas, b. 1629 or 30.; Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.	1665 (1665)	Wing M329; ESTC R21709	379,698	602

Testament saith Exod. 20. Deut. 6. Thou shalt make no Image The New saith that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Matth. 5. Christ therefore hath left the commandments of the old Law unto the Church in which he saith Thou shalt not make any Image Of late years Images were in the Temple and honoured with pater noster heart and mind leg and knee Now they be applyed to another use to teach the people to be Lay-mens Books as Damascene c. saith O blasphemous and devillish Doctrine The most perfect Churches of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles used no such mean and we ought to follow them and the Word of God writ by the Prophets and Apostles The words of Gregory ad Seren. Episcop M●ssil part 10. Ep. 4. should move no man though he say Quod legentibus Scriptura hoc ideotis pictura praestat cernentibus This is but Gregory's opinion Epiphanius was not of his mind He willed the occasion of ill to be taken out of the Church as Paul commandeth 1 Thes. 5. This Doctor was as all men know of singular learning and vertue Again against the Authority of Gregory the Great I set the Authority of Athanasius the Great who denieth in express words the Images to be the Books of the Lay people Lactantius Firmianus crieth so out against Images that he saith there can be no true Religion where they be Tertullian judgeth the same Loved we God we would be content with the Scripture Shall not the Patriarks Prophets Christ and his Apostles suffice the Church of God What although many learned men have approved Images should their wisdome maintain any contrary to the Word of God Such as defend them have nothing but sophistical arguments to blind the people with The Scripture nor Apostles Church used none Had all Asia Africa and Europe and Gabriel the Archangel descended from Heaven approved the use of Images forasmuch as the Apostles never taught nor wrote any such thing their Authority should have no place the Word of God solely and onely is to be prefer'd which forbiddeth Images ch 10. The Office of Christ to sanctifie us according to Iohn 17.1 sanctifie my self that they may be sanctified doth abrogate all other things that mans constitutions attribute any holiness unto as bewitched water c. for onely Christ sanctifieth and all holiness we must attribute unto him Sacraments must be used holily yet not have this Office of Christ added to them ch 11. In the later dayes when Christ as King was to be born the Angel declared the Power and Puissance of his Kingdome He shall reign over the house of Jacob and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. Although the Commonwealth of the Church hath no certain place appointed where it shall remain as it was appointed in the old Law yet certain we be that this Kingdome of Christ remaineth upon the Earth and shall do till the Earth be burned Matth. 16.28 1 Cor. 15. Howbeit as Christ wan and obtained this Kingdome in the later dayes without shield or spear so doth he preserve it with his holy Spirit and not with carnal weapons My Kingdome is not of this world John 18. Meaning he would not reign in this world as a Prince of this world in pomp and pride but defend his people with his holy Spirit that the Devil and the World should not break their patience though many afflictions and sorrows should fight against them for the Truth 's sake Christ doth not deny to be King of the world but he meant not to reign worldlily to the hinderance and defacing of the Emperours Dignity and Title as the Jews falsly accused him as Cyrillus l. 12. c. 10. in Iohannem saith This Kingdome shall be ever persecuted till the worlds end Isaiah the Prophet described the Church of this present life saying He will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction but he will not remove thy teachers chap. 30.20 Thus the Church shall alwayes remain but in affliction I know such as favour not the Truth will interpret my words that I condemn all Princes and Kings as enemies of the Gospel because they peaceably enjoy their Kingdomes whereas I wish them alwayes so to do to the glory of God but of the one thing I will assure every Prince of world The more sincere he is in the Cause of God the more shall be his Cross. God indeed preserveth above humane reason his Ministers as he did Iacob from the hands of Esau David from Saul Daniel from the Lions and Paul in the Ship when there was no humane hope of salvation Likewise he governeth his Church with his onely Laws The onely Law whereunto this Congregation is bound is the Gospel as Christ saith Iohn 4. The Holy Ghost shall teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said unto you Here Christ bindeth the Apostles and all the Church unto the things that he had taught them Such as teach the people to know the Commonwealth of the true Church by these signs the traditions of men and the succession of Bishops teach wrong Those two false opinions have given unto the succession of Bishops power to interpret the Scripture and power to make such Laws in the Church as it pleased them God hath given the Civil Magistrates power and authority to make such Laws for the Commonwealth as shall be agreeable with reason and not against Gods Law and likewise power to interpret the same Laws but this is not to be admitted in the Church unto whom God hath given the Gospel and interpreted the same by his onely Son taught the meaning and contents thereof himself The adversaries of the Truth defend many an errour under the name of the holy Church when the Church therefore is named diligently consider when the Articles they would defend were accepted of the Church by whom and who was the Author of them Leave not till the matter be brought unto the first original and most perfect Church of the Apostles If thou find by their writings that their Church used the thing that the Preacher would prove then accept it or else not Be not amazed though they speak of never so many years nor name never so many Doctors If either the Authority of Bishops or the greater part should have power to interpret the Scripture the sentence of the Pharisees should have been prefer'd before the sentence of Zachary Simion Elizabeth or the blessed Virgin Consider the true Church is many time but a small Congregation as Isaiah saith Unless God had left us a remnant we had been as Sodom Therefore the interpretation of the Scripture is not obligated to ordinary power nor the most part Beware of deceit when thou hearest the name of the Church The verity is then assaulted They call the Church of the Devil the holy Church many time Remember Christian Reader that the gift of interpreting the Scripture is

into thy hands I commend my Spirit Amen Keyser Leonard Keyser as he was led to the place where he was to be burnt said O Lord Jesus remain with me sustain and help me and give me force and power When the wood was ready to be set on fire he cried with a loud voice O Jesus I am thine have mercy upon me and save me Knox. Mr. Iohn Knox wearied with removing from place to place by reason of the Persecution that came upon him by the Bishop of St. Andrews was determined to have left Scotland and to have visited the Schools of Germany he had then no pleasure in England by reason that although the Popes Name was suppressed yet his Laws and Corruptons remained in full vigour but was prevailed with by some Gentlemen for their Childrens sake whose Education he had undertaken to go to St. Andrews that he might have the benefit of the Castle which was fortified against the Papists since the death of the Cardinal in it Thither he came An. 1547. where he was called to the Ministry after this manner Mr. Rough having shew'd in a Sermon what power the Congregation how small soever passing the number of two or three had to elect any man in the time of need as that was in whom they espied the gifts of God and how dangerous it was to refuse to hear the voice of such as desire to be instructed he directed his words to Mr. Knox saying Brother you shall not be offended although that I speak unto you that which I have in charge even from all those here present which is this In the Name of God and of his Son Jesus Christ and in the name of these that presently call you by my mouth I charge you that you refuse not this holy Vocation but as ye tender the glory of God the encrease of Christs Kingdome the edification of your Brethren and the comfort of me whom ye understand well enough to be oppressed by the multitude of labours that you take upon you the publick office and charge of preaching even as you look to avoid Gods heavy displeasure and desire that he shall multiply his graces upon you And in the end he said to those that were present was not this your charge to me and do ye not approve this Vocation They answered it is and we approve it Besides this Vocation that which necessitated Mr. Knox to enter in the publick place was his beating by his Pen Dean Annan a rotten Papist that had long troubled Mr. Rough in his Preaching from all defences that he was compelled to flie to his last refuge the Authority of the Church which said the Dean damned all Lutherans and Hereticks and therefore he would not dispute Whereupon Mr. Knox in the open audience of the Parish-Church of St. Andrews told the Dean thus As for your Roman Church as it is now corrupted and the Authority thereof wherein stands the hope of your victory I no more doubt but that it is the Synagogue of Satan and the head thereof called the Pope to be that man of sin of whom the Apostle speaks then I doubt that Jesus Christ suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Ierusalem yea I offer my self by word or writing to prove the Roman Church this day farther to degenerate from the purity which was in the daies of the Apostles then was the Church of the Iews from the Ordinance given by Moses when they consented to the innocent death of Jesus Christ. The people hearing the offer cried with one consent We cannot all read your writings but we can all hear your preachings therefore we require you in the Name of God that ye let us hear the Probation of what you have affirmed for if it be true we have been miserably deceived The next Lords Day he preached on Dan. 7. And another King shall rise after them and he shall be unlike unto the first and he shall subdue three Kings and shall speak words against the most High and shall consume the Saints of the most High c. In the beginning of his Sermon he shewed the great love of God towards his Church whom he pleased to forewarn of dangers to come so many years before they came to pass After he made a short Discourse of the four Empires the Babylonian Persian Grecian and Roman in the destruction of the fourth rose up that last beast which he affirmed to be the Roman Church for to none other power that ever hath been yet do all the Notes that God shewed to the Prophets belong except to it alone and to it they do properly appertain as such as are not more then blind may clearly see Then he shewed that the Spirit in the New Testament gives to this King other new names as the man of sin the Antichrist the whore of Babylon which he proved to belong to the Papists and their head the Pope Hereupon he was with Mr. Rough convented before the Sub Prior of St. Andrews c. and several Articles were read against them The strangeness said the Sub Prior of these Articles which are gathered forth of your Doctrine have moved us to call for you to hear your Answers Mr. Knox said I for my part praise my God that I see such an Auditory but because it is long since that I have heard that ye are one that is not ignorant of the Truth I may crave of you in the Name of God yea and I appeal your conscience before that supreme Judge that if ye think any Article there expressed contrary to the Truth of God that ye oppose your self plainly unto it and suffer not the people to be therewith deceived but if in your conscience you know the Doctrine to be true then will I crave your Patr●cinie thereto that by your Authority the people may be moved the ●ather to believe the Truth The Sub Prior answered I come not here as a Judge but onely familiarly to talk and therefore I will neither allow nor condemn but if ye list I will reason Why may not the Church for good causes devise Ceremonies to decore the Sacraments and other Gods Service K. Because the Church ought to do nothing but in faith and ought not to go before but is bound to follow the voice of the true Pastor S. It is in faith that the Ceremonies are commanded and they have proper significations to help our faith they have a godly signification and therefore proceed from faith and are done in Faith K. It is not enough that man invent a Ceremony and then give it a signification according to his pleasure for so might the Ceremonies of the Gentiles and of Mahomet be maintained but if any thing proceed from faith it must have the Word of God for its assurance for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Now if ye will prove that your Ceremonies proceed from faith and do please God

if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her The Chancellor pressing him to do as they had done in hopes of the Queens mercy and pardon My Lord said he I desire mercy with Gods mercy i. e. without doing or saying any thing against God and his Truth pag. 290. but mercy with Gods wrath God keep me from Gods mercy I desire and also would be glad of the Q●eens favour to live as a Subject without clog on Conscience but otherwise the Lords mercy is better to me then life Life in his displeasure is worse then death and death with his favour is true life He having refused again and again to answer to the Chancellors Quaeries said That no fear but the fear of perjury made him unwilling to answer he having been six times sworn not to consent to the practising of any Jurisdiction or any Authority on the Bishop of R●me's behalf within the Realm of England I am not afraid of death I thank God I look and have looked for nothing else from your hands a long time but I am afraid when death cometh I should have ma●ter to trouble my Conscience by the guilt of perjury As for my death as I know there are twelve hours in the day so with the Lord my time is appointed and when it shall be his good time then I shall depart hence but in the mean season I am safe enough though all the reople had sworn my death into his hands have I committed it and do his good will be done The Earl of Derby sending one of his Servants to him willing him to tender himself He told the Messenger that he thanked his Lordship for his good will towards him but in this case I cannot tender my self more then Gods honour The same Servant saying also Ah Mr. Bradford consider your Mother Sister Friends Kinsfolk Countrey what a great discomfort it will be to them to see you die as an Heretick Mr. Bradford replied I have learned to forsake Father Mother Brother Sister Friends and all that ever I have yea and my own self for else I cannot be Christs Disciple Being askt by a good Gentlewomans Servant that was sent to him How he did he answered Well I thank God for as men in Sailing which be near to the Shore or Haven where they would be would be nearer even so the nearer I am to God the nearer I would be In a Letter to his Mother and Brethren I am at this time in Prison sure enough from starting to confirm that I have preached unto you As I am ready I thank God with my life and blood to seal the same if God vouchsafe me worthy of that honour If we suffer with him we shall also reign w●th him Be not therefore faint-hearted but rather rejoyce at the least for my sake who now am in the right and high way to Heaven for by many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of God Now will God made known his Children When the wind doth not blow the Wheat cannot be known from the Chaffe but when the blast cometh then flieth away the Chaffe but the Wheat remaineth and is so far from being hurt that by the wind it is more cleansed from the Chaffe Gold when it is cast into the fire is the more precious so are Gods Children by afflictions Indeed I thank God more for this Prison then for any Parlour yea then for any pleasure that eyer I had for in it I find God my most sweet good God alwayes Of all deaths it is most to be desired to die for Gods sake such are sure to go to Heaven Death nor Life nor Prison nor Pleasure I trust in God shall be able to separate me from my Lord God and his Gospel Rejoyce in my sufferings for it is for your sakes to confirm the truth I have taught Howsoever you do be obedient to the Higher Powers that is in no point either in hand or tongue Rebel but rather if they command that which with good conscience you cannot obey lay your head on the Block and suffer what they shall do or say By patience possess your souls In his Letter to the City of London I ask God heartily mercy that I do no more rejoyce then I do having so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my dear Lord and Saviour to suffer Although my sins be manifold and grievous yet the Bishops and Prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his Word his Truth and Religion Let the anger and plagues of God most justly fallen upon us be applied to every one of our deserts that from the bottome of our hearts every one of us may say It is I Lord that have sinned against thee It is my hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetousness uncleanness carnality security idleness unthankfulness self-love c. which have deserved the taking away of thy Word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by Exile Imprisonment Death c. Prepare your selves to the Cross be obedient to all that be in Authority in all things that be not against God his Word for then answer with the Apostle It is more meet to obey God then man Howbeit never for any thing resist or rise against the Magistrates Avenge not your selves Commit your Cause to the Lord. If you feel in your selves an hope and trust in God that he will never tempt you above that he will make you able to bear be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to bear all brunts but if you want this Hope flee and get you hence rather then by your tarrying Gods Name should be dishonoured In his Letter to Cambridge Thou my Mother the University hast not onely had the truth of Gods Word plainly manifested unto thee by Reading Disputing and Preaching publickly and privately but now to make thee altogether excuseless and as it were almost to sin against the Holy Ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romish Rout to suppress the Verity and set out the contrary thou hast my life and blood as a Seal to confirm thee if thou wilt be confirmed or else to confound thee if thou wilt take part with the Prelates and Clergy which now fill up the measure of their Fathers which slew the Prophets and Apostles that all the righteous blood from Abel to Bradford may be required at their hands For the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and blood I beseech you to take Christs eye-salve to anoint your eyes that you may see what you do and have done in admitting the Romish rotten Rags which once you utterly expelled O be not the Dog returned to his vomit be not the Sow that was washed returning to her wallowing in the mire Beware least Satan enter in with seven worse Spirits c. It had been better you had never known the truth then after knowledge to have run

is the true Cross saith Mr. Frith in his Treatise called A preparation to the Cross which God doth lay upon us For the Word of God to suffer all scorns mocks lyes and persecutions and not to fear the most cruel yea even the most shameful death That we may be prepared to bear the true Cross we must consider that no calamity falleth on us by fortune or chance but by the counsel and appointment of God as witnesseth the holy Scripture It is undoubtedly no sma● comfort to be assured that the Cross is of God and that we are chastened of God and not of the Devil or of any wicked man who utterly can have no power upon us not so much as to move one hair of our head beside the will of the Lord. But it is not enough to consider that we are afflicted through the counsel and will of God but must moreover mark the cause and intent of his godly will for reason judgeth that we are punished to the end to be hurt or destroyed c. but we must forsake Reason and cleave to the Word of God which teacheth that we suffer affliction to our health and salvation for afflictions are not signs of wrath and displeasure but of grace and favour This is no small comfort to them that bear the Cross that they are not punished of the Lord to their hurt or destruction but to their health and salvation and that their afflictions poverty c. are not signs of Gods wrath but instruments by which God is glorified When God doth afflict his people for their sins he doth not therefore afflict them that by their afflictions they should satisfie for their sins for the passion and suffering of Jesus Christ is the ransome and expiation of our sins but that by affliction he may bring sinners to repentance When a Christian seeth himself forsaken of all men he must pray and not cease to pray but pray in faith mistrusting nothing God calleth Invocation or crying on him in trouble a Sacrifice the true and most acceptable honour So likewise he calleth the Hope whereby we tarry his help in affliction Sacrifice Sacrifice you the sacrifice of Justice and hope ye in the Lord q. d. that Hope is a Sacrifice whereby we yield justice to God that seeing he hath so promised he will pluck us out and deliver us for so much as he is righteous and true Of patience to God-ward springeth forth patience toward men for when the heart is at peace with God it tarrieth help of him and utterly setteth aside lust to revenge Our reason is therefore troubled and vexed in persecution because it thinketh that we are afflicted because God either hateth us or doth not regard us neither will help us These false opinions God plucketh from us and teacheth us that we are afflicted not because he hateth us but because he will either amend us or when we be amended continue us so And that in our affliction he will help us and keep us and also comfort us with the Holy Ghost and set our Conscience at peace and make us be glad in God c. Christian patience hath certain conditions whereby it is known to be true patience 1 It grudgeth not neither excuseth it self as though it should suffer unworthily for his sins wherefore he sitteth down and holdeth his peace as I●remiah saith 2 Is casteth all carefulness on God and committeth it self wholly to God that Gods will be done and not his 3 It humbleth himself and casteth off the pleasures of the World 4 He is merry and ready to suffer yet more heavy and g●ievous evils We must look for help in all afflictions for God promiseth his help saying I am with you F●ar ye n●t I will strengthen you But the manner time and kind of help is unknown unto us that Faith and Hope may have place which sticketh to these things which are not seen nor heard God delivereth when most need is that his glory may shine the brighter He will therefore help when we be in a manner compelled to despair in all humane help and when all carnal counsel deceiveth us for God only will be glorified He doth prolong help for our utility and profit that he might exercise and prove Faith by temptation so that he onely might possess the title and name of Helper He that believeth makes not haste He which yet seems afar off shall appear at the end and shall not lye although he tarry yet look for him for he is coming and at the last he shall come and shall not be slow It is also a great comfort to them that be in affliction to remember that they have Christ and his Prophets and Apostles and all good and holy men for their examples Furthermore it is a great comfort to the godly that the wicked whom God doth use as a rod to scourge the godly go not clear away without punishment whom he maketh either shamefully ashamed or through their own counsel he doth take them and bringeth them into the same destruction which they themselves have studied and found out for others The cause is For he that hurteth one faithful wrongeth not onely him but God who doth revenge the injury and wrong done to the faithful as injury done to himself He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye Saul Saul why persecuteth thou me If thou beest tempted concerning the Gospel or suffering persecution for the Gospel think of these Scriptures He that receeveth not my Cross and follows not me is not worthy of me If any man will come after me let him forsake himself and take his Cross and follow me For he that will save his soul shall lose it Contrariwise he that loseth his soul for my sake shall find it He that will confess me before men I will confess him before my Father The Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy The Servant is not above his Lord all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution If thou must die and leave Wife and Children and thy dear Friends say The Lord shall be their Defender for G●● both will and is able to cherish mine to nouri●● and defend them for he is the Father of the fa●therless and the Widows Husband I forget thing● behind my back and endeavour my self to th●● things that are before my face They that ha●● Wives let them be as though they had none an● they that weep as though they wept not If Satan say thou must forsake the world what then Answer thou contrariwise I shall attain Heaven For blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. All th● world lyeth in wickedness All that are born ●● God overcome the world and this the victor● which overcometh the world our faith All th● world shall perish with its lusts and desires Lo●● not the world nor the things of

unto us but also personally to visit the Poor oppressed and see that nothing be lacking unto them but that they have both ghostly comfort and bodily sustenance notwithstanding the strait inhibition and terrible menacing of these worldly Rulers even ready to abide the extreamest jeopardies that Tyrants can imagine This is an evidence that you have prepared your selves to the Cross of Christ according to the Counsel of the Wise man which saith My Son when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord prepare thy self unto tribulation This is an evidence that you have cast up your accounts and have wherewith to finish the Tower which ye have begun to build and I doubt not but he that hath begun this work in you shall for his Glory accomplish the same even unto the coming of the Lord which shall give unto every man according to his deeds And albeit God of his secret Judgements for a time keep the rod from some of them that ensue his steps yet let them surely reckon upon it for there is no doubt but all which will live devoutly in Christ must suffer persecution for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth and chasteneth every child that he receiveth If ye be not under correction of which we are all partakers then are ye bastards and not children Nevertheless we may not suppose that our most loving Father should do that because he rejoyceth in our blood or punishment but he doth it for our singular profit that we may be partakers of Holiness and that the remnants of sin which through the frailty of our Members rebel against the Spirit and Will causing our works to go unperfectly forward and may some deal be suppressed least they should subdue us and reign over us Of these things God had given me the speculation before and now it hath pleased him to put in ure and practise upon me I ever thought yea and do think that to walk after Gods Word would cost me my life at one time or another and although the Kings Grace should take me into his Favour and not suffer the bloody Edomites to have their pleasures upon me yet will I not think that I am escaped but that God hath onely deferred it for a season to the intent that I should work somewhat that he hath appointed me to do and so to use me to his Glory And I beseech all the faithful followers of the Lord to arm themselves with the same supposition marking themselves with the sign of the Cross not from the Cross as the superstitious multitude do but rather to the Cross in token that they be ever ready willingly to receive the Cross when it shall please God to lay it upon them The day that it cometh not count it clear won giving thanks to the Lord who hath kept it from you and then when it cometh it shall nothing dismay you for it is no new thing but that which you have continually looked for And doubt not but that God who is faithful will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear but shall ever send some occasion by the which ye shall stand stedfast for either he shall blind the eyes of your enemies and diminish their Tyrannous Power or else when he hath suffered them to do their best and that the Dragon hath cast a whole flood of waters after you he shall cause even the Earth to ope● her mouth swallow them up So faithful is he an● careful to ease us when the vexation shall be too heavy for us he shall send a Ioseph before you again●● ye shall come into Egypt yea he shall so provide fo● you that ye shall have an hundred Fathers for one an hundred Mothers for one an hundred House for one and that in this life as I have proved b● experience and after this life everlasting joy wit● Christ our Saviour Notwithstanding since thi● steadfastness comes not of our selves as St. Austi● saith there was never man so weak or frail no no● the greatest offender that ever lived but that every man of his own nature should be as frail and commit as great enormities except he were kept from it by the Spirit and Power of God I beseech you Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ to pray with me that we may be Vessels to his land and praise what time soever it pleaseth him to call upon 〈◊〉 The Father of Glory give us the Spirit of wisdome understanding and knowledge and lighten the eyes of our mind that we may know his waye● praising the Lord eternally Amen John Frith the Prisoner of Iesus Christ at all times abiding his pleasure In his Letter to his Friends concerning his troubles I doubt not dear Brethren but th●● it doth some deal vex you to see the one part 〈◊〉 have all the words and freely to speak what they list and the other to be put to silence and not to be heard indifferently but refer your matter unto God who shortly shall judge after another fashion The Archbishop of Canterbury having sent one of his Gentlemen and one of his Porters to fetch Mr. Iohn Frith out of the Tower to be examined The Gentleman pitying him endeavoured to perswade him to relent to Authority and to give place for a time and not to cast himself away and suffer all his singular gifts to perish with him with little profit to the world c. Mr. Frith gave him thanks for his good will but told him farther thus My Cause and Conscience is such that in no wise I either may or can for any worldly respect without danger of damnation start aside c. If I be demanded what I think of the Supper of the Lord otherwise called the Sacrament of the Altar I must needs say my Knowledge and my Conscience though I should presently lose twenty lives if I had so many And if I may be indifferently heard I am sure mine Adversarie cannot condemn me or mine Assertion c. Yea marry quoth the Gentleman you say well if you might be indifferently heard but I much doubt thereof for that our Master Christ was not indifferently heard neither should be as I think if he were now present again in the world c. Well well quoth Frith unto the Gentleman I know very well that the Doctrine of the Sacrament which I hold and have opened contrary to the Opinion of this Realm is vety hard meat to be digested both of the Clergy and Laity but this I will say to you That if you live but twenty years more you shall see this whole Realm of mine Opinion c. and if it come not to pass then account me the vainest man that ever you heard speak with a tongue All things well and rightly pondered my death in this Cause which is Gods and not mine shall be better unto me and all mine then life in continua● bondage and misery The Gentleman was 〈◊〉 wrought upon that he contrived a way

in errour did call their gods whom they confess to have been mortal ones and to have died but the God whom he preached was ever living and never died and is the Life of all things that be like as he was the Creatour of them The Emperour telling him that he much marvelled why men of such great and wonderfull knowledge should honour for God a Man that was crucified being but of a poor estate and condition O noble Emperour said Origen consider what honour the wise Athenians at this present do to the name and image of Codrus their last King for that when they had war with their enemies who had answer made by the Oracle of Apollo That if they slew not the King of Athens they should have the Victory Codrus hearing thereof preferring the safeguard of his people before his own life took to him garments of a Slave and bearing upon his shoulder a burden of sticks he went to his enemies Camp and there quarrelling of purpose with some of them and in the press hurting one with his knife he was by him that was hurt struck through the body and slain which being known to the enemies they being confused raised their Camp and departed and for this cause the Athenians have ever since had the name of Codrus in reverence worthily and not without cause Now then consider most Excellent Prince how much more worthily with what greater reason and bounden duty ought we and all men to honour Christ being the Son of God and God who not onely to preserve mankind from danger of the Devil his ancient enemy but also to deliver man out of his dark and stinking dungeon of errour being sent by God the Father from the highest Heavens willingly took on him the servile garment of a mortal body and hiding his Majesty lived under the visage of poverty And finally not of his enemies immediately but much more against reason of his own chosen people the Iews unto whom he had extended benefits innumerable and after his temporal Nativity were his natural people and subjects he quarrelling with them by declaring to them their abuses and pricking them with condign rebukes at the last he was not slain with so easie a death as Codrus was but in most cruel fashion was scourged until no place in his body was without wounds and then had long and sharp thorns set and press'd upon his head and after long torments and despights he was constrained to bear an heavy Cross whereon afterwards both his hands and feet were nailed with long great nails of iron and the Cross with his naked and bloody body being lift up on high was let fall with violence into a Mortais that his joynts were loosened and notwithstanding all this torment and ingratitude he never grudged but lifting up his eyes to heaven he prayed with a loud voice saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do This was the Charity most incomparable of the Son of God imployed for the redemption of mankind who by the transgression of Adam the first man that was created was taken prisoner by the Devil i. e. kept in the bondage of sin and errour from actual visage of Gods Majesty until he were on this wise redeemed as it was ordained at the beginning But what maketh you bold to affirm said the Emperour that Jesus which in this wise was crucified was the Son of God Sir said Origen sufficient testimony which of all creatures reasonable ought to be believed and for most certain proof to be allowed What testimony is that said the Emperour Truly said Origen it is in divers things First the promise of God by whom this world was made also by his holy Scriptures speaking by the mouths of his Prophets as well Hebrews as Greeks and others whom ye call Vates and Sybillas also by the Nativity of Jesus of a pure Virgin without carnal company of a man the most clean and pure form of his living without sin his Doctrine divine and celestial his miracles most wonderfull and innumerable all grounded on charity onely without ostentation his undoubted and perfect Resurrection the third day after he was put to death his glorious Ascension up into Heaven in the presence and sight of five hundred persons which were vertuous and of credence also the gift of the Holy Ghost in speaking all manner of Languages and interpreting the Scriptures not onely by himself but afterwards by his Apostles and Disciples and given to others by imposition of their hands And all these ordinarily followed according to the said Promises and Prophesies In the reign of Decius for the Doctrine of Christ he underwent bands and torments in his body racking with bars of irons Dungeons besides terrible threats of death and burning c. At length hearing that some Christians were carried to an Idol-Temple to force them to sacrifice he out of his zeal ran thither to encourage and disswade them from it When his Adversaries saw him they let go the other and laid hold upon him putting him to his choice whether he would offer Incense to the Idol or have his body defiled with a foul and ugly Blackmoor He chose to offer Incense Then did they presently put Incense into his trembling hands and whilst he demurr'd upon it they took his hands and caused him to throw it into the fire and thereupon presently cried out Origen hath sacrificed Origen hath sacrificed After this fact he was excommunicated by the Church and being filled with shame and sorrow he left Alexandria and came to Ierusalem where he was even constrained by importunity to preach to them He took his Bible opened it and the first place he cast his eye upon was this Scripture Unto the wicked saith God Why dost thou preach my Laws and take my Covenant into thy m●uth When he had read these words he sate down and burst out into abundance of tears the whole Congregation weeping with him also so that he was not able to say any more unto them After this he wandred up and down in great grief and torment of Conscience and wrote the following Lamentation In the bitterness and grief of mind I go about to speak unto them who shall hereafter read this confused writing But how can I speak when my tongue is tied up and my lips dare not once move or wag My tongue doth not his office my throat is dried up and all my senses and instruments are polluted with iniquity O ye Saints and blessed of God with waterish eyes and wet cheeks soaked in dolour and pain I beseech you to fall down before the Seat of Almighty God for me miserable sinner who by reason of my sins dare not crave ought at the hands of God Wo is me because of the sorrow of my heart Wo is me my Mother that ever thou broughtest me forth A righteous man to be conversant in unrighteousness an heir of the Kingdome of God