It is no arrogancy nor presumption in any man to burden God as it were with his promise and of duty to claim and challenge his aid help and assistance in all our perils dangers and distress calling upon him not in the confidence of our own godliness but in the trust of his own promises made in Christ. His Word cannot lye Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee and thou shalt praise me I answered the enemy also on this manner I am a sinner and therefore unworthy to be a witness of this truth What then Must I deny his Word because I am not worthy to proâ—ess it What bring I to pass in so doing but adde sin to sin What is greater sin then to deny the truth of Christs Gospel He that is ashamed of me or of my words saith Christ of him also will I be ashamed before my Father and all his Angels I might also by the same reason forbear to do any of Gods Commandments When I am provoked to pray the enemy may say to me I am not worthy to pray therefore I shall not pray c. When the Bishop came to Lichfield he perswaded me to be a Member of his Church which had continued so many years As for our Church as he called it it was not known he said but lately in King Edward's time I profess my self to be a Member of that Church said I that is builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone And this Church hath been from the beginning said I though it bear no glorious shew before the world being ever for the most part under the Cross and affliction contemned despised and persecuted The Bishop contended on the other side that they were the Church So cried all the Clergy against the Prophets of Ierusalem said I saying The Church the Church c. So much out of Mr. Glover's choice Letter After he was condemned his heart was lumpish and desolate of all spiritual consolation whereupon fearing least the Lord had utterly withdrawn he made his moan to Mr. Austine Bernher his familiar friend telling him how he had prayed night and day to God and yet had no sense of comfort from him The Minister desired him to wait patiently the Lords leisure and howsoever his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was just he exhorted him constantly to stick to the same and to play the man not doubting but the Lord in his good time would visit him and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation whereof said Mr. Bernher he was right certain and sure and therefore desired him whenever any such feeling of Gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch his heart that then he should shew some signification thereof The next day as he was going to the place of his Martyrdome and was come within light of the Stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feel none suddenly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joys that he cried out clapping his hands to Austine and saying in these words Austine He is come he is come c. and that with such joy and alacrity as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life then as one passing out of the world by any pains of death Godfrey When one called Godfrey de Hâ—mmele Heretick he said No Heretick but an unprofitable Servant yet willing to die for his Lord and reckoning this death no death but a life Goodman Mr. Christopher Goodman an exiled Minister of Christ in Queen Mary's dayes declaring the cause of all the then misery in England and the onely way to remedy the same writes as followeth from Geneva If all in whom the People should look for comfort be altogether declined from God as indeed they appear to be at this present time in England without all fear of his Majesty or pity upon their Brethren Then assure your selves dear Brethren and Servants of God there can be no better counsel nor more comfortable or present remedy which you shall prove true if God grant you his Spirit and Grace to follow it then in continual and daily invocation of his Name to rest wholly and onely upon him make him your shield buckler and refuge who hath so promised to be to all them that are oppressed and depend upon him to do nothing commanded against God and your conscience preferring at all times the will of God to the will of men saying and answering to all manner of persons This God hath commanded this we must do That God hath forbidden that we will not do If you will rob us and spoil us for doing the Lords will to the Lord must you make answer and not to us for his goods they are and not ours If ye will imprison us behold you are oppressours if ye will hang us or burn us behold ye are murtherers of them which fear the Lord. And for our part if you take from us this vile and corruptible life we are sure the Lord will grant it us again with joy and immortality both of soul and body If God give you grace to make this or the like answer and strength to contemn their Tyranny you may be sure to find unspeakable comfort and quietness of conscience in the midst of your danger and greatest rage of Satan And thus boldly confessing Christ your Saviour before men as by the examples of thousands of your Brethren before your faces God doth mercifully encourage you you may with all hope and patience wait for the joyful confession of Christ again before his Father and Angels in Heaven that you are his obedient and dearly beloved Servants being also assured of this that if it be the will of God to have you any longer to remain in this miserable world that then his Providence is so careful over you and present with you that no man or power can take away your life from you nor touch your body any farther then your Lord and God will permit them which neither shall be augmented for your plain confession nor yet diminished for keeping of silence for nothing cometh to the Servants of God by hap or chance whose hairs of their heads are numbred Whereof if ye be so assured as ye ought there can be nothing that should make you to shrink from the Lord. If they do cast you into Prison with Ioseph the Lord will deliver you If they cast you to wild beasts and Lions as they did Dâ—niel you shall be preserved If into the Sea with Ionas you shall not be drowned or into the dirty dungeon with Ieremy you shall be delivered or into the fiery Furnace with Shadrach Meshach and Aâ—ednego yet shall not be consumed Contrariwise if it be his good pleasure that you shall glorifie his holy Name by your death what great thing have you lost changing death for life
worldly adversity that might ensue thereof Whilst he was in England he was in so great favour and esteem with King Edward the Sixth that he was offered a Bishoprick but he not onely refused and rejected it but with a grave and severe Speech declared That the proud title of Lordship and that great state was not to be suffered to be in the Church of God as having Quid commune cum Antichristo i. e. somewhat common with Antichrist King Edward being dead the Persecution of Queen Mary made him leave England with many other godly Ministers and first he went to Frankford where for a time he preached the Gospel to the English Congregation there There he wrote his Admonition to England An. 1554. In his Admonition to the true Professours of the Gospel of Christ in England Looking for a suitable Scripture to handle for your consolation in these most dark and dolorous times as I was turning my Book I chanced to see a Note in the Margin written thus in Latin Vid eat Anglia Let England beware the Note written was this Seldome it is that God worketh any notable work to the comfort of his Church but that trouble fear and labour cometh upon such as God hath used for his Servants and Workmen and also tribulation most commonly followeth that Church where Christ Jesus is most truly preached This Note was made upon Matth. 14. which place declareth that after Christ had used the Apostles as Ministers and Servants to feed so many thousand c. he sent them to Sea c. and there they met with a Storm that was like to overthrow their poor Boat and them Remembring that I had handled the same Scripture in your presence I thought nothing more expedient then shortly to call to mind such things as then I trust were touched Why Christ sent away from him the people the Evangelist Iohn declareth saying When Iesus knew that they were come to take him that they might make him King he passed secretly or all alone to the mountain The people sought by Christ a carnal and worldly Liberty regarding nothing his heavenly Doctrine c. viz. that such as would follow him must suffer for his Names sake persecution must be hated of all men must deny themselves must be sent forth as Sheep among Wolves No part of this Doctrine pleased them but their whole mind was upon their bellies for sufficing whereof they devised that they would appoint Christ their worldly King for he had power to multiply bread at his pleasure Which vain opinion perceived by Christ he withdrew himself from their company to avoid all such suspition and to let them understand that no such Honours did agree with his Vocation who came to serve and not to be served Why the Disciples should suffer that great danger Saint Mark plainly shews saying That their hearts were blinded and therefore did neither remember nor consider the miracle of the loaves i. e. Albeit they touched the bread c. and gathered up twelve baskets full c. yet did not they rightly consider the infinite power of Christ Jesus by this wonderful miracle and therefore of necessity it was that in their own bodies they should suffer trouble for their better instruction When I deeply consider how the flock of Christ was fed under King Edward the Sixth and now behold the dispersion c. methinks I see the same causes to have moved God not onely to withdraw his presence frem the multitude but also to have sent his well beloved Servants to the travels of the Seas c. What were the affections of the greatest multitude that followed the Gospel is easily judged by their lives Who lived in that rest as that he had refused himself as that he had been crucified with Christ as that he had certainly looked for trouble to come upon him yea who lived not in delicacy and joy and seeking the world and pleasures thereof caring for the flesh and carnal appetites as though death and sin had clean been devoured and what was this else then to make of Christ an earthly King The Word that we professed daily cried in our ears that our Kingdome our Joy our Rest and Felicity neither was is nor should be upon the Earth c. but in Heaven into which we must enter by many tribulations But alas we sleeped in such security that the sound of the Trumpet could of many never be perfectly understood but alwayes we perswaded our selves of a certain tranquility as though the troubles whereof mention is made within the Scriptures of God appertained not at all to this Age c. and therefore was our heavenly Father compelled to withdraw from us the presence of his Verity to the end we may more earnestly thirst for the same and with more obedience embrace and receive it c. I mean not that such as have left Christ in body and heart shall embrace the Verity but such as by the infirmity of the flesh and weakness of faith dare not openly and boldly confess that which their hearts know to be most true and lament for the imperfection by-past and present from such shall not the amiable presence of Christ for ever be withdrawn but yet again shall the eyes of their sore troubled hearts behold the Light of Christs Gospel wherein they most delight We the Ministers who were Distributers of this Bread the true Word of God lacked not our offences which also moved God to send us to the Sea And because no mans offences are so manifest unto me as mine own I will onely censure my self O that all such Ministers as are put from their Charges would seriously and sadly peruse and lay to heart his humble confession The portion of heavenly Bread which I received from Christ by his benediction multiplyed in breaking c. but alas how little did I consider the dignity of that Office and the power of God that then multiplied the Bread the people received of my hands God I take to record in my Conscience that I delivered the same Bread that I received of Christs hands and that I mixed no poyson with the same i. e. I teached Christs Gospel without any mixture of mens dreams devices or phantasies but alas I did it not with such fervency with such indifferency and diligence as now I know it was my duty Some complained in those dayes that the Preachers were indiscreet persons yea Railers c. but alas this day my Conscience accuseth me that I spake not so plainly as my duty was to have done for I ought to have said to the wicked man expresly by his name Thou shalt die the death I find Ieremiah the Prophet to have done so to Pashur the high Priest and to Zedekiah the King The blind love I did bear to this my wicked Carkass was the chief cause I was not fervent and faithful enough in that behalf for I had no will to provoke
from it Ah! woe to this world and the things therein which hath now so wrought with you Oh that ever this Dirt of the Devil should daub up the eye of the Realm What is man whose breath is in his nostrils that thou shouldst thus be afraid of him Dost not thou know Rome to be Babylon Dost not thou know that as the old Babylon had the children of Iudah in captivity so hath Rome the true Iudah i. e. the Confessors of Christ Dost not thou know that as destruction happened unto it so shall it do unto this Dost not thou know that God will deliver his people now when the time is come as he did then Hath not God commanded his people to come out of her and wilâ— thou give example to the whole Realm to run unto her Hast thou forgotten the woe that Chrisâ— threatneth to offence-givers Wilt not thou remember that it were better that a Milstone were hanged about thy neck and thou thrown into the Sea then that thou shouldst offend the little one Dear Mother Receive some admonition of one of thy poor children now going to be burned for the testimony of Jesus Come again to Gods truth come out of Babylon confess Christ and his true Doctrine repent that which is past c. Remember the readings c. of Gods Prophet Bucer Call to mind the threatnings of God now somewhat seen by thy children Leaver and others Let the exile of Leaver Pilâ—inton Grindal Hâ—ddon Horn Scory Ponet c. something awake thee Consider the martyrdome of thy Chickens Rogers Saunders Tailor And now cast not away the poor admonition of me going to be burned also and to receive the like Crown of Glory with my fellows Even now the Axe is laid to the Root In his Letter to Lancashire and Cheshire c. Indeed if I should simply consider my life with that which it ought to have been and as God in his Law requireth then could I not but cry as I do Righteous art thou O Lord c. But when I consider the cause of my condemnation I cannot but lament that I do no more rejoyce for it is Gods truth So that the condemnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ and his Truth Bradford is nothing else but an instrument in whom Christ and his Doctrine is condemned And therefore my dearly beloved rejoyce rejoyce and give thanks with me and for me that ever God did vouchsafe so great a benefit to our Countrey as to choose the most unworthy I mean my self to be one in whom it pleaseth him to suffer Forget not how that the Lord hath shewed himself true and me his true Preacher by bringing to pass these plagues which at my mouth you oft heard before My blood will cry for vengeance as against the Papists Gods enemies c. so against you if ye repent not amend not and turn not unto the Lord. In his Letter to the Town of Walden What can you desire more to assure your Consciences of the Verity taught by your Preachers then their own lives Waver not therefore in Christs Religion truly taught you Never shall the enemies be able to burn it and imprison it and keep it in bonds though they may imprison and burn us I humbly beseech you and pray you in the bowels and blood of Jesus now I am going to death for the testimony of Jesus love the Lords Truth love I say to love it and to frame your lives thereafter Alas you know the cause of all these plagues fallen upon us and of the success which Gods adversaries have daily is for our not loving Gods Word You know how that we were but Gospellers in lips and not in life Remember that before ye learned A.B.C. your Lesson was Christs Cross. Forget not that Christ will have no Disciples but such as will promise to deny themselves and to take up their Cross mark that take it up and follow him and not the multitude custome c. Loth would I be a witness against you at the last day as of truth I must be if ye repent not if ye love not Christs Gospeâ—â— In his Letter to B.C. The world seems 〈◊〉 have the upper hand the Truth seems to be oppressed and they which take part therewith an unjustly entreated The cause of all this is God anger and mercy His anger because we havâ— grievously sinned against him we have been unâ—thankful for his Word c. we have been so carnal covetous licentious c. that of his Justice he could no longer forbear but make us feel his anger c. His mercy is seen in this that God doâ—â— vouchsafe to punish us in this present life If he should not have punished us Do not you think we should have continued in the evils we were in Yes verily we should have been worse The way to Heaven is not the wide way of the world but it is a strait way which few walk in for few live godly in Christ few regard the Life to come few remember the day of Judgement few remember how Christ will deny them before his Father that do deny him here few consider that Christ-will be ashamed of them in the last day which are ashamed of his Truth and true Service few cast up their accounts what will be laid to their charge in the day of vengeance few regard the condemnation of their own consciences in doing that which they inwardly disallow few love God better then their goods Of this I would that ye were all certain that all the hairs of your heads are numberless so that not one of them shall perish neither shall man or Devil be able to attempt any thing much less do any thing to you before your heavenly Father which loveth you most tenderly shall give them leave they shall go no farther then he will nor keep you any longer in trouble then he will Therefore cast on him all your care for he is careful for you Onely study to please him and to keep your consciences clean and your bodies pure from the idolatrous service which now every where is used and God will marvellously and mercifully defend and comfort you In his Letter to Erkinald Rawlins and his wife First we have cause to rejoyce for these dayes because our Father suffereth us not to lye in Iezabel's bed sleeping in our sins and security but as mindful of us doth correct us as his children Secondly because they are dayes of tryal wherein not onely ye your selves but also the world shall know that ye be none of his but the Lords Darlings whom we obey his servants we are Now it is seen whether we obey the world or God But the tryals of these dayes ye are occasioned more to repent more to pray more to contemn this world more to desire life everlasting more to be holy for holy is the end wherefore God doth afflict us and so to
will strengthen me therein When he was told that his four Quarters should be hanged at four parts of Calice and his Head upon the Lanthern-gate Then shall I not need said he to provide for my Burial Delos Alas said Iames Delos to the Monks that called him proud Heretick here I get nothing but shame I expect indeed preferment hereafter Denley Mr. Iâ—hn Denlâ—y being entreated by Bishop Bonner to recant said God save me from your Counsel In the Fire with the burning flame about him he sung a Psalm and having his face hurt with a Fagot hurled at him he left singing for a while and clapt his hands in his bleeding face and afterwards put his hands abroad and sung again till he died Dionysius Dionysius Areopagita who seeing the generâ—â—â— Eclipse of the Sun at Christ's death said to oneâ— Either the God of Nature now suffers or the frame of the World shall be dissolved and to another God unknown in the flesh doth suffer When he was apprehended by Sisinius the Praefect and sharply reproved for preaching against the worship of their Gods and required to confess his errour said That they were no gods whom they worshipped but Idols the works of mens hands and that it was through meer ignorance folly and idolatry that they adored them adding that there was but one true God as he had preached After he was grievously tormented he was brought before Sisinius the second time who sentenced him to be beheaded forthwith Dyonisius told him he worshipped such Gods as would perish like Dâ—ng upon the Earth but as for my self said he come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth He pray'd thus at his death O Lord God Almighty thou onely-begotten Son and Holy Spirit O Sacred Trinity which art without beginning and in whom is no division Receive the soul of thy Servant in peace who is put to death for thy Cause and Gospel He used to say That he desired these two things of God 1 That he might know the Truth himself and 2 That he might preach it as he ought to others Driver Alice Driver in her first Examination havâ—ng got her Adversaries to acknowledge that a Sacrament is a sign and that it was Christ's Body his Disciples did eat the night before he was crucified Seeing it is said she a sign it cannot be the thing signified and how could it be Christ's Body that was crucified seeing his Disciples had eaten him up over night except he had two Bodies At the end of her second Examination She said Have you no more to say God be honoured You be not able to resist the Spirit of God in me a poor Woman I was an honest poor man's Daughter never brought up in the University as you have been but I have driven the Plough before my Father many a time I thank God yet notwithstanding in the defence of God's Truth and in the Cause of my Mr. Christ by his Grace I will set my foot against the foot of any of you all in the maintenance and defence of the same and if I had a thousand lives they should go for payment thereof When she was tied to the Stake and the iron Chain put about her neck O said she here is a goodly Neckerchief blessed be God for it Drowry Thomas Drowry the blind Boy to whom Bishop Hooper as he was going to the Stake after he had examined him said Ah poor Boy God hath taken from thee thy outward sight but he hath given thee another sight much more precious He that endued thy soul with the eye of Knowledge and Faith Shortly after Bishop Hooper's Martyrdome was cast into Prison Afterwards the Chancellor of Glocester asking him who taught him that Heresie that Christ's Body was not really present in the Sacrament of the Altar he said You Mr. Chancellor when in yonder Pulpit you taught us that the Sacrament was to be received spiritually by Faith and not carnally and really as the Papâ—â— teach But said the Chancellor Do thou as I haâ—â— done and thou shalt live as I do and escape buâ—â—ing Though you said Drowry can so easily dâ—â—pense with your Conscience and mock God aâ—â— the World yet will not I do so Then said tâ—â— Chancellor I will condemn thee God's Will bâ—â— fulfilled said Drowry E. Edward King Edward the Sixth our English Iâ—sias being prest by Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ruley to permit the Lady Mâ—ry to have Mass in heâ—â— House after he had argued notably against iâ—â—bid them be content for he would spend his life and all he had rather then to agree to and graâ—â—â— that he knew certainly to be against the Truth and then fell a weeping insomuch that the Bishop wept as fast as he and the Archbishop tolâ— Mr. Cheek his Scholar had more Divinity in hiâ—â— little finger then all they had in all their Bodies Elizabeth The Lady Elizabeth afterward Queen of England when she came out of the Barge at Traytorâ— Stairs going into the Tower said Here landed as true a Subject being a Prisoner as ever landeâ— at these Stairs And before thee O God I speak it having no other Friends but thee alone Her Gentleman-Usher weeping she demandeâ— of him what he meant so uncomfortably to use her seeing she took him to be her Comfort and not to dismay her especially for that she knew her Truth to be such that no man should have cause to weep for her When the Doors of the Prison were locked and bolted upon her she called for her Book desiring God not to suffer her to build her foundation upon the Sands but upon the Rock wâ—ereby all blasts of blustering weather should have no power against her When she was locked up close in Prison at first she was much daunted but afterwards she brake forth into this Speech The skill of a Pilot is unknown but in a Tempest the valour of a Captain is unseen but in a Battel and the worth of a Christian doth not appear but in time of Tryal and Temptation Mr. Burrough's Mos. Self-denial pag. 31. Upon Gardeners and other Counsellors strict Examination of her she said My Lords you do sift me very narrowly but well I am assured you shall not do more to me then God hath appointed and so God forgive you all Some telling her that they were perswaded God would not suffer Sir Henry Bâ—nâ—field to make her away privately Well said she God grant it be so for thou O God canst mollifie all such tyrannous hearts and disappoint all such cruel purposes and I beseech thee to hear thy Creature which am thy Servant and at thy Command trusting by thy Grace ever so to remain As she passed over the Water to Richmond going towards Windsor in their Journey to Woodstock she espied certain of her old Servants standing on the other side very desirous to see her and sent one of her men standing by unto
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 opeâ— her mouth swallow them up So faithful is he anâ— careful to ease us when the vexation shall be too heavy for us he shall send a Ioseph before you againâ—â— ye shall come into Egypt yea he shall so provide foâ— 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 bâ— experience and after this life everlasting joy witâ— Christ our Saviour Notwithstanding since thiâ— steadfastness comes not of our selves as St. Austiâ— saith there was never man so weak or frail no noâ— 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 wayeâ— 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 thâ—â— 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 continuaâ— bondage and misery The Gentleman was 〈◊〉 wrought upon that he contrived a way
am called to this Place and Vocation I am throughly perswaded to tarry and to live and die with my sheep When he was imprisoned in the Fleet he writes thus I am so hardly used that I see no remedy saving Gods help but I shall be cast away in Prison before I come to Judgement But I commit my just cause to God whose will be done whether it be by life or death Winchester exhorting him to the unity of the Catholick Church and to acknowledge the Popes Holiness to be Head of the same Church promising him the Queens mercy he answered That forasmuch as the Pope taught Doctrine altogether contrary to the Doctrine of Christ he was not worthy to be accounted a Member of Christs Church much less to be Head thereof wherefore he would in no wise condescend to any such usurped Jurisdiction neither esteemed he the Church whereof they called him Head to be the Catholick Church of Christ for the Church of Christ onely heareth the voice of her Spouse Christ and flieth the strangers Howbeit said he if in any point to me unknown I have offended the Queens Majesty I shall humbly submit my self to her mercy if mercy may be had with safety of conscience and without the displeasure of God Come Brother said he to Mr. Rogers who was sent with him to the Counter in Southwark must we two take this matter first in hand and begin to fire these Fagots Yea Sir said Mr. Rogers by Gods grace Doubt not said Mr. Hooper but God will give strength The Sheriffe telling Mr. Hooper he wondred that he was so hasty and quick with the Lord Chancellor he answered Mr. Sheriffe I was nothing at all impatient although I was earnest in my Masters Cause and it standeth me so in hand for it goeth upon life and death not the life and death of this world onely but also of the world to come In his Letter for the stopping of certain false rumours spread abroad concerning his Recantation by the Bishops and their Servants The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all them that unfeignedly look for the coming of our Saviour Christ. Amen Dear Brethren and Sisters in the Lord and my Fellow-Prisoners for the Cause of Gods Gospel I do much rejoyce and give thanks unto God for your constancy and perseverance in affliction unto whom I wish continuance to the end And as I do rejoyce in your faith and constancy in afflictions that be in Prison even so I do mourn and lament to hear of our dear Brethren that yet have not felt such dangers for Gods Truth as we have and do feel and be daily like to suffer more yea the very extream and vile death of the fire yet such is the report abroad as I am credibly informed that I Iohn Hooper a condemned man for the Cause of Christ should now after sentence of death being in Newgate Prisoner and looking daily for Execution recant and abjuâ—e that which heretofore I have preached and this talk ariseth of this That the Bishop of London and his Chaplains resort unto me Doubtless if our Brethren were as Godly as I could wish them they would think that in case I did refuse to talk with them they might have just occasion to say that I were unlearned and durst not speak with learned men or else proud and disdained to speak with them But I fear not their Arguments neither is death terrible to me I am more confirmed in the truth which I have preached heretofore by their coming Therefore ye that may send to the weak Brethren pray them that they trouble me not with such reports of Recantations as they do for I have hitherto left all things of the world and suffered great pains and imprisonment and I thank God I am as ready to suffer death as a mortal man may be It were better for them to pray for us then to credit or report such rumours that be untrue We have enemies enough of such as know not God truly but yet the false report of weak Brethren is a double cross I wish your eternal salvation in Jesus Christ and also require your continual Prayers that he which hath begun in us may continue it to the end I have taught the truth with my tongue and with pen heretofore and hereafter shortly will confirm the same by Gods grace with my blood Newgate Feb. 2. 1554. Your Brother in Christ J. H. When the Keeper told him he should be sent to Glocester to be burned he rejoyced very much lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven he praised God that he saw it good to send him among the people over whom he was Pastor there to confirm with his death the truth which he had before taught them not doubting but the Lord would give him strength to perform the same to his glory Sir Anthony Kingston formerly his Friend then a Commissioner to see Execution done upon him coming to him a little before his death bid him consider that life was sweet death was bitter c. It is true said Mr. Hooper I am come hither to end this life and to suffer death here because I will not gainsay the former truth which I have heretofore taught among you True it is that daath is bitter and life is sweet but alas consider that the death to come is more bitter and the life to come is more sweet therefore for the desire and love I have to the one and the terrour and fear of the other I do not so much regard this death nor esteem this life but have settled my self through the strength of Gods holy Spirit patiently to pass through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me rather then to deny the truth of his Word desiring you and others in the mean time to commend me to Gods mercy in your Prayers I thank God said the Knight that ever I knew you for God did appoint you to call me being a lost child and by your good instructions where before I was both an Adulterer and Fornicator God hath brought me to the forsaking and detesting of the same If you had the grace so to do said the Bishop I do highly praise God for it and if you have not I pray God you may have and that you may continually live in his fear The Knight and the Bishop parting with tears the Bishop told the Knight that all the troubles he had sustained in Prison had not caused him to utter so much sorrow A Papist telling him he was sorry to see him in that case Be sorry for thy self man said he and lament thine own wickedness for I am well I thank God and death to me for Christs sake is welcome When he was committed to the Sheriffe of Glâ—cester the Mayor and Aldermen at first saluted him and took him by the hand Mr. Mayor said Mr. Hooper I give most hearty thanks to you and to the rest of
whole truth of his Word after the Doctrine of Christs Gospel these are bid in the time of Antichrists reign to flie into the Mountains i. e. places of safeguard The wo that followeth signifieth that such are then in extreme danger who are letted by any means whatsoever so that they be no wayes able to flie from the plague and Christs bidding to pray that our flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabbath day bids us to pray that we may flie in time and far enough from the danger of the plague Rev. 18. The Angel cries mightily with a loud voice Fliâ— my people out of Babylon lest you be infected with her faults and so be made partakers of her plagues for her offences and sins are grown so great that they come to Heaven Certainly the time doth approach and the Lords day is at hand Paul also that blessed Apostle forbids us 2 Cor. 6. to joyn our selves with the unfaithfull c. This counsel to depart the Realm some good persons may think good others may think it may indeed by Gods Word be lawfully done but not to be counselled to be done for they will peradventure say We should counsel a man alwayes to do that which is best of all and of most perfection but boldly in Christs Cause to spend a mans life is best of all and of most perfection and to flee may smell of cowardliness whereas in many things that which is best for one at sometimes is not best for all at all times and it is not meet for a child to covet to run before he can go But every true Christian either Brother or Sister after they be be called and brought into the wrestling-place to strive in Christs Cause for the best game i. e. to confess the Truth of the Gospel in hope of everlasting life should not shrink nor relent one inch nor give back whatsoever shall befall but to stand to their tackle and stick by it even unto death as they will Christ shall stick by them at the later day Some may think they may stay and escape the danger notwithstanding by keeping their Faith and Religion close to themselves inwardly worshipping God in spirit and truth and outwardly not transgressing common order Whereas Gods Word requireth not onely the belief of the heart but the confession of the mouth forbids not onely the thing that is evil but to abstain from all appearance of evil and both consenters and doers are accounted guilty by Gods Word and we may not do evil that good may come thereof Thy heart thou sayest God shall have and yet will suffer thy body to do the thing that God abhors Take heed O man what thou sayest thou canst not deceive the heart-searcher To give God thy heart is to give him thy whole heart to love him to dread him and to trust in him above all other things and he loveth God that keeps his commands and to dread God above all other is rather willingly to incur the danger and perill of all fearfull things then wittingly to do what God forbids and to trust in him above all things is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward and of his tuition and of his goodness and mercy and to prefer that above all things in the world seem they never so strong so wise or so good Now how canst thou say truly that God hath thus thy heart when thy deeds do declare far another thing Thy body O man is Gods and all the parts thereof even as thy soul is he made them both and Christ with his blood redemed them both and is Lord of both for he hath bought them both dearly and darest thou suffer any part of either of them to do service to Satan Surely in so doing thou committest sacriledge and dost rob God What is it to bear the mark of the Beast in the forehead and in the hand that St. Iohn speaketh of I suppose he bears the mark of the Beast in his forehead which is not ashamed of the Beasts wayes but will profess them openly and he beareth his mark in the hand that doth the works though he may be ashamed to own them It may be objected O Sir it is no small matter you speak of to depart from a mans own Native Countrey into a strange Realm Some have Lands and Possessions which they cannot carry with them Some have Father Mother Wife Children and Kinsfolk from whom to depart is as hard a thing and almost all one as to suffer death c. I grant here thou mayest heap a number of worldly in commodities which are very like to ensue the departure out of a mans own Countrey but what of all these and a thousand more of the like sort I will set against them all one saying of Christ which to the true Christian is able to countervail all these yea to weigh them down viz. If any man do come to me and do not hate Father and Mother he means and will not in his Cause forsake his Father and Mother c. he cannot be my Disciple It may further be objected Alas Sir I am an impotent man an aged man a sick man a lame man or I have so many small Infants a Wife which live by my labour if I leave them they will starve and I am not able to carry them with me such is my state what shall I do O lamentable state O sorrowfull heart that can neither depart nor without extreme perill is able to tarry still Of the state of such as are not able to flie the infection of the pestiferous plague of Antichrists abominations Christ lamenting not cursing saith Wo be to the great bellied and travelling women c. For these my heart mourneth the more the less I am able to give any comfortable counsel but this That alwayes as they look for everlasting life they abide still in the confession of his Truth whatsoever shall befall and for the rest to put their trust wholly in God who is able to save them against all appearance And commonly in extremities when all worldly comfort faileth and the danger is at highest then unto his he is wont after his accustomed mercy to be most ready to put his helping hand instance in Daniel the three Children Paul pluckt out of the mouth of the Lion in the Mount God raised up most of the Judges for the delivering of his people As to such instances it may be objected these were special miracles of God which now are ceased and to require them at Gods hands were it not to tempt God I grant such were great wonderfull works of God c. but Gods hand is as strong as ever it was and he is as good and as gracious as ever he was but in such as are put to death for his sake he doth more when in anguish of the torments he standeth by them and strengthneth them in their saith to suffer in confession of
the Truth the bitter pangs of death c. To die in Christs Cause is an high honour to the which no man should aspire but to whom God vouchsafeth that priviledge for no man is allowed to presume to take to himself any office of honour but he which is thereunto called of God Iohn saith well speaking of them which have obtained the Victory by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of his Testimony that they loved not their lives even unto death And our Saviour Christ saith He that shall lose his life for my Cause shall find it This manner of speech pertaineth not to one kind of Christians as the worldly do wickedly dream but to all that truly pertain to Christ for when Christ had called unto him the multitude together with his Disciples he said unto them Mark he said not this unto his Disciples or Apostles only but unto all Whosoever will follow me let him forsake or deny himself c. for whosoever will to save his life forsake me and my Truth shall lose it and whosoever shall lose c. Whosoever shall â—e ashamed of me and my words i. e. to confess me and my Gospel before this adulterous generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed c. Know thou O man of God that all things are ordained for the furtherance of thee towards thy salvation All things saith Paul work with the good to goodness c. It is not as the wicked think That poverty adversity sickness tribulation yea painfull death of the godly be tokens that God doth not love them but even the clean contrary Now thou O man of God for the Lords sake let us not for the love of this life tarry here too long and be occasion of delay of that glorious consummation of all Christs Sufferers in hope and expectation whereof the former Martyrs have departed in the Lord and the which also the living indued with Gods Spirit ought so earnestly to desire c. crying out Come Lord Iesus come Then shall our weak body be transfigured and made like to Christs glorious body and then shall we see and have the unspeakable joy and fruition of the glorious Majesty of our Lord even as he is Who or what then shall let us to jeopard yea to spend this life which we have here in Christs Cause in our Lord God his Cause O therefore thou man of God that art loaden and so letted like unto a great bellied woman that thou canst not flie the plague yet if thou lust after such things as I have spoken of stand fast whatsoever shall befall thee in thy Masters Cause and take this thy letting to flie for a call from God to fight in thy Master Christs Cause Of this be thou certain they can do nothing unto thee which thy Father is not aware of or hath not foreseen before they can do no more then it shall please him to suffer them to do for the furtherance of his glory edifying of his Church and thine own salvation O be not afraid and remember the end What I have spoken for the comfort of the big-bellied woman I mean to be spoken likewise to the Captive and Prisoner in Gods Cause for such I count to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight under the Banner of the Cross of Christ and as it were Souldiers allowed and taken up for the Lords Wars to do their Lord and Master good and honourable service and to stick to him even unto death c. To conclude I say unto all that love Christ Jesus our Redeemer and Saviour that love to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost who is our Comforter and Sanctifier that love Christs Spouse and Body c. yea that love life and their souls health Hearken my dear Brethren and Sisters c. to the Word of our Saviour Jesus Christ spoken to his Apostles and meant to all his in St. Matthew's Gospel Fear not them which kill the body for they cannot kill the soul but fear him c. The Lord grant us of his heavenly grace and strength that here we may so confess him in this world amongst this adulterous generation that he may confess us again at the last day before his Father c. In his Reasons why Images should not be placed and erected in Churches First the words of the Command Exod. 20. repeated more plainly Deut. 27. where observe those words Thou shalt not make to thy self mean to any use of Religion and those And setteth it in a secret place imply that no man durst then commit Idolatry openly The reason why God gave this general Prohibition is lest thou being deceived shouldst bow down to them and worship them This general Law is generally to be observed though some be not hurt by them Moses was not deceived or seduced by Iethro's Daughter nor Boaz by Ruth a woman of Moab yet the general Law was to be observed Thou shalt not joyn thy children in marriage with strangers least she seduce thy Son c. If by vertue of the second Commandment Images were not lawfull in the Temple of the Jews then by the second Command they are unlawfull in the Churches of Christians but c. in the Tabernacle and Temple of God no Images were appointed openly to beset nor by practice afterwards used or permitted so long as Religion was purely observed therefore c. For the second Command is moral and not ceremonial c. The Jews by no means would consent to Herod Pilate or Peâ—ronius that Images should be placed in the Temple at Jerusalem but rather offered themselves unto death then to consent unto it Besides that Iosephus commends them for observing the meaning of the Law sure they would not have endangered themselves so far if they had thought Images had been indifferent in the Temple of God Athâ—nasius tells us The invention of Images came of no good but of evil and whatsoever hath an evil beginning can never in any thing be judged good seeing it is wholly naught Tâ—rtullian expounding those words Little Children beware of Images saith That the meaning is as if he had said Little Children keep your selves from the shape it self or form of them Images in the Church either serve to edify or to destroy If they edify then there is one kind of edification which the Scriptures neither teach nor command but alwayes disallow if they destroy they are not to be in the Church The Command of God is Thou shalt not lay a stumbling-block before the blind and cursed is he that maketh the blind wander in his way Images are snares and traps for the feet of the ignorant Images do not stir up the mind to Devotion but distract the mind from Prayer hearing of Gods Word c. Hence in the Council-chamber of the Lacedemonians no picture was suffered least in Consultation of the weighty matters of the
of Peter Happy are ye if ye suffer for righteousness sake c. As for the Spiritual Power it hath no authority to make Statutes or Laws to order the World by but onely faithfully and truly to preach the Word not adding thereto nor taking therefrom If these Ministers will of Tyranny above the Word of God make any Law or Statute it must be considered whether it be openly and directly against the Word of God and to the destruction of the Faith c. such Statutes men are not bound for to obey neither of Charity for here Faith is hurt which giveth no place to Charity nor for avoiding of slander c. The more that men be offended at the Word and the stiffer they be against it the more openly and plainly yea and that to their faces that make such Statutes must we resist them with these words We are more bound to obey God then man The other manner of Statutes be when certain things that be called indifferent be commanded to be done of necessity c. Here must they also be withstood and in no wise obeyed for in this is our Faith hurt and liberty of Christianity c. and therefore must withstand them that will take this liberty from us with this Text of Scripture We are bought with the price of Christs blood we will not be the servants of men This Text is open against them that will bind menâ— Consciences in those things that Christ hath left them free in Of this we have an evident example in Paul who would not circumcise Titus when the false Brethren would have compelled him thereunto as a thing of necessity It is plain that by Christ we are made free and nothing can bind us to sin but his Word At the Stake Dr. Barnes began with this Protestation following I am come hither to be burned as an Heretick and you shall hear my belief whereby you shall perceive what erroneous opinions I hold I believe in the holy and blessed Trinity three Persons and one God that cteated and made all the World and that this blessed Trinity sent down the Second Person Jesus Christ into the womb of the most blessed and purest Virgin Mary c. I believe that without the consent of mans will or power he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and took flesh of her and that he suffered hunger thirst cold and other passions of our body sin except c. And I do believe that he lived here among us and after he had preached and taught his Fathers Will he suffered the most bitter and cruel Death for me and all mankind And I do believe that this his Death and Passion was the sufficient Price and Ransome for the sin of all the World And I do believe that through his Death he overcame the Devil Sin Death and Hell and that there is none other satisfaction unto the Father but this his Death and Passion onely and that no work of man did deserve any thing of God but only his Passion as touching our justification for I acknowledge the best work that ever I did is impure and unperfect Herewithal he cast abroad his Arms and desired God to forgive him his Trespasses Wherefore I trust in no good work that ever I did but onely in the Death of Christ and I do not doubt but through him to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven The Sheriffe hastening him to make an end he turned to the people and desired all men to forgive him and if he had said any evil at any time unadvisedly whereby he had offended any man or given any occasion of evil that they would forgive it him and amend that evil they took of him and to bear witness that he detested and abhorred all evil Opinions and Doctrines against the Word of God and that he died in the Faith of Jesus Christ by whom he doubted not to be saved Bressius If Gods Spirit say true I shall streight rest from my labours My soul is even taking her wings to flie to her resting place Brez A Lady visiting Mr. Guy de Brez a French Minister Prisoner in the Castle of Tournay told him She wondred how he could either eat or drink or sleep in quiet for were I in your case said she the very terrour thereof would go â—igh to kill me O Madam said he the good Cause for which I suffer and that inward Peace of Conscience wherewith God hath endued me makes me eat and drink with greater content then mine enemies can which seek my life Yea so far off is it that my bonds or chains do any way terrifie me or break off my sleep that on the contrary I glory and take delight therein esteeming them at an higher rate then Chains and Rings of Gold or any other Jewels of price whatsoever Yeâ— when I hear the ratling of my Chains methinks I hear some Instrument of Musick sounding in mine ears not that such an effect comes meerly from my Chains but in regard I am bound therewith for maintaining the truth of thâ— Gospel In his Letter to his Wife These thought came at first thronging into my head What mean we to go so many in company together as we did Had it not been for such and such we had never been discovered or taken But meditating on the Providence of God my heart began to find wonderful rest saying thus in my self O my God the day and hour of my birth was before ordained of thee and ever since thou hast preserved and kepâ— me in great perils and dangers and hitherto delivered me out of all And if now the hour be come wherein I must pass out of this life into thy Kingdome thy will be done I cannot escape out oâ— thine hands yea though I could yet Lord theâ— knowest I would not seeing all my felicity depends upon conforming my will to thine This World is not the place of our Rest No Heaven is ouâ— Home this is but the place of our Banishment Take into your consideration the honour the Lord doth you in giving you an Husband that is not onely called to be a Minister of Christs Gospel but also so highly advanced of God as to be accounted worthy to partake of the Crown of Martyrdome It is an honour which the Angels in Heaven are not capable of I am here taughâ— to practise what I have preached to others yea let me not be ashamed to confess that when I heretofore preached I spake but as a Parrot in regard of that which I have now better learned by prooâ— and experience All my former discourses were as a blind mans of Colours in comparison of my present feeling Oh what a precious Comforter in a good Conscience I have profited more in the School-house of this Prison then ever I did in all my life before I would not change my condition with theirs that persecute me though I am lodged in the vilest Prison they have dark and obscure where
I have no air to breath at but a little stinking Hole where they lay all their Rubbish and where the Drunkards commonly vent their Urine and though I be laden with Irons both on my hands and feet eating through the flesh even to the bare bones c. and that I may make no escape guarded with fourty men before the Prison door When the Provost brought him tidings that he was to be burnt at Six or thereabouts that day He gave him thanks for the good News which he had brought him And going to the rest of the Prisoners he said Brethren I am this day to die for the Doctrine of the Gospel and now blessed be God I joy and rejoyce therein I had not thought that ever God would have done me this honour I feel my self replenished with joy more and more from minute to minute My God addeth new courage to me and my heart leapeth for joy within me Then exhorting them to be of good courage he told them it was no hard matter to die adding by way of acclamation O how happy are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Beware you do nothing said he against a good Conscience c. For if you do you shall certainly feel such an Hell in your Consciences as will never cease to vex and trouble you O my Brethren how good a thing is it to nourish a good Conscience One of the Prisoners asking him Whether he had finished a certain work which he had begun He answered No for now I must cease to labour because I am passing along to the heavenly rest The time of my departing is at hand I go to reap that in Heaven which I have â—own on Earth I have fought a good fight I am at the point of finishing my course from henceforth the Crown of Glory is laid up for me which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give unto me Methinks said he with a joyful and smiling countenance that my spirit hath obtained wings to sore aloft into Heaven being invited to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. The Provost coming in with Bands Mr. Guy bid him welcome and gave him thanks again for his good news The Provost replying that it grieved him much that things should be carried so Mr. Guy joyfully answered I accept of you as my good Friend I love you with all my heart C. Caesar. O Lord said Leonard Caesar do thou suffer with me Lord support me and save me Caigneola Michaela Caigneola a noble Matron seeing her Judges look out of the Windows said to her fellow Martyrs These stay to suffer the torments of their Consciences and are reserved to judgement but we are going to glory and happiness When certain poor women wept and cried O Madam we shall never now have more Alms Yes hold said she yet once more and plucked of her Slippers and such other of her Apparel as she could with modesty spare from the fire Calberg I believe said Thomas Calberg to the Friers willing him to repent at the last hour that I am one of those workmen in Christs vineyard and shall presently receive my penny Calocerius He seeing the great patience of Faustinus and Iolita Citizens of Briria in their very great torments cried out Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum Verily great is the God of Christians Which words being heard caused him forthwith to be apprehended and martyred with those two famous Christians Cane When a fool's cap was put on Alexander Cane's head Can I have said he a greater honour done me then to be served as my Lord Christ before Herod Lord seeing my persecutours have no mercy have thou mercy on me and receive my soul. Canesire There is one Passage in your Letter said Claude de la Canesire in a Letter to his Wife from Lions which doth not a little comfort me namely that albeit you are loath to leave me yet you had rather have no husband at all then to have one that should betray the cause of Christ. Cardmaker Mr. Iâ—hn Cardmaker burnt in Smithfield 1555. in a Letter to a Friend writes thus You shall right well perceive that I am not gone back as some men do report me but as ready to give my life as any of my Brethren that are gone before me That day that I recant any point of Doctrine I shall suffer twenty kinds of death the Lord being my assistance as I doubt not but he will I have learned to rejoyce in poverty as well as riches for that I count now to be very riches I have conferred with some of my learned Adversaries and I find they are but Sophisters and shadows Careles Iohn Careles of Coventry Weaver being wisht by Dr. Martin to play the wise man's part to save that which God hath bought I thank you Sir said he and I put you out of doubt that I am most sure and certain of my salvation by Jesus Christ so that my soul is safe already whatsoever pains my body suffers here for a little time Art thou so predestinated to life said the Doctour that thou canst noâ— perish in whatsoever opinion thou dost die That God hath predestinated me to eternal life in Jesus Christ said he I am most certain and even so I am sure that his Holy Spirit wherewith I am sealed will so preserve me from all Heresies and evil opinions that I shall die in none at all When the Dr. told him that he was a goodly tall man and might do the Queen good service in Ireland He said wheresoever I am I am ready to her Grace the best service I can with body goods and life and if she or any under require me to do any thing contrary to Christs true Religion I am ready also to do service in Smithfield as my Bedfellows and other Brethren have done praised be God for them In his Letter to Mr. Philpot. Ah my true loving Friends how soon did you lay aside all other business to make a sweet plaister for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a painful pair of Stocks which place must needs be uneasie to write in But God hath brought you in a strait place that you might set my soul at liberty Ah good Ieremy hath Phassur put thee into the Stocks why now thou hast the right reward of a Prophet Though you lye in the dark slurred with the Bishops black coal-dust yet shall you shortly be made as white as snow in Salmon and as the wings of a Dove that is covered with silver and her feathers like gold You know the Vessel before it be made bright is soiled with oyl and other things that it may scour the better O happy be you that you be now in the scouring house for shortly you shall be set on the celestial shelf as bright as Angels My old Friends of Coventry have put the Counsel in remembrance of
be all honour and glory for ever and ever So be it A short Prayer which Mr. Gilby made for tâ—â— faithful in those dayes O Lord God and most merciful Father we beseech thee for the honour of thâ— Holy Name to defend us from that Antichrist 〈◊〉 Rome and from all his detestable enormities manners laws garments and ceremonies Destroy thoâ— the counsel of all the Papists and Atheists enemiâ—â— of thy Gospel and of this Realm of England Dâ—â—â—close their mischiefs and subtile practises Câ—â— found their devices Let them be taken in theâ— own wiliness And strengthen all those that maiâ—tain the Cause and Quarrel of thy Gospel with iâ—vincible force and power of the Holy Spirit so thâ— they fail not to proceed and go forward to that trâ—â— Godliness commanded in thy Holy Word with 〈◊〉 simplicity and sincerity to thy Honour and Glorâ— the comfort of thine Elect and the confusion 〈◊〉 thine enemies through Jesus Christ our Lord anâ— Saviour Amen Amen And say from the hearâ—â— Amen Glee When the Friers told Madam La Glee that 〈◊〉 was in a damnable estate It seems so indeed saiâ—â—sne being now in your hands but I have a 〈◊〉 that will never leave me nor forsake me for 〈◊〉 that Thou hast said they renounced the Faith It is true said she I have renounced your faith which I am able to shew is rejected and accurseâ— of God and therefore deserves not so much as 〈◊〉 be called Faith When news was brought her that she was coâ—â—demned to be hang'd she fell down upon heâ— knees and blessed God for that it pleased him 〈◊〉 snew her so much mercy as to deliver her by such kind of death out of the troubles of this wretcheâ— world and to honour her so far as to call her 〈◊〉 die for his Truth and to wear his Livery meaning the Haltar which the Hangman had put about her neck Then sitting down at Table to break her fast with the three other condemned Servants of Christ giving thanks to God she exhorted them to be of good courage and to trust unto the end in his free and onely mercy She then called for a clean linen Wastcoat making her self ready as if she had been going to a Wedding Mr. Wâ—rd tells us that she put on her Bracelets for I go said she unto my Husband Being commanded as she was led to execution to take a Torch into her hand and to acknowledge she had offended God and the King Away away said she with it I have neither offended God nor the King according to your meaning nor in respect of the cause for which I suffer I am I confess a sinful woman but I need no such light for helping me to ask forgiveness of God for my sins past or present Life such things your selves who sit and walk in the darkness of ignorance and errour Then one of her Kinsfolks met her in the way and presented to her view her little children praying her to have compassion on them I must needs tell you said she that I love my children dearly but yet neither for the love I bear to them or any thing else in this world will I renounce the Truth or my God who is and will be a Father unto them to provide better for them then I should have done and therefore to his providence and protection I commend and leave them When she saw the three men about to die silent and not to call on God she exâ—orted then thereto and gave them an example Glover Mr. Robert Glover in his Letter to his Wife haâ— many memorable passages the chief I shall collecâ— I thank you heartily most loving Wife 〈◊〉 your Letters sent to me in my imprisonment read them with tears more then once or twicâ— with tears I say for joy and gladness that Goâ— hath wrought in you so merciful a work 1 〈◊〉 unfeigned repentance 2 An humble and heart reconciliaton 3 A willing submission and obâ—â—dience to the will of God in all things Theâ—â— your Letters and the hearing of your godly prâ—â—ceedings have much relieved and comforteâ— me c. and shall be a goodly Testimony for you at the great Day against many worldly and dainâ—â— Dames which set more by their own pleasure anâ— praise in this world then by Gods Glory little reâ—garding as it appeareth the everlasting health 〈◊〉 their own souls or others So long as God shalâ— lend you continuance in this miserable world above all things give your self continually to Prayer lifting up pure hands without anger wrath oâ— doubting forgiving as Christ forgives And that wâ—â— may be the better willing to forgive it is good ofteâ— to call to remembrance the multitude and greatness of our sins which Christ daily and hourâ—â— pardoneth and forgiveth us And because Godâ— Word teacheth us not onely the true manner â—â— praying but also what we ought to do or not to 〈◊〉 in the whole course of our life what pleaseth 〈◊〉 displeaseth God and that as Christ saith The Woâ—â— of God that he hath spoken shall judge us Let youâ— Prayer be to this end especially that God of hiâ— great mercy would open and reveal more and morâ— daily to your heart the true sense knowledge anâ— understanding of his most holy Word and giâ—â— you grace in your living to express the fruit thereof And forasmuch as Gods Word is as the Holy Ghost calleth it The Word of affliction i. e. it is seldome without hatred persecution peril danger of loss of goods and life c. Call upon God continually for his assistance casting your accounts what is like to cost you endeavouring your self through the help of the Holy Ghost by continuance of prayer to lay your foundation so sure that no storm or tempest shall be able to overthrow it remembering alwayes as Christ saith Lots wife i. e. to beware of looking back to that thing that displeaseth God and nothing more displeaseth God then Idolatry that is false worshiping of God otherwise then his Word commandeth They object they be the Church c. My answer was The Church of God knoweth and acknowledgeth no other head but Jesus Christ the Son of God whom ye have refused and chosen the man of sin the Son oâ— perdition enemy to Christ the Devils Deputy and Lieutenant the Pope Christs Church heareth teacheth and is ruled by his Word as he saith My Sheep hear my voice If you abide in me and my Word aâ—ide in you you be my Disciples Their Church repelleth Gods Word and forceth all men to follow their traditions Christs Church dares not adde nor diminish alter or change his blessed Testament but they be not afraid to take away all that Christ instituted and go a whoring as the Scripture saith with their own inventions c. The Church of Christ is hath been and shall be in all ages under the Cross persecuted molested and afflicted the world ever hating them
for preaching to the people the pure truth of God taking Heaven and Earth to witness the same with him Gratwick Mr. Stephen Gratwick seeing the Bishops that sate upon to laugh said unto them Why do ye laugh Are ye confederate together for my blood and therein triumph You have more cause to look weightily upon the matter for I stand here before you upon life and death But you declare your selves what you are You are lapped in Lambs apparel but you are bent to have my blood Seeing you will have my blood let me say a little more for my self On Sunday last you preached this Truth If any man think himself Religious and bridleth not his tongue the same mans Religion is vain And yet in the mean time you seduced your tongue to slander us poor Prisoners there present in Iron hands burdening us with the names of Arrians Herodians Anabaptists Sacramentarians Pelagians And when we stood up to purge our selves thereof you said You would cut out our tongues and cause us to be pulled out of the Church by violence But there you gave your self a shrewd blow c. Being asked by the Bishop of Winchester if he would recant he said My faith is grounded more stedfastly then to change in a moment It is no process of time can alter me unless my faith were as the waves of the Sea When he was condemned he desired God with a loud voice That he would not lay his blood to their charge if it were his good will Green Mr. Bartlet Green wrote in Mr. Barâ—râ—m Calthrops Book a little before his death thus Two things have very much troubled me whilst I was in the Temple Pride and Gluttony which under the colour of Glory and good Fellowship drew me almost from God Forsomuch as vain-glory is so subtile an adversary that almost it woundeth deadly ere ever a man can perceive himself to be smitten therefore we ought so much the rather by continual prayer to labour for humbleness of mind Gluttony begâ—nneth under a charitable pretence of love and society and hath in it most uncharitableness Let us therefore watch and be sober for our adversary the Devil walketh about like a roaring Lion seekâ—ng whom he may devour Vale mi Bartrame mei memineris ut semper simillimi efficiamur Vale c. Farewell my Bartram and remember me that we may be alwayes like Farewell at Newgate Iâ—n 20. A. 1556. In his Letter to Mr. Philpot. Being accused that I spake against the Real Presence and the Sacrifice of the Mass and that I affirmed that their Church was the Church of Antichrist I confessed it and that I would continue therein though not maintain it by learning my conscience being satisfied in the truth which is sufficient to my salvation I told Mr. Welch Forasmuch as it pleaseth you to use me so familiarly for he behaved himself towards me as though I had been his equal I shall open my mind freely to you I consider my youth lack of wit and learning which would God it were but a little under the opinion that some men have of me But God is not bound to time wit or knowledge but rather chooseth the weak things of the world to confound the mighty neither can men appoint bounds to Gods mercy For I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy There is no respect of persons with God whether he be old or young rich or poor wise or foolish Fisher or Basket-maker God giveth knowledge of his truth through his free grace to whom he list Now I am brought hither before a great many Bishops and learned men to be made a fool and a laughing-stock but I weigh it not a rush for God knoweth that my whole study is to please him Besides that I care not for mans pleasure or displeasure As he was going to Newgate after he was condemned there met with him two Gentlemen that seeing him burst out into tears to whom Mr. Green said Ah my friends is this your comfort you are come to give me Must I who needed to have comfort ministred to me become now a comforter of you When he was going to and was at the Stake he repeated this Distich Christe Deus sine te spes est mihi nulla salutis Te duce vera sequir te duce falsa nego In English thus O Christ my God sure hope of health Besides thee I have none The truth I love and falshood hate By thee my guide alone These Verses he wrote in a Book of Mr. Hussey's of the Temple Behold thy self by me Such one was I as thou And thou in time shall â—e Even dust as I am now Bartlet Green In his Letter to his Friends of the Temple Very Friends are they which are knit together by the knot of Charity Charity doth not decay but increase in them that die faithfully If thy Friend be out of sight is thy friendship ended If he be carried into Heaven is Charity hindred thereby The Fathers of the Primitive Church gave thanks for their Friends that died in the Faith to prove that Charity died not with Death What saith Saint Paul We are members of his body of his flesh and of his blood we are members one of another Is the hand or Arm Foot or Leg a member when it is dissevered from the body What is it that couples us but love When all things shall fail love faileth never Hope hath his end when we get that we hoped for Faith is finished in Heaven Love endureth for ever Spiritual love I mean for carnal love when that which we love is lost doth perish with the flesh Neither was that ever but fleshly love which by distance of place or severing of bodies is parted asâ—nder If we keep Christs commandment in loving each other as he loved us then should our love be everlasting This friendship Paul felt when it moved him to say That neither length nor â—readth nâ—ither height nor depth should sever him from the love of Christ. Now you may say Why writeth thou this Truly to the end that if our friendship be stable you may accomplish this the last request of your Friend c. Mr. Fleetwood I beseech you remember Wittâ—ance and Cook two singular men among common Prisoners Mr. Fernham Mr. Fell and Mr. Hussey as I hope will dispatch Palmer and Richardson with his companions I pray you Mr. Palmer think on I. Grove an honest poor man Traâ—ford and Rice Apprice his Accomplices My Cousin Thomas Witton a Scrivener in Lombard-strâ—et hath promised to further their delivery at the least he can instruct you which way to work I doubt not but that Mr. Bowyer will labour for Goodwife Cooper for she is worthy to be holpen and Bâ—rard the Frenchman There be also divers others well-disposed men whose deliverance if you will not labour for yet I humbly beseech you to seek their relief For these and all other
men it is impossible for humane wisedom to comprehend the Doctrine of God for which cause Christ saith Father I thank thee that thou hast hid these secrets from the wise men of the world and hast revealed them unto Babes When those two Malefactors that were coupled with him brake Prison and fled he might have escaped but fearing his flight might be imputed to the godly Christians in the City he would not fly When he was advertised of his Sentence He thanked God for advancing him to so high an honour as to be counted worthy to suffer for his Name As he passed forth from the Court viewing the people who waited to see him he said See here how this wicked world rewards the poor Servants of Christ. Whilst I gave my self to drunkenness c. I was never in danger of these bands lifting up his hands which were bound I was then counted a good fellow and at that time who but I But no sooner began I by conversion to ask after a godly life but the world made war upon me and became my enemy persecuting and imprisoning me and now lest of all sending me to the place where I must pay my last debt But the Servant is no better then his Lord for seeing they persecuted him no question they will persecute us At the Stake he said Brethren I fight under the Standard and in the quarrel of my great Lord and Captain Christ. I am now going to be crucified follow you me when God of his goodness shall call yoâ— to it He was burnt Nov. 4. An. 1560. Hierome I find two of this Name 1. Mr. William Hierome Vicar of Stepney near London Being accused for preaching against Magistrates he affirmed as before he had preached That 〈◊〉 Magistrate of himself could make any Law or Laws 〈◊〉 bind the infeâ—i ur people unless it were by the power and authority of his or their Princes to him or them given but onely the Prince Adding If the Prince make Laws consenting to Gods Laws we are bound to obey them and if he make Laws repugnant to the Laws of God c. yet we are bound not violently to resist or grudge against him At the Stake he gave the following Exhortation to the people I say unto you good Brethren that God hath bâ—ught us all with no small price neither with gold nor silver nor other such things of small value but with his most precious blood Be not unthankful therefore but do what you can to keep his Commandments i. e love your Brethren If God hath sent thee plenty help thy neighbour that hath need give him good counsel if he lack Bear your Cross with Christ. Let all Christians put no trust nor confidence in their works but in the blood of Christ to whom I commit my soul beseeching you all to pray to God for me and for my Brethren here present with us c. 2. Mr. Hierome of Prage When he was brought Prisoner to Constance several of the Bishops said unto him Hierome why didst thou fly and didst not appear when thou wast cited He answered Because I could not have any safe conduct c. and I would not my self be the occasion of my perils and danger but if I had known of this citation although I had been in Bohemia I would have returned again When certain cried out Let him be burned let him be burned He answered If my death doth delight and please you in the Name of God let it le so When he was welcomed to Prison by a Friend of Mr. Hus saying to him Be constant and fear not death for the Truths sake of the which when you â—ere at liberty you did preach so much goodness He answered Truly Brother I do not fear death and forâ—smuch as we know that we have spoken much thereof in times past let us now see what may be known or done in â—ffect Vitus asking him how he did He answered Truly Brother I do very well After a long sore imprisonment he was forced to recant and consent unto the death of Mr. Iohn Hus that he was justly condemned and put to death but his hopes of freedome thereupon were disappointed for they caused him to be carried back unto the same Prison but not so straitly chained and bound as before After his Recantation and Consent to the death of Mr. Hus he refused to answer to any Questions propounded to him in private except he might be brought before the Council They supposing he would confirm his former Recantation sent for him May 25. An. 1416. When he was brought before them he began with Prayer to God beseeching him to give him Spirit ability and utterance which might most tend to the profit and salvation of his own soul. Then he spake unto them thus I know that there have been many excellent men which have suffered much otherwise then they have deserved being oppressed with false witnesses and condemned with wrong judgement as Socrates Plato Anaxagoras Zeno Boetius Moses Ioseph Isaiah Daniel and almost all the Prophets c. Iohn Baptist Christ Stephen and all the Apostles who were condemned to death not as good men but as seditious stirrers up of the people and contemners of the gods and evil doers This was the old manner of ancient and learned men and most holy Elders that in matters of Faith they did differ many times in Arguments not to destroy the Faith but to find out the Verity So did Augustine and Hierome dissent As for Mr. Hus he was a good just and holy man to his knowledge and much unworthy that death which he did suffer At last he added That all the sinâ— that ever he had committed did not so much gnaw and trouble his conscience as did that onely sin which he had committed in that most pestiferous fact whenas in his Recantation he had unjustly spoken against that good and holyman and his Doctrine and especially in consenting to his wicked condemnation Concluding that he did utterly revoke that wicked Recantation which he made in that cursed place and that he did it through weakness of heart and fear of death and that whatsoever he had spoken against that blessed man he had altogether lied upon him and that it did repent him with his whole heart that ever he did it Being again brought forth to have judgement given him and prest to recant what he had before spoken in open audience in commendation of Mr. Wickliffe and Mr. Hus He said unto them I take God to my witness and I protest here before you all that I do believe and hold the Articles of the Faith as the holy Catholick Church doth hold and believe the fame but for this cause shall I now ceâ—oondemned for that I will not consent with you to the condemnation of those most holy and blessed men aforesaid whom you have most wickedly condemned for their detesting and abhorring your wicked and abominable life
After the Bishop of Londy had ended his Sermon which was but an exhortation to condemn Mr. Hierome he said unto them You shall condemn me wickedly and unjustly but I after my death will leave a remorse in your conscience and a nail in your heart and here I cite you to answer unto me before the most high and just Iudge within an hundred years This Prophesie was printed in the Coin called moneta Hussi of the which Coin I my self saith Mr. Fox have one of the Plates having the following superscription printed about it Centum revolutis annis Dâ—o respondebitis mihi An hundred years come and gone With God and me you shall reckon After Sentence was pronounced against him a long Mitre of paper painted about with red Devils was brought to him whereupon he said Our Lord Iesus Christ whenas he should suffer death for me most wretched sinner did wear a Crown of Thorns upon his Head and I for his sake instead of that Crown will willingly wear this Mâ—tre or Cap. When the fire was kindled he said Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit O Lord God Father Almighty have mercy upon me and pardon mine offences for thou knowest how sincerely I have loved thy Truth When the Executioner began to kindle the fire behind him he bade him kindle it before his face for said he If I had been afraid of it I had not come to this place having had so many opportunities offered to me to escape it At the giving up of the ghost he said Hanc animam in flammis offero Christe tibi This soul of mine in flames of fire O Christ I offer thee In his Letter to Mr. Iohn Hus. My Master in those things which you have both written hitherto and also preached after the Law of God against the pride avarice and other inordinate vices of the Priests go forward be constant and strong and if I shall know that you be oppressed in the cause and if need shall so require of mine own accord I will follow after to help you as much as I can In the Letter of Poggius Secretary to the Council of Constance to Leonard Aretin concerning Hierome's death I profess I never said any man who in talking especially for life and death hath come nearer the eloquence of the Ancients whom we do so much admire It was a wonder to see with what words with what Eloquence Arguments Countenance and with what confidence he answered his Adversaries and maintained his own Cause that it is to be lamented that so fine a wit had strayed into the study of Heresie if it be true that was objected against him When it was refused that he should first plead his own Cause and then answer to the railings of Adversaries he said How great is this iniquity that when I have been three hundred and forty dayes in most hard prisons in filthiness in dung in fetters and want of all things ye have heard my Adversaries at all times and ye will not hear me one hour Ye are men and not gods ye may slip and erre and be deceived and seduced c. When it was demanded what he could object to the Articles against him It is almost incredible to consider how cunningly he answered and with what Arguments he defended himself He never spake one word unworthy of a good man that if he thought in his heart as he spake with his tongue no cause of death could have been against him no not of the meanest offence In the end Poggius saith O man worthy of everlasting remembrance among men This Epistle is in Fascicuâ— râ—â— expetend fol. 152. Holland A Friend of Mr Roger Holland's thanking the Bishop for his good will to his Kinsman and beseeching God that he might have grace to follow his Council Sir said Mr. Holland You crave of God you know not what I beseech God to open your eyes to see the light of his Word Roger said his Kinsman hold your peace lest you fare the worse at my Lords hands No said he I shall fare as it pleaseth God for man can do no more then God doth permit him The Register asking him Whether he would submit himself to the Bishop before he was entred into the Book of contempt I never meant said he but to submit my self to the Magistrate as I learn of St. Paul Rom. 13. yet I mean not to be a Papist they will not submit themselves to any other Prince or Magistrate then those that must first be sworn to maintain them and their doings Bâ—nner telling him Roger I perceive thou wilt be ruled by no good counsel c. He answered I may say to you my Lord as Paul said to Felix and to the Iews Acts 22. 1 Cor. 15. It is not unknown to my Master whose Apprentice I was that I was of this your blind Religion c. having that liberty under your auricular Confession that I made no conscience of sin but trusted in the Priests absolution c. So that Lechery Swearing and all othervices I accounted no offence of danger so long as I could for money have them absolved And thus I continued till of late God hath opened the Light of his Word and called me by his grace to repentance of my former idolatry and wicked life The antiquity of our Church is not from Pope Nicholas or Pope Ione but our Church is from the beginning even from the time that God said to Adam That the seed of the woman should break the Serpents head c. All that believed this promise were of the Church though the number were oftentimes but few and small as in Elias dayes when he thought there was none but he that had not bowed the knee to Baal c. Moreover of our Church have been the Apostles and Evangelists the Martyrs and Confessors that have in all Ages been persecuted for the testimony of the Word of God After Sentence was read against him he said Even now I told you that your authority was of God and by his sufferance and now I tell you God hath heard the prayer of his Servants which hath been poured forth with tears for his afflicted Saints which daily you persecute This I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I am moved to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty that for a time you shall not molest his Church And this shall you in short time perceive my dear Brethren to be the most true for after this day in this place shall there not be any by him put to the trial of Fire and Fagot Which accordingly came to pass He was the last burnt in Smithfield Then he began to exhort his Friends to repentance and to think well of them that suffered for the testimony of the Gospel The day that Mr. Holland and the rest suffered a Proclamation was made that none should be so bold as
Lands and life then farewell Suit farewell Lands farewell Children farewell Friends yea and farewell Life too and in respect of the true honour of the everliving God farewell all At the place of her Execution she exhorted all women to be strong and constant for said she ye were redeemed with as dear a price as men for although ye were made of the rib of the man yet be you all of his flesh so that also in the case and trial of your faith towards God ye ought to be as strong Mr. Ward calleth her Iulitta and records her Speech thus We women received not onely flesh from men but are bone of their bone and therefore ought to be as strong in Christs Cause Mr. Fox out of Basil tells the Story thus That when the Judge passed Sentence against Iulitta she said Farewell riches and welcome poverty farewell life and welcome death All that I have if it were a thousand times more would I rather lose then speak one wicked and blasphemous word against God my Creatour I yield thee most hearty thanks O my God for this grace that I can contemn and despise this frail and transitory world esteeming Christian Profession above all treasures Afterwards when any Question was demanded her Answer was I am the Servant of Jesus Christ. At the Stake she said to the women beholding her Stick not O Sisters to labour and travel after true pieâ—y and godliness Cease to accuse the frailty of feminine Nature What are not we created of the same matter that men are yea after Gods Image and Similitude are we made as lively as they Not flesh onely did God use in the Creation of the woman in sign and token of her infirmity and weakness but bone of bones is she in token that she must be strong in the true and living God all falshoods forsaken constant in faith all infidelity renounced patient in adversity all worldly ease refused Wax weary my dear Sisters of your lives led in darkness and be in love with my Christ my God my Redeemer my Comforter which is the true light of the world Perswade your selves or rather the Spirit of the living God perswade you that there is a world to come wherein the Worshippers of Idols and Devils shall be tormented perpetually and the Servants of the High God be crowned eternally Iusberg Brethren said Iustus Iusberg you see that my end approacheth which howsoever I fear as a man burdened with the body of sin yet am I resolved as a Christian joyfully to endure it being assured that all my sins are fastened to the Cross of Christ. Iuventius Chrysostome in an Oration on Iuventius and Maximus two Martyrs brings in this objection of the Persecutours against them Do not you see others of your rank do thus and them answering thus for this very reason we will manfully stand and offer our selves as a sacrifice for the breach that they have made K. Kennedy Alexander Kennedy who passed not eighteen years of age when he was presented before his bloody Butcherers at first was faint and gladly would have recanted but while the place of repentance was denied him the Spirit of God wrought in him and with a chearful countenance and a joyful voice upon his knees he said O eternal God how wonderful is that love and mercy that thou bearest unto mankind and unto me the most Caitiffe and miserable wretch above all others for even now when I would have denied thee and thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ my onely Saviour and so have cast my self into everlasting dammation Thou by thy own hand hast pulled me from the very bottom of hell and made me to feel that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly fear wherewith before I was oppressed Now I defie death do what you please I praise my God I am ready Kerby Mr. Wingfield telling him the fire is hot the terrour is great the pain extreme life sweet Better it were betime to stick to mercy while there is hope of life then rashly to begin and then to sâ—rink He said Ah Mr. Wingfield be at my burning and you shall say there standeth a Christian Souldier in the fire for I know that fire water sword and all other things are in the hands of God and he will suffer no more to be laid upon us then he will enable us to bear When Sentence was past against him he with most humble reverence holding up his hands and bowing himself devoutly said Praised be Almighty God Kilian To such as asked Kilian a Dutch School-Master if he loved not his Wife and Children He answered Yes if all the world were gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it all to live with them though it were but in Prison yet is my soul and my Lord Christ dearer to me then all things whatsoever Knight When Stephen Knight was at the Stake he prayed O Lord Jesus Christ for whose love I leave willingly this life and desire rather the bitter death of thy Cross with the loss of all earthly things then to abide the blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandement Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in worldly wealth to worship a false god and honour thine enemy I chuse rather the torment of the body and the loss of this life and have counted all things but vile dust and dung that I might win thee which death is dearer unto me then thousands of gold and silver Such love O Lord hast thou laid up in my breast that I hunger for thee as the Deer that is wounded desireth the soil Send thy holy Comforter O Lord to aid comfort and strengthen this weak piece of earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou remembrest O Lord that I am but dust and able to do nothing that is good Therefore O Lord as of thine accustomed goodness and love thou hast bidden me to this banket and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord against this thine Element which as to my sight it is most irksome and terrible so to my mind it may at thy Commandement as an obedient Servant be sweet and pleasant that through the strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy bosome according to thy promise and for this mortal receive an immortal and for this corruption put on incorruption Accept this burnt-sacrifice and offering O Lord not for the sacrifice but for thy Dear Sons sake my Saviour for whose Testimony â— offer this free-will-offering with all my heart and with all my soul. O Heavenly Father forgive me my sins as I forgive all the world O sweet Son of God my Saviour spread thy wings over me O blessed and holy Ghost through whose merciful inspiration I am come hither conduct me into everlasting life Lord
before of these dolorous dayes fore-spake also the everlasting joy prepared for such as should continue to the end The trouble is come O dear Brethren look for the comfort and after the example of the Apostle abide in resisting this vehement storm a little space The third watch is not yet ended Remember that Christ came not to his Disciples till the fourth watch Observe next that the Disciples at the presence of Christ were more afraid then they were before That Christ useth no other instrument but his Word to pacifie their hearts That Peter in a fervency first left the Ship and yet after feared That Christ permitted neither Peter nor the rest of his Disciples to perish in that fear but gloriously delivered all and pacified the tempest There were three causes why the Disciples knew not Christ but judged him to be a Spirit The darkness of the night that letted their eyes to see him The unaccustomed Vision that appeared and it was above nature that a massy weighty and heavy body of a man such as they understood their Master Christ to have should be born up of and walk upon the water of the raging Sea and not sink And finally the horrour of the tempest and great danger they were in perswaded them to look for none other but certainly to be drowned What here hapned to Christ himself daily hapneth to the verity of his blessed Word c. The truth and sincere preaching of his glorious Gospel sent by God for mans deliverance from sin c. is judged to be Heresie and deceiveable Doctrine sent by the Devil to mans destruction The chief note is this The more nigh deliverance and salvation approacheth the more strong and vehement is the temptation of the Church of God and the more nigh that Gods vengeance approacheth to the wicked the more proud cruel and arrogant are they Whereby it commonly comes to pass that the Messengers of Life are judged to be the Authors of all mischief Thus the Israelites cursed Moses alledging that he and Aaron was the whole cause of their last extreme trouble This I write to admonish you that although you see tribulation so abound that no hope be left that yet you decline not from God And that albeit sometimes ye be moved to hate the Messengers of Life that therefore ye shall not judge that God will never shew mercy after No dear Brethren as he hath dealt with others before you so will he deal with you One cause why God permitteth such blood-thirsty Tyrants to molest his Church is this Such is his justice that he will not pour forth his extreme vengeance upon the wicked until such time as their iniquity be so manifest that their very flatterers cannot excuse it Pharaoh was not destroyed till his own houshold Servants and Subjects abhorred and condemned his stubborn disobedience If Gardener Tunstal and Bonner had suffered death when first they deserved it Papists would have alledged as they did that they were reformable neither thirsted they for the blood of any man And of Lady Mary who hath not heard that she was sober merciful and one that loved the Commonwealth of England Had she and her pestilent Council been dead before these dayes their iniquity and cruelty had not so manifestly appeared to the world Thus dear Brethren must the Sons of the Devil declare their own impiety and ungodliness that when Gods vengeance which shall not sleep shall be poured forth upon them all tongues shall confess and say That God is righteous in all his judgements The means Christ used to remove the Disciples fear is onely his Word he said Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid The natural man that cannot understand the power of God would have desired some other present comfort in so great a danger as either to have had the Heavens to have opened and to have shewed them such a light in that darkness that Christ might have been fully known by his own face or else that the winds and raging waves of the Sea suddenly should have ceased or some other miracle that had been subject to all their senses whereby they might have perfectly known that they were delivered from all danger And truly equal it had been to Christ Jesus to have done any of these or any work greater as to have said It is I be not afraid but he would hereby teach us the dignity and effectual power of his holy Word This I write Beloved in the Lord that ye knowing the Word of God not onely to be that whereby were created Heaven and Earth but also to be the Power of God to Salvation to all that believe c. may now in this hour of darkness and most raging tempest thirst and pray that ye may hear yet once again this amiable voice of your Saviour Christ Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid Exercise your selves secretly in revolving that which sometimes you have heard openly proclaimed in your ears and be every man now a faithful Preacher to his Brother If your communication be of Christ assuredly he will come before ye be aware What comfort was in the hearts of the Disciples when they heard these words It is I your Master your Master most familiar whose voice you know whose work you have seen who commanded you to enter into this journey it is I be not afraid cannot be exprest but by those that have experienced the comforts of the Spirit after great conflicts c. It is certain Christs voice had wrought in Peter's heart not onely a forgetting and contempt of the great tempest but such boldness and love that he could fear no danger following but assuredly did believe that nothing could resist his Masters Command and therefore he saith Command me to come q. d. I desire no more then the assurance of thy command If thou wilt command I am determined to obey The waters cannot prevail against me if thou speak the word so that whatsoever is possible unto thee by thy Will and Word may be possible unto me Such as bear reverence to Gods most holy Word are drawn by the power and vertue of the same to believe and follow and obey that which God commandeth be it never so hard and contrary to their affections and therefore are they wonderfully preserved when Gods vengeances are poured forth upon the disobedient In Peter's being afraid seeing a mighty wind and when he began to sink crying Lord save me Three things are principally to be noted From whence cometh the fear of Gods Elect Why they faint in adversity What resteth with them in the time of their fear and down-sinking The cause of our fear who would through the storms of the Sea go to Christ is that we more consider the dangers and lets that are in our journey then we do the Almighty Power of him that hath commanded us to come to himself This I note
Malefactour You have heard a Sentence of death pronounced against me by the Priests c. I stand in your presence whom God hath made Princes your Power is above their Tyranny before you do I expose my cause I cannot resist to suffer what you think just but least my lenity and patience should make you negligent in the defence of me in my just cause c. I dare not conceal That if you murder me which thing ye do if ye defend me not ye make your selves and this whole City guilty of my blood whereupon they freed him from the Sentence The same this Prophet did before Zedekiah This will more plainly appear in the fact of Saint Paul He appealed from all judgement of the Priests at Ierusalem to the Emperour It seems that his Cause was greatly to be suspected partly for that he refused the judgement of those that had most knowledge as all men supposed of Gods Will and Religion and partly because he appealed to the Emperour who then was at Rome far absent from Ierusalem a man ignorant of God and enemy to all vertue But the Apostle considering the nature of his enemies and what things they had intended against him did not fear to appeal from them c. grounding himself upon his innocency he neither regarded the displeasure of Festus nor the brunt of the ignorant multitude but appealed to Caesar c. What I think of mine own person God will reveal when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed c. But touching the Doctrine and Cause for which that adulterous and wicked generation of Antichrists Servants who will be called Bishops among you have condemned me I fear not neither do I shame to confess and avow before man and Angel to be the eternal truth of the eternal God and in that case I doubt not to compare my self with any member in whom the Truth hath been impugned since the beginning Seeing that my battel is against the proud and cruel hypocrites of this Age as that battel of those most excellent instruments was against the false Prophets and Malignant Church of their ages No man ought to think it strange that I compare my self with them with whom I sustain a common cause But lest that some doubt remain that I require more of you then you of conscience are bound to grant I purpose briefly but yet freely to speak what God by his Word doth assure me to be true 1 That in conscience you are bound to punish Malefactours and to defend Innocents imploring your help 2 That God requireth of you to provide that your Subjects be rightly instructed in his true Religion and that the same be by you reformed whensoever abuses do creep in by the malice of Satan and negligence of men 3 That you are bound to remove from Honour and to punish with Death if the Crime so require such as deceive the people or defraud them of that food of their souls I mean Gods lively Word After that Mâ—ses had declared what was true Religion viz. To honour God as he commanded adding nothing to his Word neither diminishing any thing from it and after also he had vehemently exhorted them to observe the same Law he denounceth the punishment against the transgressours If thy Brother Son Daughter Wife or Neighbour whom thou lovest as thine own life sollicite thee secret saying Let us go serve other gods c. let not thine eye spare him c. Observe here 1 That such as sollicitate onely to idolatry ought to be punished to death without favour or respect of person c. 2 That the punishment of such crimes as are Idolatry Blasphemy and others that touch the Majesty of God doth not appertain to Kings onely but also to the whole body of the people and every member thereof according to his vocation c. God even streightly commandeth that a City declining to idolatry should fall by the edge of the Sword and that the whole spoil of the same should be burned no portion of it reserved that the Lord may turn from the fury of his wrath c. hinting that by the defection and idolatry of a few Gods wrath is kindled against the whole which is never quenched till such punishment be taken upon the Offenders that whosoever served them in their idolatry be brought to destruction because that it is execrable and accursed before God If any think that this is contrary to the practise of the Apâ—stles who finding the Gentiles in idolatry did call them to repentance requiring no such punishment I answer That the Gentiles before the preaching of Christ were never avowed by God to be his people nor received into his houshold neither were his Laws given unto them to be kept in Religion nor Policy and therefore no corporal punishment was inflicted on them c. But after they repented of their idolatries and embraced and made one people with the believing Iews they were subject to the same Law as the Iews were and were liable to the same punisâ—ment if they returned to idolatry again In universal defections and a general revolt such as was in Israel after Ieroboam there is a diverse consideration for then because the whole people were conspired against God none could be found to execute the punishment God had appointed till God raised up Iehu whom he appointed for that purpose I know that your Bishops c. will cry A damned Heretick ought not to be heard But remember my Lords what I protested in the beginning upon which ground I continually stand I am no Heretick no deceivable Teacher but the Servant of Christ Jesus a Preacher of his infallible Verity innocent in all they can lay to my charge c. and therefore am unjustly condemned from which cruel Sentence I have appealed and do appeal as before in the mean time most humbly requiring your Honours to take me into your protection to be Auditors of my just defences granting unto me the same liberty which Ahab a wicked King and Israel at that time a blinded people granted to Elijah in the like case viz. that your Bishops and the whole rable of your Clergy may be called before you and before the people whom they have deceived that I be not condemned by multitude custome authority or law devised by man but that God himself may be judge betwixt me and my adversaries Let God I say speak by his Law Prophets Christ Jesus Apostles and so let him pronounce what Religion he approveth and then be my enemies never so many and appear they never so strong and learned no more do I fear victory then did Elijah being but one man against the multitude of Baal's Priests And if they think to have advantage by their Councils and Doctors this I farther offer to admit the one and the other as witnesses in all matters debatable three things which justly cannot
c. but you guilty in the same offences hath he fostered as it were in his own bosome during the time of that most miserable thraldome under Queen Mary and now hath set you at such liberty as the fury of Gods enemies cannot hurt you except that willingly against his Honour you take pleasure to conspire with them God requires of you earnest repentance for your former defection and an heart mindful of his merciful providence and a will ready to advance his glory that evidently it may appear that in vain you have not received these graces of God To performance whereof of necessity it is that carnal wisdome and worldly policy to both which you are too much inclined give place to Gods naked Truth Very love compells me to say That except the Spirit of God purge your heart from that Venome which your eyes have seen destructive to others that you shall not long escape the reward of Dissemblers Now you are in that estate and credit in the which you shall either comfort the sorrowful and affâ—icted for righteousness sake or else you shall molest and oppugne the Spirit of God speaking in his Messengers The Comforters of the afflicted for godliness have promise of comfort in their greatest necessities but the Troublers of Gods Servants how contemned soever they appear before the world are threatned to have their Names in execration to the Posterities following Except that in the Cause of Christs Evangel you be found simple sincere fervent and unfeigned you shall taste of the same cup which Politick Heads have drunk in before I hear that some of that poor Flock of late assembled in Geneva are so extremely handled that those who most rudely have shed the blood of Gods most dear Children find this day among you greater favours then they do Alas This appeareth much to repugne to Christian Charity for whatsoever hath been mine offence this I fear not to affirm in their Cause That if any that have suffered Exile in those most dolorous dayes of Persecution deserve praise and commendation for peace concord sober and quiet living it is they From Diep April 10. 1559. In his Letter to Queen Elizabeth Consider deeply how for fear of your life you did decline from God and bow to Idolatry going to Mass under your Sister Mary her persecution of Gods Saints Let it not appear a small offence in your eyes that you have declined from Christ Jesus in the day of your Battel neither would I that you should esteem that mercy to be vulgar and common which you have received viz. that God hath covered your Offence hath preserved your Person when you were most unthankful and hath Exalted you c. Commonly it is seen that such as refuse the counsel of the Faithful appear it never so sharp are compelled to follow the deceit of Flatterers to their own perdition Edinburg Iuly 28. A. 1559. When Mass was permitted to the Queen for a time Mr. Knox the next Sabbath after the first Mass shewed what terrible plagues God had taken upon Realms and Nations for Idolatry and added That one Mass was more fearful to him then if Ten thousand armed Enemies were Landed in any part of the Realm of purpose to suppress the whole Religion for said he in our God there is strength to resist and confound multitudes if we unfeignedly depend upon him whereof heretofore we have had experience but when we joyn hands with Idolatry it is no doubt but both Gods amiable presence and comfortable defence will leave us and what shall then become of us Alas I fear that experience will teach us to the grief of many When God began to make his words good He did in the audience of many Dec. 1565. ask God mercy that he was not more vehement and upright in suppressing that Idol at the beginning For said he albeit I spake that which offended some which this day they see and feel to be true yet did I not that which might have been done for God had not onely given me knowledge and a tongue to make known the impiety of that Idol but he had given me credit with many who would have put in execution Gods Judgements if I would onely have consented thereto but so careful was I of that common tranquility and so loth was I to offend some that in secret conference with zealous men I travelled rather to mitigate yea to slacken that fervency God had kindled in them then to animate or encourage them to put their hands to the Lords Work wherein I acknowledge my self to have done most wickedly and from the bottome of my heart do ask of my God pardon that I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that Idol in the beginning When the Queen accused him for stirring up her Subjects against her Mother her Self and that he was the cause of much sedition great slaughter in England and that all he did was by Necromancy Madam said Mr. Knox may it please your Majesty patiently to hear my simple answers and first If to teach the Word of God in sincerity if to rebuke Idolatry and to will a people to worship God according to his Word be to raise Subjects against their Princes then cannot I be excused but if the true knowledge of God and his right worshipping be the chief cause which must move men to obey their just Princess from their heart as it is most certain they are wherein can I be reprehended I think and am surely perswaded that your Majesty hath had and now hath as unfeigned obedience of such as profess Christ Jesus within this Realm as ever your Father or Progenitors had of those that were called Bishops And now shortly to answer the other two Accusations I heartily praise my God through Jesus Christ that Satan that enemy of mankind and the wicked of the world have no other crimes to lay to my charge then such as the world it self knoweth to be most false and vain If indeed in any of the places where I was in England during the time of my being there there was either Battel Sedition or Mutiny I shall confess my self a shedder of blood but God so blessed my weak labours in Barwick wherein then commonly used to be slaughter by reason of quarrels that used to arise among Souldiers that there was great quietness all the time that I remained there And whereas they slander me of Magick Necromancy c. all the Congregations that ever heard me know what I spake against such acts and those that use such impiety but seeing my Master was accused thus even that he was possessed with Belzebub I must patiently bear their false accusations But yet said the Queen you have taught the people to receive another Religion then their Princes can allow and how can that Doctrine be of God seeing God commandeth Subjects to be obedient to their Princes Madam said he as right Religion took neither
the Prayers of the Church with these words Take up the man whom ye accounted another god At the end of his Sermon he bemoaned the loss that the Church and State of Scotland received by the death of that man and said That as God in his mercy giveth good and wise Rulers so he taketh them away in his wrath and then added There is one in this Company that maketh the subject of his mirth this horrible murder whereat all good men have cause to be sorry I tell him he shall die where there shall be none to lament him The young Gentleman that writ the Note hearing this Comination went home and said to his Sister that Iohn Knox was raving to speak of he knew not whom His Sister replied with tears in her eyes telling him That none of Iohn Knox's threatnings fell to the ground without effect and so it fell out in this particular for this Mr. Thomas Metellan shortly after went beyond Sea to travel and died in Italy having no known man to assist him much less to lament him He told his People it was his desire to finish and close his preaching with preaching upon the History of Christs Passion In his last Sermon to his People at Edinburg which was preached at the Election of Mr. Iames Lawson to succeed him to whom he had writ thus Accelera mi frater alioqui sero venies Make haste Brother otherwise you will come too late meaning That if he made any stay he should find him dead and gone He called God to witness that he had walked in a good conscience among them not seeking to please men nor serving his own or other mens affections but in all sincerity and truth preached the Gospel of Christ most gravely and pithily exhorting them to stand fast in the faith which they had received In his sickness he said unto the Earl of Morton who came to visit him My Lord God hath given you wisdome honour high birth riches many good and great friends and is now to prefer you to the Government of the Realm In his Name I charge you that you will use these Blessings better in time to come then you have done in times past In all your actions seek first the glory of God the furtherance of his Gospel the maintenance of his Church and Ministry next be carefull of the King and the welfare of the Realm If you shall do this God will be with you and honour you if otherwise you do it not he will deprive you of all these benefits and your end shall be shame and ignominy These Speeches the Earl about nine years after at the time of his Execution called to mind saying That he had found them true and Mr. Knox therein a true Prophet A day or two before his death he sent for Mr. Lindsay Mr. Lawson and the Elders and Deacons of the Church and said unto them The time is approaching for which I have long thirsted wherein I shall be released from all my cares and be with my Saviour Christ for ever and now God is my Witness whom I have served with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that I have taught nothing but the true and sincere Word of God the true and solid Doctrine of the Gospel and that the end I proposed in all my Doctrine was to instruct the ignorant to confirm the weak to comfort the consciences of those who were humbled under the sense of their sins and born down with the threatnings of Gods judgements Such as were proud and rebellious I am not ignorant have blamed and do yet blame my too great rigour and severity but God knoweth that in my heart I never hated the persons of those against whom I thundred Gods judgements I did onely hate their sins and laboured according to my power to gain them to Christ. That I did forbear none of whatsoever condition I did it out of the fear of my God who hath placed me in the Ministry and I know will bring me to an account Now Brethren for your selves I have no more to say but to warn you to take heed to the Flock over which God hath placed you overseers which he hath redeemed with the blood of his onely begotten Son And now Mr. Lawson Fight a good fight do the work of the Lord with courage and with a willing mind and God from above bless you and the Church whereof you have charge against it so long as it continueth in the Doctrine of the Truth the gates of Hell shall not prevail This spoken and the Elders and Deacons dismissed he called the two Preachers to him and said There is one thing that grieveth me exceedingly You have sometimes seen the courage and constancy of the Laird of Grange in the Cause of God and that most unhappy man hath cast himself away I pray you two to take the pains to go to him and say from me That unless he forsake that wicked course wherein he is entred neither shall the rock in which he confideth defend him nor the carnal wisdome of that man whom he counteth half a god this was young Lethington yield him help but shamefully he shall be pulled out of that nest and his carkass hang before the Sun and so it fell out for the next year the Castle which he did keep against the Kings Authority was taken and he hanged before the Sun the Soul of that man is dear unto me and if it be possible I would fain have him saved They went but could not prevail yet at his death he did express serious repentance for his sins The next day he was much in Prayer crying Come Lord Jesus Sweet Jesus into thy hands I commend my Spirit Being asked by those about him if his pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a pain which should be unto him the end of all troubles and beginning of eternal joyes Oftentimes after some deep Meditations he burst forth in these words O serve the Lord in fear and death shall not be troublesome unto you blessed is the death of those that have part in the death of Christ. In the Evening having slept some hours together but with great unquietness for he was heard to send forth many sighs and groans Being asked after he awaked How he did find himself and what it was that made him to mourn so heartily in his sleep He answered In my life time I have oft been assaulted with Satan many times he hath cast in my teeth my sins to bring me to despair yet God gave me strength to overcome all his temptations and now that subtile Serpent who never ceaseth to tempt hath taken another course and seeks to perswade me that all my labours in the Ministry and the fidelity that I have shewn in that Service hath merited Heaven and immortality but blessed be God that brought to my mind these Scriptures What hast thou that thou hast not received and not
and Iohn c. which is written without doubt for our instruction so that thereby you may see when men be wrongfully suspected or inâ—amed of heresie and so prohibited by Bishops to preach the Word of God that they ought for no mans commandment to leave or stop c. In his Answer to the two and twentieth Demand Priests have two names in Scripture Presâ—yteri Sacerdoâ—es They are most usually called Presbyteri who are set to be Prelates in the Church to guide the same by his blessed Word And Priests thus called Presbyteri in the Primitive Church what time were but few Traditions and Ordinances to let us from the strait institution made by Christ and his Apostles were the very same and none other but Bishops As many as are in this wise Priests ought to preach freely the Word of God in all places and times convenient c. Others be called Priests by this word Sacerdotes and thus be all Christians c. These ought not all to preach openlâ— in general Assemblies c. yet privately are they bound for instruction of their Servants Children Kinsfolk c. to speak that should be for the destruction of vice and upholding and increase of vertue c. Notwithstanding this I say both by supportation of Gods Law and also of Laws written in the Dâ—crees that in time of great necessity Lay people may preach c. In his Answer to the four and twentieth Demand Excommunication bindeth before God if it be lawfully denounced if the persons be guilty and if it be done with the consent of others gathered with the Bishop in Christs Name for the behoof of Christs Church for so used St. Paul in excommunicating the incestuous Corinthian and Christ requireth c. So that excommunication ought to be done as methinketh by the Congregation assembled together with their Pastour whose advice they ought principally to esteem and follow if it be vertuous and godly In his Answer to the thirtieth Demand Where you speak of Prelates Deputies I think such be little behoveful to Christs flock It were right and necessary that as the Prelates themselves will have the Revenues c. they should themselves labour and teach diligently the Word of God and not shift the labour from one to another till pity it is all be left undone Such doth Saint Iohn call thieves and murtherers c. God would have every man get his living by the sweat of his own face i. e. by his labour according to his estate and calling In his Answer to the five and thirtieth Demand That one singular person may judge more rightly then a great multitude assembled in a Council appeareth by Gods Law and by the Law of man Caiaphas is one instance A whole Council did submit to his Sentence Gamaliel is another Agreeable to this we find in the Decrees Dist. 31. the whole Council of Nice commending the Sentence of Paphnutius and upon this that Paphnutius did resist and prevail against the whole Council the Gloss notes that one singular person may gain-say an universal generality having a reasonable cause on his side Panormitane also gives his suffrage I would saith he rather believe one Lay person bringing in for him authority of Scripture then universal Council that ordaineth a thing without Scripture In his Answer to the five and fortieth Demand Concerning opinions or conclusions I can tell you of none other then I have shewed The sum whereof I think concluded in these two Scripture Propositions 1 Christ is the Head corner-stone of our faith whereupon it should be grounded neither is there salvation in any other c. 2 Men do worship God in vain teaching doctrines and precept or laws humane Thus I certifie you of all the opinions and conclusions which I intend or have intended to sustain and not to decline from neither for fear nor yet for love of man or men These Answers of Mr. Lambert the five and forty Articles against him were directed and delivered to Dr. Warham Arch Bishop of Canterbury about the year 1532. From the danger he was in at that time he was delivered by the death of Dr. Warham but falling into fresh Troubles through the indiscretion of Dr. Tailor and Dr. Barnes to make the quicker work following the precedent of St. Paul appealing to Caesar he appeals to the King who having lately taken upon him the Title of the Supreme Head of the Church of England would shew that Head had a Tongue could speak in matters of Divinity In Whitehall the place and day is appointed where an Act-Royal was kept the King himself being Opponent and Lambert the Answerer When the King commanded him to declare his mind c. He gave God thanks which had so inclined the heart of the King that he himself would not disdain to hear and understand the controversies of Religion for that it hapneth oftentimes through the cruelty of the Bishops that many good and innocent men in many places are privily murthered and put to death without the Kings knowledge But now forasmuch as that High and Eternal King of Kings in whose hands are the hearts of all Princes hath stirred up the Kings mind that he himself will be present to understand the Causes of his Subjects I do not doubt but that God will bring some great thing to pass through him to the setting forth of the glory of his Name When the King was worsted and wearied Arch Bishop Cranmer supplied his place arguing though civilly shrewdly against the truth and saith Dr. Fuller his own private judgement which was worse saith the same Author then keeping the clothes of those who killed Stephen seeing this Arch Bishop did actually cast stones at this Martyr in the Arguments he urged against him Yet after his whole body was reduced to ashes his heart was found entire and untouched an argument of his cordial integrity to the Truth though fear too much prevailed and too often on him After the Dispute was ended the King said unto him What sayest thou now Art thou yet satisfied Wilt thou live or die what sayest thou Thou hast yet free choice Mr. Lâ—mbert answered I commend my soul unto the hands of God but my body I wholly yield and submit to your clemency The King notwithstanding commanded the Lord Cromwell to reâ—d the Sentence of Condemnation against him And it is very observable that through the pestiferous and crafty counsel of Gardiner Satan who oftentimes raiseth up one Brother to destroy another brought about the death of this Martyr by such viz. Tailor Barnes Cranmer and Cromwell who afterwards suffered the like for the Gospels sake After his legs were consumed and burned to the stumps he lifting up such hands as he had and his fingers ends flaming with fire cried unto the people in these words None but Christ none but Christ. Mr. Clement Cotton in his
this Realm that I am acquainted with but they shall write unto you and godlily threaten you with their Authority I will do all this yea I will kneel upon both my knees before the Kings Majesty and all his honourable Council with most humble Petition for your Reformation rather then the Devil shall possess you still to your final damnation so that I do not despair but verily trust one way or other to pluck both you and your crabbed Brother as crabbed as you say he is out of the Devils claws maugre the Devils heart In the moneth of October An. 1555. Mr. Latimer and Dr. Ridley were brought forth together to their final Examination and Execution At his last appearence being prest to recant he said I must use here the counsel of Cyprian who when he was ascited before certain Bishops that gave him leave to take deliberation and counsel to try and examine his opinion he answered them thus In sticking to and persevering in the truth no counsel nor deliberation must be taken and being asked which was most like to be the Church of Christ whether the persecuted or the persecutor Christ said he hath foreshewed That he that doth follow him must take up his Cross. How think you then my Lords Is it like that the See of Rome which hath been a continual persecutor is rather the Church or that small flock which hath alwayes been persecuted even to death Mr. Latimer being told That his and St. Cyprian's case was not one Yes verily said he my cause is as good as St. Cyprian's for his was persecution for the Word of God and so is mine As he was going to Execution Dr. Ridley spying him behind him said O be ye there Yes said Mr. Latimer have after as fast as I can follow When he could not be suffered to answer Dr. Smith's Sermon at their Execution on that in the Corinthians If I give my body to be burned and have not charity c. he said Well there is nothing hid but it shall be opened When a Fagot was brought kindled with fire and laid at Dr. Ridley's feet Mr. Latimer said Be of good comfort Mr. Ridley and play the man We shall this day light such a Candle by Gods Grace in England as I trust will never be put out He received the flame as it were embracing it and crying out vehemently O Father of Heaven receive my soul. Laverock Hugh Laverock an old lame man after he was chained to the Stake cast away his Crutch and comforting Iohn Apprice a blind man his Fellow-Martyr said unto him Be of good comfort my Brother for my Lord of London is our good Physician he will heal us both shortly thee of thy blindess and me of my lameness Lavoy Mr. Aymond de Lavoy a French Minister having intelligence that some were sent to apprehend him and being willed by his Friends to flie and shift for himself he said That he had rather never to have been born then so to do It is the office of a good Shepherd not to flie in time of peril but rather to abide the danger lest the Flock be scattered or else least in so doing he should leave some scruple in their minds Thus to think That he had fed them with dreams and fables contrary to the Word of God Wherefore beseeching them to move him no more therein he told them That he feared not to yield up both body and soul in the quarrel of that Truth which he had taught saying with St. Paul I am ready not onely to be bound for the testimony of Christ in the City of Bourdeaux but to die also When his Hearers flew upon the Sumner to deliver their Preacher out of his hands he desired them not to stop his Martyrdome seeing it was the Will of God that he should suffer for him he would not said he resist Whilst he was in Prison he bewailed exceedingly his former life though there was no man that could charge him outwardly with any crime One of the Presidents coming to him and shaking him by his beard bid him tell what fellows he had of his Religion None said he but such as know and do the Will of God my Father whether they be Nobles Merchants Husbandmen or of whatsoever degree they be In his torments in Prison he comforted himself thus This body once must die but the Spirit shall live The Kingdome of God abideth for ever In the time of his tormenting being but of a weak body he swounded afterward coming to himself again he said O Lord Lord why hast thou forsaken me The President answering Nay wicked Lutheran thou hast forsaken God Alas said he why do ye thus torment me O Lord I beseech thee forgive them they know not what they do All their tortures could not force him to confess one mans name but he said unto them I thought to have found more mercy with men Wherefore I pray God I may find mercy with him To the Friers that came to confess him after his condemnation he said Depart I will confess my sins to the Lord. Do ye not see how I am troubled enough with men will ye yet trouble me more others have had my body will ye also take from me my soul away from me At last he took a certain Carmelite bidding the rest to depart whom after much talk he did convert to the Truth Such trust have I said he to the Judge in my God that the same day when I shall die I shall enter into Paradise The Church said he is a Greek word signifying as much as Congregation or Assembly And so I say Whensoever the Faithfull do congregate together to the honour of God and amplifying of Christian Religion the Holy Ghost is verily with them By this it should follow said the Judge that there be many Churches It is no absurd thing said he to say there be many Churches or Congregations among the Christians and so speaketh St. Paul To all the Churches which are in Galatia When the Judges left him looking on him as a damned Creature he said with St. Paul Who shall separate me from the love of God shall the sword hunger or nakedness No nothing shall pluck me from him As he was carried to the place of Execution he sang Psal. 114. and preaching still as he went one of the Souldiers bidding the Carter therefore to drive apace he said unto him He that is of God heareth the Word of God Many being offended that passing by an image of the Virgin Mary he would not pray unto her lifted up his voice to God praying That he would not suffer him at any time to invocate any other but him alone At his Execution he said O Lord Make haste to help me tarry not do not despise the work of thy hands and you my Brethren that be Students I exhort you to learn the Gospel for the Word of God abideth for ever Labour to know
the Will of God and fear not them that kill the body but have no power upon your souls My flesh repugneth marvellously against the Spirit but shortly I shall cast it away I beseech you pray for me O Lord my God into thy hands I commend my soul. Laurence I find three of this name recorded in the Book of Martyrs First Laurence the Deacon when Xistus his Pastour was martyred under the Emperour Valerianus was grieved that the Son should be secluded from the Father that he should not suffer with him Seeing him led alone as a Sheep to the slaughter he cried out to him O Dear Father whither goest thou without the company of thy dear Son whither hastenest thou O Reverend Pastour without thy Deacon never wast thou wont to offer sacrifice without thy Minister What crime is there in me that offendeth thy fatherhood Deniest thou unto him the fellowship of thy blood to whom thou hast committed the distribution of the Lords blood He having after three dayes respit promised the merciless Tyrant to declare where the Churches treasure lay caused a good company of poor Christians to be congregated and when the day of his answer was come and he was strictly charged to staud to his promise he stretching out his arms over the poor said These are the precious treasure of the Church these are the treasure indeed in whom the faith of Christ reigneth in whom Iesus Christ hath his mansion-place What more precious jewels can Christ have then those in whom he hath promised to dwell It is written I was hungry and ye gave me to eat I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink I was harbourless and ye lodged me Look what ye have done to the least of these the same have ye done to me No tongue is able to expreâ—s the Tyrant's fury and madness hereupon Kindle the fire of wood saith he make no spare Hath this Villain deluded the Emperour Away with him away with him whip him buffet him brain him Jesteth the Traitor with the Emperour roast him boyl him toss him turn him on pain of our high Displeasure do every one his office O ye Tormentors When he was on the fiery Gridiron which was as a soft Bed of Down to him he spake thus unto the Tyrant This side is now roasted enough Turn up O Tyrant great Essay whether roasted or raw Thou think the better meat Secondly Iohn Laurence who was burnt at Colchester March 29. An. 1555. He being not able to go being lamed with Irons in Prison was born to the fire in a Chair and whilst he sate in the fire the young children came about the fire and cried as well as they could Lord strengthen thy Servant and keep thy promise Lord strengthen thy Servant and keep thy promise Thirdly Henry Laurence who was burnt at Canterbury about the later end of August the same year He being required to put his hand to his Answers wrote Ye are all of Antichrist and him ye fol probably he would have written And him ye follow had not he been hindred Lawson Elizabeth Lawson continuing almost three years in Prison in which time her own Son and many others were burnt said often Good Lord what is the cause that I may not yet come to thee with thy children Well good Lord thy blessed Will be done and not mine This good old Woman about the age of sixty before she went to Prison had the Falling-sickness but she told a friend of hers That after she was apprehended she never had it more Leafe Bonner pressing Iohn Leafe an Apprentice of London to recant he said No but I will die in that Doctrine that Mr. Rogers Hooper Cardmaker c. died for My Lord you call mine Opinion Heresie it is the true Light of the Word of God and I profess I will never forsake my well-grounded Opinion whilst I have breath in my body When two Bills were sent to him in the Counter in Breadstreet the one containing a Recantation the other his Confessions to see which of them he would sign when that which contained his Confessions was read for he could neither read nor write in stead of a Pen he took a Pin and so pricking his hand sprinkled the blood upon the said Bill willing the Reader thereof to shew the Bishop that he had sealed the same Bill with his blood already Lewes Mrs. Ioyce Lewes was converted by Mr. Iohn Glover who after she was in some trouble willed her in any case not to meddle with that matter in respect of vain-glory or to get her self a Name shewing to her the great danger she was like to cast her self into if she should meddle in Gods matter otherwise then Christ doth teach When the Bishop reasoned with her she told him I find not these things in Gods Word which you urge and magnifie as things most needfull for mens Salvation If these things were in the same Word of God commanded I would with all my heart receive esteem and believe them The Bishop answering If thou wilt believe no more then is in the Scriptures concerning matters of Religion thou art in a damnable case she was amazed and being moved by the Spirit of God told him That his words were ungodly and wicked When news was brought of the coming down of the Writ de comburendo c. she sent for several Christians to consult with them how she might behave her self that her death might be more glorious to the Name of God comfortable to his people and most discomfortable to the enemies of God As for death said she I do not greatly pass when I behold the amiable Countenance of Christ my Dear Saviour the ugly face of death doth not greatly trouble me Two Priests sending her word that they were come to hear her Confession she sent them word again That she had made her Confession to Christ her Saviour at whose hands she was sure to have forgiveness of her sins As concerning the Cause for the which she should die she had no cause to confess that but rather to give unto God most humble praise that he did make her worthy to suffer death for his Word And as concerning that Absolution That they were able to give unto her by Authority from the Pope she did defie the same even from the bottom of her heart About three of the Clock in the morning before her Execution Satan questioned with her How she could tell that she was chosen to eternal life and that Christ died for her I grant that he died but that he died for thee How canst thou tell But Satan was soon put to flight and she comforted in Christ by arguing her Election and Christ dying for her in particular from her Vocation and the holy Spirit working in her heart love and desire towards God to please him and to be justified by him through Christ c. When the Sheriff about eight of the Clock
that morning came into her Chamber and told her bluntly That she had but one hour to live she was somewhat abashed but being told by a friend that she had great cause to praise God that he will so speedily take her out of this world c. She said Mr. Sheriff your message is welcome to me and I thank my God that he will make me worthy to adventure my life in his quarrel In her Prayer as she was going to the Stake she desired God most instantly to abolish the idolatrous Mass and to deliver this Realm from Popery To which most of the People said Amen yea the Sheriff himself Lucius He said to Urbicius a corrupt Judge threatning death I thank you with all my heart that free me and release me from wicked Governours and send me to my good and loving Father Luther How devoted Dr. Martin Luther was to the Pope when he first appeared and what brought him upon the Stage he himself tells us Above all things I desire the pious Reader and that for the sake of our Lord himself Christ Iesus not onely to read these things with judgement but with much pity knowing I was a Monk and a most mad Papist when I undertook this Cause so drunk with yea drowned in Popish Doctrines that I was most ready to kill and to co-work with the Murderers of all those who withdrew their obedience from the Pope in the least So great a Saul was I as there be yet many more I was not so cold in defending the Papacy as was Eccius himself and such as he c. So that thon wilt find in my first writings very many and great things humbly conceded to the Pope which now I account highest blasphemy and do abominate At first I was alone and most unfit and unable to handle so great matters I call God to witness that his Providence not my own will and purpose engaged me so far When in the year 1517. Indulgences were sold most shamefully I was then a Preacher and a young Doctour of Divinity as I was called and began to disswade the people from hearkning to the Sellers of Indulgences and therein I thought surely I had the Pope for my Patron and upon that confidence was very valiant seeing he doth in the Decrees condemn the immodesty of the Gatherers of money so he calleth the Preachers of Indulgences Thereupon I writ two Letters one to the Arch Bishop of Moguntz who had one half of the money for the Indulgences I knew not then that the other half did belong to the Pope the other to the Bishop of Branderburg beseeching them to restrain the impudence and blasphemy of the Gatherers of the money But the poor Monk was contemned Being contemned I published a short Disputation and a Sermon concerning Indulgences and afterwards my Resolutions and that for the Popes honour not that Indulgences might be condemned but that good works of charity might be preferred before them This was accounted troubling of Heaven and setting the world on fire I am accused unto the Pope and am cited to appear at Rome and against single me rise up the whole Papacy These things were done in the year 1518. whilst Maximilian the Emperour held a Council at Ausburg in which Cardinal Cajetane was the Popes Legate Him Prince Frederick Duke of Saxony prevailed with that I should not be compelled to go to Rome but have my business heard and composed by himself Being called before him poor I came on foot to Ausburg upon the cost of and with Letters of Credence from Prince Frederick to the Senate and some other good men who disswaded me after I was come from going to the Cardinal till I had Caesars safe conduct When the Cardinals Oratour was told by me so much he was angry What said he do you think that Prince Frederick will take up Arms for you I answered That I would by no means Where then said he will you abide I answered Under Heaven But said he if you had the Pope and Cardinals in your power what would you do I would said I give them all reverence and honour At my meeting with the Cardinal I made the following Protestation I Martin Luther an Augustine Frier protest that I do reverence and follow the Church of Rome in all my sayings and doings present past ond to come and if any thing hath been or shall be said by me to the contrary or otherwise I count it and will that it be counted and taken as though it never had been spoken Having before this writ to Pope Leo the Tenth thus I offer my self prostrate under the feet of your Holiness with all that I am and have Save me kill me call me recall me reprove me condemn me even as you please I will acknowledge your voice the Voice of Christ residing and speaking in you Here see men in my case how hard it is to rise out of errours generally received and by long custome becomes as it were natural How true the Proverb is It is hard to leave customes and custome is another nature and how truly Austine saith Custome if it be not resisted will become necessity I who had then seven years read and taught the Scriptures most diligently privately and publickly and had some taste of the knowledge of Christ viz. That we were justified and saved not by works but by faith in Christ and now defended publickly he means in his Dispute with Eccius at Lipsia in the year 1519. that the Pope is not by Divine Right Head of the Church yet I did not see what naturally followeth thence viz. That the Pope is therefore of necessity from the Devil for what is not of God is necessarily of the Devil I was I say so corrupted by example and the title of holy Church and Custome that I granted to the Pope an humane right which yet if it be not underpropt with Divine Authority is a lye and divelish for we must obey Parents and Magistrates not because they command but because it is the Will of God Hence I can better bear those that do even pertinaciously cleave unto Popery especially if they have not read the Scriptures seeing I that so many years most diligently read them did notwithstanding stick thereunto so firmly In the year 1519. the Pope sent Prince Frederick a golden Rose by Charles Miltitius who perswaded me earnestly to be reconciled to the Pope and to study the things of peace I promised that I would most willingly do whatsoever truth and my conscience would allow and assured him that I was most desirous of and studious for peace and seeing I was drawn and necessitated to do what I did what I did was not my fault Charles is accounted unwise and the course he took imprudent but in my judgement if the Bishop of Moguntz and the Pope before he had condemned me unheard had taken the same course the business had never come to this These things I
that my Lord Christ is stronger then our enemies that he will defend me from their rage if he will not his good will be done this I can confidently promise that no peril shall come to your Excellency for my sake An. 1522. In his Letter to Sebastian Schlick a Bohemian Nobleman The loathsome death of the Papacy is at hand and its unavoidable ruine approacheth and as Daniel saith She comes to an end and none shall help her In a short time I shall by my writings Christ favouring of me free the Bohemians from their reproach and cause that the name of Popery shall be odious and abominable throughout the world and that to be a Papist and to be anathematized shall be all one Iuly 15. 1522. In his Answer to King Henry the Eighth's Book against him Let not King Henry impute my sharpness against him to me but to himself If seeing that meer corruption and a wretched worm dare knowingly belye the Majesty of my Heavenly King it cannot but be lawfull for me for my Kings sake to bespatter the King of England with his own dirt and to trample under foot his Crown filled with blasphemy against Christ. The Lord cleared up his Will by degrees unto me till by the hand of the mighty Iacob it came to this that by evident and pure Scriptures I was convinced that the Pope Cardinals Bishops Priests Monks Masses and that whole Kingdome with their Doctrines and Ministries are meer lies idols and the very abomination standing in the holy place yea and the Scarlet Whore sitting upon the Beast drunk with the blood of Christs Witnesses and making the Kings of the Earth drunk with the cup of her fornications and abominations This Truth being discerned I was forced to retract some of my Writings and still do so being sorry at the very heart I ever writ one syllable in favour of the Pope and his Kingdome Yea I spake too modestly in my Treatise concerning the Babylonish Captivity of the Church in calling Papacy the Popes mighty hunting for that from the example of Nimrod may be said of all profane civil Powers to whom notwithstanding God would have us to be subject to honour them and pray for them I now say most truly That Papacy is the most pestilent abomination of Prince Satan Against the sayings of Fathers Men Angels Devils I set not ancient Custome not multitude but the Word of one Eternal God Here I stand sit abide glory triumph over the Papists Thomists Henry 's Sophisters and all the gates of Hell The Word of God is above all God is on my side what should I care if a thousand Austines a thousand Cyprians a thousand Churches of Henry be against me God cannot erre nor deceive but Austine and Cyprian as all the Elect may erre yea have erred Let the Henry's the Bishops the Turk and the Devil himself do what they can we are the children of the Kingdome worshipping and waiting for that Saviour whom they and such as they spit upon and crucifie If any be offended at my sharpness against the King let him take this Answer It is no great matter if I contemn and bite an earthly King whenas he feared not at all in his Writings to blaspheme the King of Heaven In the year 152â— a Diet was held at Norinberg in the absence of the Emperour wherein the Edict of Wormes was made null of this the Popes Legate complained to the Princes saying That Luther was not punished according to the Emperours Edict The Princes Answer was That the Court of Rome neglected Reformation that Germany was so far enlightned with the Sermons and Writings of Luther that if they should go about to put the Edict in execution great tumults would arise and the people would be ready to think that they went about to oppress the Truth and to put out the light of the Gospel that so they might the better defend those manifest vices which could be no longer concealed In the year 1525. Luther married Katherine a Boren who had formerly been a Nun The change of his Condition troubled him because of the unseasonableness of the time it being then when Germany weltred in the blood of the Clowns and Saxony mourned for the death of their Prince insomuch that Melancthon was fain to labour to comfort him all he could In his Letter to Melancthon who was much troubled at the rage of the Papists and Caesars threats to subvert the Gospel In private conflicts I am weak and you are strong but in publick conflicts you are found weak and I stronger because I am assured that our Cause is just and true If we fall Christ the Lord and Ruler of the world falleth with us and suppose he fall I had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar. I extremely dislike your excessive cares with which you say you are almost consumed That these reign in your heart it is not from the greatness of the danger but the greatness of your incredulity If the Cause be bad let us revoke it and fall back if it be good why do we make God a lyar Be of good comfort I have overcome the world If Christ be the Conquerour of the world why should we fear as if it would overcome us A man would fetch such Sentences as these upon his knees from Rome or Jerusalem Be not afraid â—e couragious and cheerfull solicitous for nothing the Lord is at hand to help us When the Diet was met at Ausburg in the year 1530. the Elector of Saxony sent to Luther to know Whether the Cause of Religion should be referred to the judgement of the Emperour He answered This honour is to be given to the Word of God onely to be Iudge of sacred Controversies In his Preface before the Smalcaâ—dian Articles In many Bishopricks divers Parishes are destitute of spiritual food c. I fear for this Christ will call a Council of Angels to destroy Germany as he destrâ—yed Sodom and Gomorrah Our sins weigh us down and suffer not God to be gracious to us because instead of repenting we defend our abominations O Lord Jesus Christ do thou summon and hold a Council and redeem thy Servants by the glorious coming The Popes and Popelings are past cure therefore help us poor and distressed men who groan unto thee and seek thee with our hearts c. When the Papists charged him for an Apostaâ—e he yielded himself to be one but a blessed and holy one who had not kept his promise made to the Devil I am said he no otherwise a Revolter then a Magician renouncing his Covenant made with the Devil and betaking himself to Christ. When he fell sick of the Stone he made his Will in which he bequeathed his Detestation of Popery to his Friends and to the Pastours of the Church having made before this Verse Pestis eram vivus moriens â—ro mortua Papa In English thus I living
for one of those precious Chains about his neck in honour of his Lord. Why I pray you said he do you deny me the badge of so excellent an Order Is not my Cause the same with theirs Marsh. Mr. George Marsh Minister in Lancashire writes thus concerning his Troubles My Friends and Relations advised me to flee If I were taken said they and would not recant as they thought I would not and God strengthning and assisting me never shall it would not onely put them to great sorrow and losses and shame but also my self after troubles and painful imprisonment unto shameful death To their counsel my weak flesh would gladly have consented but my spirit did not fully agree thinking and saying thus unto my self That if I so fled away it would be thought and reported that I did not onely flee my Countrey and nearest and dearest Friends but from Christ holy Word of late years within my heart or at least with my life professed and with my mouâ—h taught I knew not what to do but ceased not by earnest prayer to ask and seek counsel of God aâ—â— of other my Friends whose godly judgement and knowledge I much trusted to Still I was undetermined what to do but told a Friend that had prayed with me for direction I doubted not but God according as our prayer and trust was would give me such wisdome and counsel as should be most to his honour and glory the profit of my Neighbours and Brethren and mine own eternal salvation by Christ in Heaven At length one came to me with Letters from a faithful Friend which I never read nor looked on who said thus My Friends advice was that I should in no wise flee but abide and boldly confess the Faith of Jesus Christ. At which words I was so confirmed and established in my Conscience that from thenceforth I consulted no more whether it were better to flee or to tarry but was at a point with my self that I would not flee but go to Mr. Barton who did seek me and patiently bear what cross it should please God to lay upon me Whereupow my mind and conscience being much troubled before was now merry and in quiet state Thereupon I went to Mr. Barton He shewed me a Letter from the Earl of Derby wherein he was commanded to send me to Lathum Thither I went The Earl asked me whether I was one that sowed dissention among the people I denied it and desired to know mine Accusers but that could not be granted He asked me whether I was a Priest I said No but a Minister c. I was asked whether I had ministred with a good Conscience I answered I had ministred one year with a good Conscience I thanked God and if the Laws of the Realm would have suffered me I would have ministred still and if the Laws at any time hereafter would suffer me to minister after that sort I would minister again The Vicar of Prescot having communed with me a good while concerning the Sacrament of the Altar told my Lord and his Council that the answer which I had made before and then made was sufficient for a Beginner and one that did not profess a perfect Knowledge in that matter and thereupon I had more favour Hereupon I was much more troubled in my spirit then before because I had not with more boldness confessed Christ but in such sort as mine Adversaries thereby thought they should prevail against me Hitherto I went about as much as lay in me to rid my self out of their hands if by any means without open denying of Christ and his Word that could be done This considered I cried more earnestly to God to strengthen me with his holy Spirit with boldness to confess him and to deliver me from their enticing words and that I might not be spoiled through their Philosophy and deceitful vanity after the traditions of men and ordinances of the world and not after Christ. The Vicar of Prescot and Parson of Grapnal much exhorted me to leave mine Opinions saying I was much deceived understanding the Scriptures amiss and much counselled me to follow the Catholick Church of Christ and to do as others did I answered My faith in Christ conceived by his holy Word I neither might nor would deny alter or change for any living creature whatsoâ—vâ—r â—e were Afterwards Mr. Sherburn and Mr. Mâ—â—r perswaded me to leave mine Opinions because of the advâ—rsity of the Maintainers of them and the prosperity of the Favourers of the Religion now used I answered That I believed and leaned onely to the Scriptures not judging things by prosperity or adversity They advised me not to let shame hinder me from renouncing mine Opinions I answered That what I did I did not for the avoiding of any worldly shame saying My soul and life were dearer to me then the avoiding of any worldly shame neither yet did I it for any vain praise of the world but in the reverent fear of the Lord. Mr. Sherburn told me that it was great pity I should cast my self away c. I answered That my Life Mother Children Brethren Sisters and Friends with other Delights of this life were as dear and sweet to me as unto any other man and that I should be as loth to lose them as another would if I might hold them with a good conscience and without the ignominy of Christ. But seeing I could not do that my trust was that God would strengthen me with his holy Spirit to lose them all for his sake for I take my self said I for a Sheep appointed to be slain patiently to suffer what cross soever it shall please my merciful Father to lay upon me After this Mr. Moor told me I was unlearned and erred from the Catholick Faith stubborn and stood altogether in mine own conceit I answered For my learning I acknowledge my self to know nothing but Jesus Christ even him that was crucified and that my Faith was grounded on Gods holy Word onely and such as I doubted not pleased God and as I would stand in to the last God assisting me and that I did not say or do any thing of stubbornness self-wilfulness vain-glory or any other worldly purpose but with good conscience and in the fear of God Desiring him to speak to my Lord and his Council that I might find some mercy at their hands but he giving me but short answer then I said I commit my Cause to God who hath numbred the hairs of my head and appointed the dayes of my life saying I am sure God who is a Righteous Iudge would make inquisition for my blood according as he hath promised I desire the Reader of this Relation to pray for me and all them that be in bonds that God would assist us with his holy Spirit that we may with boldness confess his holy Name and that Christ may be magnified in our bodies that we may stand full and perfect
arrogancy singularity and vain-glory that he would not see what was clearly proved Ha my Lords said Mr. Philpot is it now time think you for me to follow singularity or vain-glory since it is now upon danger of my life and death not onely presently but also before God to come I know if I die in the true Faith I shall die everlastingly or if I do not as you would have me you will kill me and many thousands more yet had I rather perish at your hands then to perish eternally And at this time I have lost all my commodities of this world and now lie in a Cole-house where a man would not lay a Dog with the which I am well contented The Bishop of Glocester asking him What do you think your self better learned then so many notable learned men as be here Mr. Philpot answered Elias alone had the Truth when there were four hundred Priests against him The Bishop telling him Elias was deceived for he thought there had been none good but himself and there were seven thousand besides him Mr. Philpot answered Yea but he was not deceived in Doctrine as the other four hundred were He told the Bishop of London at his third appearâ—nce before him My Lord in that you say you will â—it on me in judgement to morrow I am glad thereof I look for none other but death at your hands and I am as ready to yield my life in Christs Cause as you be to require it Dr. Story telling him What you purpose to be a stinking Martyr and to sit in judgement with Christ at the last Day to judge the twelve Triles of Israel Yea Sir said Mr. Philpot I doubt not thereof having the promise of Christ If I die for righteousness sake which you have begun to persecute in me The Chancellor of Lichfield advising him not to cast himself away wilfully He answered My conscience beareth me record that I seek to please God and that the love and fear of God causeth me to do as I do and I were of all other creatures most miserable if for mine own will onely I do lose all the commodities I might have in this life and afterward be cast to damnation but I am sure it is not my will whereon I stand but Gods Will which will not suffer me to be cast away I am sure Mr. Philpot being sent for by Bonnâ—r that he might go with him to Mass the Keepers as they were going along asked him Will you go to Mass Mr. Philpot answered My stomack this morning is too raw to digest such raw meats of flesh blood and bone When he was put into the stocks he said God be praised that he hath thought me worthy to suffer any thing for his Names sake Better it is to sit in the stocks of this world then to sit in the stocks of a damable conscience As he was conveyed out of the Cole-house into a close Tower joyning to Paul's Church through many straits There said he I called to remembrance that strait is the way to Heaven Harpsfield accusing him for being like himself in Oxford when in Disputation he would not give over He said Mr. Harpsfield you know in the Schools of Oxford when we were young men we did strive much upon vain-glory and contention more then for the Truth and if I was then in the time of my ignorance earnest in my own cause I ought now to be earnest in my Master Christs Cause and his Truth I know now that nothing done upon vain-glory and singularity can please God have it never so goodly a shew Morgan telling him he should be burned for his Heresie and afterwards go to Hell fire He said I tell thee thou Hypocrite that I pass not this for thy Fire and Fagots neither do I I thank God my Lord stand in fear of the same my faith in Christ shall overcome them but the Hell fire which thou threatnest me is thy portion and is prepared for thee unless thou speedily repent and for such Hypocrites as thou art When Bonner would not grant him candle light he said Seeing I shall not have my request the Lord shall be my light I would my Burning Day were to morrow for this delay is every day to die and yet not to be dead Dr. Chedsey telling him he was not like to die yet He answered I am the more sorry thereof but the Will of the Lord be done of me to his glory Amen Bonner telling him That he made other Prisoners rejoyce and sing with him he said Yea my Lord we shall sing when you and such as you are shall cry Vae vae wo wo except you repent The Bishop of Worcester bidding him to follow his Fathers before him he said It is forbidden us of God by the Prophet Ezekiel to follow our Fathers or to walk in their commandments The Bishop replying It is written also in another Place Ask of your Fathers Mr. Philpot rejoyn'd We ought indeed to ask our Fathers that have more experience and knowledge then we of Gods Will but no more to allow them then we perceive they agree with the Scriptures Pray for grace said the Bishop Prayer said Philpot is the comfortablest exercise I feel in my trouble and my conscience is quiet and I have peace of mind which cannot be the fruits of Heresie My Lords said Philpot to the Bishops you must bear with me since I speak in Christs Cause and because his glory is defaced and his people cruelly and wrongfully slain by you because they will not consent to the dishonour of God if I told you not your fault it would be required at my hands at the Day of Judgement Therefore know ye Hypocrites indeed That it is the Spirit of God that telleth you your sin not I I pass not I thank God of all your cruelty God forgive it you and give you grace to repent When he was condemned for an Heretick He said I thank God I am an Heretick out of your cursed Church but I am no Heretick before God The Chief Keeper greeting him thus Ah! hast not thou done well to bring thy self hither he said Well I must be content for it is Gods appointment The Keeper promising him all favour if he would recant Nay said Mr. Philpot I will never recant whilst I have my life that which I have spoken for it is most certain truth and in witness hereof I will seal it with my blood A Messenger coming to him from the Sheriffe bade him make ready for the next day he should be burned at a Stake with fire Mr. Philpot returned this Answer I am ready God grant me strength and a joyfull Resurrection And so he went into his Chamber and poured out his Spirit unto the Lord God giving him most hearty thanks that he of his mercy had made him worthy to suffer for his Truth His Servant taking his leave of
of the common Laws the common quieâ— should be disturbed How can you say you will be the Queens true Subject whenas you do openly profess you will not keep her Laws Answ. I grant it to be reasonable that he that â—y words and gentleness cannot be made to yield to that which is right and good he that will not be subject to Gods Word should be punished by the Laws These things ought to take place against him who refuseth to do that is right and just according to true godliness not against him which cannot bear superstitions quietly but doth hate and detost from his heart such kind of proceedings and that for the glory of the Name of God Whosoever love their Countrey in Truth i. e. in God they will alwayes judge if at any time the Laws of God and man are contrary that a man ought rather to obey God then man and they that think otherwise and pretend a love to their Countrey forasmuch as they make their Countrey to fight as it were against God in whom consisteth the onely stay of that Countrey such are to be judged most deadly enemies and Traitors to their Countrey Satan indeed hath ever this dart in readiness to hurl against his Adversaries to accuse them of sedition that he may bring them if he can in danger of the higher Powers Thus Ahab said unto Elias Art thou he that troubleth Israel The false prophets complained of Jeremy to their Princes that his words were seditious and not to be suffered The Scribes and Pharises accused Christ as a seditious person and one that spake against Caesar. Did not they at the last cry If you let this man go you are not Caesars friend Thus the Oratour Tertullus accused Paul before Felix the Deputy We have found this man saith he a pestilent fellow and a stirrer up of sedition unto all the Iews in the whole world But were these indeed seditious persons God forbid but they were of men falsly accused and wherefore I pray you but because the reproved before the people their guiles superstitions and deceits A man indeed ought to obey his Prince but in the Lord and never against the Lord for he that knowingly obeyeth his Prince against God doth not a duty to the Prince but is a deceiver of the Prince and a helper to him to work his own destruction He is also unjust which giveth not to the Prince that is the Princes and to God that is Gods Hitherto you see good Father how I have in words onely made a flourish before the fight which I shortly look for and how I have begun to prepare certain kind of weapons to fight against the adversary of Christ. And here methinks I see you suddenly lifting up your head to Heaven after your manner and then looking upon me with your Prophetical Countenance and speaking thus unto me Trust not my Son I beseech you vouchsafe me the honour of this Name for in so doing I shall think my self both honoured and loved of you Trust not to these word-weapons for the Kingdome of God is not in words but in power Remember alwayes the words of the Lord Do not imagine aforehand what and how you will speak for it shall be given you even in that same hour what ye shall speak Mat. 10. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Mar. 11. I pray you therefore Father pray for me that I may cast my whole care on him and trust on him in all perils for I know and am surely perswaded that whatsoever I can think aforehand is nothing except he assist me with his Spirit when the time is Pray that I may out of a true Faith say with David I will not trust in my bow and it is not my sword that shall save me Psal. 44. For he hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse c. But the Lord delights in them that fear him and put their trust in his mercy I beseech you Pray pray pray that I may enter this fight onely in the Name of God In his Letter to Mr. Bradford and his Fellow-Prisoners How joyfull it was to us to hear the report of Dr. Tailor and of his godly Confession c. I assure you it is hard for me to express Blessed be God which was and is the Giver of that and of all godly strength and stomack in the time of adversity It is not the slanderers evil tongue but a mans evil deed that can with God defile a man and therefore with Gods grace ye shall never have cause to doubt but that we will continue c. Sir Blessed be God with all our evil reports grudges and restraints we are merry in God and all our cure and care is and shall be by Gods grace to please and serve him of whom we look and hope after these temporal and momentary miseries to have eternal joy and perpetual felicity with Abraham c. through Jesus Christ our Lord. In his Letter to his Cousin I can do no less then lament their case who for fear of trouble or loss of goods will do in the sight of the world those things they know and are assured are contrary to the Will of God being assdred their end will be so pitifull without speedy repentance that I tremble to think of it Alas such as should in this dangerous time have given you and me comfortable instructions have perswaded us to follow I lament to rehearse it superstitious Idolatry yea and the worst of all is they seek to prove it by Scriptures The Lord for his mercy turn their hearts Amen In another Letter to Mr. Bradford Oh dear Brother seeing the time is now come wherein it pleaseth the Heavenly Father for Christ our Saviour his sake to call upon you and to bid you come happy are you that ever you were born thus to be found awake at the Lords Calling If it be not the place that sanctisieth the man but the holy man doth by Christ sanctifie the place then happy and holy shall be that place where in thou shalt suffer and which shall be sprinkled over with thy ashes in Christs Cause All thy Countrey may rejoyce of thee that it ever brought forth such an one which would render his life again in his Cause of whom he had received it We do look now every day when we shall be called on blessed be God I ween I am the weakest many wayes of our company and yet I thank our Lord God and Heavenly Father by Christ that since I heard of our dear Brother Rogers his departing and stout confession of Christ and his Truth even unto death my heart blessed be God rejoyced of it that since that time I never felt any lumpish heaviness in my heart as I grant I have felt sometimes before Oh good Brother blessed be God in thee and blessed be the time that ever I knew thee In his
Letter to the Brethren imprisoned What worthy thanks can we render unto the Lord for you my Brethren namely for the great consolation which through you we have received in the Lord who notwithstanding the rage of Satan that goeth about by all manner of subtile means to beguile the world and also busily laboureth to restore and set up his Kingdome again that of late began to decay and to fall to ruine ye remain still unmoveable as men grounded upon a strong rock And now albeit that Satan by his Souldiers and wicked Ministers daily as we hear draweth numbers unto him so that it is said of him That he plucketh even the Stars out of Heaven whiles he driveth into some men the fear of death and loss of all their Goods and offereth unto others the pleasant baits of the world c. to the intent they should fall down and worship not the Lord but the Dragon the old Serpent which is the Devil that great beast and his image and should be enticed to commit fornication with the Strumpet of Babylon c. Yet blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath given unto you a manly courage and hath so strengthned you in the inward man by the Power of his Spirit that you can contemn as well all the terrours as also the vain allurements of the world esteeming them as meer trifles and things of nought In the Faith of Christ stand ye fast my Brethren and suffer not your selves to be brought under the yoke of bondage and superstition any more and be of good comfort and remember that our grand Captain hath overcome the world We never had a better or more just cause either to contemn our life or shed our blood we cannot take in hand the defence of a more certain clear and manifest Truth Shall we or can we receive and acknowledge any other Christ instead of him who is alone the everlasting Son of the everlasting Father c. Let such wickedness my Brethren let such horrible wickedness be far from us What can your Adversaries else do unto you by persecuting you and working all cruelty and villainy against you but make your Crowns more glorious yea beautifie and multiply the same c. In another Letter to the Brethren Now even now out of doubt Brethren the pit is opened against us and the locusts begin to swarm and Abaddon now reigneth ye therefore my Brethren which pertain unto Christ and have the Seal of God marked in your foreheads i. e. are sealed with the Earnest of the Spirit to be a peculiar people of God quit your selves like men and be strong for he that is in us is stronger then he which is in the world and ye know all that is born of God overcometh the world and this is our victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Let the world fret let it rage never so much be it never so cruel and bloody yet be sure that no man can take us out of the Fathers hands for he is greater then all c. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect c. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation c. In his Letter to Mr. West his quondam Chaplain I wish you grace in God and love of the Truth without which truly established in mens hearts by the mighty hand of the Almighty God it is no more possible to stand by the Truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the wax to abide the heat of the fire I am perswaded Christs words to be true Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven and I believe that no earthly Creature shall be saved whom the Redeemer and Saviour of the world shall before his Father deny If you had wished that neither fear of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain Gods Word and his Truth which is his glory and true honour it would have like me well You desire me for Gods sake to remember my self Indeed it is now time so to do for so far as I can perceive it standeth me upon no less danger then of the loss both of body and soul and I trow then it is time for a man to awake if any thing will awake him He that will not fear him that threatneth to cast both body and soul into everlasting fire whom will he fear With this fear O Lord fasten thou together our frail flesh that we never swerve from thy laws You say you have made much suit for me God grant that you have not in suing for my worldly deliverance impaired and hindred the furtherance of Gods Word and his Truth To write unto these whom you name I cannot see what it will avail me but this I would have you know That I esteem nothing available for me which also will not further the glory of God Sir How nigh the day of my dissolution and departure out of this world is at hand I cannot tell the Lords Will be fulfilled how soon soever it shall come My conscience moves me to require both you and my Friend Dr. Harvey to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth and preaching of Gods Word and his Truth These promises although you shall not need to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world yet look for none other but to be charged with them at Gods hand My conscience and the love I bear you biddeth me now say unto you both in Gods Name fear God and love not the world for God is able to cast both soul and body into hell fire What is it else to confess or deny Christ in this world but to maintain the Truth taught in Gods Word or for any worldly respect to shrink from the same He that will wittingly forsake either for fear or gain of the world any one open Truth of Gods Word if he be constrained he will assuredly forsake God and all his Truth rather then he will endanger himself to lose or to leave that he loveth indeed better then he doth God and the Truth of his Word I like very well your plain speaking telling me I must either agree or die Sir I know I must die whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could never escape the death which is common to all and also incur the guilt of death and eternal damnation Lord grant that I may utterly abhor and detest this damnable agreement so long as I live If you do not confess and maintain to your power and knowledge that which is grounded upon Gods Word but will either for fear or gain of the world shrink and play the Apostate indeed you shall die the death In his Letter to Mr. Grindall then in Exile at Frankford afterward Arch Bishop
of Canterbury Rejoyce in the Lord and as you love me and the other my Reverend Fathers and Concaptives which undoubtedly are gloria Christi lament not our state but I beseech you to give to our Heavenly Father for his endless mercies and unspeakable benefits even in the midst of all our troubles given to us most hearty thanks for know ye that as the weight of his Cross hath encreased upon us so he hath not nor doth he cease to multiply his mercies to strengthen us and I trust yea by his grace I doubt nothing but he will so do for Christ our Masters sake even to the end West your old Companion and sometime my Chaplain alas hath relented but the Lord hath shortned his dayes soon after he had said Mass against his conscience he pined away and died for sorrow My daily Prayer is as God doth know and by Gods grace shall be so long as I live in this world for you my Dear Brethren that are fled out of your own Countrey because you will rather forsake all worldly things then the Truth of Gods Word that God our eternal Father for our Saviour Christs sake will daily encrease in you the gracious gift of his Heavenly Spirit to the true setting forth of his Glory and Gospel and make you to agree brotherly in the Truth of the same that there arise no root of bitterness among you that may infect that good seed which God hath sown in your hearts already and that your life may be pure and honest according to the Rule of Gods Word that others may be in love with your Doctrine and with you and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Now we expect nothing but the triumphant Crowns in the Lord of our Confession from our old enemy I commend my self humbly and heartily to your Prayers Dr. Grindal and to the rest of the Brethren with you dearly beloved by me in the Lord viz. Cheek Cox Turner Lever Sampson Chambers c. and others who love the Lord in Truth I commend also to you my Reverend Fathers and Fellow-prisoners in the Lord Thomas Cranmer now most worthy the Name of a true and great Shepherd yea Arch Bishop and Hugh Latimer that old Souldier of Christs and the true Apostle of our English Nation In his Letter to Augustine Bornher Brother Augustine I bless God with all my heart in his manifold merciful gifts given unto our dear Brethren in Christ specially to our Brother Rogers c. and also to Hooper Saunders and Tailor whom it hath pleased the Lord to set in the forefront of the Battel against his Adversaries and hath endued them all so far as I can hear to stand in the Confession of his Truth and to be content in his Cause and for his Gospels sake to lose their lives And evermore and without end blessed be our Heavenly Father for our dear and entirely beloved Brother Bradford whom now I perceive the Lord calleth for for I ween he will no longer suffer him to abide among the adulterous and wicked generation of this world I doubt not but he hath holpen those which are gone before in their journey that is hath animated and encouraged them to keep the high way and so to run that at length they might obtain the Prize The Lord be his comfort whereof I do not doubt I thank God heartily that ever I was acquainted with him and that ever I had such an one in my house I trust to God it shall please him of his goodness to strengthen me to make up the Trinity out of Paul's Church to suffer for Christ c. Upon the thirtieth of September 1555. Dr. Ridley with Father Latimer was brought before the Queens Commissioners to undergo his last Examination Whilst the Commission was reading he stood bare till he heard the Cardinal named and the Popes Holiness then he put on his Cap and being admonished by the Bishoy of Lincoln the Popes Delegate to pull it off he answered I do not put it on in contempt of your Lordship nor of the Cardinal in that he came of Royal Blood c. but that by this my behaviour I may make it appear that I acknowledge in no point the usurped Supremacy of Rome and therefore I contemn and despite all Authority coming from the Pope As for taking off my Cap do as it shall please your Lordships and I shall be content When Lincoln in a long Rhetorical Speech perswaded him to recant c. he said My Lord in your Exhortation I have marked especially three points which you used to perswade me to leave my Doctrine and Religion which I perfectly know and am throughly perswaded to be grounded not upon mans imaginations and decrees but upon the infallible Truth of Christs Gospel and to look back and return to the Romish See contrary to my Oath contrary to the Prerogative and Crown of this Realm and especially which moveth me most contrary to the expressed Word of God 1 That the See of Rome taking his â—eginning from Peter upon whom you say Christ hath builded his Church hath in all ages lineally from Bishop to Bishop been brought to this time 2 That the holy Fathers in their Writings from time to time have confessed the same 3 That I was once of the same Opinion For the first Christ in saying Upon this stone doth not mean Peter himself c. but his Confession that he was the Son of God upon this Rock-stone I will build my Church for this is the foundation and beginning of all Christianity with word heart and mind to confess that Christ is the Son of God Christs Church is built not on the frailty of man but upon the stable and infallible Word of God that Christ is the Son of God Whilst the See of Rome continued in the Promotion and setting forth of Gods glory and due preaching of the Gospel the Fathers commended and honoured Rome and so do I but after the Bishops of that See seeking their own pride and not Gods honour set themselves above Kings challenging to them the Title of Gods Vicars c. I cannot but with S. Gregory a Bishop of Rome confess that the Bishop of that place is the very true Antichrist whereof St. Iohn speaketh by the name of the Whore of Babylon For the third I cannot but confess I was once of the same Religion you are of yet so was St. Paul a Persecutour of Christ. Lincoln farther urging him to recant c. he said am fully perswaded that Christs Church is foundâ—d in every place where his Gospel is truly received and effectually followed Your gentleness is the same that Christ had of the High Priests Your Lordship saith You have no power to condemn me neither at any time to put a man to death so the High Priests said That it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death but committed Christ to Pilate neither would suffer him
will have his course When his Brother brought him Gun-powder he said I will take it to be sent of God therefore I will receive it as sent of him To my Lord Williams he said My Lord I must be a Suitor to you for divers poor men and my Sister c. There is nothing in all this world troubleth my conscience I praise God this onely excepted When he saw the fire flaming towards him he said Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord receive my soul Lord have mercy upon me In his Letter to all his true Friends I warn you all that ye be not amazed or astonied at the kind of my departure and dissolution for I assure you I think it the most honour that ever I was called to in all my life and therefore I thank my Lord God heartily for it c. For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death are Gods causes and the causes of the Truth then I doubt that the Gospel which Iohn wrote is the Gospel of Christ or that Paul's Epistles are the very Word of God And to have an heart willing to abide and stand in Gods Cause and in Christs Quarrel even unto death I assure thee O man it is an inestimable gift of God given onely to the true Elect and dearly beloved Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven for the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christs Cause St. Peter 1 Pet. 4. saith If ye suffer rebuke in the Name of Christ i. e. in Christs Cause and for his Truths sake then are ye happy and blessed for the glory of the Spirit of God resteth upon you and if for rebukes suffered in the Name of Christ a man is pronounced blessed and happy how much more blessed and happy is he that hath the grace to suffer death also Wherefore all ye that be my true Lovers and Friends rejoyce and rejoyce with me again and render with me hearty thanks to God our heavenly Father that for his Sons sake my Saviour and Redeemer Christ he hath vouchsafed to call me being so vile and sinfull a wretch in my self unto the high dignity of his true Prophets of his faithfull Apostles and of his holy Elect and chosen Martyrs to die in defence and maintenance of his eternal and everlasting Truth If ye love me indeed you have cause to rejoyce for that it hath pleased God to call me to a greater honour and dignity then ever I did enjoy before either in Rochester or London or should have had in Durham whereunto I was last of all elected yea I count it greater honour before God indeed to die in his Cause then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honour that can be given to a man in this world And who is he that knoweth the Cause to be Gods to be Christs Quarrel and of his Gospel to be the Commonweal of all the Elect and chosen Children of God of all the Inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven Who is he I say that knoweth this assuredly by Gods own Word and the Testimony of his Conscience as I through the infinite goodness of God not of my self but by his grace acknowledge my self to do and doth in deed and in truth love and fear God love and believe his Master Christ and his blessed Gospel and the Brotherhood the chosen Children of God and also lusteth and longeth for eternal life who is he I say again that would not that cannot find in his heart in this Cause to be content to die Farewell Pembrohe Hall in C. of late mine own Colledge my Cure and my Charge what cafe thou art in now God knoweth I know not well Wo is me for thee mine own dear Colledge if ever thou suffer thy self by any means to be brought from setting forth Gods true Word In thy Orchard I learned without Book all Pauls Epistles yea and I ween all the Canonical Epistles save only the Apocalyps Of which study although in time a great part did depart from me yet the sweet smell thereof I trust I shall carry with me into Heaven The Lord grant that this zeal and love to that part of Gods Word which is a Key to all the Scripture may ever abide in that Colledge so long as the world shall endure O thou now wicked and bloody See of London c. hearken thou whorish Bawd of Babylon thou wicked limb of Antichrist thou bloody Wolf why slayest thou and makest havock of the Prophets of God why murthereft thou so cruelly Christs poor silly Sheep which will not hear thy voice because thou art a stranger and will follow none other but their own Pastor Christ his voice Thinkest thou to escape or that the Lord will not require the blood of his Saints at thy hands Instead of my farewell to thee now I say fie upon thee fie upon thee silthy Drab and all thy false Prophets To you my Lords of the Temporality will I speak c. Know ye that I had before mine eyes onely the fear of God and Christian charity toward you that moved me to write for of you hereafter I look not in this world either for pleasure or displeasure if my talk shall do you never so much pleasure or profit you cannot promote me nor if I displease you can you harm me for I shall be out of your reach I say unto you as St. Paul saith unto the Galatians I wonder my Lords what hath bewitched you that ye so suddenly are fallen from Christ unto Antichrist from Christs Gospel unto mans Traditions from the Lord that bought you unto the Bishop of Rome I warn you of your perill be not deceived except you will be found willingly consenters to your own death Understand my Lords it was neither for the priviledge of the Place or Person thereof that the See and Bishop of Rome were called Apostolick but for the true trade of Christs Religion which was taught and maintained in that See at the first of those godly men and therefore as truly and justly as that See then for that true trade of Religion and consanguinity of Doctrine with the Religion and Doctrine of Christs Apostle was called Apostolick so as truly and as justly for the contrariety of Religion and diversity of Doctrine from Christ and his Apostles that See and the Bishop thereof at this day both ought to be called and are indeed Antichristian The See is the Seat of Satan and the Bishop of the same that maintaineth the Abominations thereof is Antichrist himself indeed As for your displeasure by that time this shall come to your knowledge I trust by Gods grace to be in the hands and protection of the Almighty my heavenly Father the living Lord the greatest of all and then I shall not need I trow to fear what any Lord no nor what King or Prince can do unto me Much cause have you to
examined before me The Lord grant us grace to stand together fighting lawfully in his Cause till we be smitten down together if the Lords Will be so to permit it for there shall not an hair of our heads perish against his Will but with his Will whereunto the same Lord grant us to be obedient unto the end and in the end Amen Sweet mighty and mercifull Lord Jesus the Son of David and of God Amen Amen let every true Christian say and pray I told the Chancellor That I would not be out of the Catholick Church but into his Church by Gods grace I would never come Well said he then is our Church false and Antichristian Yes said I. When I desired leave to confirm my Doctrine by writing you would not grant it because I was a private person and the Parliament was above the Authority of all private Persons and therefore the sentence thereof might not be found fault with c. And yet my Lord said I I can shew that one man hath come into a general Council and after the whole had agreed upon an Article hath by the Word of God declared so pithily that the Council had erred in declaring the said Article that he caused the whole Council to alter their Act. Panormitanus also said I saith That unto a simple Lay-man that bringeth the Word of God with him there ought to be given more credit then to a whole Council assembled together The Chancellor facing me and hoping to dash me out of Couutenance I told him in that Cause being Gods Cause he should not make me afraid to speak I was never the worse but the better to be earnest in a just and true cause and in my Master Christs matters When Winchester had read the Condemnation he declared that I was in the great curse c. Well my Lord said I here I stand before God and you and all this honourable Audience and take him to witness that I never wittingly nor willingly taught any false Doctrine and therefore have I a good conscience before God and all good men I am sure you and I shall come before a God that is righteous before whom I shall be as good a man as you and I nothing doubt but that I shall be found there a true Member of the true Catholick Church of Christ and everlastingly saved and as for your false Church ye need not to excommunicate me forth of it I have not been in it these twenty years the Lord be thanked therefore But now ye have done what ye can my Lord I pray you yet grant me one thing that my poor wife being a stranger and having ten children by me may come and speak with me as long as I live She shall not come at thee said he Then I have tried out all your charity said I. Two things more I purposed to have touched if I could have been permitted The one how it was lawfull for a private man to reason and write against a wicked Act of Parliament or ungodly Council c. The other was to prove that Prosperity was not alwayes a token of Gods love For the first I shall adde one example more The high Priests the Elders Scribes and Pharisees decreed in their Council and gave â—he same command to the Apostles that they should â—ot preach in the Name of Christ as ye have also forbidden us Notwithstanding when they were charged therewithall they answered We ought more to obey God then man Even so we may answer you God is more to be obeyed then man and your wicked Laws cannot so tongue-tie us but we will speak the Truth The Apostles were beaten for their boldness and they rejoyced that they suffered for Christs Cause Ye have also provided rods for â—s and bloody whips yet when ye have done that which Gods Hand and Counsel hath determined that ye shall do be it life or death I trust that â—od will so assist us by his holy Spirit and Grace that we shall patiently suffer it and praise God for it And whatsoever become of me and others which now suffer for speaking and professing the Truth yet be ye sure that Gods Word will prevail and have the upper hand when your bloody Laws and wicked Decrees for want of sure foundation shall fall in the dust For the second point It may please your Lordship to understand That we poor Preachers whom you so evil intreat did most boldly and plainly rebuke the evil government of those under King Edward in many things especially their covetousness and neglect and small regard to live after the Gospel as also their negligence to occasion others to live thereafter I might instance in what I once did at Paul's Cross for which I was fain to answer before all the Council and many of my Brethren did the like so that we for the not rebuking of their faults shall not answer before God nor be blame-worthy before men I am an English man born and God knoweth do naturally wish well to my Countrey I have often proved that the things which I have much feared should come to pass have indeed followed I fear you have and will with your Governing bring England out of Gods Blessing into a warm Sun I pray God I may fail of my guessing in this behalf but truly that Englands welfare will not be with expelling the true Word of God out of the Realm and the shedding innocent blood Gods works are wonderfull and incomprehensible by mans Wisdome c. He hath put his Beloved and Dear Heart into his enemies hands This to worldly wise men is a madness above all madness and yet God doth this Can the world shew the cause This I am right sure of that it was not because they were in Heresies and subject to false gods services and idolatry and their enemies men of God and beloved of God The Herods and Pharaohs plainly determined that if the men which they killed and handled evil had been Gods people God would never have suffered them to come into their hands but rather have done the contrary and have let Iohn Baptist kill Herod and the Israelites Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar Even the like is now to be seen in us and in our most cruel adversaries They are not therefore the Catholick Church because our mercifull God hath at this present given our lives into their hands neither are we therefore Hereticks because we suffer punishment at their hands The holy men of God recorded in Scripture were in their dayes accounted to be Hereticks Seditious and Dâ—sturbers of the whole world But here they will cry out Lo these men will be still like â—â—hn Baptists the Apostles and Prophets c. I anâ—â—er We make not our selves like to them in doing â—iracles c. but onely in this in Doctrine and in â—ffering persecution and infamy for the same We â—â—ve preached their very Doctrine and none other â—â—ing and for this Cause
we suffer the like reproach â—ame and rebuke of the world and the like perâ—ecution losing of our goods and lives forsaking as â—â—r Master Christ commandeth Father Mother â—â—ster Brethren Wives Children and all â—â—at there is being assured of a joyfull Resurâ—â—ction and to be crowned in glory with them â—ccording to the infallible Promises made unto us in Christ our onely and sufficient Mediatour c. But let us consider that if it be Gods good will and pleasure to give his own beloved heart i. e. his beloved Church and the Members thereof into the hands of their Enemies â—o chasten try and prove them and to bring them â—o the true unfeigned acknowledging of their own â—atural stubbornness disobedience towards God â—nd his Commands as touching the love of God â—nd their Brethren and their natural inclination â—and readiness to love Creatures to seek their own â—usts and pleasures c. to promote repentance in â—hem and crying to God for forgiveness and for he said of the Spirit daily to mortifie those evil deâ—ires and lusts c. with many other causes What doth he hereafter with those Enemies into whose â—ands he hath given his tenderly beloved Darlings He destroyeth and damneth the impenitent Enemies as is evident in Herod Pharaoh c. And think ye that bloody butcherly Bishop of W. and his most bloody Brethren shall escape or that England shall not for their offences and especially for the maintenance of their Idolatry and wilful following of them not abide a great brunt Ye undoubtedly If God look not mercifully on England the seeds of utter destruction are sown in iâ— already c. Spite of Nebuchadnezzar's beard and maugre his heart the captive inthralled and miserable Jews must come home again and have their City and Temple builded up again by Zerubbabel c. and Babylon's Kingdome must go to ruine and be taken of Strangers the Persians and Medes So shall the dispersed English Flock be brought again into their former estate or to a better c. and our bloody Babylonical Bishops c. brought to utter shame and ruine for God cannot and undoubtedly will not for ever suffer their abominable lying false doctrine their hypocrisie blood-thirst whoredome idleness their pestilent life pampered in all kind of pleasure their Thrasonical boasting pride their malicious envious and poysoned stomacks which they bear towards his poor and miserable Christians If judgement begin at the House of God c. The morning that he should be burnt he was found fast asleep so that he could scarce with much jogging be awakened At last being raised and waked and bid to make haste Then said he if it be so I need not to tie my Points So little daunted was this Proto Martyr of all the blessed Company that suffered in Queen Mary's dayes at the tidings of death and of such a death After he was degraded by Bonner but one Petition viz. That he might talk a few words with his Wife before his burning but that would not be granted Probably he desired to speak to her that he might reveal where he had hid the Book he had writ of his Examinations and Answers But mans malice could not hinder Gods Providence from bringing that Book to his Wifes hands after his death out of the blind corner in the Prison where he had hid and where it could not be found by his enemies though they made diligent search for his Papers When he was in Prison he told the Printer of Mr. Fox's Acts and Mon. who was then a Prisoner also for Religion thus Thou shalt live to see the alteration if this Religion and the Gospel to be freely preached again and therefore have me commended to my Brethren as well in Exile as others and bid them be circumspect in displacing the Papists and putting good Ministers into Churches or else their end will be worse then ours Whilst he was a Prisoner in Newgate he had devised that he with his Fellows should have but one meal a day they paying for two the other meal should be given to those that lacked on the other side of the Prison but their Keeper would not suffer it The Lords Day before he suffered he drank to Mr. Hooper being then underneath him and said That there never was a little Fellow that would better stick to a man then he would stick to him Supposing they should both be burnt together But it hapned otherwise As he was to be brought out of Newgate to Smithfield Mr. Woodroâ—fe one of the Sheriffs came to him and asked him if he would recant That which I have preached said Mr. Rogers I will seal with my blood Then said the Sheriffe thou art an Heretick That shall be known said he at the day of Judgement Well said W. I will never pray for thee But said he I will pray for you A little before his burning at the Stake his Pardon was brought to him if he would recant but he utterly refused it His Wife and Children being eleven in number ten that could go and one sucking on the Breast met him by the way as he was going towards Smithfield but this sight grievous indeed to flesh and blood could nothing move him As he was burning he washed his hands as it were in the flame Romanus When Galerius with Asclepiades invaded the City of Antioch by force of Armes to drive the Christians to renounce their pure Religion Romanus ran to the Christians at that time congregated together and declared that the Wolves were at hand that would devour the Christian Flock but fear not said he neither let this imminent peril disturb you my Brethren Hereupon old Men and Matrons Fathers and Mothers young Men and Maidens were most ready to shed their blood in the defence of their Christian Profession Romanus so encouraged them that they did not stick to offer their naked throats wishing gloriously to die for the Name of their Christ. Whereupon Romanus was brought before the Emperour who said What art thou the Author of this sedition art thou the cause why so many shall lose their lives By the gods I swear thou shalt smart for it and first in thy flesh shalt thou suffer the pains whereunto thou hast encouraged the hearts of thy fellows Romanus answered Thy sentence O Emperour I joyfully embrace I refuse not to be sacrificed for my Brethren and that by as cruel means as thou canst invent And whereas thy Souldiers were repelled from the Christian Congregation that so hapned because it lay not in Idolaters and worshippers of Devils to enter into the holy House of God and to pollute the Place of true Prayer When the Tormenters would not truss him up and draw out his Bowels because he was of noble Parentage the Captain commanded him to be scourged with Whips with knaps of Lead at the ends Instead of tears sighs and groans Romanus sung Psalms all the time of his whipping requiring them not to favour him
for his noble Birth Not the blood of my Progenitors said he but Christian Profession maketh me Noble When the Captain commanded his Sides to be lanced with Knives until the Bones appeared white again Sorry am I O Captain said he not that my flesh shall be thus cut and mangled but for thy cause am I sorrowfull who being corrupted with damnable errours seducest others He preached the second time the living God and the Lord Jesus Christ his welbeloved Son and eternal life through faith in his blood together with the abomination of idolatry c. Whereupon his face was buffeted his eye-lids torn with their nails his cheeks scotched with knives the skin of his beard was plucked by little and little from the flesh c. Thereupon the meek Martyr said I thank thee O Captain that thou hast opened unto me many mouths whereby I may preach my Lord and Saviour Christ Look how many wounds I have so many mouths I have lauding and praising God When the Captain blasphemingly said Thy crucified Christ is but a yesterdays God the gods of the Gentiles are of most Antiquity Romanus desired the Captain to hear what a Child of seven years of age would say His request being granted Tell me my Babe said Romanus whether thou think it reason that we worship one Christ and in Christ one Father or else that we worship infinite gods To whom the Babe answered That certainly whatsoever it be that men affirm to be God must needs be One which with One is one and the same and in as much as this One is Christ of necessity Christ must be the true God for that there be many gods we Children cannot believe The Captain hereat amazed said Thou young Villain and Traitor where and of whom learnedst thou this Lesson Of my Mother said the Child with whose milk I sucked in this Lesson that I must believe in Christ. The Captain thereupon commanded the Child to be hoised up and scourged The joyfull Mother onely saw that sight with dry eyes yea the rebuked her sweet Babe for craving a draught of cold water She charged him to thirst after the Cup that the Infants of Bethlem once drank of forgetting their Mothers Milk and Paps She willed him to remember little Isaac who beholding the Sword wherewith and the Altar whereon he should be sacrificed willingly proffered his tender neck to the dint of his Fathers Sword Then the butcherly Tormentor pluckt the skin from the Crown of his head hair and all The Mother cried Suffer my Child anon thou shalt pass to him that will adorn thy naked head with a Crown of eternal Glory The Child received the stripes with a smiling countenance As they laid hands on Romanus to carry him to the place of Execution he looked back and said I appeal from this thy tyranny O Judge unjust unto the righteous Throne of Christ that upright Judge not because I fear thy cruel torments and merciless handlings but that thy judgements may be known to be cruel and bloody When the Tormentor required the Child of the Mother who had taken it up in her arms she kissing it delivered the Babe and said Farewell my sweet Child and as the Hangman was cutting off its head she sang All laud and praise with heart and voice O Lord we yield to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints We know most dear to be When Romanus was cast into the fire he said he should not burn Accordingly a great storm arose as it is reported and quenched the fire Then his Tongue was cut out Nevertheless he spake saying He that speaketh Christ shall never want a Tongue Think not that the Voice that uttereth Christ hath need of the Tongue to be the Minister Eusebius saith That by his constancy in enduring his Tongue to be pull'd out of his Mouth he really declared to all that a divine Vertue is never wanting to any who suffer for godliness sake which doth both mitigate their griefs and corroborateth their hearts This valiant Souldier of Christ was not at all terrified thereat but of his own accord put out his Tongue and willingly yielded the same to the Tormentors hands Then he was clapt in Prison again and there a long while cruelly tormented and at last in the year 306. strangled and thereby according to his own desire was crowned with Martyrdome Roper George Roper a young man at his coming to the Stake putting off his Gown fetcht a great leap So soon as the flame was about him he put out both his arms from his body like a roode and so stood stedfast not plucking his arms in at all till the fire had consumed them and burnt them off Rough. Mr. Iohn Rough a famous Scotch Minister in England in King Edward's dayes at the beginning of Queen Mary's reign fled into Frizeland with his Wife where he laboured for his living in knitting of Caps Hose c. till lacking of Yarn c. he came over into England to provide for the maintenance of his Occupation and at London hearing of the secret Society and holy Congregation of Gods Children there assembled he joyned himself unto them and afterwards being elected their Minister continued for some time in fellowship with them teaching and confirming them in the Truth and Gospel of Christ. But not long after he was by a false Brothers treachery taken and clapt in Newgate When he was before Bonner he told him That he utterly detested the Service then used and that if he should live as long as did Me huselah yet he would never come to hear the abominable Mass and other Service being as it was then Dr. Watson then Bishop of Lincoln being at his Examination urged that he had done more hurt in the North Parts in King Edward's dayes then an hundred besides c. Why Sir said Mr. Rough Is this the reward I have for saving your life in those dayes He said he had lived thirty years and yet had never bowed his knee to Ball. Before Bonner he affirmed That he had been twice at Rome and there had seen plainly with his eyes that the Pope was the very Antichrist for he saw more reverence given to him then to that which they accounted their God Mr. Rough having been at the burning of Austoo in Smithfield and returning homeward again met with one that as'd him where he had been I have been said he where I would not for one of mine eyes but I had been Where have you been replied his Friend Forsooth said he to learn the way And so he told him he had been at the burning of Austoo where shortly after he was burned himself In his Letter to some Friends The comfort of the Holy Ghost make you able to give consolation to others in these dangerous dayes when Satan is let loose but to the trial onely of the chosen when it pleaseth our God to sift his Wheat from the Chaffe I speak to Gods
422. Acts 4. Isa. 29. Fuller's Eccles Hâ—st Cent. 16. l. 5. pog 229. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 424. See his Eccles. Hist Cent. 16. l. 5. pag. 229. See his Worthies of England pag. 319. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 426. Pag. 427. See None but Christ. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 457. Pag. 458. Pag. 459. Pag. 462. Pag. 461. Pag. 462. Fuller 's Ecclesiastiastical History Cent. 16. l. 7. pag. 405. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 462. Pag. 49. Pag. 80 81. Pag. 84. Pag. 85. Pag. 92. Pag. 463. Pag. 465. Pag. 468. Pag. 470. Pag. 47. Rom. 3. Pag. 472. Phil. 1. Pag. 473. Pag. 474. Pag. 475. Pag. 476. Pag. 477. Matt. 17. Hieron Tom. 5. in Ieremiam c. 26. Pag. 478. Pag. 479. Matt. 23. Pag. 480. Matt. 5. Matt. 7. Matt. 15. Iohn 16. Matt. 10. Pag. 481. Iohn 3. ☜ Pag. 482. ☞ Pag. 483. Pag. 486. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 433. Iohn 15. Pag. 434. ☞ Pag. 435. Pag. 439. Pag. 441. Col. 2. 2 Tim. 1. Rev. 2. Pag. 485. Pag. 486. Pag. 499. Pag. 502. Pag. 503. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 701. Fox Vol. 2. p. 129 130. Pag. 131. Gal. 1. Iohn 8. Fox Vol. 1. pag. 92. Pag. 93. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 200. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 393. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 916. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 306. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 838. Pag. 839. Ward pag. 139. See his Epistle to the Reader before the first Tome of his Works printed at Jena An. 1612. See the first Tome of his Works fol. 164. Fol. 66. Clark 's first Volume of Lives pag. 230. See his Works Tom 1. fol. 163. See his Works Tom. 1. fol. 176. Oper. Tom. 1. fol. 385. Fol. 386. See his Works Vol. 2. fol. 258. See his Works Tom. 2. fol. 259. Fol. 316 317. Fol. 320. ☞ Fol. 321. Fol. 379. Fol. 412 Fol. 413. Fol. 414. Fol. 415. 1 Thes. 5. Gal. 1. Fol. 416. Actâ— â— See his Works Tom 2. fol. 477. Fol. 478. Fol. 515. Fol. 516. Mr. Claâ—k saith he concludes That he returned to Wittenberg under stronger Protection then the Elector could give him for saith he God alone can order and promâ—te the Truth without any mans helping hand therefore in this Cause he that most strongly trusts to Gods assistance he most surely defends himself and others See his Relation of Luther 's Life p. 237. Fol. 517. Fol. 518. Fol. 520. Fol. 531. Clarks first Volume of Lives pag. 240. Fol. 534. Clarks first Volume of Lives pag. 241. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 80. Clark â— pag. 239. Pag. 240. Pag. 244 245. Pag. 246. Pag. 249. Thee O Christ have I taught thee have I trusted thee have I loved into thy hands I commend my Spirit Ward pag. 152. Pag. 250. Pag. 251. Pag. 252. Pag. 256. Acts and Mon. Vol. 2. pag. 88. See M. Clark in the life of Myconius pag. 313. Pag. 254. Ward pag. 153. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 29. Fuller 's Englands Woâ—â—â—es in Bâ—â—kshire pag. 91. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 547. Pag. 548. Pag. 550. Pag. 5â—â— Fuller c. pag. 91. Ward pag. 142. Fox Vol. 3 cont pag. 25. Clark 's first Vol. of Lives pag. 577. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 141. The Mirrour of Martyrs pag 315. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 224. Pag. 225. Pag. 226. Pag. 227. Pag. 228. Pag. 229. Pag. 230. Pag. 231. Pag. 232. ☞ Acts 11. Acts â—â— Iam. 2. Mat. 7. Mat. 16. 1 Thes. 2. 2 Tim. 3. Acts 14. Mat. 5. Mat. 7. Mark 8. 2 Thes. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Pet. 2. Pag. 234. Mat. 14. Hebr. 6. 1 Iohn 2. Hebr. 10. Iohn 8. Pag. 235. Acts 5. Matth. 7. Acts 18. Phil. 1. 1. Câ—r 7. 1 Iohn 2. Coll. 3. Pag. 238. Pag. 239. Pag. 240. Ward pag. 152. Fuller 's Englands Worthies in Huntshire pag. 5. Ward pag. 140. Clarks first Volume of Lives pag. 562. Pag. 571. Pag. 563 564. See Luthers Works Tom. 2. fol. 427. Pag. 428. 〈◊〉 pag. 564 565 Pag. 569. Pag. 566. Pag. 567. Pag. 568. Pag. 570. For Martyr Vâ—l. 3. com p. 50. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 625. Pag. 626. See the Ecclesiastical History of Scotland Praef. pag. penult See the Mirrour of Martyrs pag. 563. ☜ Pag. 392. Hab. 2. Heb. 10. Pag. 393. Fox Vol. 3. cont pag. 33. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 851. 2 Tim. 3. 2 Cor. 1. Matth. 6. See his Life in Melch. â—dam pag. 55.56 Ward pag. 152. Ward pag. 153 154. Fox Vol. 3. conâ— pag. 2. Hebr. 10.14 Matt. â—5 9 Matt. â—8 20 Pag. 3. Matt. 17.5 Pag. 4. Matt. 7.12 Matt. 11. â—â— Iob 5.13 Fox Vol. 1. pag. 727. Pag. 728. Pag. 729. Pag. 730. Pag. 731. Pag. 732. Mat. 23. Pag. 733. Pag. 735. Pag. 775. Fox Vol. 3. cont p. 28. Mat. 10.12 Iohn 16.3 2 Tim. 3.12 Phil. 1.24 Mat. 5.11 12. 1 Pet. 2.21 Heb. 12.2 2 Cor. 8.9 Rom. 5.2 Heb. 12. Prov. 3.11 12. Acts 14.22 Phil. 1.21 Rom. 7.24 Pag. 29. Lam. 3.26 Psal. 37.39 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. Fox Vol. 1. pag. 70. See his life in Clarks Marrow of Eccles. Hist. pag. 32. Whites little Boâ—k for Children p. 47. Pag. 48. Pag. 49. Pag. 50. Pag. 51. Pag. 52. Pag. 53. Pag. 54. Pag. 55. Pag. 56. Pag. 58. Clark pag. 36. Psal. 50.16 Pag. 37. Pag. 38. Pag. 39. Pag. 40. Pag. 41. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 852. Pag. 853. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 706. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 734. Pag. 735. Pag. 736. Pag. 737. Pag. 739. Pag. 740. Pag. 741. Pag. 742. Iullus Palmaâ— slorebit Shaw 's Tomb-stone pag. 33. See his Life in Clark 's first Volume of Lives pag. 917. Ward pag. 160. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 350. Ward pag. 161. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 554. Pag. 555. Fox Vol. 1. pag. 45. Ward pag. 138. Fox Vol. 1. pag 103. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 537. Pag. 543. Pag. 544. Pag. 545. Pag. 546. Pag. 547. Pag. 551. Pag. 558. Pag. 560. Pag. 562. Pag. 565. Pag. 572. Pag. 573. Pag. 574. Pag. 578. Pag. 593. Pag. 594. Pag. 595. Pag. 596. Pag. 597. Pag. 598. Pag. 599. Pag. 600. Pag. 601. Pag. 602. Pag. 603. Pag. 604. Pag. 605. Pag. 606. Pag. 607. Pag. 610. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 879. Fox Vol. 3. cont pag. 62. Ward pag. 139. Fox Vol. 1. pag. 55. Pag. 56. Sâ—e Mr. Clâ—rks first 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 p 5. c. Melchior Adam in vita ejus pag. 466. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 889. Pag. 890. Pag. 891. The History of the Worthies of England p. 249 250. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 678. Ward pag. 142. Fox Vol. 3. cont pag. 5. Vide vitam ejus a Theophilo Bâ—â—â—sio descriptam in P. R Comment de Relig. Christ. See the Ecclesiastical History of Scotland pag. 2. Pag. 3. Pag. 4. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 788. Fox Vol. 3 pag. 16 Pag. 42. Pag. 43. Pag. 49. Pag. 82. Pag. 83. Pag. 91. Pag. 93. Pag. 433. Luke 9. Gal. 2. Pag. 434. Pag. 435. Pag. 438 439. Pag. 440. Pag. 441. Pag. 442. Pag. 444. Pag. 445. Pag. 447. Pag. 448. Pag. 449. The other two he means are the Protamartyr Rogers and the Exile Grindal Pag. 487. Pag. 488. Pag. 489. Pag. 490. Pag. 491. Pag. 492. Pag. 498. Pag. 500. Pag. 501. Pag. 502. Pag. 503. Pag. 505. Pag. 507. Pag. 508. Pag. 509. Pag. 510. Pag. 511. Pag. 512. Pag. 513. Pag. 514. Pag. 518. Pag. 519. Pag. 520. Pag. 521. Pag. 522. Pag. 523. Rev. 12. Mat. 16. Mark S. Rev. 22. Pag. 524. Mat. 10. Pag. 992. Pag. 993. Deut. 7. 1 Cor. 14. Pag. 994. Pag. 995. Pag. 996. Pag. 147. Pag. 148. Fox Vol. 2. pag. 128. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 119. Pag. 120. Pag. 122. Pag. 123. Pag. 124. Pag. 125. Pag. 126. Pag. 127. Acts 5. Pag. 128. Ier. 12. Iohn 1. Acts 16. Acts 17. Acts 21. Acts 22. Pag. 129. Pag. 130. Pag. 131. Fox Vol. 1. pag. 115. Pag. 116. Pag. 117. Euseb. Eâ—câ— Hâ—st Gâ— Lat. pag. 320. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 537. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 860. Pag. 862. Pag. 863. Pag. 864. Pag. 865. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 933. Pag. 934. Pag. 935. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 848. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 704. The Mirrour of Martyrs pag. 310. The Ecclesiastical History of Scotland pag. 24. Foo Vol. 3. cont pag. 44.