stone then from which the water ran bodily Christe but it signified Christe that calleth thus to all beleuing and faithful men Who soeuer thirsteth let hym come to mee and drinke and from his bowelles shall flowe liuely water This he sayd of the holy Ghost whych they receiued who beleeued on him The Apostle Paul sayth that the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke because that heauenly meate that fed them 40. yeares and that water which from the stone did flowe had signification of Christes body and hys bloud that now be offred daily in Gods Church It was the same which we now offer not bodely but ghostly We said vnto you ere while that Christ halowed bread and wine to housell before his suffering Math. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. and sayde Thys is my body and my bloud Yet he had not then suffered but so notwithstanding he * * Now we eate that body which was eaten before he was borne by faith turned through inuisible mighte the bread to his owne bodye and that wine to his bloud as he before did in the wildernes before that he was borne to be a man when he * * Here is no transubstantiation turned y e heauenly meate to his flesh and the flowing water from that stone to his owne bloud Uery many did eate of that * * Mantua heauenly meat in the wildernes and drinke the ghostly drinke and were neuerthelesse dead as Christ sayd And Christ meant not y e death whych none can escape but that euerlasting death which some of that folke deserued for theyr vnbelief Moyses and Aaron and many other of that people which pleased God did eate that heauenly bread and they died not y ◠euerlasting death though they died the common death They sawe that the heauenly meate was visible and corruptible they ghostly vnderstood by that visible thing and ghostly receiued it The Sauiour sayeth Iohn 6. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life And he bad them not eate that body wherewith hee was enclosed nor to drinke that bloude which he shed for vs * * What body the faithful do now eate but he meant with those wordes that holy housell which ghostly is his body and his bloud and hee that tasteth it with beleeuing heart hathe that eternall life In the olde lawe faithfull men offred to God diuers Sacrifices that had * * A signification before Christ. foresignification of Christes bodye which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauēly father hath since * * A sacrifice in Christes tyme. offered to sacrifice Certainly this housell which we do now halow at Gods alter is a * * A remēbraūce of Christ. Math. 26. Hebr. 10. remembrance of Christes body which he offered for vs and of hys bloud whych he shed for vs So he himselfe commaunded Doe thys in my remembraunce Once suffered Christe by hym selfe but yet neuerthelesse hys suffering is daily renued at thys supper through mysterie of the holy housell Therefore we ought to consider diligently howe that this holy housell is both Christes bodye and the bodye of all * * The housell is also the body of al faithfull men faithfull menne after ghostly mysterie As wise Augustine sayeth of it If ye wil vnderstand of Christes body here the Apostle Paule thus speaking Yee truely be Christes body and his members Nowe is your mysterie sette on Gods table and ye receiue youre mysterie which mysterie ye your selues be Be that which ye see on the altare and receiue that which yee your selues be Againe the Apostle Paule sayeth by it We manye be one bread and one bodye Understande nowe and reioyce many be one bread and one body in Christ. He is our heade and we be his limmes and the bread is not of one corne but of many nor the wine of one grape but of many So also we all shoulde haue one vnitie in our Lorde as it is wrytten of the faithfull armie how that they were in so great an vnitie as though al of them were one soule and one heart Christe hallowed on hys table the mysterie of oure peace and of our vnitie He which receiueth that mysterie of vnitie keepeth not the bonde of true peace receiueth no mysterie for himselfe but a witnesse against himselfe It is very good for Christen men that they goe often to howsell if they bring with them to the alter vngiltines and innocēcy of hart if they be not oppressed with sinne To an euil man it turneth to no good but to destruction if hee receyue vnworthely that holy housell Holy * * No scripture inforceth the mixture of water with the wine bookes commaund that water be mingled to that wine which shall be for housell because the water signifieth the people the * * The wine signifieth Christes bloud wine Christes bloud and therefore shall neither the one wythout the other be offered at the holy masse that Christ may be wyth vs and we with Christ the head with the limmes and the limmes with the head Wee woulde before haue intreated of the Lambe whyche the olde Israelites offered at theyr Easter time but that we desired first to declare vnto you of this mysterie and after how we should receiue it That signifying lambe was offered at the Easter And the Apostle Paule sayeth in the Epistle of this present day that Christ is our Easter who was offred for vs and on this day rose from death The Israelites did eate the Lambes fleshe as God commaunded with vnleauened bread and wilde lettisse * * How we should come to the holy communion so wee shoulde receiue that holy housell of Christes body and bloud without the leauen of sinne and iniquitie As leauen turneth the creatures from their nature so doth sinne also chaunge the nature of manne from innocencie to vncleannesse The Apostle hath taught howe we shoulde feast not in the leauen of the euilnesse but in the sweete doughe of puritie and truth The herbe which they should eate with the vnleauened bread is called lettisse and is bitter in taste So we should with bitternesse of vnfained repentaunce purifie oure minde Exod. 12. if wee will eate Christes bodye Those Israelites were not woonte to eate rawe fleshe and therefore God badde them to eate it neyther raw nor sodden in water but rosted with fire He shal receiue the body of God rawe that shal thinke without reason that Christ was onely manlike vnto vs and was not God And he that will after mans wisedome search y e mystery of Christs incarnation doth like vnto him that doth seeth lambes fleshe in water because that water in this same place signifieth mans vnderstanding but we should vnderstand that all the mistery of Christes humanitie was ordered by the power of the holy Ghost and then eate we his body rosted with fire because the holy
may easily be coniectured what these practisers haue likewyse done in the rest Thirdly by one Italian tricke of Polydore Uirgill in our daies An ItaliaÌ„ tricke of Polydore Virgill to burne his bookes which he had gotten into his handes the properties and doinges of all other Italian papists of elder time may partly be coniectured For so I am informed by such as precisely will affirme it to be true y t when Polydore being licensed by the king to viewe and searche all Libraries had once accomplished his storye by the help of such books as he had compiled out of Libraries in y e end when he had taken out what he would like a true factor for y e popes own tooth he piled his bookes together set them al on a light fire For what cause he so did I can not certaynly pronounce but who so considereth well his religion may shrewdly suspect him For a probatioÌ„ wherof this may serue for a sufficient tryall that whereas of all other writers of historyes that haue bene in EnglaÌ„d as of Fabian Lanquer Rastall More Leland Balle Halle such other some of their bookes which they then occupyed yet remayn in hands to be seene Onely of suche books as Polydore vsed and which past his handes what Englishe man is he that hath seene or can shewe me one Whereby it may wel be thought the foresaid information to be true As also by this one Italian tricke of Polydore may other Italians likewise be suspected in making away such Latin books within this land as made not for their purpose But for somuch as those Latine bookes be nâ—w abolished and can not be had let vs returne to our Saxon tongue agayne and see what this Saxon sermon of Elfricus translation doth say for transubstantiation The copy whereof here ensueth ¶ A Sermon translated out of Latin into the Saxon tongue by Aelfricus against Transubstantiation An. 996. In die Sanctae Pascae ¶ The Alphabet of the Saxon tongue ¶ a. b. c. d. d. e. f. f. È g. h. i. l. m. n. o. p. r. r. s. s. t. t u. Æ¿. w. x. y. y. z. z. Abbreuiations AE Ae. Þ. Th. Þ. Th. S. S. Æ¿. W. and. ð. th þ. th This Sermon was vsuall to be read in the Church here in England in the Saxons time An. 366. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same in English A Sermon on Easter day MEn beloued it hathe bene often sayde vnto you about our Sauiours resurrection A Sermon 〈◊〉 Saxon 〈◊〉 into transâ—â—â—ed into Englishe howe hee on this present day after his suffering mightely rose from deathe Nowe will we open vnto you through Gods grace of the holye housell which ye should nowe go vnto and instruct your vnderstanding about this mysterie both after the olde couenaunt and also after the newe that no doubting maye trouble you about thys liuely foode The almightye God bad Moses hys Captaine in the Lande of Egypt to commaund the people of Israel to take to euery family a lamb of one yere old the night they departed out of the countrey to the land of promise and to offer that lambe to God and after to cutte it and to make the ✚ ✚ This signe of the crosse is beside the text but here we must beare with the ignorance of that time Exod. 12. signe of the Crosse wyth the lambes bloud vpon the side postes and the vpper post of theyr doore and afterwarde to eate the Lambes flesh rosted and vnleauened bread with wilde lettisse God sayeth vnto Moyses Eate of the Lambe nothing rawe nor sodden in water but rosted at the fire Eate the heade the feete and the inwardes and lette nothing of it be left vntill the morning if anye thing therof remaine that shall you burne with fire Eate it in this wise Girde your loynes and doe your shoes on your feete haue you staues in your handes and eate it in haste The tyme is the Lordes Passeouer And there was slaine on that night in euery house through oute Pharaos raigne the firste borne childe and Gods people of Israel were deliuered froÌ„ that sodaine death through the Lambes offering his bloudes marking Then sayde God vnto Moyses Keepe this day in your remembraunce and holde it a great feaste in your kindredes wyth a perpetuall obseruation and eate vnleauened breade alwayes seuen dayes at this feaste Exod. 14. After thys deede God led the people of Israel ouer the red Sea with drye foote drowned therein Pharao and all his army together with theyr possessions and fedde afterward the Israelites 40. yeares wyth heauenly foode Exod. 17. and gaue them water out of the hard rocke vntill they came to the promised land Parte of thys storie we haue treated off in an other place partly we shall nowe declare to witte that which belongeth to the holye housell Christen men may not nowe keepe that olde lawe bodely but it behooueth them to knowe what it Ghostlye signifieth That innocent Lambe which the old Israelites did then kil had signification after Ghostly vnderstanding of Christes suffering who vnguiltie shedde his holy bloud for our redemption Hereof sing Gods seruaunts at euery * * This Masse was not theÌ„ 〈◊〉 to these 〈◊〉 Popishe 〈◊〉 blasphemous masâ—es 〈◊〉 Masse Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis That is in our speach Thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vppon vs. Those Israelites were deliuered from that sodaine deathe and from Pharaos bondage by the lambes offeryng which signified Christes suffering through which we be deliuered from euerlasting death and from the deuils cruell raigne if we rightly beleue in the true redemer of the whole world Christ the Sauiour That Lambe was offered in the euening and our sauiour suffered in the sixt age of this world This age of this corruptible worlde is reckened vnto the euening They marked with the lambes bloud vppon the doores and the vpper postes * * This Hebrewe letter Thau was not marked for the signe of the crosse but for the word â—orat that 〈◊〉 the law of God the first letter for the whole world Ezech. 9. Thau that is the signe of the crosse and wer so defended from the Angels that killed the Egyptians first borne childe And wee * * That oneâ—y crosse is it wherewith we are marked that S. Paule speaketh of Ephe 2. Christ reconciled both to God 〈◊〉 one body through 〈◊〉 crosse ought to marke our foreheades and our bodies with the token of Christes roode y t we may be also deliuered from destruction when we shal be marked both on forehead and also in heart with the bloude of oure Lordes suffering Those Israelites dyd eate the lambes flesh at their Easter time when they were deliuered and we receiue ghostly Christes body
of the other Lordes what he had promised You shall commend me sayd he to the Kyng and tell hym By that he hath so well tryed and throughly prooued you as I haue done hee shall finde you as false a man as euer came about hym Syr Rafe Sadler the L. CroÌ„wels trusty frend Besides this he wrote also a letter from the Tower to the kyng whereof when none durst take the cariage vpon him sir Rafe Sadler whom he also had preferred to the kyng before beyng euer trusty faythfull vnto hym went to the king to vnderstand his pleasure whether he would permit him to bring the letter or not Which when y e kyng had graunted the sayd M. Sadler as he was required presented the letter vnto the king which he commaunded thrise to be red vnto him in so much the kyng seemed to be mooued therewith Notwithstanding by reason of the Acte of parliament afore passed the worthy and noble Lorde Cromwell oppressed by his enemies and condemned in the Tower and not comming to his answer the 28. day of Iuly an 1541. was brought to the scaffold on Tower hill where he sayd these words followyng I am come hither to die and not to purge my selfe The L. Cromwel brought 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 as some thinke peraduenture that I will For if I should so do I were a very wretch and a miser I am by the law coÌ„demned to die and thanke my lord God that hath appointed me this death for myne offence For sithens the tyme y t I haue had yeares of discretion I haue lyued a sinner and offended my Lord God for the which I aske him hartelie forgiuenes And it is not vnknowne to many of you that I haue bene a great traueller in this world being but of a base degree was called to high estate and sithens the tyme I came thereunto I haue offended my Prince for the which I aske him hartily forgiuenes and beseech you all to pray to God with me that he will forgiue me And now I pray you that be here to beare me record I dye in the catholike fayth not doubting in any Article of my faith no nor doubting in any sacrament of the church Manye haue slaundered me and reported that I haue bene a bearer of such as haue mainteined euill opinions which is vntrue But I confesse that like as God by his holy spirit doth instruct vs in the truth so the deuill is ready to seduce vs I haue bene seduced A true Christian confession 〈◊〉 the L. Cromâ—wel at his death but beare me witnes that I die in the catholike faith of the holy church And I hartily desire you to pray for the kings grace that he may long lyue with you in health and prosperitie and that after him his sonne prince Edward that goodly impe may long raigne ouer you And once again I desire you to pray for me that so long as life remaineth in this flesh I wauer nothing in my faith And so making his prayer kneling on his knees he spake these words the effect whereof here followeth A prayer that the Lord Cromwell sayd at the houre of his death O Lord Iesu which art the onely health of all men liuing The prayer of the L. Cromwel at his death and the euerlasting life of them which die in thee I wretched sinner do submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will and being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed vnto thy mercy willingly now I leaue this fraile and wicked fleshe in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise restore it to me agayne at the last day in the resurrection of the iust I beseech thee moste merciful lord Iesus Christ that thou wilt by thy grace make stroÌ„g my soule against all temptations and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against all the assaults of the deuill I see and knowledge that there is in my selfe no hope of saluation but all my coÌ„fidence hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnesse I haue no merites nor good works which I may alledge before thee Of sinnes and euill workes alas I see a great heape but yet thorough thy mercy I trust to be in the number of them to whome thou wilt not impute their sinnes but wilt take and accept me for righteous and iust and to be the inheritour of euerlasting lyfe Thou mercifull lord wast borne for my sake thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst for my sake thou didst teach pray and fast for my sake all thy holy actions and workes thou wroughtest for my sake thou suffredst most grieuous paines and tormentes for my sake finally thou gauest thy most precious body and thy bloud to be shed on the crosse for my sake Nowe most mercifull Sauior let al these things profit me that thou frely hast done for me which hast geuen thy selfe al so for me Let thy bloud cleanse and wash away the spots and foulenes of my sinnes Let thy righteousnes hide and couer my vnrighteousnes Let the merites of thy passion and bloudsheding be satisfaction for my sinnes Geue me Lord thy grace that the faith of my saluation in thy bloud wauer not in me but may euer be firme and constant That the hope of thy mercy and life euerlasting neuer decay in me that loue waxe not cold in me Finally that the weaknes of my fleshe be not ouercome with the feare of death Graunt me mercifull Sauiour that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my body yet the eyes of my soule may still behold and looke vpon thee and when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue yet my heart may cry and say vnto thee Lord into thy hands I commend my soule Lord Iesu receaue my spirit Amen And thus his prayer made after he had godly louingly exhorted them that were about him on the scaffold The death of the â— Cromwel he quietly committed his soule into the hands of God and so paciently suffred the stroke of the axe by a ragged and butcherly miser which very vngodly performed the office ¶ Of the Bible in English printed in the large volume and of Edmund Boner preferred to the Bishoprike of London by the meanes of the Lord Cromwell ABout the time and yere when Edmund Boner bishop of Hereford ambassadour resident in Fraunce begaÌ„ first to be nominate preferred by the meanes of the lord Cromwel to the bishoprike of London The Bibles of the 〈…〉 Paris which was anno 1540. it happened that the said Thomas Lord Cromwell and Erle of Essex procured of y e king of england his gracious letters to the French king to permitte and licence a subiect of his to imprint the Bible in English within the vniuersitie of Paris because paper was there more meete and apt to be had for the doing therof then in the realme of England also that there were more store of good workmen for the readie dispatch of
studye and desire whereof Christ commaundeth all his continually to be intentiue they imagine a new kynd of godlinesse I know not what by the meditation whereof they are more perfect then all other But it is a most pestilent errour which all godlye men ought to abhorre to fayne any other rule of perfection then that common rule deliuered vnto the whole vniuersall Churche which we suppose to be sufficiently approoued in the refutation of the article before passed Now I also passe ouer with silence the great blasphemy whereby they compare their monasticall confession vnto Baptisme I also hold my peace that they do dissipate and deuide the Communion of the Church when as they doe seperate themselues from the lawfull societie and fellowship of the faythfull and clayme vnto themselues a peculiar ministery and priuate administration of the Sacraments but as Saint Augustine witnesseth it was so far of that the Monkes in tymes past had any seueral church or administration of the Sacramentes with others and were a part and portion of the common people Albeit that they dwelt asunder But if that a man may touch the manner of these our Monks what shall I call the cloysters in these our dais otherwise then brothell houses swine sties and dennes of discord Besides that I will passe ouer their faires and markets which in these latter dayes they do make of their reliques of Martyrs to build vp Sodome agayne Wherfore I conclude that this their kynde of lyfe whiche they clayme vnto themselues is vtterly wicked and naughte the which is not established or grounded vppon any certayne callyng of God neyther allowed by him wherefore I may be bold to say that it is vnlawfull because their cōscience hath nothing wherby to sustaine it selfe before god and whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne And furthermore so long as they do entangle bynde themselues with so many and so peruerse and wicked kynd of worshippyng as the Monkery now a days doth contayne in it I may well say that they are not consecrated vnto God but vnto the diuell For why was it lawfull for the Prophets to say that Israelites did offer theyr children vnto wicked spirites and not vnto God onely for this cause that they did corrupt and violate the true worshippyng of God with prophane ceremonies Is it not lawfull then to speake the lyke of our Monkes which together with their cowles haue put on a thousand snares of most wicked superstitions Let euery man now waigh and consider with himselfe if I haue done wickedly to wishe such religions as is this our Monkery to be vtterly extinguished and rooted out Moreouer all christian princes should rightly and truely do their office if as in tymes past Iosias pulled downe and ouerthrew the high places which hys elders the kings of Iuda had builded so they woulde abolishe and dryue away these kynde of Monkes It is plainly manifest by lawfull prooues that the said Iohn Borthwike had and presently hath diuers bookes suspected of heresie condemned as wel by the papall as also Regall and ordinary authoritie and prohibited by the lawe that is to say specially the newe Testament commonly printed in Englishe Oecolampadius Melancton and diuers treatises of Erasmus and other condemned heretickes also a Booke intituled vnio dissidentium the which conteyneth most manifest and great erroures and hereticall assumptions and hath red and studied the same as well openly as priuately and hath presented and communicated them vnto others and also hath instructed and taught many Christians in the same to the ende and purpose to diuert and turne them away from the true christian and catholike fayth Borthwike O good God who can suffer so great a blasphemye with what a filthy cankered stomacke doe these Romishe swine note the new testament of heresie who would not iudge it a most venemous tongue which dare pronounce or vtter such contumelious wordes agaynst the holy Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Truely as the Iewes which put Christ to death of all other murderers euen so these men how so euer they doe pronounce me an Archheretike do fill vp the measure of all other heretikes I wyll not say blasphemies how then shall these serpentes and stocke of Uipers escape and flye the iudgement of euerlastyng fire I do not greatly stand or stay that they doe suspect Oecolampadius Melancthon or Erasmus neither am I so mad to plead their cause who as they are men of singuler learnyng and eloquence so doe their writings manifestly declare how falsly and wickedly these Sicophants impute this crime slaunder of heresie vnto them It is manifest that the sayd Iohn Borthwike was so obstinate in all the foresayde errour and heresies and so maintained and taught them with such an indurate heart and mynd that he would not by no meanes be persuaded from them by his friends and diuers other persons which did dearly loue and fauour hym but chose rather obstinatly to perseuere in his sayd errours Borthwike I am willingly contented to be reduced to the Catholike faith but if that Sathan rayse vp any stormes or tempest agaynst that those I do some thyng resist wherefore they most shamefully lye which doe otherwyse iest or talke of me for I know not by what reason they call them my friendes which so greatly laboured to conuert me neither will more esteeme them then the Madianites whiche in tymes past called the children of Israell to doe sacrifice vnto their Idols And furthermore I desire the most highe and mighty God that he will neuer suffer me to swarue or turne away from this so holy godly and christian obstinacie and stubburnnesse The man is blest that hath set his whole hope and confidence vpon the Lorde and hath not regarded or looked vpon the proud or those which follow after lies ¶ The sentence of condemnation agaynst Sir Iohn Borthwike Knight by the Cardinall Byshops and Abbots in Scotland An. 1540. OF all which the premisses and many other errours by hym holden spoken published affirmed preached taught the common fame and report is that the sayd Sir Iohn Borthwike is holden reputed and accounted of very many is an heretike and principall heretike whiche holdeth euill opinion of the catholike fayth Wherfore we Dauid by the title of S. Steuen in moūt Celio Prelate and Cardinall of the holy church of Rome Archbishop of S. Andrews primate of the whole kingdō of Scotland borne Legate of the Apostolike Sea sittyng after the manner of Iudges in our tribunall seate the most holye Gospels of God beyng layed before vs that our iudgement myght proceede from the face of God and our eyes might behold and looke vpon equitie and iustice hauing only God the veritie and truth of the Catholike faith before our eyes his holye name being first of all called vpon hauing as is beforesayde hereuppon holden a counsel of wise men as well deuines as lawyers wee pronounce declare decree determine and geue sentence that the said
to talke one of them one thynge and an other a nother Alas neither wil these men heare me if I speake neither yet wil they suffer me to write There is no remedy but let them alone and commit the matter to God Yet I began to go forward and said that I would make the texts to agree and to prooue my purpose well enough L. Chan. No no thou canst proue nothing by the scripture The scripture is dead it must haue a liuely expositor Rog. No the Scripture is aliue But let me goe forwarde wyth my purpose Wor. All heretikes haue alleaged the scriptures for them and therefore we must haue a liuely expositor for them Rog. Yea all heretikes haue alleaged the Scriptures for them but they were coÌ„futed by the scriptures and by none other expositor Wor. But they wold not confesse that they were ouercome by the scriptures I am sure of that Rog. I beleeue that and yet were they ouercome by them and in all CouÌ„cels they were disputed with ouerthrown by the scriptures Confused 〈◊〉 withâ—ut order And heere I would haue declared howe they ought to procede in these daies so haue come againe to my purpose but it was vnpossible for one asked one thing an other saide an other so that I was faine to holde my peace and let them talke And euen wheÌ„ I would haue taken holde on my proofe the Lord Chauncelor bad to prison with me again and away away said he we haue more to talke withall if I woulde not be reformed so he termed it away away Then vp I stoode for I had kneeled all the while Then sir Richard Southwell who stoode by in a window sayd to me thou wilt not burne in this geare when it commeth to the purpose Sir Rich. Southwell â—peaketh I know well that Rog. Sir I cannot tel but I trust to my Lorde God yes lifting vp mine eyes vnto heauen B. of Ely The bishop of Ely speaketh Then my Lord of Ely told me much of the Quenes Maiesties pleasure and meaning and set it out wyth large wordes saying that shee tooke them that woulde not receiue the Bishop of Romes supremacie to be vnworthy to haue her mercy c. Roger. I sayde I would not refuse her mercye and yet I neuer offended her in all my life And that I besought her Grace and all their honors to be good to me reseruing my conscience Diuers speake at once No quoth they then a great sorte of them Diuers â—peake at â—nce and specially Secretary Bourne a maried priest and haue not offended the lawe Rog. I sayd I had not broken the Queenes lawe nor yet any poynt of the law of the Realme therin For I married where it was lawfull Diuers at once Where was that sayd they thinking that to be vnlawfull in all places Diuers speake at â—nce Rog. In Dutchland And if ye had not heere in England made an open law that Priestes might haue had wiues I would neuer haue come home again â—awfulnes of priestes mariage 〈◊〉 Rogers â—rought 8. children with him â—nto Engâ—â—nd for I brought a wife and eight children with me whych thing yee might be sure that I would not haue done if the lawes of the realme had not permitted it before Then there was a great noise some saying that I was come too soone with such a sort I should finde a soure comming of it and some one thing some another And one said I coulde not well perceyue who that there was neuer catholike man or countrey that euer graunted that a priest might haue a wife Rog. I sayd the Catholike churche neuer denied mariage to Priests M Rogers had away to prison nor yet to any other man and therewith was I going out of the chamber the sergeaunt which brought me thether hauing me by the arme Wor. Then the B. of Worcester turned his face towardes me and saide that I wist not where that church was or is Rog. I sayd yes that I could tell where it was but therewith went the sergeant with me out of the doore This was the very true effecte of all that was spoken vnto me and of all that I answeared thereunto And here would I gladly make a more perfect answere to al y e former obiections as also a due proofe of that which I had taken in hande but at this present I was informed that I should to morrow come to further answer Wherefore I am compelled to leaue out that which I wold most gladly haue done desiring here the hearty vnfained helpe of the praiers of all Christes true members the true imps of the true vnfained Catholicke Churche that the Lorde God of all coÌ„solation wil now be my comfort aid streÌ„gth buckler and shield as also of all my brethren that are in the same case distresse that I and they all may despise all maner of threats and cruelty and euen the bitter burning fire and the dreadfull dart of death and sticke like true soldiors to our deare louing captaine Christ our onely redemer and sauiour and also the only true head of the church that doth all in vs al which is y e very property of an heade and is a thing that all the Bishops of Rome cannot doe and that we doe not traiterously run out of his tents or rather out of the plaine field from him in the most ieopardy of the battaile but that wee may perseuere in the fight if he will not otherwise deliuer vs till we be most cruelly slayne of his enemies For this I most hartely and at thys present with weeping teares most instantly earnestly desire and beseeche you all to pray And also if I die to be good to my poore and most honest wife being a poore straunger and all my little soules hers and my children M. Rogers carefull prayer for his wife and children Whom with all the whole faithfull and true catholicke congregation of Christ the Lord of life and death saue keepe and defend in all the troubles and assaults of this vaine world and to bryng at the last to euerlasting saluation the true sure inheritance of all crossed Christians Amen Amen The 27. day of Ianuarie at night The 2. confession of Iohn Rogers made and that should haue bene made if I might haue ben heard the 28. and 29. day of Ianuarie 1555. FIrst being asked againe by the Lord Chauncelor The 2. examination of Maister Rogers whether I would come into one Church wyth the Bishops and whole realme as now was concluded by ParliameÌ„t in the which all the Realme was conuerted to the Catholike churche of Rome and so receiue the mercy before profered me arising againe with the whole realme Winchesters mercy what it meaneth out of the schisme and errour in which we had long bene with recantation of my errors I answered that before I coulde not tell what his mercy meant but now I vnderstoode that it was
yet I testify vnto you that the comfort of my sweete Christ doth driue from my phantasy the feare of death But if my deare husband Christ doe for my triall leaue me alone a little to my selfe alas I know in what case I shal be thē but if for my proofe he do so yet am I sure he will not be long or far from me Though he stand behind the wal hide himselfe as Salomō saith in his mistical ballet yet will he peep in by a crest to see how I do He is a very tender harted Ioseph though he speak roughly to his brethren handle thē hardly yea threatē greuous bondage to his best beloued brother Beniamin yet can he not conteyne hymselfe from weeping with vs vpon vs with falling on our neckes and sweetly kissing vs. Such Christ a sweete brother vnto vs. such a brother is our Christ vnto vs all Wherfore hasten to go vnto him as Iacob did with his Sonnes and family leauing theyr country and acquayntaunce Yea this our Ioseph hath obteined for vs that Pharao the Infidell shall minister vnto vs chariots wherin at ease we may be caryed to come vnto him as we haue experience how our very aduersaries do help vs vnto our euerlasting blisse by theyr spedy dispatch yea how all thinges haue bene helpinges hereunto blessed be our God Be not afrayde of fraybugges which lye in the way Feare rather the euerlasting fire feare the Serpent which hath that deadly sting of which by bodely death they shall be brought to taste which are not grafted in Christ wanting fayth and a good conscience and so are not acquaynted with Christ the killer of death But oh my deare wyfe and frends we we whom God hath deliuered from the power of darcknes and hath translated vs into the kingdom of his deare sonne by putting of the old man by fayth putting on the newe euen our Lord Iesus Christ his wisedome holines righteousnes redēption we I say haue to triumph agaynst the terrible spitefull Serpent the Deuill sinne hell death damnation For Christ our brasen Serpent hath pulled away the sting of this serpēt The sting of death pluck◠out 1. Cor. 15. so that now we may boldly in beholding it spoyled of his sting triūph with our Christ al his elect say Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory Thankes be to God who hath geuen vs Vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore be mery my deare wife all my deare felow heyres of the euerlasting kingdome alwayes remēber the Lord. Reioyce in hope be pacient in tribulation continue in prayer pray for vs now appoynted to the slaughter y t we may be vnto our heauenly father a fat offering and an acceptable sacrifice I may hardlye write to you Wherfore let these few words be a witnes of commendations to you and all them which loue vs in fayth To this his flocke the parish of Alhallowes in Bredstreate He wrote also a fruitefull letter exhorting and charging them to beware of the Romish religiō and constantly to sticke to the truth which they had confessed and namely vnto my flocke among whom I am resident by Gods prouidence but as a prisoner And although I am not so amōg them as I haue bene to preach to them out of a pulpit yet doth god now preach vnto them by me by this my imprisonment and captiuity which now I suffer among them for Christes Gospelles sake bidding them to beware of the Romish Antichristian religion and kingdome requiring and charging them to abide in the trueth of Christ which is shortly to be sealed w t the bloud of theyr Pastor who though he be vnworthy of such a ministery yet Christ there high pastor is to be regarded whose truth hath bene taught thē by me is witnessed by my chaynes shall be by my death through the power of that hye pastor Be not carefull good wife cast your care on the Lord commend me vnto him in repentant praier as I do you and our Samuell whom euen at the stake I will offer as my selfe vnto God Fare ye wel all in Christ in hope to be ioyned w t you in ioy euerlasting This hope is put vp in my bosome Amen Amen Amen Pray pray * An other Letter to Maystres Lucy Harington a Godly Gentlewoman and frendly to him in his troubles YOur most gentle commendations An other comfortable lette◠of M. Saunders whereof this messenger made remembraunce vnto me was for two causes very comfortable First for that thereby I vnderstood of the state of your health bodely welfare for the which I geue thankes vnto god who graunt the long continuaunce thereof to his honour and fatherly good will whereunto I will dayly say Amen And farther I was refreshed by the expressing of your mindefull frendship towardes me farre vnworthy thereof Wherein I take occasion of much reioysing in our so gracious a God and mercifull Father who as he hath in his vnmeasurable mercy by fayth handfasted vs his chosen childrē vnto his deare sonne our Christ as the spirituall spouse of such an heauēly husband so he linketh vs by loue one vnto an other being by that bond cōpact together with charitable readines to doe good one vnto another so that first to the glory of our God his Christ thē to our owne ioying in the testimony of a good cōscience and last of all to the stopping of the mouthes and confusiō of our aduersaries we beare the badge as the right spouse of our Christ which himselfe noted in this saying Herein shall all men know that ye be my Disciples if ye loue one another Then farther by this bond of mutuall loue The true badge of Christ. Iohn 13. is sette forth the fatherly prouidence of God towardes vs his children that though it be he that careth for vs in whome we liue mooue and be who feedeth all flesh with bodely sustenaunce yet hath he appoynted vs in these present necessities to stand in his sted one vnto another Wherein is not onelye sette forth our dignitye but also that vnspeakeable accorde and vnitye among vs the many members in his mysticall body And though that either for lacke of ability or els through distaunce of place power and oportunity of helping one another doe fayle yet wonderfull is the working of Gods children through the spirite of prayer as wherby they fetch all heauenly influence frō Christ theyr celestiall head by his spirite to be measured seuerally as maye serue to the mayntenaunce of the whole body Thus doth our faythfull prayer which we make one for another distribute and scater Gods bountiful blessinges both ghostly and bodely Iohn 15. when ordinary ability lacketh and when the arme may not reach forth such Gods riches According herunto I well perceiue and vnderstand your readines to do good vnto all and especially I haue experience of your
that saueth the Christian man in Christe and doubtlesse the scarcitie of Faith is nowe more and will I feare encrease then it was in the time of the greatest tyrannes that euer were and no marueil why Faith more scarser now then in the old time vnder Tyrauntes Read ye the 6. chap. of s. Iohns Reuelation and ye shall perceiue amongest other thinges y t at the opening of the fourth Seale came out a pale horse and hee that sate vpon him was called death and hell followed hym This horse is the time wherin hipocrites and dissemblers entred into the Churche vnder the pretence of true Religion The pale horse in the Apocalips chap. 6. what it meaneth Mo soules slaine by Monkes and Fryers c. then bodyes by Tytantes as Monkes Friers Nounes Massing Priestes wyth suche other that haue killed moe soules with heresie and superstition then all the tyrannes that euer were killed bodies w t fire sword or banishment as it appeareth by hys name that sitteth vpon y e horse who is called death for all soules that leaue Christe and trust to these hypocrites liue to the deuill in euerlasting paine as is declared by him that foloweth the pale horse which is hell These pretensed and pale hypocrites haue stirred the earthquakes The 6. chapt of the Apocalips opened that is to witte the Princes of the worlde against Christes church haue also darkened the Sunne and made the Moone bloudy and haue caused the Starres to fal from heauen that is to say haue darkned with mists and daily doe darken as ye heare by theyr Sermons the cleare sunne of Gods most pure worde the Moone which be Gods true Preachers whych fetche onely lighte at the Sunne of Gods word are turned into bloud prisons and chaines that theyr light can not shine vnto the worlde as they woulde whereuppon it commeth to passe that the Starres that is to say Christian people fall from heauen that is to wit from Gods most true woorde to hypocrisie most deuilish superstition and Idolatrie Let some learned man shew you al the articles of your beliefe monuments of Christian faith from the time of Christ hitherto and yee shall perceiue that there was neuer mention of suche articles as these hypocrites teach God blesse you and pray for me as I do for you Out of the Fleete by your brother in Christ Iohn Hooper To maister Ferrar Bishop of S. Dauies D. Tailor M. Bradford and M. Philpot prisonners in the kings benche in Southwarke THe grace of God be with you Amen I am aduertised by diuers An other letter of M. Hooper as well such as loue the truthe as also by suche as yet be not come vnto it that ye and I shal be caried shortly to Cābridge there to dispute in the faith and for the religion of Christ which is most true that we haue and doe professe I am as I doubt not ye be in Christ readie not only to goe to Cambridge but also to suffer by Gods helpe Commission geuen out for M. Hooper and other to dispute at Cambridge death it selfe in the maintenaunce thereof Weston and his complices haue obtained foorth the commission already and spedily most like he wil put it in execution Wherfore deare brethren I doe aduertise you of the thing before for diuers causes The one to comfort you in the Lorde that the tyme draweth nigh and is at hand that we shall testifie before Gods enemies Gods truth The next that ye shoulde prepare your selues the better for it The third to shew you what wayes I think were best to vse our selues in this matter and also to hear of euery one of you your better aduise if mine be not good Ye knowe such as shall be Censors and Iudges ouer vs breath and thirst our bloud and whether we by Gods help ouercome after the word of God or by force and subtiltie of our aduersaries be ouercome this will be the conclusion our aduersaries wil say they ouercome and ye perceiue howe they reporte of those great learned men and godly personages at Oxforde Wherefore I minde neuer to aunsweare them except I haue bookes present The counsell of M. Hooper how and vpon what cautions to dispute with the aduersaries because they vse not onely false allegation of the Doctors but also a peece of the Doctors against the whole course of the Doctors minde The next that we may haue sworne Notaries to take things spoken indifferently which will be very harde to haue for the aduersaries will haue the ouersight of all thinges and then make theirs better then it was our worse then it was Then if we see that two or three or more will speake together or with scoffes and tauntes illude and mocke vs I suppose it were best to appeale to be hearde before the Queene and the whole Counsaile and that would much set foorth the glory of God For many of them knowe already the truthe many of them erre rather of zeale then malice and the others that be indurate shoulde be aunsweared fully to their shame I doubte not althoughe to oure smart and bloudshedding For of this I am assured that the Commissioners appoynted to heare vs and iudge vs meane nothynge lesse then to heare the cause indifferently for they be ennemies vnto vs vnto our cause and be at a poynt already to geue sentēce against vs so that if it were possible with S. Stephen to speak so that they could not resist vs or to vse suche silence pacience as Christ did they will proceede to reuenging Wherefore my deare brethren in the mercy of Iesus Christe I would be glad to knowe your aduise this day or to morowe for shortly we shall be gone and I verily suppose that we shall not cōpanie together but be kept one abroade from an other They will denie our appeale yet let vs chalenge the appeale and take witnesse thereof of suche as be present and require for indifferencie of hearing and iudgement to be heard either before the Queene and the Counsaile or els before all the Parliament as they were vsed in king Edwardes dayes Further for my part I will require both bookes and time to answere Wee haue bene prisoners now three quarters of a yeare and haue lacked oure bookes and oure memorie by close keeping and ingratitude of their partes be not as present and quicke as theirs be I trust God will be with vs yea I doubt not but he will and teache vs to doe all thinges in hys cause godly and cōstantly If our aduersaries that shal be our iudges may haue their purpose we shall dispute one day be condemned the next day and suffer the third day Note how◠the Papist◠proceed agaynst all order and law And yet is there no law to condemne vs as farre as I knowe and so one of the Conuocation house sayde this weeke to Doct. Weston To whome Weston made this answere It forceth not quoth
father And seeing he hath such care for the haires of our head howe much more doeth he care for our life it selfe Wherefore let Gods aduersaries do what they lust whether they take life or take it not they can do vs no hurt for their crueltye hath no further power then God permitteth them and that which commeth vnto vs by the will of our heauenly father can be no harme no losse neither destruction vnto vs but rather gain wealth and felicitie For all troubles and aduersitie that chaunce to such as be of God by the wil of the heauenly father can be none other but gaine and aduantage That the spirite of manne may feele these consolations the geuer of them the heauenly father must be prayed vnto for the merites of Christes passion for it is not the nature of man that can be contented Prayer necessary Iames 1. 1. Cor. 1.8 vntill it be regenerated and possessed with Gods spirit to beare paciently the troubles of the minde or of the body When the minde and heart of a man seeth of euery side sorow and heauines the worldly eye beholdeth nothing but suche things as be troublous wholely bent to robbe the poore of that hee hath and also to take from him hys life except the man weighe these brittle and vncertaine treasures that be taken from him with the riches of the life to come and this life of the body with the life in Christes precious bloud and so for the loue and certaintie of the heauenly ioyes contemne all thyngs present doubtles he shall neuer be able to beare the losse of goodes life or any other things of this world Therefore S. Paule geueth a very godly and necessary lesson to all men in this short and transitorie life and therin sheweth howe a man may best beare the iniquitie and troubles of this world If ye be risen againe with Christ sayth he seeke the things which are aboue Collos. â—â— A lesson how to beare trouble where Christ sitteth at the right hande of God the father Wherefore the Christian mans faith must be alwayes vppon the resurrection of Christe when he is in trouble and in that glorious resurrection he shall not onely see continuall and perpetuall ioy and consolation but also the victorie and triumph of all persecution trouble sinne death hell the deuil and al other tyrants and persecuters of Christ and of Christes people the teares and weepings of the faithfull dryed vppe theyr woundes healed their bodies made immortall in ioy their soules for euer praising the Lord and coniunction and societie euerlasting wyth the blessed company of Gods electes in perpetuall ioy But the woordes of S. Paule in that place if they be not marked shall doe little profite to the reader or hearer and geue him no pacience at all in this impacient and cruell world In this first part S. Paule commaundeth vs to thinke or set our affections on things that are aboue Two thinges commaunded by S. Paule writing to the Collossians The first is to see and know what thiâ—ges are aboue and what thinges are beneath and and to discerne rightly betwene them The second is to set our affection vpon them that are aboue and not vpon the other And this lesson is harder then the otheâ— When he biddeth vs seeke the thyngs that are aboue hee requireth that oure mindes neuer cease from prayer and studie in Gods word vntill we see knowe and vnderstande the vanities of thys worlde the shortnesse and miserie of thys life and the treasures of the worlde to come the immortalitie thereof and the ioyes of that life and so neuer cease seeking vntill suche time as we know certainly and be perswaded what a blessed man hee is that seeketh the one and finedeth it and careth not for the other though hee loose it and in seekynge to haue ryght iudgement betwene the life present and the life to come wee shall finde howe little the paines imprysonment sclaunders lies and death it selfe is in thys worlde in respect of the paines euerlasting the prisonne infernall and dungeon of hell the sentence of Gods iust iudgement and euerlasting death When a man hath by seeking the woorde of God found out what the things aboue be then must hee as S. Paule saith set his affections vpon them And this commaundement is more harde then the other For mans knowledge many times seeth the best and knoweth that there is a life to come better then thys life present as you maye see howe daily men and women can praise and commende yea and wishe for heauen and to be at rest there yet they sette not their affection vpon it they do more affect and loue in dede a trifle of nothing in this worlde that pleaseth their affection then the treasure of all treasures in heauen which their owne iudgement sayth is better then all worldly thinges Wherefore we must set our affections vpon the things that be aboue that is to say when any thing worse then heauen vppon the earth offereth it selfe to be ours if we wil geue our good willes to it and loue it in our heartes then ought we to see by the iudgement of Gods woorde whether we may haue the worlde without offence of God and suche thyngs as be for this worldly life wythout his displeasure If wee can not S. Paules commaundement must take place Set your affections on things that are aboue If the riches of thys world may not be gotten nor kept by Gods lawe neyther our liues be continued without the deniall of hys honour we must set our affection vpon the richesse and lyfe that is aboue and not vpon things that be on the earth Therfore this second commaundement of S. Paul requireth How thinges of this world may be possessed and how not that as our minds iudge heauenly things to be better then thyngs vpon the earth and the life to come better then the life present so we should chuse them before other preferre them and haue such affection to the best that in no case we set the worst before it as the most part of the world doth and hath done for they choose the best and approoue it and yet follow the worste But these thyngs my godly wife require rather cogitation meditation and praier then wordes or talke They be easie to be spoken of but not so easie to be vsed and practised Wherefore seeing they be Gods gyftes Scriptures woulde bee mused vpon rather then talked vpon and none of ours to haue as our owne when we would we must seke them at our heauenly fathers hand who seeth and is priuy how poore and wretched we be and how naked how spoiled and destitute of all his blessed giftes we be by reason of sinne He did commaund therefore his Disciples when he shewed them that they shoulde take paciently the state of thys present life full of troubles and persecution Math. 24. Luke 2. to praye that they myghte well
the truth beyng at all tymes and in all such places not without y e company of his litle boy whom as I haue said he vsed as an assistance to this hys good purpose And to this his great industry and indeuor in holy scripture God did also adde in him a singular gyft of memory so that by the benefite therof he would could do that in vouching and rehersing of the text The gift of memory in Rawlins which men of riper and more profound knowlege by their notes and other helpes of memory could very hardly accomplish In so much that he vpon the alledging of scripture very often would cite the booke the leafe yea and the very sentence such was the wonderfull working of God in this simple and vnlearned father Nowe when he had thus continued in his profession the space of fiue yeares K. Edward died vpon whose decease Queene Mary succeeded and with her all kynde of superstition and Papistrie crepte in Which thing beyng one perceyued Rawlins did not altogether vse open instruction and admonition as before he was woont and therfore ofteÌ„times in some priuate place or other he would call his trusty friends together with earnest prayer and great lamentation passe away the time so that by his vertuous instructions being without any blemish of errour he conuerted a great number which number no doubt had greatly encreased had not the cruel storme of persecution bene The extremitie and force whereof at the last so pursued this good father Rawlins that hee looked euery houre to goe to prison whereupon many of those which had receyued comfort by his instructions did resort vnto hym and by all meanes possible began to perswade him to shift for hymselfe and to dispose hys goods by some reasonable order to the vse of his wyfe and children Rawlins exhorted to shifte for himselfe by that meanes he should escape that daunger which was imminent ouer his head But Rawlins nothyng abashed for hys owne part through the iniquity of the tyme at all nothyng mooued with these their fleshly perswasions thanked them most hartily for their good will and told them plainely that hee had learned one good lesson touching the confessing denial of Christ Rawlins promiseth to be constant to the death aduertising them that if he vpon their persuasions should presume to deny his maister Christ Christ in the last day would deny and vtterly condemne hym and therfore quoth he I will by hys fauourable grace confes and beare witnes of him before men that I may find him in euerlastyng lyfe Notwithstandyng which aunswer his friends were very importunate with hym Howbeit father Rawlins continued still in his good purpose so long till at the last he was taken by the Officers of the towne as a man suspected of heresie vpon which apprehension he was conuented before the B. of Landaffe that then was Rawlins apprehended and conuented before the B. of Landaffe named Anthony Kechin the sayd B. lying then at hys house besides Chepstow by whome after diuers combates and conflicts with him and his chaplains this good father Rawlins was committed to prison in Chepstow But this hys kepyng whether it were by the Bishops meanes because he would rid hys handes of hym or through the fauour of hys keeper Rawlins might esâ—cape and would 〈◊〉 Rawlins whole yeare in prison A godly woman styrred 〈◊〉 to relieuâ— Rawlins was not so seuere and extreme but that if he had so listed hee myght haue escaped oftentymes But that notwithstandyng hee continued still in so much that at the last he by the aforenamed Bishop was remooued from Chepstow to the castle of Cardiffe where he continued by the space of one whole yeare Duryng which tyme this reporter resorted to him very often with money and other reliefe from this reporters mother who was a great fauourer of those that were in affliction in those dayes and other of hys friends which he receyued not without great thanks and prayses geuen to the name of God And albeit that he was thus troubled and imprisoned as ye haue heard to hys owne vndoyng in this world and to the vtter decay of his poore wyfe children yet was hys heart so set to the instruction and furtherance of other in the way of saluation that he was neuer in quiet but when he was perswading or exhorting such of hys familiar frends as commonly came vnto him Exhortatâ—â—â— of Rawlâ—â—â— to his friendes In so much that on the Sondayes and other tymes of laisure when his friends came to visite hym hee would passe away the tyme in prayer and exhortations admonishyng them alwayes to beware of false Prophets which come in sheeps clothyng Now when hee had continued in Cardiffe Castle by the space of one whole yeare as I haue sayde the tyme of hys further triall was at hand Whereupon Rawlins 〈◊〉 no meaneâ— could be râ—â—duced to râ—â—turne to Popery the aforenamed Bishop of Landaffe caused him to be broughte agayne from the castle of Cardiffe vnto his owne house besides Chepstow whilest he continued there y e Bishoppe assayed many wayes howe to reduce him to some conformitie But when all meanes eyther by theyr threatning wordes or flattering promises were to no purpose the Byshoppe willed him to aduise and be at a full poynte with hymselfe eyther to recant hys opinions or els to abide the rigor of the lawe and thereupon gaue him a day of determination Which day beyng come the Bishop with hys Chaplaynes went into his chappell Rawlins brought before thâ— B. of Lanâ—daffe in oâ— iudgemeâ—â— not without a great number of other by dwellers that came to behold the manner of their doyngs When the Bishop with his retinue were placed in order poore Rawlins was brought before them The Bishop after great deliberation in addressyng hymselfe as it seemed and silence forewarned to the rest that were there present vsed a long kynd of talke to him declaring the cause of hys sendyng for which was for that hee was a man well knowen to hold hereticall opinions and that through his instruction many were led into blynd errour In the end he exhorted hym to consider hys owne estate wherein he stood for said the B. Rawlins you haue bene oftentymes since your first trouble both here in my house The worâ— of the B. Rawlins and els where bene trauailed withal touching your opinions and that notwithstandyng ye seeme altogether obstinate and wilfull Now hereupon we thought good to sende for you to see if there were any conformity in you so that the matter is come to this poynt that if you shall shew your selfe repentant for that which you haue done both agaynst God and the princes law we are ready to vse fauour towards you but if by no meanes we can perswade with you touching your reformation we are minded at this time to minister the law vnto you and therfore aduise your self what you
that we geue liberally putting aside al nigardship knowing that he that soweth little shall reape little and hee that soweth plenteouslye shall reape plenteouslye 2. Cor. 9. In almes three things required Lette euerye manne therefore doe accordinge as hee is able The poorest caitiffe in the world may geue as great and acceptable an almes in the sight of God as the richest man in the worlde can doe The poore widowe that did offer but two mites Marke 18. whiche make a farthing did highly please Christ In so much that he affirmed with an othe That shee of her penurie had added more to the offrings of God then all the rich men which of their superfluitie had cast in very muche For if there be first a willing minde as S. Paule sayth it is accepted according to that a maÌ„ hath 2. Cor. 8. and not according that a man hath not Thirdly we must geue wythout hypocrisie and ostentation not seeking the praise of men or our own glorie of profite Almes without ostentation And althoughe the Scriptures in some places make mention of a rewarde to oure almes and other good woorkes yet ought we not to thinke that wee doe merite or deserue any thynge Workes of mercy doe not merite with God touching our saluation any thing 1. Cor. 4. but rather wee oughte to acknowledge that God of his mere mercy rewardeth in vs hys owne giftes For what hathe hee that geueth almes that hee hathe not receiued hee then that geueth vnto a poore man anye manner of thing geueth not of his owne but of those goodes whych he hath receiued of God What haste thou saith the apostle that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it This sentence ought to be had in remembrance of all men For if we haue nothing but that which wee haue receiued what can we deserue or what neede we to dispute and reason of our owne merites It commeth of the free gift of God that we liue that we loue God that we walke in his feare Where is our deseruing then Math. 26. 〈…〉 1. Mach. 4. We must also in this our spiritual warfare arme our selues with continuall praier a very necessary strong and inuincible weapon and after the example of Christ and al other godly men crie heartily vnto God in faith in all our distresses and anguishes Let vs goe boldly to the seate of grace where we shall be sure to receiue mercie Continuall prayer and finde grace to helpe in time of neede For now is pride and persecution encreased nowe is the time of destruction and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore my deare brethren be ye ferueÌ„t in the law of God and ieoperd ye your liues if neede shall so require To be faythfull 〈◊〉 temptation for the testament of the fathers and so shall yee receiue great honour and an euerlasting name Remember Abraham Was not he found faithfull in temptation Gene. 22. Gene. 41. Num 25. and it was reckened vnto him for righteousnes Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the commaundement and was made a Lord of Egypt Phinees was so feruent for the honor of God Iosua· 1. Num. 14. that he obtained the couenaunt of an euerlasting Priesthode Iosua for the fulfilling the word of God was made the captaine of Israel Caleb bare recorde before the Congregation and receiued an heritage 1. Reg. 24. 4. Reg 2. Dauid also in his mercifull kindnesse obtained the throne of an euerlasting kingdome Elias being zealous and feruent in the law was taken vp into heauen Ananias Azarias Dan. 3. Dan. 6. and Misael remained stedfast in the faith and were deliuered out of the fire In like maner Daniel being vnguiltie was saued from the mouth of the Lions And thus ye may coÌ„sider throughout al ages since the world began Psal. 38. He exhorteth to zeale and courage that who soeuer putte their trust in God were not ouercome Feare not ye then the wordes of vngodly men for their glory is but dong and wormes to day are they set vp and to morowe are they gone For they are tourned into earth and theyr memorial commeth to naught Wherfore let vs take good hearts vnto vs and quite our selues like men in the lawe for if we doe the things that are commaunded vs in the law of the Lorde our God we shall obtaine great honour therein Beloued in Christ let vs not faint because of affliction wherwith God trieth all them that are sealed vnto life euerlasting Actes 14. for the onely way into the kingdome of God is through muche tribulation For the kingdome of heauen as God teacheth by hys Prophet Esdras is like a Citie builded and set vpon a broad field 4. Esdras 7. and full of all good thinges but the entraunce is narrowe and sodaine Straite is the way which the elect must walke in full of sorrow and trauaile pearils and labours Like as if there were a fire at the right hand and a deepe water at the lesâ—â— and as it were one straight path betwene them both so smal that there could but one man goe there If this Citie now were geuen to an heire and he neuer went through the pearillous way how would he receiue his inheritaunce Wherefore seeing we are in this narrowe and straight way which leadeth vnto the most ioyfull and pleasaunt Citie of euerlasting life let vs not stagger eyther turne backe being afraide of the daungerous and pearillous way but followe our Captaine Iesus Christ in the narrowe and straight way and be afraide of nothing no not euen of death it selfe Death is a dore to lyfe for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneys ende and open vs the doore vnto euerlasting life Consider also the course of thys world howe many there be which for their maisters sake If worldly men ieopard so much for earthly thinges how much more ought we to ieopard for euerlasting thinges or for a litle promotions sake wold aduenture their liues in worldly affaires as coÌ„monly in warres yet is their reward but light transitory ours is vnspeakable great and euerlasting They suffer paines to be made Lordes on earth for a short season howe much more ought we to endure like paines yea peraduenture much lesse to be made kinges in heauen for euermore Consider also the wicked of this worlde which for a litle pleasures sake or to be auenged on their ennemies will fight with sworde and weapons and put them selues in daunger of imprisonment and hanging So much as vertue is better then vice God mightier then the deuil so much ought we to excell them in this our spirituall battaile And seeing brethren it hath pleased God to set me and that most worthy minister of Christ Iohn Bradforde your countreymen in the forefront of this battaile where for the time is most daunger I beseeche you all in
if it were to do againe W. Flower intending at Paules to haue done the lyke whether I coulde doe it againe or no for I was vp verye early at Paules church so called vpon Christes day in the morning to haue done it in my ielousie but when I came in place I was no more able to doe it then nowe to vndoe that is don and yet now being compelled by the spirit not onely to come ouer the water and to enter the churche but being in minde fully content to die for the Lord gaue ouer my flesh willingly without all feare I praise God Wherfore I can not learne you to doe the like Firste because I knowe not what is in you Secondly because the rules of the Gospell commaundeth vs to suffer wyth pacience all wrongs iniuries yet neuerthelesse if he make you worthy y t hath made me zealous ye shall not be letted iudged nor condemned for he doth in his people hys vnspeakable workes in all ages which no man can coÌ„prehend I humbly beseech you to iudge the best of the spirit and coÌ„demne not Gods doings for I can not expresse wyth my mouthe the great mercies y t God hath shewed on me in thys thing which I repent not Smith Are ye not assured to haue death ministred vnto you for the same act committed and euen with extremitie Flo. I did before the deede committed adiudge my bodye to dye for the same W. Flower prepared himselfe to death before the fact committed whereuppon I caryed aboute mee in wryting mine opinion of God and the holy Scriptures that if it had pleased God to haue geueÌ„ them leaue to haue killed my body in the church they might in the sayde wryting haue seene my hope which I praise God is layde vp safe within my brest notwithstanding any death that may be ministred vnto my body in thys worlde being ascertained of euerlasting life throughe Iesus Christe our Lorde and being most heartily sorie for al mine offences committed in this flesh and trusting shortly through hys mercye to cease from the same Smith It is no neede to examine or commune with you of the hope that yee haue any further for I perceiue God be praised ye are in good estate therefore I beseeche God for his mercies spreade his wings ouer you y t as for his loue you haue ben zelous euen to the losse of this life so he may geue you his holy spirite to conduct you out of thys death into a better life which I thinke wil be shortly Flo. I hunger for the same deare frend being fully ascertained that they can kill but the bodye which I am assured shall receiue life againe euerlasting and see no more death entirely desiring you and all that feare the Lorde to praye wyth me to almightye God to performe the same in mee shortly And thus Robert Smith departed leauing him in the dungeon and went againe to hys warde And thys gentle Reader is the truthe as neare as the saide Smyth coulde reporte it And thus muche concerninge the talke betweene hym and Robert Smith in Newgate concerning hys facte in striking the Priest Nowe to returne againe to the matter of his examination where we leaft we shewed before how thys William Flower after hys striking the Prieste firste was layde in the Gatehouse then being examined before Boner had articles ministred against him the copy wherof heere followeth Articles obiected and ministred by Boner against William Branch alias Flower late of Lambeth in the Countie of Surrie Articles obiected agaynst W. Flower by B. Boner FIrst that thou being of lawful age and discretion at the least of 17. yeare old wast professed a Monke in the late Abbey of Ely wherin after thy profession thou remainedst vntill the age of 21. yeares vsing all the meane tyme the habit and religion of the same house and wast reputed and taken notoriously for such a person In the latter dayes certayne shall depart froÌ„ the â—ayth forbidding mariage and eating of meates 1. Tim. 4. Item that after the premisses thou wast ordered and made prieste according to the laudable custome of the Catholike Church and afterward thou didst execute and minister as a priest and was commonly reputed named and taken for a priest Item that after the premisses thou forgetting God thy conscience honestie and the laudable order of the Catholike church diddest contrary to thy profession and vow take as vnto thy wife one woman commonly called Alice Pulton in the parish churche of Tewkesbury in the Dioces of Gloucester with whom thou haddest mutuall cohabitation and carnall copulation as man and wife and begatest of her two children Item that thou being a religious man and a Priest diddest contrary to the order of the ecclesiastical lawes A great heresie take vpon thee to practise in diuers places within the dioces of London Phisicke and Surgerie when thou wast not admitted expert nor learned Item that vpon Easter day last past that is to witte the 14. day of thys present moneth of Aprill within the parish Church of S. Margarets at Westminster wythin the Countie of Middlesex and Diocesse of London thou dydst maliciously outragiously and violently pul out thy weapon that is to wit thy Woodknife or hanger And wheras the priest and minister there called sir Iohn Cheltam was executing his cure and charge especially in doing hys seruice and ministring the sacrameÌ„t of the aultar to the communicants then didst thou wickedly abhominably smite with thy said weapon the said priest first vpoÌ„ the head very sore afterwards vpon his hands or other parts of his b dy drawing bloud abundantly vpon him the sayd priest then holding the sayd sacrameÌ„t in his hand and geuing no occasion why thou shouldest so hurte him the people greeuously being offended therwith and the said church polluted thereby so that the inhabitantes were compelled to repaire to an other Churche to communicate and to receyue the sayde sacrament Item that by reason of the premisses thou wast and art by the ecclesiastical lawes of the churche amongst other penalties excommunicate and accursed ipso facto and not to be companied withal neither in church nor otherwhere but in speciall cases Item that thou concerning the veritye of Christes naturall body and bloude in the sacrament of the aultar haste ben by the space of these yeares 20.19.18.17.16.15.14.13.12.11.10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2 and 1. or any one of them and yet art at this present of the opinion that is to say that in the sayd sacrament of the aultare His fayth in the Sacrament after the wordes of consecration there is not really truely and in very dede contained vnder the formes of bread the very true and naturall body of our sauiour Iesus Christ. Item that thou for the hatred and disdaine that thou hadst didst beare against the said sacrament and the vertue thereof and against the said priest ministring the same as before did smite wound and hurte him in maner
into his kingdom The triumph victory ouer death where he now sitteth at his fathers right hand that is to say in power glory equall in maiesty coeternall From thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead He shal appeare againe in great glory to receiue his elect vnto himselfe to put his enemies vnder his feete chaunging all liuyng men in a moment and raising vp al that be dead that all may be brought to his iudgement In this shall he geue ech man according to his deedes They which haue folowed him in regeneratioÌ„ which haue their sinnes washed away in hys bloud are clothed with hys righteousnes shall receiue the euerlasting kingdome and raigne with him for euer and they which after the race of the corrupt generation of Adam haue followed fleshe and bloud shall receiue euerlasting damnation with the deuill and hys angels I beleeue in the holy ghost I do beleue that the holy ghost is God the third person in Trinitie in vnitie of the Godhed equal with the father the sonne geuen through Christ to inhabite our spirites by which we are made to feele and vnderstand the great power vertue louing kindnes of Christ our lord For he illumineth quickneth and certifieth our spirit that by him we are sealed vp vnto the day of redemption by whom we are regenerate and made new cretures so that by hym and through hym we do receyue all the aboundaÌ„t goodnes promised vs in Iesus Christ. The holy Catholike Church This is an holy number of Adams posteritie elected gathered The Church washed and purified by the bloud of the Lambe from the beginning of the world and is dispersed through the same by the tiranny of Gog Magog that is to say the Turke and his tiranny and Antichrist otherwyse named the Bish. of Rome and hys aungels as this day also doth teach The Communion of Saints Which most holy congregation beyng as Paule teacheth builded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Christ beyng the head corner stone though it be by the tyranny of Satan and his ministers persecuted some by imprisonment some by death and some by other afflictions painful torments yet doth it remayne in one perfect vnitie both in faith and fellowship which vnity is knit in an vnspeakable knot as well of them which are departed from this mortal life as of them which now be liuyng and hereafter shall be in the same and so shall continue vntill they all do meete in the kyngdome where the head Iesus Christ with all hys holy members of which number thorough Christ I assuredly beleeue that I am one shall be fully complete knit and vnited together for euermore The forgeuenesse of sinnes I do beleeue that my sinnes and all their sinnes which do rightly beleeue the holy Scripture Remission only through Christ. are forgeuen onely thorough that Iesus Christ of whom onely I do professe that I haue my whole and full saluation and redemption which S. Paule saith commeth not through our workes and deseruyngs but freely by grace lest any should boast hymselfe Thorough the bloud of his Crosse all thyngs in heauen and earth are reconciled and set at peace wyth the Father without him no heauenly lyfe is geuen nor sinne forgeuen The resurrection of the body I do beleue that by the same my sauiour Christ I and all men shall rise againe from death for he as Paul sayth is risen agayne froÌ„ the dead and is become the first fruits of them which sleepe Resurrection For by a man came death and by a man commeth the resurrection from death This man is Christ through the power of whose resurrection I beleue that we all shall rise agayne in these our bodyes the elect clothed with immortalitie to liue with Christ for euer the reprobate also shall rise immortall to liue with the deuill and his angels in death euerlasting And the life euerlasting Through the same Iesus by none other I am sure to haue life euerlasting He onely is the way and entrance into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. For so God loued the world that he did geue his onely sonne Iesus Christ to the ende that so many as do beleue in him might haue euerlasting lyfe The which I am sure to possesse so soone as I am dissolued Life and Saluation onely by fayth in Christ. departed out of this tabernacle in the last day shall both body and soule possesse the same for euer to the which God graunt all men to come I beleue that the sacramentes that is to say of Baptisme and of the Lordes supper are seales of Gods moste mercyfull promises towardes mankind Two sacraments of the new Testament In Baptisme as by the outward creature of water I am washed from the filthines which hangeth on my flesh so do I assuredly beleue y t I am by Christes bloud washed cleane froÌ„ my sins through which I haue sure confidence of my certaine saluation In the partaking of the Lordes supper as I receyue the substance of bread wyne the nature of which is to strengthen the body so do I by faith receyue the redemption wrought in Christes body broken on the crosse life by his death resurrection by his resurrection and in summe all that euer Christ in his body suffered for my saluation to the strengthening of my faith in the same And I beleeue that God hath appointed the eatyng drinking of the creatures of bread and wine in his holy supper according to his word to mooue and to stirre vp my mynd to beleue these articles aboue written This is my faith this I do beleue and I am content by Gods grace to confirme and seale the truth of the same with my bloud By me Iohn Warne ¶ A letter of Iohn Cardmaker to a certaine friend of his The peace of God be with you YOu shall right well perceiue A 〈◊〉 M. Câ—â—â—â—make◠〈…〉 that I am not gone backe as some men do report me but as ready to geue my lyfe as any of my brethren that are gone before me although by a pollicie I haue a little prolonged it and that for the best as already it appeareth vnto me and shortly shall appeare vnto all That day that I recant any poynt of doctrine I shall suffer twenty kyndes of death the Lord beyng myne assistance as I doubt not but he wil. Commend me to my friend and tell hym no lesse This the Lorde strengthen you me and all his elect My riches and pouertie is as it was woont to be and I haue learned to reioyce in pouertie as well as in riches for that count I now to bee very riches Thus fare ye well in Christ. Salute all my brethren in my name I haue conferred with some of my aduersaries learned men and I finde that they be but Sophistes and shadowes ¶ A note concerning M. Cardmaker MAister Cardmaker beyng condemned in
the cognisaunce of the Lorde of hostes This cognisaunce of the Lorde standeth not in forked cappes The Lordes cognisaunce standeth not in forked caps c. but in suffering for the Lordes sake typettes shauen crownes or such other baggage and Antichristian pelfe but in suffering for the Lordes sake The world shall hate you sayth Christ. Loe â—here is the Cognisaunce and Badge of Goddes children The world shall hate you Reioyce therefore my dearely beloued reioyce that God doth thus vouchsafe to beginne to conforme you and make you like to Christ. By the tryall of these dayes yee are occasioned more to repent more to pray more to contemn this world more to desire life euerlasting more to be holy for holy is the end wherefore God doth afflict vs and so to come to Gods companye Whych thing because we can not doe as long as this body is as it is therfore by the dore of death we must enter with Christ into eternall life and immortality of soule and body whiche God of his mercy send shortly for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen ¶ To Maystres A. Worcup THe euerlasting peace of Christ be more and more liuely felte in our hartes Another letter of M. Bradford to Mistres Warcup by the operation of the holy ghost now and for euer Amen Although I knowe it bee more then needeth to write anye thing vnto you good Sister being as I doubt not you be diligently exercised in readinge of the Scriptures in meditating of the same and in harty prayer to GOD for the helpe of his holy Spirite to haue the sense and feeling especially of the comfortes you reade in Gods sweete booke yet hauinge such oportunity and knowing not whether hereafter I shall euer haue the like as this bringer can declare I thought good in few wordes to take my farewell in writinge because otherwise I canne not And nowe me thinkes I haue doone it For what else canne I or shoulde I saye vnto you my dearely beloued in the Lorde but farewell Farewell deare Sister farewell howbeit in the Lorde our Lord I say farewell In him shall you farewell Bradford 〈◊〉 farewell Maâ—stres Warcup so much the better by howe muche in your selfe you fare euill and shall fare euill When I speake of your selfe I meane also this worlde thys life and all thinges properly perteining to this life In them as you looke not for your welfare so be not dismayed when accordingly you shall not feele it To the Lord our GOD to the Lambe our Christ which hath borne our sinnes on his backe is our Mediatour for euer do I send you In him looke for welfare and that without all wauering because of his owne goodnesse and truth which our euilles and vntrueth can not take away Not that therefore I would haue you to flatter your selfe in any euill or vnbeliefe but that I woulde comfort you that they should not dismay you Yours is our Christ wholy Christ is wholy 〈◊〉 with all that euer hath yours I say he is with all that euer he hath Is not this welfare trow you MouÌ„taynes shall moue and the earth shall fall before you finde it otherwise say that liar Sathan what he list Therefore good Sister farewell and be mery in the Lorde bee mery I say for you haue good cause If your welfare ioy and saluation hanged vpon any other thing then onely Gods mercy truth then might you well be sad heauy and stand in a doubt but in that it hangeth onely vpon these two tel Sathan he lyeth How to aunswere Sathan when he moueth vs to doubâ—â— Gods 〈◊〉 How to looke vpoâ— Christ. How to looke 〈◊〉 our selueâ— In case oâ— iustificatiâ—â— let no 〈◊〉 looke vpoâ— himself 〈◊〉 onely vpâ—â— the goodâ—â—â— of God iâ— Christ. wheÌ„ he would you to stand in a mammering by causing you to caste your eyes which onely in this case should be set on Christ your sweet Sauior on your selfe In some part in deede looke on your selfe on your fayth on your loue obedience c. to wake you vp from security to stirre you vp to diligence in doing the thinges apperteyning to your vocation but when you would be at peace with God and haue true consolation in your conscience altogether looke vpon the goodnes of God in Christ. Thinke on this commaundement which precedeth all other that you must haue no other Gods but the Lord Iehouah which is your Lord God the which he could not be if that he did not pardon your sinnes in very deede Remember that Christ commaundeth you to call him father for the same intent And hereto call to minde all the benefites of God hitherto shewed vpon you and so shall you fele in very deede that which I wish vnto you now and pray you to wish vnto me Farewell or welfare in the Lord Iesus with whom he graunt vs shortlye to meete as his children for his name and mercies sake to our eternall welfare Amen ¶ To mine owne deare brother M. Laurence Saunders prisoner in the Marshalsee MY good brother I beseech our good and gracious Father alwayes to coÌ„tinue his gracious fauor loue towards vs by vs as by instruments of his grace to work his glory the coÌ„fusion of his aduersaryes A letter of M. Bradford to M. Sauâ—â—ders Ex ore infantium lactentium fundet laudem ad destruendum inimicum c. Amen 1. Out of the mouth of infantes and babes he will shew forth his prayse to destroy the enemy c. I haue perused your letters to my selfe and haue read them to others For aunswere whereof if I should write what Doctor Taylor and Mayster Philpot doe thinke then must I say that they thinke the Salt sent vnto vs by your * This frieâ—â— moued 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to the Paâ—pistes artâ—â—cles with this condâ—â—tion so 〈◊〉 as they 〈◊〉 agaynst Gods word being in deede cleane coâ—â—trary to 〈◊〉 and yet shortly 〈◊〉 he valiantâ—â— suffred death for refusing 〈◊〉 same Psal. 54. Psalm 36 Psalm 3â— Math. 10. 1. Cor 10 2. Pet. 1. Nahum â— frende is vnseasonable And in deede I thinke they both will declare it hartely if they shoulde come before them As forme if you woulde knowe what I thinke my good and most deare brother Laurence because I am so sinnefull and so conspurcate the Lord knoweth I lye not with many greuous sinnes which I hope are washed away Sanguine Christi nostri I neither canne nor woulde bee consulted withall but as a sypher in Agrime How be it to tell you how and what I minde take this for a summe I pray GOD in no case I may seeke my selfe and in deede I thankâ— GOD therefore I purpose it not Quod reliquum est Domino Deo meo committo spero in illum quod ipse faciet iuxta hoc Iacta in Dominum curam c. Omnis cura vestra coniecta sit in illum c. Reuela Domino
so many thowsandes it pleaseth his mercy to choose me to be one in whome he will suffer For although it be moste true that iuste patior i. I iustly suffer for I haue bene a great hypocrite and a greeuous synner the Lorde pardon me yea hee hath done it he hath done it in deede yet hic autem quid mali fecit i. What euill hath he done Christ whome the Prelates persecute his verity which they hate in me hath done no euill nor deserueth death Therefore ought I most hartely to reioyce of this dignation and tender kyndnesse of the Lord towardes me This is a singular mercy of God to haue death which is a due punishment for sinne â— turned into a demonstration testification of the Lordes truâ—he 4. Reg. 2. which vseth the remedy for my sinne as a testimoniall of hys Testament to his glory to my euerlasting comfort to the edefying of his Church and to the ouerthrowing of Antichrist and hys kingdome O what am I Lorde that thou shouldest thus magnifye me so vile a man and miser as alwayes I haue bene Is this thy wont to sende for suche a wretche and an hypocrite as I haue bene in a fiery Charyot as thou diddest for Helias Oh deare Fathers be thankefull for me and pray for me that I styll may be found worthy in whom the Lord would sanctify his holy name And for your part make you readye for we are but your gentlemen hushers Nuptiae agni paratae sunt venite ad nuptias 1. The mariage of the Lambe is prepared come vnto the mariage I now go to leaue my flesh there where I receiued it He meaneth that he should be conueyed by the Queenes Garde into Lankeshire to be burnte as the aduersaryes had once determined lyke as Ignatius was by a company of soldiours conueyed to Rome and cast to the Leopardes I shall be coÌ„ueied thither as Ignatius was at Rome to Leopardis by whose euill I hope to bee made better God graunt if it be his will that I aske it may make them better by me Amen For my farewell therfore I write and send this vnto you trusting shortly to see you where we shall neuer be separated In the meane season I will not cease as I haue done to commende you to our father of heauen And that you would so do by me I most hartely praye euerye one of you You knowe nowe I haue moste neede But fidelis Deus qui nunquam sinet nos tentaâ—i supra id quòd possumus i. Faythfull is God which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength He neuer didde it hytherto nor now I am assured he will neuer do Amen A dextris est mihi non mouebor Propter hoc laetabitur cor meum quia non derelinquet animam meam in inferno nec dabit me sanctum suum per gratiam in Câ—risto videre corruptionem E carcere raptim expectens omni momento carnificem i. He is on my righte hand therefore I shall not fall Wherefore my hart shall reioyce Psalme 16 for he shall not leaue my soule in hell neither shall suffer me his holy one by his grace in Christ to see corruption Out of prison in haste looking for the Tormentour The 8. of February Ann. 1555. Iohn Bradford * To the honourable Lord Russell now Earle of Bedford being then in trouble for the verity of Gods Gospell THe euerlasting and most gracious God and Father of our Sauiour Iesu Christ A letter of M. Bradford to the Lord Russell now Earle of Bedford â—lesse your good Lordshippe with all maner of heauenlye blessinges in the same Chryst our onely comfort and hope Amen Praysed be God our Father which hath vouched you worthye as of fayth in his Christ so of his Crosse for the same Magnifyed be his holy name who as he hath deliuered you from one crosse so he hath made you willing I trust and ready to beare another wheÌ„ he shall see his time to lay it vpon you for these are the most singular giftes of God geuen as to few The excellencye of fayth and what it worketh so to none els but to these few whiche are moste deare in his sight Fayth is reckoned and worthely among the greatest gyftes of GOD yea it is the greatest it selfe that we enioy for by it as we be iustified and made Gods childreÌ„ so are we temples and possessours of the holy spirite yea of Christ also Eph. 4. And of the Father hymselfe Iohn 14. By fayth we driue the Deuill away 1. Peter 5. We ouercome the world 1. Ioh. And are already Citttizens of heauen and fellowes wyth Goddes deare Sayntes But who is able to reckon the riches that this fayth bringeth with her vnto the soule she sitteth vpon No man or Aungell And therefore as I sayd of all Gods giftes she may be set in the top and haue the vpmost seate The which thing if men considered in that she commeth alonely from Goddes owne mercy seat Fayth commeth by hearing the word and not by hearing Masse by the hearing not of Masse or Mattyns Dyriges or such drasse but of the worde of God in such a toung as we canne and doe vnderstand as they would be diligent and take greate heede for doyng or seeyng any thyng whiche might cast her downe for then they fal also so would they with no lesse care read and heare Goddes holy word ioyning thereto most earnest and often prayer aswell for the more and better vnderstanding as for the louing liuyng and confessing of the same mauger the head of the deuill the worlde our fleshe reason goodes possessions carnall frends wife children and very life here if they should pull vs backe to harken to the voyce and counsell for more quiet sure and longer vse of them Philip. 1. Now notwithstanding this excellency of fayth in that we read the Apostle to matche therewith yea as it were to preferre suffering persecution for Christes sake I trowe no man will be so fond as to thinke otherwise but that I and all Goddes children haue cause to glorify and prayse God whiche hath vouched you worthye so greate a blessing The efficacy of the crosse and what it worketh in Gods children For though the reason or wisedome of the worlde thinke of the Crosse according to theyr reach and according to theyr present sence and therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominye and shame Yet Gods Scholers haue learned otherwise to thinke of the Crosse that is the frame house in the which God frameth his children lyke to his sonne Christ the Fornace that fineth Gods golde the high way to Heauen the Sute and Liuery that Gods seruauntes are serued withall the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory For they I meane Gods scholers as your Lordshyp is I trust doe enter into Goddes sanctuary Psalme 72. least theyr fecte slippe They looke not as beastes do on thinges
tempt vs further then he wil make vs able to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say this day you shall be called forth what you shall aunswer The Lord promiseth and will geue them that stand in his defence how and what to aunswere The Lord which is true and cannot lye hath promised and will neuer faile nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shal make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hang therefore on this promise of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in him Neuer was it heard of or shall be that any hoping in the Lord was put to foile Therfore as I sayd I say agayne Deare Sister be not only not carefull for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he will confesse you neuer bee ashamed of you Though losse of goodes and lyfe bee like here to ensue A blessed thing seeing a man must needes dye to dye for the Lord. Yet if Christ be true as hee is most true it is otherwyse in deede For he that looseth his lyfe sayth he winneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our sinnes haue deserued many deathes Nowe if God so deale with vs that hee wyll make our deserued death a demonstratioâ— of his grace a testimoniall of hys veritie a confirmation of hys people and ouerthrowe of hys aduersaries What great cause haue wee to bee thankefull Be thankefull therefore good Sister bee thankefull Reioyce and be mery in the Lord be stoute in his cause quaâ—ell be not faynt harted but runne out your race and set your captaine Christ before your eyes Beholde howe great your a small congregation But be it so that Peter had as much geuen to him as they do affirme· Who yet will graunt that Peter had a patrimony geuen for his heires He hath left say the Papists to his successors the selfe â—ame right which he receyued Oh Lord God then must hys successor be a Sathan for hee receyued that title of Christ hymselfe I would gladly haue the Papistes to shew me one place of succession mentioned in the Scriptures I am sure that wheÌ„ Paule purposely painteth out the whole administration of the church he neither maketh one head nor any inheritable Primacie yet he is altogether in commendation of vnitie After he hath made mention of one God the father of one Christ of one spirit of one body of the Church of one fayth and of one Baptisme then hee describeth the meane and maner how vnitie is to be kept namely because vnto euery pastour is grace geuen after the measure wherwith Christ hath endued them Where I pray you is now any title of Plenitudinis potestatis of fulnesse of power When he calleth home euery one vnto a certayne measure why did he not forthwith say one Pope Which thing he could not haue forgotten if the thyng had bene as the Papists make it But let vs graunt that perpetuitie of the Primacye in the church was established in Peter I would gladly learne why the seat of the Primacy should be rather at Rome then elswhere Mary say they because Peters chaire was at Rome This is euen lyke to this that because Moses the greatest Prophet and Aaron the first Priest exercised their offices vnto their death in the deserte therfore the principallest place of the Iewish Church should bee in the wildernesse But graunt them their reason that it is good What should Antioch claime For Peters chaire was there also wherin Paule gaue hym a checke which was vnseemely and vnmanerly done of Paule that would not geue place to his President and better No say the Papistes Rome must haue this authoritie because Peter died there But what if a man should by probable coniectures shew that it is but a fable which is fained of Peters Bishoprike at Rome Read how Paule doth salute very many priuate persons when he writeth to the Romaines Three yeres after his Epistle made he was broght to Rome prisoner Luke telleth that he was receiued of the brethren and yet in all these is no mention at all of Peter which then by their stories was at Rome Belike he was proud as the Pope and Prelates be or els he woulde haue visited Paule Paule beyng in prison in Rome did write diuers Epistles in which hee expresseth the names of many whiche were in comparison of Peter but rascall personages but of Peter he speaketh neuer a word Surely if Peter had bene there this silence of hym had bene suspicious In the 2. Epistle to Tim. Paule complaineth that no man was with hym in his defence but al had left hym If Peter had bene then at Rome as they write then eyther Paule had belied hym or Peter had played his Peters part Luke 23. In another place how doth he blame all that were with hâ—m only Timothy excepted Therfore we may wel doubt whether Peter was at Rome B. as they prate for all this tyme long before they say that Peter was bishop there But I will not stirre vp coles in this matter If Rome bee the chiefe seate because Peter died there why should not Antioch be the second Why should not Iames Iohn which were taken with Peter to be as pillers Why I say shoulde not their seates haue honor next to Peters seate Is not this geare preposterous that Alexandria where Marke which was but one of the disciples was bishop should be preferred before Ephesus where Iohn the Euangelist taught and was bishop and before IerusaleÌ„ where not only Iames taught and died bishop but also Christ Iesus our Lord high priest for euer by whom beyng Maister I hope honour should be geuen to his chaire more theÌ„ to the chaire of his Chaplaines I need to speake nothyng how that Paule telleth Peters Apostleship to concerne rather circumcision or the Iewes therfore properly pertaineth not to vs. Neither do I need to bring in Gregorius the first bishop of Rome which was about the yere of our Lord. 600. who plainly in his works doth write that this title of Primacy to be head ouer all churches vnder Christ is a title meete and agreyng only to Antichrist and therfore he calleth it a prophane a mischieuous and an horrible title Whome should we beleeue now if we will neyther beleeue Apostle nor Pope If I should go about to tel how this name was first gotten by Phocas I should be too long I purpose God willing to set it forth at large in a worke which I haue begun of Antichrist if God for his mercies sake geue me life to finish it For this present therefore I shall desire your Ladyship to take this in good part If they wil needs haue the B. of Rome to be acknowledged for the head of the Church then will I vrge them that they shall
by meanes which meanes is faith in Christ Iesus crucified For so much as by hys faith in Christe a man is iustified and thereby made the childe of saluation reason must needes lead the same to be then the childe of election chosen of God vnto euerlasting life For howe can a man be iustified but he must needes be saued and howe can a man be saued but by consequence it foloweth that he must also be elected And therefore of Election it is truely sayd De electione iudicandum est à posteriore that is to say Fayth is the meanes wherby we be certified of our Election wee must iudge of election by that which commeth after that is by oure faith and beliefe in Christ which faith although in time it followeth after election yet is it the proper and immediat cause assigned by the scripture which not onely iustifieth vs but also certifieth vs of thys election of God Whereunto likewise well agreeth thys present letter of M. Bradford wherein he sayeth Election allbeit in God it be the first yet to vs it is the last opened And therefore beginning first sayth he wyth creation De electione iudicandum est a posterâ—ore Election fiâ—st knowen to God and last opened to man I come froÌ„ thence to the redemption and iustification by faith and so to election Not that faith is the cause efficient of election being rather the effect thereof but is to vs the cause certificatory or the cause of our certification wherby we are brought to the feeling and knowledge of our election in Christe For all be it that election first be certaine in the knowledge of God yet in our knowledge Faith onely that wee haue in Christe is the thynge that geueth to vs our certificate and comfort of thys election Wherefore who soeuer desireth to be assured that he is one of the electe number of God lette hym not clyme vp to heauen to knowe but let hym descende into hym selfe and there searche hys Faith in Christe the sonne of God whyche if hee finde in hym not fained by the working of Gods holy spirite accordingly thereuppon let hym staye Euery man to stay himsâ—lfe vpon Gods generall promise and so wrappe hym selfe wholely both body and soule vnder Gods generall promise and cumber hys heade wyth no further speculations knowing thys that who so euer beleueth in him shall not perish Ihon. 3. shall not be confounded Ro. 9. shal not see death Ih. 8. shal not enter into iudgemeÌ„t Ih. 5. shall haue euerlasting life Iâ— 3.7 shall be saued Mat. 28. Act. 16. shal haue remission of al his sinnes Act. 10. shal be iustified Rom. 3. Ga. 2. shal haue flouds flowing oute of him of water of life Iohn 7. shall neuer die Iohn 11. shal be raised in the last day Iohn 6 shal finde rest to hys soule and shal be refreshed Math. 11. Now then for so much as we see faith to be the ground wherupon depeÌ„deth the whole coÌ„dition of our iustifying let vs discusse in like maner what is this faith whereof the scripture so much speaketh What fayth is Diuers kindes of fayth for the more plaine vnderstanding of the simple For many kindes there be of faith as a man maye beleeue euery thing that is true yet not euery truth doeth saue neither doth the beleeuing of euery truth iustifie a man Euery truth hath his fayth but euery truth iustifieth not no more doth euery fayth He y t beeleueth that God created all things of nought beleueth truely He that beleueth that God is a iust God that he is omnipoteÌ„t that he is mercifull that he is true of promise beleeueth well and holdeth the truthe So hee that beleeueth that God hath his election from the beginning and that he also is one of the same electe predestinate hath a good beliefe and thinketh wel but yet this beliefe alone except it be seasoned with an other thing wil not serue to saluation as it auailed not the olde Iewes which so thought of them selues and yet thinke to this day to be only Gods elect people Fayth the action Christ the obiect of fayth Fayth Christ correlatiues Onely the faithe whiche auaileth to saluation is that whose obiect is the body and passion of Iesus Christe crucified So that in the act of iustifying these two fayth and Christ haue a mutual relation and must alwaies concurre together faith as the action which apprehendeth Christe as the obiect which is apprehended For neither doeth the passion of Christe saue wythout faith Christ without faith saueth not Fayth without Christ helpeth not neither doeth faith helpe except it be in Christ As we see the body of man sustained by bread drinke not except the same be receiued and conueied into the stomacke and yet neither doeth y e receiuing of euery thing sustaine mans body except it be meate and drinke whych haue power to geue nourishment In like sort it is with faith for neither doth the beleuing of euery thing saue but onely faith in the bloud of Christ neither again doth y e same bloud of Christ profite vs except by faith it be receiued And as the sunne being the cause of all lighte shineth not but to them onely which haue eyes to see nor yet to them neither vnlesse they will open their eyes to receiue the light so the Passion of Christ is the efficient cause of saluation but faith is the coÌ„dition wherby the sayd passion is to vs effectuall Grace Election Vocation Christes death causes externe of our saluatioÌ„ Fayth the onely interne cause of mans saluation Fayth is an action in man but not of man Vertues and workes of charitye though they be good giftes of God in man yet they serue not to iustification Fayth taketh his dignitye of his obiect Looking vp to the brasen Serpent and beleeuing vpon the body of Christ compared The error of the Papistes peruerting the mind of Gods testament how and wherin And that is the cause why we say with the Scripture that faith only iustifieth vs not excluding thereby al other externe causes that goe before faith as grace mercy election vocation the death of Christe c. all whiche be externe causes working our saluation through faith But when we say that faith only iustifieth vs the meaning thereof is thys that of all internall actions motions or operations in man geuen to him of God there is none other that contenteth pleaseth God or standeth before hys iudgement or can helpe any thing to the iustifying of man before him but only this one action of faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God For although the action of praying fasting almes pacience charity repentance the feare and loue of God be hie giftes in man and not of man geuen of God to man yet be none of al these actions in man imputed of God to saluation but only this one action of faith in maÌ„ vpon Christ Iesus the sonne
Letter of Nicholas Shetterden to his mother O My good mother whom I loue with reuerence in the Lord 〈◊〉 his moâ—â—er an oâ—â—er letter 〈…〉 and according to my duety I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenes of al my misdedes towards you Oh my good mother in fewe wordes I wish you the same salutation which I hope my selfe to feele and partly tast of before this come to you to reade And in the resurrection I verely beleeue to haue it more perfectly in body and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye God graunt you to see my face with ioy but deare mother then beware of that greate Idolatrie and blasphemous Masse O lette not that be your God whiche mice and wormes can deuoure â—â—stimony 〈…〉 against 〈◊〉 Idâ—ll of 〈◊〉 Aultar Beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no God yea the fire that consumeth it and the moystenesse that causeth it to moulde and I take Christes Testament to witnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a meere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocents bloud and now that God hath shewed it vnto you be warned in time O geue ouer olde customes become new in y e truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God â—hat soeâ—er the 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 word â—ust needes 〈…〉 and let vs followe the counsell of his woorde Deare mother imbrace it with heartye affection reade it wyth obedience lette it be your pastime but yet caste of all carnall affections and loue of worldly things so shall we meete in ioy at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my friendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioy Amen From Westgate the 11. of Iuly 1555. Your childe wrytten with his hande and sealed with his bloude Nicholas Shetterden being appoynted to be slaine The copie of a letter wrytten to his wife I Wrote vnto you as one y t longed more to heare of your healthe â—n other â—etter of 〈…〉 wyâ—e then of all worldly treasure willing you to entreate Esau the elder brother by nature gently geuing to him his own yea and offer him one of the droues and say they be Iacobs and are sent for a present to my Lorde Esau but he wil not take it c. Now my beloued ye knowe the blessing of oure father is that the elder shall serue the younger wisedom our mother hath taught vs the same and I know ye do complaine of your seruaunt the flesh that he is rebellious diobedient and vntoward vnruely and crookedly ye thinke he doth his seruice but yet behold how shall ye plead your cause before an indifferent iudge for if it be true that his seruice be not according to hys duetie as it is many times found in seruaunts yet I say can you shewe your cause to no indifferent iudge but hee shall obiect against you that he is not kept like a seruant but he lacketh both meat and drinke and other necessaries meete and due for a seruaunt so shall ye take more shame of your own complaint then remedy or vantage against your seruant and it shal be a cloke for him to hide all his rebellion and vntoward seruice because ye haue misused him And therefore my sentence is that yee paciently beare with him in small faultes and amende your owne greate faultes as oppression crueltie and couetousnes requiring more then a seruaunt can do specially being tired wyth labour famined wyth hunger and lamed with stripes And these things amended if hee doe hys seruice negligently as no doubt sometime he wil yet then ye may boldly correct him with discretion sometime if he do not hys taske ye may make hym go to bed supperlesse but yet beate hym not with durable strokes neither withholde hys meate in due time and pinche him not by the belly continually but * * Corporis curam agite 〈◊〉 ad concupisceÌ„tiaâ— let him haue some thing to ioy in onely watch hym and keepe him from doing of harm Though he be but a stranger in the life that is in God yet be good to straungers for we are all straungers in darkenesse and captiues in sinne as well soule and spirite being in Egypt as now the flesh is yet vnbaptised with the terrible red Sea of deathe and remember that one lawe abideth for the stranger I meane one reward abideth both bodye and soule in the lande of euerlasting rest And therefore intreat him gently and deale with him iustly now The body of man is redemed as well as the soule for the time will come that the yoke of bondage shall be taken from his necke and he shall be a fellow heire with your yonger brother Circumcise him therefore but doe not misuse hym nor keepe him from hys owne but deale mercifully wyth the straunger that he may saye Oh of what vnderstanding heart is this people who hath God Or where is God so nigh as to these God make you wise and politike in hart victorious in fielde of this world to rule the nations with a rodde but kill not the Gabaonites wyth whome peace is taken but lette them drawe water and hew woode The Gabaonites though they be but strangers not to be pampared yet are they not to be cast out but geue them their meate and drinke due for labourers and be glad because your disease is so remedied for it is better and easier for a thirstie labouring man to drinke then for a dronken man to tell a sober tale Yea it is a token that yee haue earnestly followed your labour and not kepte companie with dronkardes and belly Gods and therefore be glad I say yea and glad againe for great is your rewarde in heauen yea blessed shall they be that in this your zeale shall meete you and withdrawe your hande from reuenging your selfe vppon that churlish Naball which thing I hope to doe nowe with these sweete reasons and frailes of Figges I being of one house with your seruaunt Naball I dare say to you that churlishnesse is hys name but reuenge not for the Lorde shal do it in his due time Farewell mine owne heart Yours in bondes at Westgate Nicholas Shetterden The next day after the condemnation of these foresayd which was the 26. day of Iulye were also condemned for the same Articles W. Coker W. Hopper of Cambroke Henry Laurence Richarde Wright of Ashforde W. Stere of Ashforde But because the execution of these Martyrs pertaineth not to thys moneth more shall be sayde the Lorde willing of them when we come to the moneth folowing of August Nicholas Hall and Christopher Waide Martyrs THe same moneth of Iuly next after the suffering of the Kentishmen aboue named Iuly 19. Nic. Hall and Christopher Wayde Martyrs followed the death Martyrdome of Nicholas Hall Brickelayer and Christopher Waid of Dartford which both were condemned by Maurice Bishoppe of