power ouer them be called gracious Lords but so it shal not be amongst you But whosoeuer amongst you is the greater shal be as the yonger And whosoeuer amongst you shall be chiefe shal be as a seruaunt and a minister c. And againe Christ speaking to Pilate of his kingdome declareth that his kingdome is not of this world therefore sayth Tonstall those that go about to make of Christs spirituall kingdome 〈◊〉 22. a worldly kingdome do fall into the error of some heretickes that looke that Christ after the day of iudgement shall raign with all his sayntes here in earth carnally in Hierusalem as the Iewes do beleue that Messias is yet to come and when he shall come he shall raigne worldly in Hierusalem By these and such other places it may well appere that Christ neither before his incarnation Iohn 18. as Tonstall sayth nor after his incarnation did euer alter the authoritye of worldly kinges and Princes but by his owne woorde commaunded them still to be obeyed of theyr subiectes as they had bene in the auncient time before c. And for examples of the same Math. 22. Examples of Christes humble subiection he alledgeth first y e example of Christ himselfe Mathew 22. who being asked of the Iewes whether they should geue tribute to Caesar or no he bad theÌ„ geue to Caesar those thinges that be his and to God those thinges that be his signifying that tribute was due to Caesar and that theyr soules were due to God c. Also in the 17. of Mathew it appeareth that Christ bad Peter pay tribute for him and his Disciples Math. 17. when it was demaunded of him And why Because he woulde not chaunge the order of obeysaunce to worldly Princes due by theyr subiectes c. An other example of Christe he citeth out of the 6. of Iohn Iohn 6. where after Christ had fed fiue thousand and moe with a few loaues and fewer fishes and that the Iewes would haue takeÌ„ him and made him theyr king he fled from them and woulde not consent vnto them For the kingdome sayth he that he came to set hâ—re in earth was not a worldly and temporall kingdome but an heauenly and spirituall kingdome that is to raigne spiritually by grace and fayth in the hartes of all Christen and faythfull people of what degree or of what nation soeuer they be and to turne al people and nations which at his comming were carnall liued after the lustes of the flesh to be spirituall and to liue after the lustes of the spirite that Christ with his father of heauen might reigne in the hartes of all men c. And here in these examples of Christes humility farther is to be noted how Christ the sonne of God did submit himselfe not only to the rulers and powers of this world but also deiected himselfe and in a maner became seruaunt to his owne Apostles so far of was he from all ambitious and pompous seeking of worldly honor For so appeared in him not onely by washing the feet of his Apostles but also the same time a litle before his passion when the Apostles fell at contention among themselues who among theÌ„ should be superiour he setting before them the example of his owne subiection asketh this question Who is superiour he that sitteth at the Table Luke 22. or he that serueth at the Table Is not he superior that sitteth but I am amongest you as he that ministreth and serueth c. The like examples Tonstall also inferreth of Peters humility Examples of Peters subiection Act. 10. For where we read in the Actes how the Centurion a noble man of great age did prostrate himselfe vpon the ground at the feete of Peter then Peter not suffering that eftsoones tooke him vp and bad him rise saying I am also a man as thou art So likewise did the Aungell Apocalips 19. and 22. to whom when Iohn would haue fallen downe to haue adored him which shewed him those visions Apoc. 19.22 the Aungell sayd vnto him See thou do not so for I am the seruaunt of God as thou art c. Agayne in the foresaid Peter what an example of reuerent humility is to be sene in this that notwithstaÌ„ding he with other Apostles hauing his commission to go ouer all yet neuerthelesse he being at Ioppa and sent for by Cornelius durst not go to him without the vision of a sheete let downe from heauen by the which vision he was admonished not to refuse the Gentiles or els he knew in himselfe no such primacy ouer all people and places geueÌ„ vnto him nor no such commission so large aboue the other c. Furthermore the sayd Peter being rebuked of Paule his felow brother tooke no scorne therof but was content submitting himselfe to due correction But here sayth Tonstall steppeth in the B. of Rome and sayth that Peter had authority geuen aboue all the residue of the Apostles The Popes obiections alledgeth the wordes of Christ spoken to him Math. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church will geue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth Math. 16. shall be bound in heauen This sayd Christ sayth the Pope and S. Peter is buryed at Rome whose succour I am and ought to rule the Church as Peter did and to be porter of heaueÌ„ gates as Peter was c. And Christ sayd also to Peter after his resurrection Feede my sheepe which he spake to him onely Iohn 21. so that thereby he had authority ouer all that be of Christes flocke and I as his successour haue the same And therefore who so will not obey me King or Prince I wyll curse hym The ambitious pride of the Pope and depriue him of his kingdome or seigniory For al power is geuen to me that Christ hath and I am his Uicare generall as Peter was here in earth ouer all none but I as Christ is in heauen This ambitious and pompous obiection sayth Tonstall of the Pope and his adherentes The scriptures falsely perueted by the pope hath of late yeares much troubled the world and made dissention bebate and open warre in all partes of ChristeÌ„dome all by a wrong interpretatioÌ„ of the Scripture Who if he would take those places after the right sense of them as both the Apostles themselues taught vs and all the auncient best learned interpretours do expound them the matter were soone at a poynt But otherwise sith they peruert the Scripture and preach an other Gospell in that poynt to vs then euer the apostles preached we haue therin a general rule to folow That though an Aungell came from heauen Gal. 1. and woulde tell vs such new expositions of those places as are now made to turne the wordes which were spoken for spirituall authoritye of preaching the word of God and ministring of
if hereby we doe enioy all good thinges it followeth that we must needes possesse haue and enioy you most reuerend Fathers who be no small part of our ioy and good thinges geuen vs of God We heretofore haue had the fruition of you by bodily presence to our inexplicable benefite praysed be that oure gracious God therfore And nowe in spirite we haue the experience of vnspeakeable cōfort by your reuerēt fatherhoodes for y t in this so glorious sort Math. 5. ye become a towne set vpon a hill a candle vpon a candlestick a specktacle vnto y e world both to the Angels vnto men So y t as we to our great cōfort do feele 1. Cor. 4. Phil. 1. you also may assuredly say with saint Paule y t the things which happē vnto vs do chance vnto y e great furtherance of the Gospell so y t our bonds in christ are manifest not onely throughout all the iudgement hall but in all wholl Europa in so much that many of the brethren in the Lord being incouraged through our bondes dare more boldly speake the word without feare And here in as you haue with s. Paule greatly to reioyce so we doe reioyce with you and we do in deed with you geue thāks for this worthy excellēt fauour of our God towards you that christ is thus magnified in you yea and hereafter shal be magnified in your bodies Phil. 1. Phil. 1. whether it be through life or death Of which thing truely wee are assured in our prayers for you and ministring of the spirite And although for your owne partes Christ is vnto you life and death aduantage and that your desire is as in deede it were better for you to be loosed and to be w t Christ yet for the Church of Christ were it much more necessary that ye shuld abide in the fleshe Yea that mercifull God euen for his Christes sake graunt that ye may abide and continue for the furtheraunce of the Churche and reioysing of fayth that the reioysing therof may be the more aboundant through Iesus Christ by your restoring Amen Amen But if it seeme better otherwise vnto the diuine wisedome y t by speedy death he hath appoynted you to glorifie him y e Lords wil be done Yea euen as we do reioyce both on your behalfes also on our own that God is magnified by life and shuld be more aboundantly glad for the continuance thereof so we shall no lesse reioyce to haue y e same wrought by death We shall geue thankes for this honour geuen vnto you reioysing that ye are accounted worthye to suffer for the name of Christ and that it is geuen to you of God not onely that ye shoulde beleue in him but also that ye should suffer for his sake And herein we shal haue to reioyce in the behalfe of the Churche of Christ whose faith may be the faster fixed vpon Gods veritie being confirmed with three such worthy witnesses Oh thankes be to God for this his vnspeakeable gift And now most reuerend Fathers that you may vnderstand the trueth of vs and our estate howe we stand in the lord I do assure your reuerences partly by y t I perceaue by such of our brethren as be here in bondes w t me partly by that I heare of them which be in other places partly by that inward experiēce which I most vnworthy wretch haue of Gods good comfort more aboundance whereof I knowe there is in others you may be assured I say by Gods grace that you shall not be frustrate of your hope of our constaunt continuance in the cheerefull confession of Gods euerlasting veritie For euen as we haue receyued the word of truth euen the Gospell of our saluation wherin we beleeuing are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce the which spirite certifieth our spirit The constant minde of a christian souldiour Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. that we are the children of God and therefore God hath sente the spirite of his Sonne into our harts crying Abba Father so after such portion as God measureth vnto vs we with the whole Church of Christ and with you reuerend fathers receiuing the same spirite of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore I haue spoken 2. Cor. 4. Psal. 116. We also beleeue and therefore speake For the which we in this dangerous bondage and other afflictions hauing euen such a fight as we haue seene in you and haue heard of you Phil. 1. are in no wise afraid of our aduersaries And forasmuch as we haue such an office euen as God hath had mercy on vs 1. Cor. 4. we go not out of kind but euē with you after our little power we labour to maintain the faith of the Gospell knowing most certainely that though we haue this treasure in earthen vessels 2. Cor 4. that the excellency of thys power might be Gods and not ours yet shall we not be dashed in pieces For the Lord will put his hand vnder vs. When we are troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift when we are in pouerty we are not vtterly without some thing when we suffer persecution we are not forsaken therein when we are cast downe yet we shall not perish but to communicate with our sweete Sauiour Christ in bearing the crosse it is appointed vnto vs that euen with him also we shall be glorified For it is a true saying If we be dead with him 2. Tim. 2. we shall also liue with him If we be patient we shall also raigne with him If we deny him he shall also deny vs. Wherefore be we of good cheere 3. Cor. 4. alwayes bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might appeare also in our body For we know that he which raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall ioyne vs to himselfe together with you Wherefore we are not weeried but though our outward man perish yet the inwarde man is renued day by day For our tribulation which is momentane and light prepareth an exceeding and eternall weight of glory vnto vs while we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Esay 12. We testifie vnto you Reuerend fathers that we drawe these waters with ioy out of the Wels of the sauiour And I trust we shall cōtinually with you blesse the Lord Psal. 48. giue thanks to the Lord out of the wels of Israell we trust to bee merry together at that greate Supper of the Lambe whose spouse we are by faith and there to sing that song of euerlasting Haleluyah Amen Yea come Lorde Iesu. The grace of our Lord Iesu Christ be with you Amen Another letter written
Christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples The confesioÌ„ of Anne â—â—kew in Newgate saying Take eate this is my body which shall be broken for you meaning in substaÌ„ce his owne very body the bread being thereof an only signe or Sacrament For after lyke maner of speaking he sayde he would breake down the temple and in three days build it vp agayne signifieng his owne body by the temple as S. Iohn declareth it Iohn 2. and not the stony temple it selfe So that the bread is but a remembrance of his death or a Sacrament of thanks geuing for it Aâ— Chriâ—tes body 〈…〉 the temple in the â—cripture so is the bread called Christes body whereby we are 〈◊〉 vnto him by a communioÌ„ of christian loue Although there be many that cannot perceiue the true meaning therof for the veile that Moises put ouer his face before y e children of Israel that they should not see the clearenes thereof Exod. 24. and 2. Cor. 3. I perceyue the same veyle remayneth to this day But when God shall take it away then shall these blynd men see For it is plainly expressed in the history of Bell in the Bible that God dwelleth in no thyng materiall Heâ—od 24. â— Cor. 3. O kyng sayth Daniel be not deceiued for God will be in nothing that is made with hands of men Daniel 14. Oh what stifnecked people are these that will alwayes resist the holy Ghost Dan. 14. Actes 7. But as their fathers haue done so do they because they haue stony hartes Written by me Anne Askew that neyther wisheth death nor yet feareth his might and as mery as one that is bound towards heauen Truth is layd in prison Luke 21. The law is turned to wormewood Amos. 6. And there can no right iudgement go forth â—â—ke 21. Amos. 6. Esay 59. Esay 59. Oh forgeue vs all our sinnes and receiue vs graciously As for the workes of our hands we will no more call vppon them For it is thou Lord that art our God Thou shewest euer mercye vnto the fatherlesse Oh if they would do this sayth the Lord I shoulde heale their sores yea with all my hart would I loue them O Ephraim what haue I to do with Idols any more who so is wyse shall vnderstand this And he that is rightly instructed will regard it for the wayes of the Lord are righteous Such as are godly Osâ— 14. will walke in them and as for the wicked they will stumble at them Ose. 14. Salomon sayth S. Steuen builded an house for the God of Iacob Howbeit the highest of all dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Esay 66. as sayth the Prophet Heauen is my seat the earth is my footstoole What house will ye build for me saith the Lord or what place is it that I shall rest in Hath not my handes made all things Act. 7. Act. 7. Woman beleeue me sayth Christ to the Samaritane the tyme is at hand that ye shall neyther in this mountayne nor yet at Ierusalem worship the father Ye worshippe ye wotte not what but we knowe what we worshippe For saluation commeth of the Iewes But the houre commeth and is nowe when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and veritie Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Labour not sayth Christ for the meate that perisheth but for that that endureth into the lyfe euerlastyng which the sonne of man shall geue you For hym GOD the Father hath sealed Iohn 6. Iohn 6. The summe of the condemnation of me Anne Askew at the Guild hall An other 〈…〉 Anne Askew at the Guild Hill THey sayd to me there that I was an heretike and condemned by the law If I would stand in mine opinioÌ„ I answered that I was no heretike neither yet deserued I any death by the law of God But as concerning y e faith which I vttered and wrote to the counsell I would not I sayd deny it because I knew it true Then would they needes know The substance of the Sacrament denyed to be God if I would deny the Sacrament to be Christes body and bloud I said yea For the same sonne of God that was borne of the virgine Mary is now glorious in heauen and will come againe from thence at the latter day like as he went vp Act. 1. And as for that ye call your god it is a peece of bread For a more proofe thereof marke it when ye list let it lye in the boxe but iij. monethes and it will be mouldy so turne to nothing that is good Wherupon I am perswaded that it cannot be God After that they willed me to haue a Priest Anne Askew wiâ—h her felows condemned by a Quest. and then I smiled Then they asked me if it were not good I sayd I would confesse my faults vnto God For I was sure that he would heare me with fauour And so we were condemned with a Quest My beliefe which I wrote to the Counsaile was this The beliefe of Anne Askew concerning the Sacramentes written to the Councell Iohn 4. that the sacramental bread was left vs to be receiued with thankes geuyng in remembraunce of Christes death the onely remedy of our soules recouery and that thereby we also receiue the whole benefits and fruits of his most glorious Passion Then would they needes know whether the bread in the boxe were God or no I sayd God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and truth Iohn 4. TheÌ„ they demanded will you plainly deny Christ to be in the Sacrament I answered that I beleeue faithfully the eternall sonne of God not to dwell there In witnesse whereof I recited agayne the history of Bell Dan. 19. Actes 7.17 Math. 24. and the 19. chap. of Daniell the 7. and 17. of the Acts and the 24. of Mathew coÌ„cluding thus I neither wish death nor yet fear his might God haue the prayse thereof with thanks My letter sent to the L. Chauncellor THe Lord God by whom all creatures haue their being The letter of Anne Askew to the Lord ChauÌ„cellour blesse you with the light of his knowledge Amen My duety to your Lordship remembred c. It might please you to accept this my bold sute as the sute of one which vppon due considerations is moued to the same and hopeth to obtaine My request to your Lordship is onely that it may please the same to be a meane for me to the kings maiesty that his grace may be certified of these few lynes which I haue written concerning my beliefe Which when it shall be truely conferred with the harde iudgement geuen me for the same I thinke his grace shal wel perceiue me to be wayed in an vneuen paire of balance But I remit my matter and cause to almighty God which rightly iudgeth all secrets And thus I commend your Lordship to the gouernaunce of him and fellowship of all saints Amen By your handmayd
to feare death fol. 36. Although our nature be frayle full of imperfectioÌ„ so that we do not as we should yet doing as we ought as we are lead by the Scriptures to do we should not dread but desire rather to dye and to be with Christ as the place it selfe doth well declare which is this We must loue death The place 〈…〉 â—â—rfecte and more desire to die and to be w t god as did S. Paul then to feare death For Iesus Christ dyed for vs to the intent that we shoulde not feare to dye and he hath slayn death and destroyd the sting of death as writeth S. Paule saying O death where is thy sting 1. Cor. 1â— death is swalowed vp in victory And to the Philippians Christ is to me life and death is to me aduauntage 20 God made vs his children and his heires while we were his enemies and before we knew him fol. 44. I maruell what the Papistes meane in the Registers to condemn this article as an heresy vnlesse theyr purpose be vtterly to impugne gainstand the scripture the writinges of S. Paule who in the fift chapter to the Rom. other his Epistles importeth euen the same doctrine in all respectes declaring in formall words that we be made the children and heyres of God and that we were reconciled vnto him when we were his enemies 21 It were better neuer to haue done good worke and aske mercy therfore then to do good workes and thinke that for theÌ„ god is bound to a man by promise fol. 48. 22 We can shew no more honor to God then fayth and trust in him fol. 48. The place out of the which these two articles are gathered is this It were better for thee a thowsande folde that thou haddest bene a sinner and neuer had done good deed to acknowledge thine offences euill life vnto God asking mercy with a good hart lamenting thy sinnes then to haue done good workes in them to put thy trust thinking that therfore God were bound to thee There is nothing which after the maner of speaking bindeth God but fyrme and stedfast fayth and trust in him his promises c. For we can shew vnto God no greater honor then to haue faith and trust in him For whosoeuer doth that he confesseth that God is true good mighty mercifull c. 23 Fayth without good workes is no litle or no feeble faith but it is no fayth fol. 50. 24 Euery man doth as much as he beleueth fol. 50. The place out of the which the two Articles be gathered is this If thy fayth induce thee not to do good workes theÌ„ hast thou not y e right fayth thou doest but onely thinke that thou hast it For S. Iames sayth that fayth wythout workes is dead in it selfe He sayth not that it is little or feeble but that it is dead and that is dead is not Therfore wheÌ„ thou art not moued by fayth vnto the loue of god and by the loue of god vnto good works thou hast no fayth but fayth is dead in thee for the spirit of God that by fayth commeth in to our hartes to styrre vp loue cannot be idle Euery one doth as much as he beleueth loueth as much as he hopeth as writeth S. Iohn He that hath thys hope that he is the sonne of god purifieth himself as he is pure He sayth not he that purifieth himselfe hath this hope for the hope must come before proceeding from the fayth as it behoueth that the tree must first be good which must bring forth good fruit 25 We cannot be without motions of euill desires but we must mortify them in resisting them 25. Article fol. 52 They which note this article of heresy may note them selues rather to be like the Pharisy Luke 18. who foolishly flattering himselfe in the false opinion of his owne righteousnes was not subdued to the righteousnes which standeth before God No man 〈◊〉 finde 〈◊〉 heresie 〈◊〉 place 〈…〉 by fayth and therefore went home to his house lesse iustified then the publican If the scriptures condemne the hart of man to be crooked euen from his youth Gene. 6. and also condemneth all the righteousnes of man to be like a filed cloth if S. Paule could finde in his flesh no good thing dwelling but sheweth a coÌ„tinuall resistance betwene the old man and the new then must it folow that these phariseis which condemne this article of heresy eyther cary no flesh nor no old man about them to be resisted or verely say what they will they can not choose but bee combred with euill motions for the inward man continually to fight agaynst The place of the authour sufficiently defendeth it selfe as foloweth S. Paule byddeth vs mortify all our euill desyres and carnall lustes as vncleanesse couetousnesse wrath blasphemy Col. â— The place of the author detractation pride and other like vices And vnto the Rom. 6. he sayth let no sinne raigne in your mortall bodyes That is to say albeit that we cannot liue without the motion of suche euill desires yet we shall not suffer them to rule in vs but shall mortifye them in resisting them c. 26 All true Christianity lyeth in loue of our neighbors for God and not in fasting 26. Article keeping of holy dayes watching praying and singing long prayers dayly and all day long hearing Masse running on pilgrimage c. fol. 52. The place of this article is this Thou hast alwaies occasion to mortify thine euill desires to serue thine neighbor Conferre this article with the 〈…〉 to comfort him and to helpe him with word and deed with couÌ„sell and exhortation and other semblable meanes In such loue towardes our neighbor for the loue of God lyeth all the law and the prophets as saith Christ yea and all christianity and not in fasting keeping of holydayes watching singing and long praiers daily and all day loÌ„g hearing of masses setting vp of candles running on pilgrimages and such other things which as well the hypocrites proud people enuious and subiect to all wicked affections do c. 27 Many Doctors in diuinity and not onely common people beleueth that it is the part of Christen fayth onely to beleue that Iesus Christ hath liued here in earth fol. 53.54 27. Article The place is this We beleeue that Iesus Christ hath here liued-on earth and that he hath preached and that he dyed for vs To beleeue that Christ here liued and dyed is good but this is not the thing onely that 〈◊〉 a Christian and did many other thinges When we beleue these things after the story we beleue that this is our christen fayth This not onely the simple people beleueth but also Doctors in diuinity which are takeÌ„ for wise men Yea the deuill hath also this fayth as sayth S. Iames The deuils beleue and they tremble For
readye good will towardes me in your hartye desire to stretch out your helping hand to relieue my lacke Prayer distributeth Gods blessinges from one to an other and of your helpe to be extended to me in the other spirituall sort by your good prayer I doubt not as I also therin assure you of my helpe being all that I may do yet the same not so much as I would do My need concerning bodely necessaryes is as yet furnished by Gods prouision so that I am not driueÌ„ to any extremity wherfore to be burdenous to you as your gentle beneuolence prouoketh me the Lord reward you therefore If God make me worthy to be eis witnes at this present in geuing this corruptible body to burne for the testimony of his truth it is enough for me to say vnto you that I haue a poore wife and childe whom I loue in the Lord and whome I know for my sake you will tender when I am departed hence c. ¶ An other Letter to Maystres Lucy Harrington GRace and mercy c. It happeneth oftentimes that aboundaunce of matter bringing with it much vehemeÌ„cy of frendly affection maketh men dumbe and euen then chiefely when there is most eger purpose of speaking An other letter of M. Saunders silence doth suppresse and causeth the party so affected vnperfectly to expresse that he goeth about to vtter Such impediment by much matter mingled with feruency of affection feele I some times in my selfe letting the vtteraunce either by tongue or writing of the aboundance of the hart The loue of our most gracious God and heauenly Father bestowed vpon vs in the merites of Christ our Sauiour who may by coÌ„ceipt of minde comprehend passing in deed al vnderstanding much lesse may the same by any meanes be expressedly vttered And as suche heauenlye blessinges which by fayth we fetch from aboue be inexplicable so is it hard to vtter when the faythfull are set on fire by loue theyr readines to reach forth and to geue by charity as by fayth they haue receiued But alas we cary this treasure in earthen vessels Many times fayth is feble and then loue loseth her feruor 2. Cor. 4. Fayth many tymes in vs is feeble Pray we therfore Lord encrease our fayth and loue forthwith will be on fire And immortall thanks be geuen vnto our God who in our Christ hath bestowed vpon vs the first fruites of his spirite who cryeth in our hartes Abba Father And as S. Paule sayth seeing we haue the same spirit of fayth Rom 8. 1. Cor 4. according as it is written I beleeued and therfore haue I spoken we also beleue and therfore we speak Yea God knoweth this spirit putteth in vs a minde to speake but in attempting therof we are driuen w t Moyses to say O Lord I am slow mouthed and of vncircumcised lippes with Ieremy Exod. 8. Ierome 1. O Lord I cannot speake Albeit that this infancy restraineth the opening of such aboundance of hart in my tender Christian duety to be declared towardes you yet I beseech you let this be setled in your vnderstanding that as S. Paule expresseth vnto his Corinthians that they were in his hart eyther to liue or to dye with many other such sayings vttered vnto them and the Galathians expressing his vehement affection towardes them so in some part I would be like affected towardes all Gods children and especially towardes you whoÌ„ I know in Christ and to whom I will not say how muche I am indebted I thanke you for your great frendshyp and tender good will towards my wife yea that good gracious God recompeÌ„ce you which may worthely with the more counteruayle the same and fulfill that which lacketh of thankefull duety in vs. And because of that which heretofore I haue conceiued of you and of your more then naturall loue towardes me and mine I make my selfe thus bold to lay this burdeÌ„ vpon you euen the care and charge of my sayd poore wife I meane to be vnto her a mother mistres to rule and direct her by your discreet counsell M. Saunders commeÌ„deth the care of his wyfe to Maistres Harrington I know she conceiueth of you the same that I do is thankfull vnto God with me for such a frend and therfore I beseech you euen for Christes sake put neuer from you thys frendly charge ouer her whether I liue longer or shortly depart But to charge you otherwise thankes be to God neither I neither she haue any such extreme need if we had I would be as bold with you as mine owne mother I beseech you geue my harty salutations vnto M. Fitzwilliams my good Lady with thankes also for my poort wife and child the Lord recompence them Laurence Saunders Furthermore as touching his fatherly care affection to his wife and his litle child the same is liuely set forth in an other letter which he did write to his wife wherein he admonished her that she should not resort much to the prison where he was for dauÌ„ger of trouble that might ensue the tenour of whose letter here foloweth ¶ An other letter to his wife with a certayne remembraunce to M. Harrington and M. Hurland GRace and comfort c. Wife you shall do best not to come often vnto the Grate where the Porter may see you An other letter of Saunderâ— his wyfe Putte not your selfe in daunger where it needes not you shall I think shortly come farre enough into daunger by keeping fayth and a good conscience which deare wife I trust you do not slacke to make reckoning and account vpon by exercising your inward man in meditation of Gods most holy word being the sustenance of the soule and also by geuing your selfe to huÌ„ble prayer for these two thinges be very meanes how to be made members of our Christ meet to inherite his kingdome Do this deare wife in earnest and not leauing of and so we two shall with our Christ and all his chosen children enioye the mery world in that euerlasting immortality wheras here will nothing els be found but extreme misery euen of them which most greedely seeke this worldlye wealth and so if we two continue Gods children graffed in our Christ the same Goddes blessing which we receiue shall also settle vpon our Samuel Though wee do shortly depart hence and leaue the poore Infant to our seeming at all aduentures yet shall he haue our gracious God to be his God for so hath he sayd and he cannot lye I will be thy God sayth he and the God of thy seed Yea if you leaue him in the wâ—ldernes destitute of all helpe being called of God to do his wil either to dye for the confession of Christ Care of children tyme of nâ—â—cessitye ought to left to Goâ— who wilâ— not see thâ— forsaken either any worke of obedience that God which heard the crye of the litle poore infant of Agar Saraes handmayden and
him selfe vntill suche time as the world had thought verely y t both he al his had ben cleane destroyed and cast away as the wise man sayth of the wicked people We thought them to be foles but they be in peace Sâ—p 5. Example taken of our meate and drinke how thinges neuer come to their perfâ—â—ction before they be vtterly wasted Wee may learne by things that nourish and maintaine vs both meat and drinke to what lothsomnes and in maner abhorring they come vnto before they woorke theyr perfection in vs. From life they be brought to the fire and cleane altered from that they were when they were aliue from the fire to the trencher and knife and all to hacked from the trencher to the mouth and as small ground as the teethe can grinde them and from the mouth into the stomack and there so boyled and digested before they nourish that who soeuer saw the same would loth and abhorre hys owne nourishment before it come to hys perfection Is it then any marueile if suche Christians as GOD delighteth in be so mangled and defaced in thys worlde whych is the kitchin and mill to boyle and grinde the flesh of Gods people in till they atchieue their perfection in the worlde to come And as a man looketh for the nutriment of his meate when it is ful digested and not before so must hee looke for hys saluation when hee hath passed thys troublous worlde and not before Vnmorte fiâ—ed men be no people to God Math. 10. Rawe fleshe is not meate wholesome for man and vnmortified men and women be not creatures meete for God Therefore Christ sayeth that his people must be broken and all too torne in the mill of thys worlde and so shall they be moste fine meale vnto the heauenly father And it shall be a Christian mannes parte and the duetie of a mynde repleanished wyth the spirite of God to marke the order of God in all his things howe he dealeth wyth them and howe they suffer and be content to lette God do his will vpon them as S. Paule sayeth They waite vntill the number of the electes be fulfilled and neuer be at rest Rom. 8. but looke for the time when Gods people shall appeare in glorie We must therfore paciently suffer and willingly attend vppon Gods doings althoughe they seeme cleane contrary after our iudgement to our wealth and saluation as Abraham did when hee was bid to offer his sonne Isaac Example of Abraham Example of Ioseph in whom God promised the blessing and multiplying of hys seede Ioseph at the last came to that which God promised him although in the meane time after the iudgemeÌ„t of the worlde he was neuer like to be as God said he should be Lorde ouer hys brethren When Christe woulde make the blinde man to see he put clay vppon hys eyes whych after the iudgement of man Iohn 9. was meanes rather to make hym double blind then to geue him his sight but he obeied and knew that God could worke his desire what meanes soeuer he vsed contrary to mans reason and as touching this world he vseth all hys after the same sort If any smart 1. Pet. 4. Iudgement 〈◊〉 beginneth with the house of God Colos. 3. his people be the first if any suffer shame they begin if any be subiecte to sclaunder it is those that hee loueth so that hee sheweth no face or fauour nor loue almost in thys worlde outwardly to them but laith clay vpon their sore eyes that be sorowfull yet the pacient man seeth as S. Paul sayeth life hid vnder these miseries and aduersities and sight vnder soule clay and in the meane time he hath the testimony of a good conscience and beleueth Gods promises to be his consolation in the worlde to come whych is more woorthe vnto him then all the worlde is woorth besides and blessed is that man in whom Gods spirite beareth recorde that he is the sonne of God what soeuer troubles he suffer in thys troublesome worlde Rom. 8. And to iudge things indifferently my godly wife the troubles be not yet generally as they were in our good fathers time soone after the deathe and resurrection of oure Sauiour Christ Iesu whereof hee spake in S. Mathewe Math. 24. Of the whych place you and I haue taken manye tymes greate consolation and especially of the latter parte of the Chapter wherein is contained the last daye and ende of all troubles I doubt not both for you and me and for suche as loue the comming of our sauiour Christe to iudgement Remember therefore that place and marke it againe and yee shall in thys time see great consolation and also learne muche pacience Was there euer suche troubles as Christe threatned vppon Ierusalem was there sithens the beginning of the worlde suche affliction who was then best at ease The Apostles that suffered in body persecution and gathered of it ease and quietnesse in the promises of God And no marueile for Christ sayeth Lifte vp your heades for your redemption is at hande that is to saye your eternall rest approcheth and draweth neare The world is starke blind Luke 1. and more foolish then foolishnesse it selfe and so be the people of the worlde For when God sayth trouble shal come they will haue ease And when God sayeth be merrye and reioyce in trouble we lament and mourne as thought we were castawayes But this our flesh which is neuer merry with vertue nor sorrie with vice Flesh neuer mery with vertue not sory with 〈◊〉 neuer laugheth wyth grace nor euer weepeth wyth sinne holdeth fast wyth the worlde and letteth God slippe But my dearely beloued wife you knowe howe to perceiue and to beware of the vanitie and craftes of the deuill wel enough in Christ. And that yee may the better haue pacience in the spirite of God reade againe the 24. chap. of S. Mathew and marke what difference is betwene the destruction of Ierusalem Math. 24. and the destruction of the whole world and you shall see that then here were left aliue many offenders to repent but at the latter day there shall be absolute iudgement and sentence neuer to be reuoked of eternall life and eternal death vppon all meÌ„ and yet towards the end of the world we haue nothing so much extremitie as they had then but euen as we be able to beare So doth the mercifull father lay vpon vs now imprisonment and I suppose for my part shortly death now spoile of goodes losse of frends and the greatest losse of all the knowledge of Gods word Ann. 1555. February Gods wyll be done I wish in Christ Iesu our onely mediatour and Sauiour your constancie and consolation that you may liue for euer and euer whereof in Christ I doubt not to whome for his blessed and most paynefull passion I commit you Amen 13. October 1553. * To a certayne godly woman instructing her how she should
O Lord against this thine element which as to my sight is most irkesome and terrible so to my minde it may at thy commaundement as on obedient seruaunt be sweete and pleasaunt that through the strength of thy holy spirite I may passe through the rage of thys fire into thy bosome according to thy promise and for thys mortall receiue an immortal and for this corruptible put on incorruption Accept this burnt sacrifice and offeryng O Lorde not for the sacrifice but for thy deare sonnes sake my sauiour for whose testimonye I offer this free will offering with all my hart Marke the spirit of the payer and compare iâ— with the prayer of the Papistâ— at the sacriâ—fice of the Masse and with all my soule O heauenly father forgeue me my sinnes as I forgeue all the worlde O sweete sonne of God my Sauioure spread thy winges ouer me O blessed and holy Ghost through whose mercifull inspiration I am come hither conduct mee into euerlasting life Lorde into thy handes I commend my spirite Amen The death and martyrdome of Iohn Laurence Priest THe next day being the 29. day of this moneth the sayd Iohn Laurence was brought to Colchester Iohn Laurence Martyr March 29. Iohn LaureÌ„ce lamed with yrons in prison and there being not able to go for that as wel his legges were sore worne with heauie irons in the prison as also hys bodye weakened with euill keeping was borne to the fire in a chayre and so sitting was in hys constant faith consumed with fire The cruell burning of Iohn Laurence Martir At the burning of this Laurence hee sitting in the fire the young children came about the fire and cryed Ex 〈…〉 as wel as young children could speake saying Lorde strengthen thy seruaunt and keepe thy promise Lord strengthen thy seruaunt and keepe thy promise which thing as it is rare so it is no small manifestation of the glory of God whiche wrought thys in the harts of these little ones nor yet a litle commendation to their parentes whiche from theyr youth brought them vp in the knowledge of God and his trueth The history of Doctor Robert Farrar Bishop of S. Dauids in Wales who most constantly gaue his life for the testimonye of the truth March 30. an 1555. THe next day after whiche was the xxx day of the sayde moneth of march The 〈◊〉 of D. â—obert â—â—rrar Byâ—â—op of S. 〈◊〉 â—artyr followed the worthy constaÌ„t martirdome of the bishop of S. Dauids in Wales called Robert Farrar who was the next bishop in this Catalogue of Christian Martirs that suffered after mayster Hooper This foresayd Farrar by the fauour and good will of the Lord protectour was first called and promoted to that dignitie This man I may well call twise a martyr not onely for the cruell death of the fire which he suffered most constantly in the dayes of Queene Mary vnto the shedding of his bloud 〈◊〉 articles â—gaynst B. 〈◊〉 in K. Edwardes â—yme deâ—yâ—d 〈◊〉 Tho. Yong CoÌ„â—â—antine and â—ther his aduersaryes Tho. Yong â—onne in â—awe to Constantine but also for diuers other iniuries molestations in king Edwardes time which he no lesse firmly then vnworthily susteined at the hands of his enemies after the fall of the Duke of Somerset Of these his vexatioÌ„s and troubles with the wrangling articles and informations layd against him to the number of fifty and sixe of the malice conceiued agaynst him by certayn couetous Canons of the Churche of Carmarthen what were the proceedinges of both partes as well of the innocent as of the crafty aduersaries what were their names in theyr articles agaynst him in order here followeth The principall articles agaynst Bishop Farrar GEorge Constantine Dauid Walter his seruant Thomas Young chanter of the Cathedrall Churche who was afterward Archbishop of Yorke Rowland Merick doct of law who was afterward Bish. of Bangor Thomas Lee and Hugh Rawlins c. THrough the procurement and instance of these his aduersaries ioyning and confederating together one Hugh Rawlins priest and Thomas Lee brother in lawe to the sayd George Constantine did exhibite to the kinges most honourable counsell certaine articles and informations conceiued and deuised by the persons before named to the intent to blemish the bishops credit and vtterly as they thought and made their boast to pull him from hys bishopricke and to bring him in a premunire The copye of whiche articles we thought here good to expresse and so after them to set his answeres to the same Articles and informations to the kings honorable counsell put vp and exhibited by Hugh Raulins and Tho. Lee agaynst the blessed man of God Mayster Farrar byshop of sainct Dauids ¶ Abuse of the authoritie to him committed IN primis when the sayde bishop first came to his dyocesse he appoynted his chauncellour by his letters of commission omitting the kings maiesties stile and authoritie and grounded his sayd commission vppon forrein vsurped lawes and authoritie by force of whiche authoritie his sayd Chauncellour did visite certayne deanryes of hys sayd diocesse and monished the Chauntor and chaptre of the cathedrall Churche of S. Dauids aforesayd agaynst a certaine day and place for like intent and purpose contrary to the kinges highnes lawes and statutes and in derogation of his highnes supremacy Item that the sayde Chauntour and chaptre perceyuing the faultes of the sayd commission tooke the same froÌ„ the Registre into their custodye refusing to appeare by vertue thereof and by secrete and charitable wayes and meanes did admonishe the sayde Byshop of the vnlawfulnesse and faultes of the sayde commission and of the daunger that he had incurred for graunting and executyng the same opening also vnto hym the effecte of the statute made in the xxviii yeare of oure late Soueraigne Lorde Henry the eight Whiche monitions notwithstanding the sayd Bishop neglecting the same and continuing in hys malicious doyng or inexcusable ignoraunce about the xx daye of Auguste in the fourthe yeare of the reigne of our Soueraigne Lorde that nowe is dyd conferre vnto one Iohn Euans the Uicarage of Pembrin instituting him by authoritie of the old forreigne vsurped lawe making no mention of the kinges highnes authoritie in contempt and derogation of the same Item wheras the Chauncellour and Uicar generall to the sayde Byshop did vppon a lawfull title and by the kinges hignes supreme authoritie admit and institute one Iohn Gough into the rectory of Haskard with thappurtenaunces and gaue out in y e kings name vnder his highnes seale ecclesiasticall appoynted for that office with the teste of the said bishop and subscription of the said chauncellour a maÌ„date to inducte accordingly by vertue wherof the said Iohn Gough was inducted by the official there into reall possession of the same rectory with the rightes and appurtenaunces to the same belonging whereupon the register of the sayd dioces at the request of the foresayd chauncellour did signifie the premisses with all
this life Rom â— are not to bee compared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you You knowe the way to heauen is not the wide way of the worlde Math. â— whiche windeth to the deuill but it is a strayte waye which fewe walke in For fewe liue Godlye in Christ Iesu 2. Tim â— 2. Cor. â— Math. â— fewe regarde the lyfe to come fewe remember the daye of iudgement few remember howe Christ will denye them before his father that do deny him here few consider that Christ will be ashamed of them in the last day whiche are ashamed of his truth and true seruice few cast their accountes what wil be layed to theyr charge in the day of vengeance few regard the condemnation of theyr owne consciences in doing that which inwardly they disalow few loue god better then theyr goodes But I trust yet you are of this fewe my dearely beloued I trust you be of that little flocke which shall enherite the kingdome of heaueÌ„ I trust you are the mourners and lamenters 〈◊〉 10. which shal be comforted with comfort whyche neuer shall be taken from you if you nowe repent your former euilles if nowe you striue agaynst the euilles that are in you if now you continue to call vpon God if nowe you defile not your bodyes with any Idolatrous seruice 〈◊〉 4. vsed in the Antichristian Churches if you molest not the good spirite of God which is geuen you as a gage of eternall redemption a counseller and Mayster to lead you into all trueth whiche good spirite I beseeche the Father of mercye to geue to vs all for his deare sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome I commend you all and to the worde of his grace Actes 10. which is able to helpe you all and saue you all that beleue it folow it and serue GOD therafter And of this I would ye were all certayne that all the heares of your heads are numbred Math. 10. Math. spanâ— 1. Psalm 1â—4 Psalm 31. Pet. 5. so that not one of them shall perishe neither shall any man or deuill be able to attempt any thing much lesse to do any thing to you or any of you before your heauenly father which loueth you most tenderly shall geue them leaue and when he hath geuen them leaue they shall go no further then he will nor keepe you in trouble any longer then he will Therefore cast on him all your care for he is carefull for you Onely study to please hym and to keepe your consciences cleane your bodyes pure from the Idolatrous seruice whiche nowe euery where is vsed and GOD will maruellouslye and mercifully defend and comfort you which thing he doe for his holy names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen * To his dearely beloued in Christ Erkinalde Rawlins and his wife GOd our deare and moste mercyfull Father thorough Christ be with you my good Brother and Sister as with his children for euer and in all thinges so guide you with his holy spirite the leader of his people as may bee to his glory and your owne euerlasting ioy and comfort in him Amen Because I haue oftentimes receiued from either of you comfort corporall for the which I beseeche the Lorde as to make me thankefull so to recompence you both now eternally I can not but goe about Lord help hereto for thy mercyes sake to write some thing for your comfort spiritually My dearely beloued looke not vppon these dayes and the afflictions of the same here with vs 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 godly 〈◊〉 ioyfull the 〈…〉 simplye as they seeme vnto you that is as dismall dayes and dayes of Gods vengeaunce but rather as lucky dayes and dayes of Gods fatherlye kindenesse towardes you and suche as you be that is toward such as repent theyr sinnes and euill life paste and earnestly purpose to amende walking not after the will of the world and most part of men for the preseruation of theyr pelfe whiche will they nill they they shall leaue sooner or later and to whome or howe it shall be vsed they know not In deede to suche as walke in theyr wickednesse and winde on with the worlde this tyme is a tyme of wrath and vengeaunce and theyr beginning of sorrowe is but nowe because they contemne the Phisicke of theyr father whiche by this purging time and cleansing dayes would worke theyr weale whiche they will nor Clensing dayes and because they will not haue Gods blessing which both wayes he hath offered vnto them by prosperity and aduersity Gods 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 refused therefore it shall be kepte farre enough from them As when the sicke man will no kinde of Phisicke at the handes of the Phisition he is lefte alone and so the malady encreaseth and destroyeth him at the length To such men in deed these dayes are and should be dolefull dayes dayes of woe and weeping because theyr damnation draweth nigh But vnto such as be penitent and are desirous to liue after the Lordes wil among whom I do not onely count you but as far as a man may iudge I know ye are vnto such I say 〈…〉 receaâ—ed with 〈◊〉 this time is and should be comfortable For first now your father chastiseth you and me for our sinnes for the which if he would haue destroyed vs then woulde hee haue letten vs alone and left vs to our selues in nothyng to take to hart his fatherly visitation which here it pleaseth him to worke presently because else where he wyll not remember our transgressions as Paule writeth He chastiseth vs in this world least with the world we should perishe Therefore my deare hartes call to minde your sinnes to lament them God punisheth not twise for one thing and to aske mercye for them in hys sight and withall vndoubtedly beleue to obteyne pardon and assured forgeuenesse of the same for twise the Lord punisheth not for one thing So that I saye first wee haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because our father suffereth vs not to lye in Iesabels bed sleeping in our owne sinnes and security but as mindefull on vs doth correct vs as his children Whereby we may be certayne that we be no bastardes but children for he chastiseth euery childe whom he receiueth Difference betweene bastards and children So that they which are not partakers of his chastising or that contemne it declare themselues to be bastardes and not children as I know ye are which as ye are chastised so do ye take it to hart accordingly And therefore be glad my deare hartes and folkes knowing certaynelye euen by these visitatioÌ„s of the Lord that ye are his deare elect children whose faultes your father doth visite with the rodde of correction but his mercy will he neuer take away from vs. Amen Secondly ye haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because they are dayes of triall wherein not onely ye your selues but also the worlde shall
miserationibus magnis congregabo te In momento indignationis obscondi faciem meam parumper â te in miserecordia sempiterna misertus sum tui di xit redemptor tuus dominus Nam istud erit mihi sicut aquae Noe. Vt enim iuraui ne porro aquae Noe pertransirent terram sic iuraui vt non irascar tibi non increpem te Montes enim comouebuntur colles contremiscent miserecordia autem mea non recedet à te foedus pacis meae non mouebitur dixit miserator tuus Dominus i. Feare not c. For a little while I haue forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee For a moment in mine anger I hyd my face from thee for a little season but in euerlastyng mercy haue I had compassion on thee sayth the Lorde thy redeemer For this is vnto me as the waters of Noe. For as I haue sworne that the waters of Noe should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angry w t thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaynes shal remoue and hilles shall fall downe but my mercye shall not departe from thee neyther shall the couenaunte of my peace fall awaye sayth the Lorde that hath compassion on thee But the scriptures are full of suche sweete places to them that will portare iram domini expectare salutem auxilium eius i. Beare the wrathe of the Lorde Math. â— and waye for his health and helpe As of all temptations this is the greatest that God hathe forgotten or will not helpe vs through the pykes as they say so of all seruices of God this liketh hym y e best to hope assuredly on him for hys helpe alwayes whiche is adiutor in tribulationibus i. An helper in tribulations 1. Cor. â—â— Psalm 1â— and doth more gloriously shew his power by suche as be weake and feele themselues so For quo infirmiores sumus eo sumus in illo robustiores Sic oculi domini i. The weaker we are the more stronge we are in hym Thus the eyes of the Lord be on them that tremble and feare Voluntatem eorum faciet i. hee will accomplishe their desire he is with them in their trouble hee will deliuer them Antequam clamauerint exaudit eos i. before they cry he heareth them as all the scriptures teach vs. To the reading whereof and hartye prayer I hartily commend you beseechyng almighty God that of his eternall mercies hee woulde make perfecte the good hee hathe begunne in you and strengthen you to the ende that you might haue no lesse hope but much more of hys helpe to your comforte nowe agaynst your enemies then already he hathe geuen you agaynst N. for not subscrybing to the kinges will Be certayne be certayne good M. Hales that all the heares of your head your deare father hath numbred so that one of them shall not pearishe your name is written in the booke of lyfe Therefore vpon God cast all your care whiche will comforte you with his eternall consolations and make you able to goe through the fire if neede bee whiche is nothing to be compared to the fire where into our enemies shall fall and lye for euer from the whiche the Lorde deliuer vs though it be through temporall fire which must be construed according to the ende and profite that commeth after it so shall it then not muche deare vs to suffer it for our mayster Christes cause the whiche the Lord graunt for his mercies sake Amen From the kings Bench. Your humble Iohn Bradford ⧠To my very friend in the Lord Doctor Hyll Phisition THe God of mercy and father of all comforte at this present and for euer engraffe in your harte the sense of his mercy in Christ â—etter to 〈◊〉 Hill 〈◊〉 and for the continuaunce of hys consolation whiche cannnot but enable you to carrye wyth ioye whatsoeuer crosse he shall lay vpon you Amen Hetherto I coulde haue no suche libertye as to wryte vnto you as I thynke you knowe but nowe in that throughe Gods prouidence I haue no suche restraynte I cannot but somthing write as well to purge me of this suspicion of vnthankfulnes towardes you as also to signifie my carefulnes for you in these perilous dayes least you should waxe colde in Gods cause whiche God forbid or suffer the light of the Lord once kindled in your harte to be quenched and so become as you were before after the example of the worlde and of many othere whiche woulde haue bene accompted otherwise in our dayes and yet still beguile themselues still would be so accompted although by their outward lyfe they declare the contrary in that they thinke it inough to keepe the harte pure notwythstandynge that the outward man doth curry fauour In whiche doyng as they deny God to be ielous and therefore requireth the whole man as well body as soule being bothe create as to immortalitie and societye wyth hym so redeemed by the bloud of Iesus Christ and now sanctified by the holy spirite to be the temple of GOD and member of hys sonne as I say by their parting stake to geue God the harte â—â—rting 〈◊〉 bâ—â—wene God and the world 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 church and the world the body they deny God to be ielous for els they woulde geue hym both as the wyfe would doe to her husband whether he be ielous or noe if shee bee honest so they playe the dissemblers with the Churche of GOD by theyr facte offendyng the godlye whome eyther they prouoke to fall wyth them or make more carelesse and consciencelesse if they be fallen and occasionyng the wicked and obstinate to tryumphe against God and the more vehemently to prosecute theyr malyce agaynst suche as will not defile themselues in bodye or soule with the Romyshe ragges now reuiued amongest vs. Because of thys I meane least you my deare Mayster and brother in the Lorde shoulde doe as many of our Gospellers doe for feare of man whose breathe is in hys nostrels and hathe power but of the body Gospell 〈◊〉 â—say 2. not fearyng the Lord which hath power both of soule and body and that not onely temporallye but also eternally I could not but write something vnto you aswell because duety deserueth it for many benefites I haue receiued of God by your handes for the whiche hee rewarde you for I cannot as also because charitie and loue compelleth me not that I thinke you haue anye neede for as I may rather learne of you so I doubt not but you haue hetherto kept your selfe vpright from haltyng but that I might both quyet my conscience callyng vppon me hereabout â— Hill M. â—radfordes â—hisition Maiâ—eâ—s Sortes of â—biectes Wayes Kingâ—â—mes and signifie vnto you by some thynge my carefulnes for your soule as payneful and often you haue done for my body Therefore I praye you call to minde that there bee but two maysters two kindes of
¶ To Mistres M. H a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauinesse and godly sorrowe which the feelyng and sense of sinne worketh in Gods children I Humbly and hartily praye the euerlasting good God and Father of mercy An other ghostly letter of M. Bradford to Mistres M. H. to blesse and keepe your harte and minde in the knowledge and loue of his truthe and of his Christ through the inspiration and working of the holye spirite Amen Anno 1555. Iuly Although I haue no doubt but that you prosper and goe forwardes dayly in the way of godlinesse more and more drawing towardes perfection and haue no neede of anye thinge that I can write yet because my desire is that you might be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but write something vnto you beseechinge you both often and diligently to call vnto your minde as a meane to stirre you hereunto yea as a thing which God most straitly requireth you to beleeue that you are beloued of God and that he is your deare father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue and tender kindnes of God towardes vs in Christe is aboundantly herein declared and that he hath to y e Godly work of creation of this world made vs after his image redeemed vs being lost called vs into his Churche sealed vs with his marke and signe manuell of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dayes of our lyfe Gods benefites to be declared fed nourished defeÌ„ded and most fatherly chastised vs and now hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of his â—eare fayth loue and knowledge of his Christ and truthe and therefore wee lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our fraylnes our diffidence and wauering in thinges wherein we should be most certayne All these thinges wee shoulde vse as meanes to confirme our fayth of this that God is our God and father to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thinges before touched especially in that of all thinges GOD requireth thys faythe and fatherly perswasion of his fatherly goodnesse The chiefest seruice of God is to thinke well of his fatherly goodnes in Christ. as his chiefest seruice For before he aske anye thing of vs he sayth I am the Lorde thy God geuing himselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our owne And this he doth in respect of himselfe of his owne mercy and and truthe and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration whereof when he sayth Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy harte c. though of duetie we are bound to accomplishe all that he requireth and are culpable and giltie if we doe not the same yet he requireth not these thinges further of vs then to make vs more in loue and more certayne of this his couenaunt that he is our Lord and GOD. In certayntye wherof as he hath geueÌ„ this whole world to serue to our neede and commoditie so hath he geuen his sonne Chryst Iesus and in Christe hymselfe to be a pledge and gage whereof the holy Ghost doth now and then geue vs some taste and sweete smell to our our eternall ioy Where feeling fayleth yet obedience is required Therefore as I sayde because God is your father in Christ and requireth of you straitly to beleue it geue your selfe to obedience although you doe it not with suche feelyng as you desire First must faithe goe before and then feeling will follow If our imperfection frayltie and many euils shoulde be occasions whereby Sathan woulde haue vs to doubte as muche as we canne let vs abhorre that suggestion Let no suggestion make vs doubte of Gods fauour in Christ. as of all others most pernicious for so in deede it is For when we stande in a doubte whether God be oure Father we cannot be thankefull to God we can not hartily pray or thinke anye thyng wee doe acceptable to God we can not loue our neighboures and geue ouer our selues to care for them and doe for them as we should do and therefore Sathan is most subtile hereaboutes knowing full well that if we doubt of Gods eternal mercies towardes vs through Christ we cannot please God or do any thing as we should do to man Continually casteth he into our memories our imperfectioÌ„ frayltie falles and offences that we should doubte of Gods mercie and fauour towardes vs. Therefore my good sister wee must not be sluggishe herein To stay vpon Gods promise to christs bloud but as Sathan laboureth to loosen our faythe so must we labour to fasten it by thinking on the promyses and couenaunte of God in Christes bloude namely that God is our God with all that euer hee hath whiche couenaunte dependeth and hangeth vppon Gods own goodnes mercy and trueth onely and not on our obedience or worthines in any poynt for then should we neuer be certayne In deede God requireth of vs obedience and worthines but not that thereby we might be his children and he our father Obedience geueth not to vs to 〈◊〉 Godschildren but Gods â—hildren geueth obedience but because he is our father and we his children through his owne goodnes in Christe therefore requireth he fayth and obedience Now if we want this obedience worthines which he requireth shuld we doubt whether he be our father Nay that were to make our obedience and worthines the cause and so to put Christ out of place for whose sake God is our father But rather because he is our father and we feel our selues to want such things as he requireth we shuld be styrred vp to a shamefastnes and blushing because we are not as we should be and thereupon should we take occasion to go to our father in prayer on this maner Deare father thou of thyne owne mercye in Iesus Chryst hast chosen me to be thy childe and therefore thou wouldest I should be brought into thy Churche and faythfull companye of thy children wherein thou hast kept me hetherto How a 〈◊〉 should 〈◊〉 wheÌ„ feelinâ— of Gods comfort lacketh thy name therfore be praysed Now I see my self to want fayth hope loue c. whiche thy children haue and thou requirest of me wherthrough the deuill would haue me to doubt yea vtterly to dispayre of thy fatherly goodnes fauour and mercy Therefore I come to thee as to my mercifull father through thy deare sonne Iesus Christ and pray thee to helpe me good Lorde helpe me and geue me fayth hope loue c. and graunt that thy holy spirite may be with me for euer and more and more to assure me that thou art my father that this mercifull couenaunt that thou madest with them respect of thy grace in Christ and for Christ and not in respecte of any my worthines is alwayes to me c. On this
with Eue to the lying spirite which woulde haue you now to despayre no he goeth more craftilye to worke howbeit to that ende if you should geue eare vnto it which God forbid but to doubt and stand in a mammering and so shoulde you neuer truely loue God but serue him of a seruile feare least he shoulde cast you off for your vnworthines and vnthankefulnes as though your thankfulnes or worthines were anye causes with God why he hath chosen you or will finally keepe you Ah myne owne deare harte Christ onely Christ only and his mercy truth In him is the cause of your election This Christ this mercy All ouâ— election is 〈◊〉 and for Christ onlâ— this truth of God remayneth for euer is certayne for euer I saye for euer If an Aungel from heauen should tell you contrary accursed be he Your thankfulnes and worthines are fruites and effectes of your election they are no causes These fruites and effectes shal be so much more fruitfull and effectual by how much you wauer not Therefore my dearely beloued arise and remember from whence you are fallen Psalm 120 You haue a shepheard which neither slumbreth nor sleepeth No man nor deuill can pul you out of his handes Night and day he commaundeth his Aungels to keepe you Haue you forgotten what I read to you out of the Psalme Psalm 23. The Lorde is my shepheard I can want nothing Do you not know that god sparred Noe in the Arke on the out side so that hee coulde not get out Psalm 90. So hath he done to you my good sister so hath he done to you Ten thousande shall fall on youre right hande and twenty thousand on your left hand yet no euill shal touch you Say boldly therefore Psal. 125. Many a tyme from my youth vpp they haue fought agaynst me but they haue not preuayled no nor neuer shall preuayle for the Lord is round about hys people And who are the people of God but such as hope in him Happy are they that hope in the Lorde and you are one of those my deare heart Though feeling fayle yet hope holâ— fast for I am assured you haue hoped in the Lord I haue your woordes to shewe moste manifestly and I knowe they were written vnfaynedly I neede not to say that euen before God you haue simply confessed to me and y t oftentimes no lesse And once if you had this hope as you doubtlesse had it though now you seele it not yet shall you feele it agayne for the anger of the Lorde lasteth but a moment but his mercy lasteth for euer Tel me my deare heart who hath so weakned you The eye of fayth must looke vpoâ— nothing 〈◊〉 but onely 〈◊〉 Christ crâ—â—cified Surely not a perswasion which came from him that called you For why should ye wauer Why shoulde ye wauer and be so heauy harted Whome looke you on On youre selfe on your worthines on your thankfulnes on that whiche God requireth of you as fayth hope loue feare ioy c. TheÌ„ can you not but wauer in deed for what haue you as God requireth Beleue you hope you loue you c. as muche as ye shoulde doe No no nor neuer can in this life Ah my dearly beloued haue you so soone forgotten y t which euer should be had in memory namely that when you would shoulde be certayne and quiet in conscience then should your fayth burst throughout al things not onely that you haue in you or els are in heaueÌ„ earth or hell vntill it come to Christ crucified and the eternall sweete mercies and goodnes of God in Christ Here here is the resting place here is your Spouses bed creepe into it and in your armes of fayth embrace him bewayle your weakenes your vnworthines your diffideÌ„ce c. and you shall see he will turne to you What sayde I you shall â—eeâ— Nay I should haue sayd You shall feele hee will turne to you You know that Moses when he went to the mount to talke with God he entred into a darck cloude and Helias had his face couered when God passed by Both these deare frendes of God heard God but they sawe him not but you woulde be preferred before them See nowe my deare hart how couetous you are Ah bee thankefull bee thankefull But God be praysed youre couetousnesse is Moyses couetousnes Well with him you shal be satisfied But when Forsooth when he shall appeare Here is not the time of seeing but as it were in a glasse Isaac was deceiued because he was not content with hearing onely Psalm 16. Therfore to make an end of these many words wherwith I feare me I doe but trouble you from better exercises in asmuch as you are in deede the childe of God electe in Christ before the beginning of all times in as much as you are geueÌ„ to the custody of Christ as one of Gods most precious iewels in as much as Christ is faythfull hytherto hath all power so y t you shall neuer perish no onâ— heare of your head shall not be lost I beseeche you I pray you I desire you I craue at your hands with all my very heart I aske of you with hand penne tongue and minde in Christ through Christ for Christ for his name bloude mercies power and truthes sake my most entirely beloued sister that you admit no doubting of Gods final mercies towardes you howe so euer you feele your selfe but complaine to God and craue of him as of your tender and deare father al things and in that time which shal be most oportune you shall finde and feele farre aboue that your heart or the heart of any creature can conceiue to your eternall ioy Amen Amen Amen The good spirit of God alwaies kepe vs as hys deare children he comfort you as I desire to be comforted my dearely beloued for euermore Amen I breake vp thus abruptly because our common prayer time calleth me The peace of Christe dwell in both our hearts for euer Amen As for the reporte of W. Po. if it be as you heare you must prepare to beare it The 〈…〉 vpoÌ„ 〈…〉 It is wrytten on heauens doore Do wel and heare euil Be content therfore to heare what soeuer the enemie shall imagine to blot you withall Gods holy spirite alwaies comfort and keepe you Amen Amen This 8. of August by him that in the Lord desireth to you as well and as much felicitie as to his owne heart Iohn Bradford Heere followeth an other letter of hys wrytten to the good Lady Uane wherein he resolueth certaine questions which shee demaunded This Lady Uane was a speciall Nourse Commenâ—â—tion of 〈◊〉 â—ady â—ane and a great supporter to her power of the godly Saints which were imprisoned in Queene Maries time Unto whom diuers Letters I haue both of M. Philpot Carelesse Traherne Thomas Rose and of other moe wherein they render vnto her moste gratefull thankes
open our eyes to see his hiâ— Manna heauenly Ierusalem the congregation of the first borne the melodie of the Saintes the tabernacle of God dwelling with men then shuld we runne and become violent men and so take the kingdome oâ— heauen as it were by force God our father geue vs for hys Christes sake to see a litle what and howe great ioy he hath prepared for vs he hath called vs vnto most assuredly geueth vs for his owne goodnes and truthes sake Amen My dearely beloued repent be sober and watche in prayer be obedient and after your vocations shewe your obedience to the higher powers in all thinges that are not against Gods word therein acknowledging y e soueraigne power of the Lorde howbeit so that ye be no rebels or rebellers for no cause but because wyth good conscience you can not obey be pacient sufferers and the glorye and good spirit of God shall dwel vppon vs. I pray you remember vs your afflicted brethren being in the Lordes bondes for the testimonie of Christ and abiding the gracious houre of our deare and most merciful father The Lord for Christes sake geue vs merry hearts to drinke lustely of his sweete cuppe which daily we grone and sigh for lamenting that the tyme is thus prolonged The Lorde Iesus geue vs grace to be thankeful and to abide paciently the prouident houre of his most gracious good will Amen Amen From the Counter in the Poultrie Yours in Christ Iohn Bradford To my good brother Iohn Careles prisoner in the kings Benche THe father of mercie and God of all comfort visite vs with his eternall consolation according to his great mercies in Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen A lette◠〈◊〉 M. Bradâ—â—â—â— to I. Caâ—â—â—les My very deare brother if I shall reporte the truthe vnto you I can not but signifie that sithen I came into prisone I neuer receaued so much consolation as I did by your last letter the name of God be most heartely praised therefore But if I shall reporte the trueth vnto you and as I haue begonne speake still the veritie I must confesse that for mine vnthankefulnes to you wardes and to God especially I haue more neede of Gods mercifull tidinges then I hadde euer heeretofore Ah that Sathan enuieth vs so greatly Ah that our Lorde woulde treade his head vnder our feete shortly Ah that I mighte for euer both my selfe beware and be a godly example to you and others to beware of vnthankefulnesse Good brother Careles After a lightniâ—â— take 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 we hadde more neede to take heede after a lightening of a foile then before God therefore is to be praised euen when he hideth and that not of long a chearefull countenaunce from vs least we being not expert howe to vse it as we shoulde doe doe hurt more oure selues thereby so great is our ignoraunce and corruption This my good brother ryght deare to my very heart I wryte vnto you as to one whom in the Lorde I embrace and I thanke God that you doe me in like manner God our father more and more geue vs both his good spirit that as by faith we may fele our selues vnited vnto him in Christ so by loue we may feele our selues linked in the same Christ one to an other I to you and you to me we to al the children of God and all the children of God to vs Amen Amen Commende me to our good brother Skelthrop for whome I heartely praise my God which hath geuen him to see hys trueth at the length and to geue place to it I doubt not but that he will be so heedie in all his conuersation that hys olde acquaintaunce may euer thereby thinke them selues astray Woe and woe againe shoulde be vnto vs if we by our example should make menne to stumble at the trueth Forgette not salutations in Christe as you shall thinke good to Trewe and hys fellowes The Lorde hath his time I hope for them also although we perchance thinke otherwise A drop maketh the stone hollowe not with once but wyth often dropping so if with hearty praier for them and good example you stil and drop vppon them as you can you shall see Gods worke at the length I beseeche God to make perfect all the good he hath begun in vs all Amen I desire you all to pray for me the most vnworthy prisoner of the Lorde Your brother Iohn Bradford To M. Iohn Hall and his wife prisoners in Newgate for the testimonie of the Gospell ALmightye God oure heauenly Father through Iesus Christ be w t you both my dearely beloued as with hys deare children for euer so he blesse you with his holy spirite that you may in thys your crosse for his cause doubtles reioyce and gladly take it vp to beare it so long as hee shall thinke good I haue heard my good brother sister how that god hath brought you both into his scholehouse whereas you were bothe purposed by his leaue to haue plaâ—ed the trewands that thereby you might see his carefulnes loue towarde you For if it be a token of a louing and careful father for his children to preuent the purpose and disappoynt the intent of his children purposing to depart a while from the schoole for feare of beating whych thing they woulde not doe if they did as much consider the commodity of learning which there they might get how should you take this worke of the Lorde preuenting your purpose but as an euident signe of loue and fatherly carefulnes that he beareth towardes you If he shoulde haue winked at your willes then would you haue escaped beating I meane the crosse but then should you haue lost the commoditie of learning which your father will now haue you to learne and feele and therfore hath he sent to you his crosse Hee I say hath brought you where you be and though your reason and wit wil tell you it is by chance or fortune or otherwise yet my dearely beloued knowe for certaine that what so euer was the meane God your father was the worker heereof and that for your weale although otherwise your old Adam doth tel you you fele yet I say of truth that your duty is to thinke of this crosse that as it is of Gods sending and commeth from him so although your deserts be otherwise it is of loue fatherly affection for your weale and commodities sake What commodity is hereby you wil perchance obiect You are now kept in close prison you wil say your family and children be without good ouerseers your substance diminisheth by these meanes pouertie will approche and perchance more peariâ—s also yea and losse of life too These are no commodities but discommodities and that no smal ones so that iustly you would be glad to know what commoditie can come to you by this crosse whereby commeth so great discommodities To these things I answer that in deede it is true you
of God Not that the action it selfe of beleeuing as it is a qualitie in man doeth so deserue but because it taketh that dignitie of the obiect For as I sayde in the acte of iustifying faith as it is an action in man is not to be considered alone but must euer go with his obiecte and taketh his vertue therof Like as the looking vp of the olde Israelites did not of it selfe procure any healthe vnto them but the promise made in the obiecte which was the brasen serpent whereupon they looked gaue them healthe by their looking vp Euen so after like sort are we saued by our faith and spirituall looking vp to the bodye of Christe crucified Which faith to define is this To beleeue Iesus Christe to be the sonne of the liuing God sent into thys worlde by hys death to satisfie for oure sinnes and so to receiue the same And thus much touching election and Faith with the order and explication of the causes necessary to be considered in our saluation Wherby may appeare howe farre the pretensed catholikes do swarne from the right mind of the scriptures For where the scriptures in declaring the causes of saluation do send vs only to faith as the onely condition whereby these causes haue their working these catholikes do quite leaue out faith and in stead thereof place in other conditions of doings merites wil workes pardons masses and especially auricular confession with penance and satisfaction for our sinnes c. And besides these letters aboue specified of M. Iohn Bradforde there hath come to our handes certaine other letters of his not long a goe sent by a certaine olde frende of the sayd Iohn Bradforde vnto vs. Which letters beyng written of him in former times before his trouble as they haue not bene yet printed nor seene abroade so I thought it not amisse to communicate the same to the châ—istian reader for the worthinesse of the matter and the goodnesse of the man which may redound I trust to no small fruite to him that with godly eyes shall aduise the same A letter of M. Bradford to father Trauers Minister of Blackeley THe aboundant grace and rich mercy of God in Christe our only sauiour and high bishop be increased in your heart thorow the liuely woorker of all goodnesse the holye spirite vntill the day of the Lorde c. I haue receiued youre two letters good father Trauers sithen y t I did wryte any vnto you whereof though honesty willeth to make an excuse yet truth biddeth me otherwise and sayeth it is better wyth shame to confesse the fault for therein is as a man mighte say halfe a deseruing of pardon then without shame to lie I might haue written vnto you twise notwythstanding in deede some businesse wherein I haue some thing bene occupied but yet I haue not Nowe the cause is because I woulde not And why woulde I not But because I coulde not I meane because my canning is taken away by sinne for my sinnes doe forbid goodnesse vnto me In dede if my sinning were of infirmitie there were good hope of recouerie of that which I haue lost But seeing both willing and knowing I haue too much yeelded and yet doe yeelde to my infirmities iustly I doe deserue that because I haue cast awaye and reiected the woord of the Lord behinde my backe that the Lord should reiecte me And because I would not haue blessing I am woorthye as Dauid sayeth that it be taken away from me I haue nowe at length experience that to bring a man foorth of Gods fauour is sooner seene when a man hath receiued all things abouÌ„dantly then when nede or the crosse pincheth Afore it pleased God to woorke the restitution you know what I meane and afore it pleased God to prouide for me as he hath done so that I can saye in nothing where any want is as pertaining to my body I was an other maner of man then nowe I am and yet Gods deserts haue otherwise bounden me But the scripture is true I haue aduanced my children Deut. 32. and nourished them but they haue contemned me I haue fedde them that they were fatte and grosse and they spurned agaynste me Perchaunce you will aske me wherein Oh father Trauers I warrante you this my stile in carnall and not in spirituall wryting doeth some thing shewe vnto you but as for it in comparison of other things is nothynge For where the life of man is such that either it paireth or ameÌ„deth as Paule sayeth the outwarde man is corrupted day by day and therefore except the inwarde man be renewed the shoe goeth awrie euery building in Christ doth grow to a holy temple as the wicked on the contrary parte shall proceede to worser 2. Tim. 3. 2. Tim. 3. I haue made a change farre otherwise in going backe than I thinke by letters I can perswade you wherein will you say For the first seconde and thirde and to be brief in all things As for an example Gods true feare is flowen away from me loue to my brethren is exiled from me faith is vtterly taken awaye In stead wherof is distrust doubtfulnes bearing rule Contempt of Gods honor of my brethreÌ„ raigning in stead of true feare an imagined feare accordinge to my brayne holding the principalitie For I extenuate sinne and I do not consider that in sinne which a Christian ought to consider that sinne being not forgeuen is such a thyng for the which God casteth his creature away as exaÌ„ples not only of Saule of Iudas of the Israelites which were beloued in deede yet for sinne are reiected but also of others on whome lately for my warning God hathe shewed the same do admonish me But it is but my pen which writes this for the wicked sayth Salomon when they come into the depth of their sinnes then they grow in securitye Prouerb 18. I am I caÌ„not tel what I feare but it is but blindly or els wold I awake otherwise then I do 2. Tim. 2 I feare me I say that I am intangled of the deuil after his desire Pray for me that the Lord would geue me repentance that I may escape out of his snares Alas the spirite of praier which before I haue felt plentifully is taken cleane away from me The Lorde be mercifull vnto me I am solde vnder sinne I am the bondslaue of sinne for whome I obey his seruaunt I am I am ashamed to speake ofte no I shame not at all for I haue forgot to blush I haue geuen ouer to wepe And truly I obey I obey I say mine owne coÌ„cupiscences namely in eating in drinking in iangling and idlenesse I will not speake of vaine glorie enuie disdaine hypocrisie desire of estimation selfeloue and who can tell all Is thys the rewarde thou renderest to GOD O Bradforde It is true yea to true thou knowst it O Lord for thy mercies sake pardon me In your letters you touch me home how that
vnto thy promise and for this mortalitie to receaue immortalitie and for this corruptible to put on incorruptible Accept thys burnt offering and sacrifice O Lorde not for the sacrifice it selfe but for thy deare sonnes sake my Sauiour for whose testimony I offer this free wil offering with all my hart and with al my soule O heauenly father forgeue me my sinnes as I forgeue the whole world O sweete Sauiour spread thy winges ouer me O God graunt me thy holy Ghost through whose mercifull inspiration I am come hither Conducte me vnto euerlasting lyfe Lord into thy handes I commend my spirite Lord Iesus receaue my soule So be it ¶ The history of Iohn Frankesh Humfrey Middleton Nicholas Sheterden Iuly 12. Iohn Frankesh Humfrey Middleton Nicholas Sheterden Martyrs HAuyng now passed ouer the examinations of Maister Bland let vs further proceed to the rest of his felowes concaptiues being ioyned the same time with him both in the like cause and like affliction The names of whome were Iohn Frankesh Nicholas Sheterden Humfrey Middleton Thacker and Cocker of whome Thacker onely gaue back The rest constaÌ„tly standing to the truth were altogether condemned by the Suffragan of Caunterburye the 25. daye of Iune the yeare aboue expressed Touching whose examinations I shall not need long to stand for somuche as the articles ministred agaynst them were all one so in their aunsweres they little or nothyng disagreed as hereafter by the Lords help you shal heare In the meane time because Nicholas Sheterden in his examinations had a little more large talke with the Archdeacon and the Commissary I will first beginne with the same ¶ The first examination or reasoning of Nicholas Sheterden with M. Harpsfield Archdeacon and M. Collins the Commissary for the which they sent him to prison The talke of Nicholas Sheterden with the Archdeacon Commissary about the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ. The Romish catholickes cannot deny a figurative speach in the cup yet will not graunt the same in the bread FIrst the Archdeacon and Commissary affirmed that the very wordes of Christ when he sayd This is my bodye did chaunge the substaunce without any other interpretation or spirituall meaning of the wordes Shet Then belike when Christ sayd This cup is my bloud the substaunce of his Cup was chaunged into hys bloud without any other meaning and so the cup was changed and not the wine Arch. Not so for when Christ sayde This cup is my bloud be meant not the cup but the wine in the cup. Shet If Christ spake one thing and meant an other then the bare wordes did not chaunge the substaunce but there must be a meaning sought as well of the bread as of the cup. Arch. There must be a meaning sought of the cup otherwise then the words stand But of the bread it must be vnderstand onely as it standeth without any other meaning Shet Then do ye make one halfe of Christes institution a figure or borowed speache and the other halfe a playne speach and so ye deuide Christes supper Arch. Christ meant the wyne and not the cup though he sayd This cup is my bloud Shet Then shew me whether the words which the priestes doe speake ouer the cup do chaunge the substaunce or whether the minde of the priest doth it Arch. The minde of the priest doth it and not the words Shet If the minde of the prieste doth it and not y e words if the Priest then doe minde hys harlot or any other vaine thing that thing so minded was there made and so the people doe worship the priestes harlot in stead of Christes bloud and agayne none of the people can tell when it is Christes bloud or when it is not seeing the matter standeth in the minde of the Priest For no man can tell what the priest meaneth but himselfe and so are they euer in daunger of committing idolatry Then was the Archdeacon somewhat moued sate hym downe and sayde to the Commissarye I pray you maister Commissary speake you to him an other while If the 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 wordes oâ— the Prieâ—â— doth it 〈◊〉 then is it that Duns and his fellowes say that the 〈◊〉 wordes be the forme 〈◊〉 formall cause onely that maketh the Sacrament Collins 〈◊〉 Commissâ—â—ry taketh the mattâ—â— in hand for they are vnreasonable and peruerse aunsweres as euer I heard of Then stode vp the Commissary and sayd Commis Your argumentes is much agaynst your selfe for ye graunt that the bread is a figure of Christes body but the Cup can be no figure of his bloude nor yet his verye bloud and therefore Christ did not meane the cup but the wine in the cup. Shet My argument is not agaynst me at all for I do not speake it to proue that the cup is his bloud nor the figure of his bloud but to proue that the bare wordes being spoken of the priest do not chaunge the substaunce no more of the bread then they do chaunge the cup into bloud Commis It coulde not be spoken of the Cup when hee sayde This Cup is my bloud but he meant the wyne in the cup. Shet Then it remaineth for you to answere my question to the Archdeacon that is whether the minde of the priest when he speaketh ouer the cup doth chaunge it into bloud or the bare wordes Commis Both together doth it the wordes and y e mind of the priest together yea the intent and the wordes together doth it Shet If the wordes and intentes together doe chaunge the substaunce yet must the cup be his bloud The Commissary brought to an absurdâ—â—tye and not the wyne for as much as the wordes are This cup is my bloud and the intent ye say was the wyne or els the words take none effect but the intent onely After the Commissary in his chamber sayd it was the intent of the priest before he went to masse wythout the wordes for the Priest did intend to doe as holy Churche had ordayned then the intent made the sacrament to take effect Shet If the Sacramentes take effect of the intent of the Priest and not of Gods word then manye Parishes hauing a Priest that intendeth not wel are vtterly deceiued The intenâ— of the 〈◊〉 maketh 〈◊〉 the Sacrament both in Baptising and also worshipping that thing to be God whiche is but bread because for lacke of the priestes intente the wordes doe take none effecte in it so that by this it is euer doubtfull whether they worship Christe or bread because it is doubtfull what the Priestes doe intende Commis Then the Commissary would proue to me that Chrystes Manhood was in two places at one tyme Christes body whether it may be in two places at once by these woordes of Christ in Ioh. the thyrd Chapiter where he sayth No man ascendeth vpp to heauen but hee that came downe from heauen that is to say the sonne of man whiche is in heauen
Iacob and the rest of the faythfull vntil Christes tyme as S. Paul sayth they did all eate of one spirituall meat did all drinke of one maner of spirituall drinke They did drinke of that spirituall rocke that followed theÌ„ which rocke was Christ that saueth vs. 1. Cor. â— And when the tyme was ful come God sent his sonne made of a woman that is he tooke flesh of the virgin Mary became man not the shadow of a man nor a fantasticall maÌ„ Gala. 4. as some falsly faine but a very natural man in all points sinne onely excepted which God man is Christ the promised womans seed This Christ was here conuersant among men for the space of 30. yeres more Luke 22. and when the tyme was come that he should goe to hys father he gaue vnto vs the mistery of our redemption that we thorough fayth should eate his body and drinke hys bloud that we myght feed on hym through fayth to the end of the world After this Christ offred vp hys body on the crosse 1. Cor. â—â— to pacify his father to deliuer vs from the thraldome of the deuill in the which we were through sinne original actuall And with that one sacrifice of his body once offered on the crosse Heb. 1â— hee hath made perfect for euer all them that are sanctified He descended into hell the third day he rose agayne from death was conuersant at certaine tymes w t his disciples for the space of 40. dayes after he rose from death Then in the sight of all his disciples he ascended into heauen as hys disciples stood lookyng vpward Actes 1. beholding hym how he went into heauen two men stood by them in white apparell which also sayd ye men of Galilie why stand ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as ye haue seene hym goe into heauen Actes 3. S. Peter also sayth that the heauens must receiue hym vntill the tyme that all thynges whith God hath spoken by the mouth of all hys prophets since the world began be restored again which is the latter day when he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead I do beleeue in the holy ghost which is the spirite of God proceedyng from the father and the sonne which holy spirit is one God with them I beleeue that there is an holy church which is the company of the faythfull elect people of God dispersed abrode throughout all the world Math â—â— which holy church or congregation doth not looke for Christ here nor Christ there neither in the desert nor in the secret places whereof Christ warneth vs but as S. Paule sayth in heauen where he sitteth on the right hand of GOD the father Coloss. â— they set their affection on thyngs that are aboue and not on thyngs which are on earth For they are dead concernyng the thynges of this world and their lyfe is hid with Christ in God and when Christ which is their lyfe shall shew hymselfe then shall they also appeare with hym in glory I beleeue that there is a communion of saints euen y e fellowship of the faythfull people which are dispersed abrode throughout all the whole world and are of one mynde they followe Christ their head they loue one an other as Christ loued them are knit together in one euen in Christ which Church or congregation hath forgeuenes of sinnes thorough Christ and shall enter without spotte before the face of God into his glory For as Christ being their head hath entred pure and cleane so they entering by hym shall be lyke hym in glory And I am certaine and sure that all they which doe dye shall rise agayne and receiue their bodies In theÌ„ shal they see Christ come in his glory to iudge the quicke and the dead At whose commyng all men shall appeare and geue a reckoning of their doyngs he shall seperate y e good from the bad he shall say to theÌ„ which are hys elect come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning but to the other that haue always resisted his will he shall say depart from me ye cursed into euerlastyng fire which is prepared for the deuil and his aungels Thus haue I briefly declared my fayth which were no fayth at all if I were in doubt of it This fayth therefore I desire God to encrease in mee Prayse God for his gyftes ⧠And thus haue you the Martyrdome with the confession of this blessed man and witnes of the Lords truth who for that gaue his lyfe as is before declared ¶ Richard Hooke LIkewise Richard Hooke about the same season for the same matter gaue his like at Chichester ¶ The examinations aunswers and condemnation of William Coker William Hopper Henry Laurence Rich. Colliar Rich. Wright William Stere before the Byshop of Douer and Harpsfield Archdeacon of Caunterbury MEntion was made a little before in the story of M. Bland and Nich. Sheterden of certaine other Kentish men who beyng the same tyme with them called forth and examined by Thornton Bish. of Douer N. Harpesfield Rich. Faucet and Rob. Collins yet notwithstandyng because the condemnation and execution of theÌ„ was differred a little longer till the latter end of the moneth of Aug. commyng therfore now to the tyme of their suffryng we will briefly touch some part of their examinations and aunswers as we find them in the Registers The names of these were Wil. Coker Wil. Hopper Henry Laurence Rich. Colliar Rich. Wright W. Stere. What the articles obiected to M. Bland and them were ye heard before To the which Articles they answered for themselues seuerally in effect as followeth FIrst Wil. Coker sayd he would aunswer no otherwise then he had already answered beyng offered to haue longer respite of 6. dayes after he refused to take it and so vpon the same senteÌ„ce of condemnation was read against hym the 11. of Iuly WIl Hopper first seemed to graunt to the fayth determination of the Catholike church after callyng hymselfe better to mynd constantly stickyng to the truth he was condemned the next weeke after the 16. of Iuly HEnry Laurence examined the sayd 16. of Iuly partly differred to the 2. of August aunswered to the Articles obiected against hym first denying auricular confession and that he had not nor would receiue the Sacrament because sayth he the order of the holy Scriptures is changed in the order of the Sacrament Moreouer the sayd Laurence was charged for not puttyng of his cap when the Suffragan made mention of the sacrament did reuerence to the same the sayd Laurence answering in these words what said he ye shal not need to put of your cap for it is not so holy that you need to put of your cap thereunto Further beyng apposed concernyng the
the which Martin Luther first to stand against the Pope was a great miracle to preuaile against the Pope a greater so to die vntouched may seme greatest of all especially hauing so many enemies as he had Againe neither is it any thing lesse miraculous to consider what manifold dangers he escaped besides as when a certeine Iewe was appointed to come to destroy him by poison yet was it so the will of God that Luther had warning thereof before and the face of the Iewe sent to him by picture whereby he knew him and auoided the perill Another time as he was sitting in a certaine place vpon his stoole M. Luther miraculously preserued a great stone there was in the vault ouer hys head where he did sit which being stayd miraculously so long as he was sitting as soone as he was vp immediatly fell vpon the place where he sate able to haue crushed him all in peeces if it had light vpon him And what should I speake of his praiers which were so ardent vnto Christ that as Melancthon writeth they which stoode vnder his windowe where he stood prayeng might see his teares falling and dropping downe Againe with such power he prayed that he as himselfe confesseth had obteined of the Lord that so long as he liued the Pope should not preuaile in his countrey after his death sayd he let them pray who could M. Luther vehemeÌ„t mighty in prayer And as touching the maruelous workes of the Lorde wrought heere by men if it be true which is credibly reported by the learned what miracle can be more miraculous then that whiche is declared of a yong man aboute Wittenberge who being kept bare and needy by his father was tempted by way of sorcery to bargaine with the Diuell or a familiare as they call him to yeeld hymselfe body and soule into the Diuels power A miraculous worke of the Lorde in deliuering a young man out of the deuils daunger by Christian prayer vpon condition to haue his wish satisfied with money So that vpon the same an obligation was made by the yong man written with his owne bloud and geuen to the Diuell This case you see how horrible it was and how damnable now heare what followed Upon the sodeine wealth and alteration of this yong man the matter first being noted began afterward more more to be suspected and at length after long and great admiration was brought vnto Martin Luther to be examined The yong man whether for shame or feare long denied to confesse and woulde bee knowne of nothing Yet God so wrought being stronger then the Diuell that he vttered vnto Luther the whole substance of the case as well touching the money as the obligation Luther vnderstanding the matter and pitiing the lamentable state of the man willed the whole congregation to pray and he himselfe ceased not with hys praiers to labour so that the Diuell was compelled at the last to throw in his obligation at the window and bade him take it againe vnto him Which narration if it be so true as certeinely it is of him reported I see not the contrary but that this may well seeme comparable wyth the greatest miracle in Christes Church that was since the Apostles time Furthermore as he was mighty in his prayers so in his Sermons God gaue him such a grace that when hee preached they which heard him thought euery one hys owne temptations seuerally to be noted and touched Whereof when signification was geuen vnto him by hys frends and he demaunded how that could be mine owne manifold temptations said he and experiences are the cause thereof Ex Phill Melanct in orat funebri Ex Hierony Wellero For this thou must vnderstand good reader that Luther from his tender yeares was much beaten and exercised with spirituall conflicts as Melancthon in describing of his life doth testifie Also Hieronymus Wellerus scholer and disciple of the sayd Martin Luther recordeth that he oftentimes heard Luther his maister thus reporte of himselfe that he had bene assaulted and vexed with all kindes of temptations sauing onely one Luther â—â—â—uer in all his life tempted with coueteousneâ—s M. Luther how long he liued â— taught which was with couetousnes With this vice he was neuer said he in all his life troubled nor once tempted And hetherto concerning the life of Martin Luther who liued to the yeare of his age 63. He continued writing and preachyng about 29. yeares As touching the order of his death the words of Melancthon be these In the yeare of our Lord 1546. and the 17. of February Doctour Martin Luther sickened a little before supper of his accustomed maladie to wyt of the oppression of humours in the orifice or opening of his stomacke whereof I remember I haue seene him oft diseasid in this place The sickneâ— of Luther This sickenes tooke him after supper with the which he vehemently contending required secesse into a bye chamber and there he rested on his bed two houres all whych time his paynes encreased And as Doctor Ionas was lieng in his chamber Luther awaked and praied him to rise and to call vp Ambrose his childrens scholemaister to make fire in another chamber Into the which when he was newly entred Albert Earle of Mansfield The quiet death of Luther with hys wife and diuers other whose names in these letters for haste were not expressed at that instant came into hys chamber Finally feeling his fatall houre to approche before nine of the clocke in y e morning the xviij of February he coÌ„mended himselfe to God with this deuour praier ¶ The Prayer of Luther at his death MY heauenly father eternall and mercifull God thou hast manifested vnto me thy deare sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ. The prayer of Luther 〈◊〉 his death I haue taught him I haue knowne him I loue him as my life my health and my redemption whome the wicked haue persecuted maligned and with iniurie afflicted Draw my soule to thee After this he sayd as ensueth thryse I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God of truth GOD so loued the world that he gaue his only sonne that all those that beleeue in him shoulde haue life euerlasting Iohn iij Hauing repeated oftentimes his prayers he was called to God vnto whome so faithfully he commended his spirit to enioy no doubt the blessed societie of the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles in the kingdome of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Let vs now loue the memory of this man and the doctrine that he hath taught Let vs learne to be modest and meeke Let vs consider the wretched calamities and marueilous chaunges that shall follow this mishap and dolefull chance I beseech thee O sonne of God crucified for vs and resuscitated Emanuell gouerne coÌ„serue and defend thy Church Haec Melancthon Fridericus Prince Electour died long before Luther in the yeare of our Lord 1525. leauing no issue
The next yere folowing which was anno 1532. in the moneth of August died also the woorthy and memorable prince Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie who for testimonie of Christe and of his Gospel susteined such trials so many bruntes The death of Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie and so vehement conflicts with the Emperour and that especially at the Councell assembled at Auspurge that vnlesse the almighty hand of the Lorde had susteined him it had not bene possible for him or any prince to haue endured so constaÌ„t and vnremoueable against so many perswasions and assaults as hee did to the ende After him succeeded Iohn Fridericke his sonne c. And thus haue ye the historie of Zuinglius and of the church of Suitzerlande with their proceedings and troubles from the first beginning of their reformation of religion set forth and described Whereunto we will adde one certaine Epistle of y e said Zuinglius taken out of his other Epistles and so therewith close vp hys storie Which Epistle I thought here to record especially for that in the same among other maters profitably is expounded y e true meaning of the Apostle wryting to the Corrinthians concerning how to iudge the Lordes body to the entent that the simple thereby may the better be informed The words of his letter be these as folowe Huldricus Zuinglius N. fratri in Domino GRatiam pacem in Domino Accipe igitur chariss frater c. In English thus Vnto your questions propounded to me in your former letters well be loued brother A letter of Vldricus Zuinglius I haue sent you heere mine aunswere First I am also in the same minde with you that the Lordes supper is a verye thankes geuing for so the Apostle him selfe meaneth saying Yee shall shewe foorth the Lordes death 2. Cor. 10. Where the woorde of shewing foorth signifieth as much as praising or thankes geeuynge Wherefore seeinge it is an Euchariste or a thankes geuing in my iudgement no other thing ought to bee obtruded to mens consciences but onely with due reuerence to geue thankes Neuerthelesse yet this is not tâ— be neglected that euery man doe prooue and examine him selfe for so wee oughte to search and aske our owne consciences what faith wee haue in Christ Iesus which if it be sounde and sincere we may approche without stay to this thankes geuing For he that hath no faith yet faineth or pretendeth to haue eateth his owne iudgement for he lieth to the holy Ghost And whereas you suppose that Paul in this place doth not reprooue them which sit at the table eating of meates offered to Idols I dissent from you therein For Paule a litle before wryteth vehemently against those arrogante persones which bragging vpon their knowledge thought they might lawfully eate of such meates offered to Idols sitting and eating at the Lordes table You can not sayeth he be partakers bothe of the Lordes table and the table of deuils c. Wherefore Saint Paules meaning is that euery one should trie and examine hymselfe what faith he hath Whereuppon it foloweth that he which hath a right faith must haue no parte nor fellowship wyth those things which be geuen to Idols for he is nowe a member of another body that is of Christe The place of S. Paule of iudging the Lords body expounded so that hee can not ioyne him selfe nowe to be one body with Idolaters And therefore those be they which doe not iudge or discerne the Lordes body that make no difference betwene the Church of Christ and the Church of Idolaters For they which sit at the Lordes table eating of Idolmeates do make no difference at all betweene the Lordes supper Who be they that iudge not the Lords body and the supper of the deuill which be they whom Paul sayth not to iudge the bodye of the Lorde that is which make no discrepance nor geue any more regard to Christes Church then to the church of deuils Whereas if we would iudge our selues that is if we would thorowly search and examine our own consciences as we shuld in comming to the table of the Lorde we finding any faith in vs would neuer goe to the table or make therof the feast of deuilles Wherefore your iudgement heerein is not amisse in expounding the word of iudging in S. Paule to signifie as much as coÌ„sidering Iesus tooke bread perpending and inquiring To your seconde question I aunswere that Iesus tooke bread and brake c. Also he tooke the cuppe c. Ista verba sunt peculiariter agentis non hospitaliter inuitantis that is these woordes declare the action of one which properly doeth a thing and not the hospitalitie of one which inuiteth another to eate Touching your third question out of the 6. chap. of Iohn The word Easter Doeth this offende you herein I doe full agree with you As for this word Ostren which is your fourth question I vnderstaÌ„d therby the time of the great feast or solemnitie which we kepe in remembrance of the great deliueraunce of Gods people from the thraldome nowe of Satan before from the thraldome of Pharao Neither is it greatly materiall with what woorde we expresse the thing so the thing it selfe be one and the analogie and consonancie of the Scripture be kept For the Scripture calleth Christ bothe the Lambe and S. Paule calleth him our Easter or Passeouer Now your worde wanderfest well pleaseth me The descending of Christ into hell expoundâ—d for the Passeouer or Paesah To your fifth interrogation of Christ descending into Hell I suppose this particle was inserted into the Creede by the sentence of the Fathers to declare how the fathers were redemed by the death of Christ which died in the faith For Christ ledde away captiuitie wherewith they were holden with him vp into heauen CircuÌ„scriptiuè PoteÌ„tionaliter Vt mors illius eos qui erant apud inferos redimeret so that hys going downe into Hell non sic intelligatur quasi circumscriptiuè sed potentionaliter that is be not so vnderstanded as circumscriptiuely which is when a thynge is present by circumscription of any one place but by power which is by the operation of his spirit which is not coÌ„preheÌ„ded in any certenty of place but without prescription of certain place is diffused euery so that the article of Christes descending into hell importeth as much as that his death redemed them which were in hell Wherunto S. Peter also seemeth to haue respect where he sayeth * * 1. Pet. 3. The Gospell also was preached to them which were deade that is that they also did feele the good tidings of the Gospell their redemption by the sonne of God and that they which rose againe wyth Christ in spirite be nowe with him in heauen who neuerthelesse in flesh shal be iudged what time the sonne of God and of man shal come to iudge both the quicke dead Returne to the places
their sentence should be holden and ratified which was that the iudgement of determining this dissension should be reserued to the next Councell which by the report of maister Chauncelour was now in hand to be called and gathered Also vntill all discord and dissension should be appeased whatsoeuer was receiued and beleeued by theyr neighbours he promised in the name of the rest that they would willingly receiue and beleeue the same So that if the word of God hath not hitherto bene clearely and sincerely preached as they said vnto y e people and that there be now some which can teache and preach the same more sincerely it is not their mind or intent to withstand or resist their good doings but that the presidents would wish this one thing diligently to be taken heede of that there be no occasion geuen by any man to moue sedition and in the meane time he commaunded all men quietly to geue ouer all matters vntill Easter nexte and by that time it shoulde be made euident what shoulde be receiued and what left vndone With this answere they were all very well contented and the messengers returned againe to Meldorphe with great ioy and gladnes declaring to the whole congregation what answere was made cōceiuing a sure hope that the matter would shortly come to passe Upon S. Nicholas daye thys Henry preached twise first vpon the Gospell Homo quidam nobilis c. A certaine noble man Luke 19. c. Secondly vpon this text Plures facti sunt sacerdotes c. There are many made Priestes c. with suche a spirit and grace Heb. 7. that all men had him in admiration praieng God most earnestly that they might long haue such a preacher Upon the day of the conception of our Lady he also made two Sermons vpon the first chapter of Mathew expounding the booke of the generation wherein he rehearsed the promises made by God vnto oure forefathers and vnder what faith our fathers that then were had liued adding also that all respect of works being set apart we must be iustified by the same faith All these things were spoken with such boldnes of spirit that al mē greatly maruelled at him geuing thankes to God for his great mercy that had sente them such a Preacher desiring hym moreouer that he would tarrie with them al Christmas to preach for they feared least he should be sent for to some other place In the meane space the Priour and maister Iohn Schinke were not idle The Prier and the Monkes againe conspired against the Gospell for when the Prior perceiued that his malitious enterprise tooke no good successe he adioyned vnto him a companion William a Doctour of the Iacobines and so went vp to Laudanum to the Monks Franciscanes and Minors for helpe and counsaile For those kindes of Friers aboue all other are best instruct by their hypocrisie to deceiue the poore and simple people These Friers streightwaies sent for certaine of the rulers which had all the rule and authoritie and specially Peter Hannus Peter Swine and Nicholas Roden vnto whome they declared after their accustomed maner with great complaintes what an heretique Monke had preached and how he had obteined the fauour almost of all the simple people which if they did not spedily prouide for and withstand the beginnings and put the heretique to death it would come to passe that shortly the honour of our Lady and all Saints together with the two Abbeys shoulde vtterly come to ruine and decay When these simple ignorant men heard these wordes they were greatly moued Whereunto Peter Swine aunswered thus that they had before written vnto the parish priest to Henry what was best to be done notwithstanding if they thought good they would write againe No said y e Prior this matter must be attempted another way for if you write vnto the heretike he wil by and by answer you againe And it is to be feared least the contagion of his heresie do also infect you being vnlearned men for if you geue him leaue to speake and to answere there is no hope that you shall ouercome him The death of Henry conspired by the Monkes and Friers Wherefore they finally determined to take this Henry by night and burne him before the people should know it or he come to his defence to answere This deuise pleased all mē but specially the Franciscane Friers Petrus Hannus the Priors chiefe frend willing to get the chiefe praise and thankes of this matter by the help of maister Gunter did associate vnto him certaine other rulers of the townes neere adioining whose names are heere not to be hidden because they so much affected praise and glorye The names of the conspirators persecutors The names of the Presidentes were these Petrus Hannus Peter Swines sonne Hennicke Lūdane Iohn Holneus Laurence Hannemanus Nicholas Weslingbourgus Ambrose Iohn Brenthusius Marquardus Kremmerus Henstedanus Ludekus Iohānes Weslingus and Petrus Grossus President of Himmigstate All these Presidentes all other that were of Councell to this pretēce assembled together in the Parish of the new Church in the house of maister Gunter where also the Chauncelour was consultyng together with thē how they might burne the sayd Henry secretly comming vpon him without any iudgement or sentence They concluded the next day after the conception of our Lady to meete at Hennyng which is v. myle frō Meldorphe with a great band of husbādmen This determination this made they layd scoutes in euery place that there should no newes of their pretēsed mischiefes come vnto Meldorphe cōmaundyng that as soone as it began to waxe darke they should all gather together There assembled aboue v. C. mē of the countrey vnto whom was declared the cause of their assemble also they were instructed what was to be done for before no mā knew the cause of the assemble but onely the Presidentes When the husbandmē vnderstood it they would haue returned backe agayne refusing to do such a detestable and horrible deede The Presidentes with most bitter threates kept them in obedience A droncken murther to the intent they should be the more couragious they gaue them three barrels of Hamborow beere to drinke About midnight they came in armour to Meldorphe The Iacobines and Monkes prepared torches for them that Henry should not slip away sodēly in the darke They had also with them a false betrayer named Hennegus Hennegus the betrayer of the preacher by whose treason they had perfect knowledge of all thynges With great violēce they burst into the house of the Parish Priest breakyng spoylyng all thynges as the maner of that dronken people is If they found either gold or siluer they tooke it away When they had spoyled all things they violently fell vpon the Parish Priest with great noyse cried out kill the theefe kill the theefe The parish priest violently taken in his house by night Some of
token of his death shortly to follow After y t he was examined with tormēts One of y e head presidents came to him shaking hym by the beard bad him tell what fellowes he had of his Religion To whō he answered saying that he had no other fellowes but suche as knew and did the will of God his father whether they were nobles marchantes husbandmen or of what degree so euer they were In these torments he endured ii or iij. houres beyng but of a weake body with these wordes comforting himselfe This body sayd hee once must dye but the spirit shal liue the kingdom of God abideth for euer Tormentes In the time of his tormenting he swoūded Afterward comming to himselfe agayne he sayd O Lord Lord why hast thou forsaken me To whome the president Nay wicked Lutheran said he Thou hast forsaken God Then sayd Aymondus Alas good maysters why do you thus miserably torment me O Lord I beseech thee forgeue them they know not what they do See sayd the President this Caytife how he prayeth for vs neuertheles so constant washe in his paynes y t they could not force hym to vtter one mans name saying vnto thē y t he thought to haue founde more mercy with men Wherefore he praied God that that he might find mercy with him On the next Saterday following sentence of condemnation was geuen agaynst hym Then certayne Fryers were appoynted to heare his confession Whō he refused chusing to him one of his owne order the parish priest of S. Christophers bidding the Friers depart from hym for he would confesse hys sinnes to y e Lord. Do you not see sayd he how I am troubled enough with men will ye yet trouble me more Other haue had my body will you also take from me my soule Away from me I pray you At last when he could not be suffered to haue the parish priest he then tooke a certayne Carmelite bidding y e rest to depart with whom he hauing long talke at last did conuert him vnto the truth Shortly after y t came vnto him the Iudges Cassagnes and Longa with other counsailers moe vnto whome the saide Aymondus began to preach and declare his minde touching the Lordes supper But Longa interrupting him demaunded of him thus The Iudge Purgrtory First declare vnto vs your minde what you thinke of Purgatory The Martyr In Scripture all these are one to purge to clense to wash Whereof wee reade in Esay in the Epistle of S. Paule Hebr. 9. 1. Pet. 1. and of S. Peter He hath washed you in hys bloud Ye are redeemed not with golde but with the bloud of Christ. c. And how often doe we read in the Epistles of S. Paule That we are clensed by the bloud of Christ from our sinnes c. The Iudge Those Epistles are knowne to euery child The Martyr To euery child Nay I feare you haue scarse read them your selfe A Fryer M. Aymond with one word you may satisfie them if you will say that there is place where the soules be purged after this life The Martyr That I leaue for you to saye if you please What would you haue me damne mine owne soule and to say that which I know not The Iudge Doest not thou think that when thou art dead thou shalt go to purgatory And he that dyeth in veniall sinne that he shall passe streight into Paradise The Martyr Such trust I haue in my God that the same daye when I shall dye I shall enter into Paradise An other Iudge Where is Paradise The Martyr There where the maiestie and glory of God is The Iudge The Canons doe make mention of Purgatory and you in your sermons haue vsed alwayes muche to pray for the poore This Fryer taketh praying for the poore which be aliue and those that be dead to be all one The Martyr I haue preached the word of God not the Canōs The Iudge Doest thou beleue in the Churche The Martyr I beleue as the Church regenerated by the bloud of Christ and founded in hys word hath appoynted The Church The Iudge What Church is that The Martyr The Church is a Greeke word signifiyng as muche as a congregation or assemble and so I say y t when so euer the faythfull doe congregate together to the honour of God and the amplifying of Christian religion the holy ghost is verily with them The Iudge By this it should follow that there be many Churches And where as any rusticall clownes do assemble together there must be a Church The Martyr It is no absurde thinge to say that there be manye Churches or congregations among the Christians And so speaketh S. Paule Galat. 1. To all the Churches whiche are in Gallatia c. And yet all these congregations make but one Churche The Iudge The Church wherein thou beleeuest is it not the same Churche whiche our Creede doth call the holy Church The Martyr I beleue the same The Iudge And who should be the head of that Churche The head of the Church The Martyr Iesus Christ. The Iudge And not the Pope The Martyr No. The Iudge And what is he then The Martyr A Minister if he be a good man as other Byshops be of whom S. Paule thus writeth 1. Cor. 4. Let a man so esteeme of vs as Ministers and dispensers of the secrets of God c. The Iudge What then doest not thou beleue the Pope The Martyr I know not what he is The Pope what he is The Iudge Doest thou not beleue that he is the successour of Peter The Martyr If he be like to Peter and be grounded with Peter vpon the true rocke Christ Iesus so I beleue his workes and ordinaunces to be good Then the Iudges leauing hym with y e Friers departed frō hym coūting as a daned creature Notw tstanding Aymundus putting his trust in God was full of comfort saying with Saint Paule Who shall separate me from the loue of God Shall the sword hunger or nakednes No nothing shall pluck me from hym But rather I haue pittie of you sayd he and so they departed Not lōg after he was brought to the place of execution singing by the waye the Psalme In exitu Israell de Aegipto c. Psalm 114. And as he passed by the place where he before had bene imprisoned he called to hys prison fellowes exhorting them to put theyr confidence in the Lorde and tolde them that he had spoken for them and declared theyr miseryes vnto the President He thanked moreouer the keeper Aymond speaketh for his pryson fellowes and desired hym to be good to hys pore prysoners And so taking his leaue of them and desiring them to praye for hym also geuyng thankes to the maistresse keeper for her gentlenes shewed to hym he proceeded forward toward hys execution As he came agaynst the Churche of Sainct Andrew they willed hym to aske mercy of God and of blessed S. Mary and
burned aliue at a little fire Moreouer he procured Caual and Caualieri the Consuls to threaten the Lieuetenaunt that they woulde complayne of him to the high Court of parliament if hee would not after that sort coÌ„demne hym to be burnt In the meane time the faythfull Christians of y t sayd towne fearing least by his racking daunger might happen to the brethren sent to Romian again in the prison certayne instructions and meanes howe hee might be ayded such as should not be against God But when the Lieuetenaunt came Filij huius seculi prudentiores in sua generatione quam filij lucis the poore man forgot his instructions so simple he was and ignoraunt of the subtleties of this world When the time came that the Iudges were set and the proces should be read Barbosi with other whoÌ„ the Frier had procured had agreed before y t he shuld be fired aliue and put to the racke to disclose his fellowes also gagged that he might not speake infect the residue On the other parte one there was of the aduocates albeit a man wholly superstitious seing the rage of the other Good councell of an Aduocate gaue contrarye aduise saying that he should be sent home agayne for that hee was a town dweller of Geneua neither had â—â—ught there any kinde of doctrine nor brought any bookes neyther had they any informations agaynst him that which he had spoken was as a thing coÌ„strayned by hys othe forced by the Iustice. And as touchinge his opinion it was no other but as other younge men did follow which were eyther of the one parte or of the other and therefore that here remayned no more but onely the lieuetenaunt to geue his verdict c. Thus much being spoken and also because the Lieuetenaunt was before suspected and the tyme of dinner drewe neare they arose for that tyme differring the matter to an other season The Frier still bloweth the coale of persecution The Fryer obseruaunt in this meane while was not idle incityng still the Consuls and the people who at the ringing of a bell being assembled together with the Officiall and the priestes in a great route came crying to the Lieutenaunt to burne y e hereticke or els they would fire him and all his family and in semblable wyse did the same to the other Iudges and Aduocates The Officiall moreouer added that if it were not better seen to then so the Lutheranes would take such courage and so shut vp theyr Churche doores that no man shold enter in Then because the Liuetenant would not take to him other Iudges after their mindes in all posthast the people contributed together that at their owne charge the matter should be pursued at the parliament of Aix and so compelled the LiuetenaÌ„t to bring the proces vnto iudgemeÌ„t euery man crying to y e fire to the fire that he may be burned The Lieuetenaunt being not able otherwise to appease the people The cause of Romian remoued to the parliament of Aix promised to bring the matter to y e high court of Aix and so he did They hearing the information of the cause commaunded the Lieuetenaunt and the other Iudges to deal no further therin but to sende vp the proces and the prisoner to theÌ„ This went greatly agaynst the mindes of them of Draguignan which would fayne haue him condemned there Wherupon Barbosi was sent out to the parliament of Aix where he so practised and labored the matter that the cause was sent downe agayn to Lieuetenaunt and hee enioyned to take vnto hym such auncient Aduocates as their olde order requyred and to certifie them agayne within 8. dayes And so Romiane by the sentence of thoso olde Iudges was condemned to be burned aliue if he turned not if he did then to be strangled and before the executioÌ„ to be put vpon the racke to the intent he should disclose the rest of his company From the whiche sentence Romian then appealed saying that he was no hereticke Wherupon he was caryed vnto Aix singing the Commaundementes Romian brought to Aix as he passed by y e town of DraguignaÌ„ Which when the kings aduocate did see looking out of hys window he sayde vnto hym that hee was one of them that concluded hys death The kinges Aduocate repenteth but desired God to forgeue hym Romiane aunswered agayne and sayd God will iudge vs all in y e last day of IudgemeÌ„t After he was come to Aix he was brought before the Counsellers before whome he remayned no lesse constant and firme then afore TheÌ„ was a fumishe Fryer sent who beeing three houres with him and could not remoue him came out to the Lordes and sayd that he was damned By reason whereof the sentence geuen before his condemnatioÌ„ was confirmed and he sent backe agayn froÌ„ whence he came At his returne agayne from Aix the Consuls of Draguignan sent abroad by Parishes Romian returned againe from Aix to Draguignan vnto the Curates that they should signifie to theyr Parishners the day of his death to y e end that they should come also caused to be cryed through the town by y e sound of a trompe that all good Christians shoulde bring wood to the great market place to burne the Lutherane The day being come which was saterday the 16. day of May the poore seruaunt of God first was brought to the racke or torture where at his first entre were brought before hym The cordes yrons waightes to terrifie him Then sayde they hee must vtter his complices renounce his religion or els he should be burned aliue He answered wyth a constant hart that he had no other complices nor coÌ„panions neyther would he hold any other fayth but that which Iesus Christ did preach by his apostles Then was he demaunded of hys fellowes taken w t him whether they did hold y e fayth of Rome or whether he did euer communicate with theÌ„ or did know them in the towne or in prouince to be of his fayth He sayd no. Item what he had to doe in that towne He sayd to sell hys Corall Item who gaue hym couÌ„sell to appeale God he sayd by his spirite Upon this he was put vpon the gynne or racke where he being torne most outragiously Romian draweÌ„ most piteously vpon the racke ceased not still to cry vnto God that he woulde haue pittie on him for the loue of Iesus Christ his sonne Then was he commanded to call to the virgin Mary but that he would not Wherupon his torture was renued a fresh in such cruell sort that they thought they had left hym for dead For the which they sent him to the Barbers and finding that hee coulde endure no longer were afraid least he had bene past RomiaÌ„ broken with the racke not able to goe was borne to the fire and hastened to bring him to the fire So after they had assayd hym by priestes and Fryers as much as
about their affaires Ex Ioan. Sledano â—ib 16. c Thus hard was the king against them notwithstanding sayeth Sleydan that he the yere before had receaued from the sayde his subiectes of Merindoll a confession of their faith and doctrine The Articles whereof were that they according to Christian faith confessed first God the father creator of all things The sonne the onely Mediatour and Aduocate of mankinde The holy spirite the comfortour and instructour of all truth They confessed also the Church which they acknowledged to be the felowship of Gods elect wherof Iesus Christ is the head The ministers also of the Churche they did allowe wishing that such which did not their duety should be remoued And as touching Magistrates they grauÌ„ted likewise the same to be ordeined of God to defend the good The confession faith of the Waldenses in Merindoll to punish the transgressours And how they owe to him not loue onely but also tribute and custome and no man herein to be excepted euen by the example of Christ who paied tribute himselfe c. Likewise of Baptisme they confessed the same to be a visible and an outwarde signe that representeth to vs the renuing of the spirite and mortification of the members Furthermore as touching the Lordes Supper they sayde and confessed the same to be a thankesgeuing and a memoriall of the benefite receaued through Christ. Matrimonie they affirmed to be holy and instituted of God and to be inhibited to no man That good workes are to be obserued exercised of all men as holy Scripture teacheth That false doctrine which leadeth men away from the true worship of God ought to be eschewed Briefly and finally the order and rule of their faith they confessed to be the olde and newe Testament protesting that they beleeued all such things as are contained in the Apostolike Crede Desiring moreouer the King to geue credite to this their declaratioÌ„ of their faith so that whatsoeuer was informed to him to the contrary was not true and that they would well prooue if they might be heard And thus much concerning the doctrine and confession of the Merindolians out of Sleidan and also concerning their descent and ofspring from the Waldenses * The Historie of the persecutions and warres against the people called Waldenses or Waldois in the valleis of Angrongne Luserne S. Martin Perouse and others in the countrey of Piemont from the yere 1555. to the yere of our Lord. 1561. Persecutours Martyrs The Causes The Parliament of Thurin The President of S Iulian. Iacomell Monke an Inquisitour Monsieur de la Trinitie The Gentlemen of the Valleyes Charles Truchet Boniface Truchet The Collaterall of Corbis The Collateral de Ecclesia The Duke of Sauoy Monkes of Pigneroll and many other moe enemies of God and ministers of Sathan The Martirs of the valley of Angrogne The Martyrs of the valley of Luserne The Martyrs of S. Martin The Martyrs of Perouse and others In the couÌ„trey of Piemont From the yeare 1555. vnto 1561. TO procede now further in the persecution of these Waldois Persecution in the valley of Angrongne Luserne S. Martin Perouse in Piedmont or Waldenses you haue herd hitherto first how they deuiding themselues into diuers Countreis some fled to Prouince and to Tolouse of whom sufficient hath bene sayd Some went to Piedmont and the valley of Angrogne of whom it foloweth now to entreat God willing Thus these good men by long persecution being driuen from place to place were grieuouslye in all places afflicted but yet could neuer be vtterly destroied nor yet compelled to yeelde to the superstitious and false religion of y e church of Rome but euer absteined from theyr corruption and Idolatrie as much as was possible gaue themselues to the worde of God as a rule both truely to serue him and to directe their liues accordingly They had many bookes of the old and new Testament translated into their language Theyr Minysters instructed them secretely to auoyd the furye of theyr ennemies whyche could not abide the light all be it they did not instruct theÌ„ wyth suche puritie as was requisite They liued in great simplicity and with the sweate of theyr browes They were quiete and peaceable among theyr neighbors absteining from blasphemy and prophaning of y e name of God by othes and such other impietie from lewde games dauncing filthy songes and other vices and dissolute life and coÌ„formed their life wholy to the rule of Gods word Their principal care was alwaies that God might be rightly serued and his woorde truely preached In so muche that in our time when it pleased God to set forth the light of his gospel more clearely they neuer spared any thing to establish the true and pure ministery of the worde of God and his Sacraments Which was the cause that Sathan with his ministers did so persecute them of late more cruelly then euer he did before as manifestly appeareth by the bloudy horrible persecutions which haue bene not onely in Prouince against those of Merindol Cabriers also against them of Prage and Calabria as the histories afore written doe sufficiently declare but also against them in the Countrey of Piedmont remaining in the Ualley of Angrongne and of Lucerne and also in the Ualley of S. Martine and Perouse in the sayd countrey of Piedmont Whych people of a long time were persecuted by the Papists and especially within these fewe yeares they haue bene vexed in such sort and so diuersly that it seemeth almost incredible and yet hathe God alwayes miraculously deliuered them as heereafter shall ensue Albeit the people of Angrongne had before this time certaine to preach the word of God and minister the sacramentes vnto them priuately yet in the yeare of our Lorde 1555. in the beginning of the moneth of August the Gospel was openly preached in Angrongne The ministers and the people entended at the first to kepe themselues still as secrete as they mighte but there was suche concourse of people from al parties that they were compelled to preach openly abroad For this cause they built them a Church in the mids of Angrongne where assembles were made and Sermons preached It happened about that time that one Iohn Martin of Briqueras a mile froÌ„ Angrongne which vaunted euery where The iust haÌ„d of God vpon Iohn Martin a persecutor that he wold slit the ministers nose of Angrogne was assaulted by a Wolfe which bitte of hys nose so that he died thereof madde Thys was commonly knowen to all the townes thereabout At this season the French king helde these foresaid valleis they were vnder the iurisdiction of the Parliament of Thurin In the ende of DeceÌ„ber folowing newes was brought that it was ordeined by the sayd Parlament that certaine horsemen and footemen should be sent to spoil and destroy Angrongne Whereuppon some whych pretended great freÌ„dship to this people counselled theÌ„ not to goe forward with their enterprise but
men ought to worship God only and no Sayntes He sayd that Christian people should set vp no lightes before the Images of saynts for sayntes in heauen need no light and the Images haue no eyes to see He sayd as Ezechias destroyd the brasen Serpent that Moses made by the cōmaundemēt of God euen so should kinges and princes now a dayes destroy and burne the Images of Sayntes set vp in Churches These fiue hundred yeares there hath bene no good Pope 〈…〉 popes since Christ nor in all the time past we can finde but fiftye for they haue neither preached ne liued well or conformablye to theyr dignity Wherefore till now they haue borne the keyes of Symony Agaynst whom good people we must preache and teache vnto you For we canne not come to them it is great pitty they haue sore sclaundered the bloud of Christ. The people hath vsed foolishly of late Pilgrimages which for them had bene better to haue bene at home Many haue made certayne vowes which be not possible for them to fulfill and those nothing meritorious The preachers before this haue bene Antichristes and now it hath pleased our Sauiour Christ to shew their false errours and to teach an other way and maner of the holy Gospell of Christ to the comfort of your soules I trust that there shall and will come others besides me The prophesie of Bilney which shall shew and preach to you the same fayth and maner of liuing that I do shew and preach to you whych is the very true Gospell of our Sauiour Christ and the mind of the holy fathers wherby you shal be brought from theyr errours wherein you haue bene long seduced for before this there haue bene many that haue sclaundered you and the Gospell of our Sauior Christ of whom spake our Sauiour Math. xviij Qui scandalizauerit vnum de pusillis istis qui in me credit c. These many other such like depositions were deposed agaynste him by the deponentes and witnesses before sworne which wholy to recite would be too long and tedious wherfore these shall suffice at this time being the principall matters and in maner the effect of all the rest But now before we will returne agayne to the order of hys examination we thinke it good here to inferre a certaine Dialogue conteyning a communication betweene a Fryer named Iohn Brusierd and Mayster Thomas Bilney ADialogue which we haue thought meet for this place because it was done in Ipswich and also about the time of these examinations the Copy whereof we haue written with the friers owne hand in Latine the Copy whereof in English here ensueth ¶ A Dialogue betwene Fryer Iohn Brusierd and Mayster Thomas Bilney in Ipswich concerning worshipping of Images Brusierd A Dialogue betweene Bilney and Frier Brusierd ALthough you haue blasphemed most pernitiously the immaculate flocke of Christ with certayne blasphemyes of yours yet being moued partly with your gentle petitions partly pitying your case towardly dispositiō I am come hither to talke with you secretly before the rumor be disclosed vpon the consideration of the threefolde errors which I see in you First for that when you began to shoot the dart of your pestiferous error more vehemently thē you ought agaynst the brest of the ignorant multitude you seeme to poure vpō the ground the precious bloud of Christ as with a certein vehement violence out of the miserable vessel of your hart Wheras you sayd A great blasphemy among the Fryer to set vp Christ onely to be our mediatour that none of the sayntes do make intercession for vs nor obteine for vs any thing you haue perilously blasphemed the efficacy of the whole church cōsecrated with the precious bloud of Christ. Which thing you are not able to deny especially seing y e same so incessantly doth knocke at the gates of heauē through the continuall intercession of the sayntes according as in the seuenfolde Letany manifestly appeareth to be seene Bilney I maruell at you and doubtles cannot maruell enough but that the strong vayn custome of superstitious mē thinking themselues not to be heard but in much babling doth put an end of my admiration For our heauenly father knoweth what we haue need of before we aske Also it is written There is one mediatour of God and men the man Christ Iesus One mediator and no moe If then there be but one mediator of God and men the man Christ Iesus where is our bleessed Ladye where is then S. Peter and other Saintes Brusierd I suppose that no man is ignorāt but that the diuines of y e primitiue church haue all affirmed to be one mediator betweene God and man Neither could any at that time prayse or pray to the saynts whē as yet they liuing in the calamities of this body and wrastling with the cōtrary windes of this world The Popes Calender maketh moe Mediators now then were in the Primitiue Church were not yet come to the port of rest wherunto they were trauelling Paul I graūt did rightly affirme to be but one mediator of God men what time as yet there was no saint canonised or put into y e kalender But now seing the church doth know doth certeinly beleue through y e vndoubted reuelations of God that y e blessed virgin other saints are placed in the bosome of Abraham she therfore like a good mother hath taught and that most diligently vs her children to prayse the omnipotent Iesus in his saynts also to offer vp by the same sayntes our petitiōs vnto God Note this argument we must prayse God in his Saintes Ergo wee must pray to Saintes Rom. 1. Therof it is that the Psal. sayth Prayse ye the Lord in his sayntes Rightly also do we say and affirme that sayntes may pray for vs. One man may pray for another Ergo much more may saynts that do enioy the fruitiō of his high maiesty For so it is writtē God is my witnes whome I serue in my spirite in the Gospell of his sonne that without ceasing I remēber you in my praier alwaies for you c. Bilney I maruell doubtlesse that you a man learned are not yet deliuered out of the confuse dungeon of heresie through the helpe of the holy Gospell especially seing y t in the same Gospell it is written Verely verely I say vnto you what so euer you aske the father in my name Iohn 16. he will geue it vnto you He sayth not whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in the name of S. Peter In nomine meo S. Paule or other sayntes but in my name Let vs aske therfore helpe in the name of him which is able to obteine for vs of his father whatsoeuer we aske least peraduenture hereafter in the end of the world at the strayt iudgemēt we shall heare Hitherto in my name ye haue asked nothing Brusierd Where ye maruell with what minde I can not tel
I reioyce that I haue now happened vppon such a iudge withall my harte giue thanks vnto God whiche ruleth all thinges And albeit God is my witnes I knowe not my selfe giltye of any errour in my Sermons neyther of any heresie or sedition which diuers do sclauÌ„der me of seeking rather their owne luker and aduauntage then the healthe of soules notwithstaÌ„ding I do excedingly reioyce that it is so foreseene by Gods diuine prouidence that I shoulde be brought before the tribunall seate of Tonstall who knoweth as well as any other that there will neuer be wanting Iannes and Iambres whiche will resiste the truthe that there shall neuer be lacking some Elemates which will go about to subuert the strayght wayes of the Lord and finally that some Demetrius * * Pithonesse Balaams Nicolaites Cayns and Ismaels will be alwayes at hande which will greedely hunt and seeke after that which perteineth vnto themselues and not that whiche perteyneth to Iesus Christ. How can it then be that they can suffer Christ to be truly and sincerely preached For if the people begin once wholy in euery place to put their confidence in Christ which was for them crucified then straight wayes that which they haue hetherto embraced in stead of Christ shall vtterly decay in the hartes of the faythfull Then they shall vnderstand that Christ is not in this place or in that place but the kingdome of God to be in themselues Then shall they playnly see that the Father is not to be worshipped neither in the mount of Samaria neither at Hierusalem but in all places in spirit and trueth Which thing if it come once to passe the beastes of the fielde will thinke all theyr gayne and lucre lost * * 〈…〉 Act. 13. In whom the saying of Ezechiel is fulfilled My sheepe are dispersed because they had no shepheard * * Pithonisâ—a Act. 16. are deuoured of the beastes of the field strayd abroad my flocke hath erred and wandred in euery mountaine and vpon euery high hill * * Nicolaites of Nicolaus Apoc. 2. Ezâ—ch 34. and is dispersed throughout all the earth there is no man which hath sought to gather theÌ„ together no there was no man which once sought after them But if any man would seeke to reduce those which were gone astray into the folde of Christ that is the vnity of fayth by and by there rise vp certein agaynst him which are named Pastors but in deed are wolues which seeke no other thing of theyr flocke but the milke wooll and fell leauing both theyr owne soules and the soules of theyr flocke vnto the deuill These men I say rise vp like vnto Demetrius crying out this hereticke disswadeth and seduceth much people euery wher Demetrius the siluer smiâ—h cryed out against Paul Act. 19. Pretensed Priestes and Prelates vnder colour of persecutiâ—g 〈◊〉 crucifiâ— Christ and treade downe his truth Iohn 1â— A wrong way to come to God by good works 1. Cor. 3. saying that they are not gods which are made with hands These are they these I say most reuerent father are they which vnder the pretence of persecuting heretitkes folow theyr owne licentious life enemies vnto the crosse of Christ which can suffer and beare any thing rather theÌ„ the sincere preachinge of Christ crucified for our sinnes These are they vnto whoÌ„ Christ threatneth eternall daÌ„nation where he sayth Wo be vnto you Scribes Phariseis hipocrites which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men and you your selues enter not in neither suffer those which would eÌ„ter to come in These are they which haue come in another way to the charge of soules as it appeareth For if any man sayth Christ come in by me he shall be saued and shal come in and go out and finde pasture These men do not finde pasture for they neuer teach draw others after them that they should not enter by Christ which alone is the dore wherby we must come vnto the father but set before the people an other way perswading them to come vnto God thorow good workes oftentimes speaking nothing at all of Christ therby seeking rather theyr owne gayne and lucre then the saluation of soules in this poynt beyng worse theÌ„ they which vpon Christ being the foundation doe builde wood hey and straw These men confesse that they knowe Christ False priests and prelâ—tâ—s compared to the â—hisitions vpon whom the womaÌ„ with the bloudie flâ—xe spent all her goodâ— and was 〈◊〉 helped Bâ—lney here 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 owne experience but by theyr deedes they deny him These are those Phisitions vpon whom that woman which was 12. yeares vexed with the bloudy flixe had consumed all that she had and felt no helpe but was stil worse and worse vntill suche time as at the last shee came vnto Christ and after she had once touched the hemme of his vesture through fayth she was so healed that by and by shee felte the same in her bodye O mighty power of the moste hâ—ghest whiche I also miserable sinner haue often tasted and felt Which before that I coulde come vnto Christ had euen likewise spent all that I had vppon those ignoraunt Phisitions that is to say vnlearned hearers of confession so that there was but small force of strength lefte in me which of nature was but weake small store of mony and very litle witte or vnderstanding for they appoynted me fastings watching buying of pardons and Masses in all which thinges as I now vnderstand they sought rather theyr owne gâ—yne The end effect of the Pâ—pes diuinâ—tie then the saluation of my sicke and languishing soule But at the last I heard speake of Iesus euen then when the new Testament was first set forth by Erasmus Which when I vnderstood to be eloquently done by him being allured rather for the Latine then for the woorde of God for at that time The first coÌ„uersion of M. Bilney by reading 〈…〉 Testament 〈◊〉 by Eâ—asmus I knew not what it ment I bought it euen by the prouidece of God as I do now well vnderstand and perceiue And at the first reading as I remeÌ„ber I chaunced vpon this sentence of S. Paule O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soule in hys firste Epistle to Timothy and first chapiter It is a true saying and worthy of all meÌ„ to be embraced that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefe and principall This our sentence through Gods instruction and inward working which I dyd not then perceiue did so exhilerate my hart being before wounded with the guilt of my sinnes and being almost in despayre that immediately I felt a maruellous comfort and quietnesse in so much Psal. 50. that my brused bones leapt for ioy After this the Scripture began to bee more pleasaunt vnto me theÌ„ the hony or the hony comb wherin I learned that all my trauelles all my fasting and
Phil. 3. for great is your reward in heauen For we suffer with him that wee may also be glorified with him who shall chaunge our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working wherby he is able euen to subiect al things vnto him Dearely beloued be of good courage and comfort your soule with the hope of this hye reward and beare the image of Christ in your mortall body Boldnes of spirite that it may at his comming be made like to his immortall and followe the example of all youre other deare breethren which choose to suffer in hope of a better resurrection Keepe your conscience pure and vndefiled and say against that nothing Sticke at necessary things and remember the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ Woâ—nde not Conscience Standing â—pon things necessarye saieng they finde none but that wil abiure rather then suffer the extremitie Moreouer the death of them that come againe after they haue once denied though it bee accepted wyth God and all that beleeue yet is it not glorious for the hypocrites say he must needes dye denyeng helpeth not But might it haue holpen they would haue denied fiue hundreth times Death after denying euil spoken of by the aduersaryes but seeing it would not helpe them therefore of pure pride and meere malice together they spake with their mouthes that their conscience knoweth false If you geue your selfe cast your selfe yeeld your selfe commit your selfe wholy and onely to your louing father then shall his power be in you and make you stroÌ„g and that so strong that you shall feele no payne which should be to another present death and his spirite shall speake in you and teach you what to aunswere Obedience to God according to his promise He shall set out his truth by you wonderfully and worke for you aboue all that your hart can imagine Yea and you are not yet dead though the hypocrites all To looke for no mans helpe bringeth Gods helpe Conâ—tancye in standing Patience in suffering with all they can make haue sworne your death Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem To looke for no mans helpe bringeth the helpe of God to them that seeme to be ouercome in the eyes of the hypocrites Yea it shall make God to carry you through thicke and thinne for his truthes sake in spite of all the enemies of hys truth There falleth not an heare till his houre be come and when his houre is come necessitie carieth vs hence though we be not willing But if we be willing then haue we a reward and thanke Feare not threatening therefore neyther be ouercome of sweet words Bilney with which twayne the hypocrites shall assayle you Neyther let the persuasions of worldly wisedome beare rule in your hart PerseueraÌ„ce to the ende no though they be your friends that counsayle you Let Bilney be a warning to you Let not their visure beguile your eyes Let not your body faynt He that endureth to the end shall be saued If the payne be aboue your strength Math. 22. remember Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will geue it you And pray to youre father in that name and he shall cease your payne or shorten it The Lord of peace of hope and of fayth be with you Amen William Tyndall TWo haue suffred in Antwerpe In die sanctae Crucis vnto the great glory of the Gospell Two Martirs at Antwerpe Foure Martyrs in FlauÌ„ders one at S. Luke Persecution at Roane Fiue Doctors at Paris taken for the Gospel four at Rysels in Flanders and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered and all the same day At Roane in Fraunce they persecute And at Paris are fiue Doctors taken for the Gospell See you are not alone Be cheerefull and remember that among the hard harted in England there is a number reserued by grace for whose sakes if neede be you must be ready to suffer Sir if you may write how short soeuer it be forget it not that we may knowe howe it goeth with you for oure harts ease The Lord be yet againe with you with all his plenteousnes and fill you that you flowe ouer Amen If when you haue read this you may send it to Adrian do I pray you that he may knowe howe that our harte is with you George Ioy at Candlemas being at Barrow printed ij leaues of Genes in a great forme and sent one copy to the King and another to the new Quene with a letter to N. for to deliuer them and to purchase licence that he might so go through all the Bible Out of this is sprong the noise of the new Bible and out of that is the great seeking for English bookes at all printers and bookebinders in Antwerpe and for an English Priest that should print This chaunced the 9. day of May. Sir your wyfe is well content with the will of God and would not for her sake haue the glory of God hindred William Tyndall Another notable and woorthy letter of Maister William Tyndall sent to the sayd Iohn Frith vnder the name of Iacob ¶ The grace of our Sauiour Iesus his pacience meekenesse humblenesse circumspection and wisedome be with your hart Amen DErely beloued brother Iacob mine harts desire in our Sauiour Iesus is An other letter of W. Tindal that you arme your selfe with pacience and bee cold sober wyse and circumspect and that you keepe you alowe by the ground auoiding hie questions that passe the common capacitie But expound the law truly and open the vayle of Moses to condemne all flesh High questions to be auoyded proue all men sinners all deedes vnder the law before mercy haue taken away the coÌ„demnatioÌ„ therof to be sinne and damnable and then as a faythfull minister set abroche the mercy of our Lord Iesus All deedes before they be iustified by faith are sinne Preaching the lawe of God mercy of Christ. Sacraments without significations to be refused and let the wounded coÌ„sciences drinke of the water of him And then shall your preaching be with power not as the doctrine of the hypocrites and the spirite of God shall worke with you and all coÌ„scieÌ„ces shall beare record vnto you and feele that it is so And all doctrine that casteth a miste on those two to shadow and hide them I meane the law of God and mercy of Christ that resist you withall your power Sacramentes without signification refuse If they put significations to them receiue them if you see it may helpe though it be not necessary Of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament meddle as little as you can M. Tindall here beareth with tyme. that there appeare no diuision among vs. Barnes will be whote agaynst you The Saxons be sore on the affirmatiue whether constant or obstinate I omitte it to God Phillip Melancthon is sayd to be with the
sunt omnia Mandauit creata sunt vniuersa Potens ergo est He is a mighty bishop Wee are not so Fidelis Pontifex He is a faythfull bishop faythfull He is a faythfull bishop to God referring all laudes Fidelis all honour and glory to his father In all thinges that he did miracles or other he tooke neuer the more vpon himselfe He was also a faythfull Bishop to the world For he did all that belonged to the office of a good Byshop The very office of a byshop is praedicare orare sacricare siue offerre To preach to pray to do sacrifice or to offer Three offices of a byshop If he had placed here administraâ—â— sacramenta for sacâ—ificaâ—e his partitioÌ„ so might haue stand Math. 14. He preached to his people He taught the worlde most wholesome doctrine whereby he called the people to God he conuerted sinners he called them to penaunce He made them weepe and lameÌ„t their sinnes They folowed his person they folowed his word they folowed his ensample They came out of all costs to see him to heare him to learne of him They forsooke meat and drinke house and home and folowed him wheresoeuer he went as well in wildernes as els where In so much that after they had folowed him three dayes he being moued with pity least they shoulde perish for lacke of food being in wildernesse farre from succour he fed them twise miraculously Once in the desert with fiue loaues and two fishes he fed v. M. men besides women and children and there were left xij great baskets xij maundes full of the brokelets and offals at that meale Math. 15. At another time he fed in wildernesse to the number of 4. M. men besides women and children with seuen loues and a few litle fishes and there was left of fragmentes 7 maundes full The second office of a byshop he fulfilled also For he prayed The second office of a Byshop is to pray He was most deuout in prayer so to teach all byshops and Preachers not to presume in theyr witte or learning neither in their capacity memory fayre tongue or vtteraunce but that the Preacher do studiously apply his booke with all diligence to studye how to speake what to speake afore whom he shall speake and to shape his sermon after the audience The preacher ought also besides his study preaching to pray For by deuout prayer he shal attein percase as much or more as by study or learning For with out prayer the wordes will litle preuayle Looke in Christ his life and thou shalt find that in euery thing he weÌ„t about he prayd Luke 6. to shew the valiancy the vertue and strength of prayer to shew our necessities our weakenes feblenes of nature He prayd for his people as Luke witnesseth the space of one whole night And what a maruailous deuout prayer made he for his people in the Mount the night afore his passion Math. 26. wheÌ„ the Chalice of death was represeÌ„ted vnto him when he swet water bloud when he cried thrise Transeat à me Calix iste let this Chalice let this passion bloud let the vertue therof passe from me vnto all mankinde Let euery man haue the vertue and merite thereof let it worke in all folkes let euery faythfull man and woman he perteyner thereof let it not be lost but worke to the worldes end This was a maruellous deuoute mercifull prayer And agayne he suffering and hanging on the crosse offered vp for his people Heb. 5. The cry of Christ on the Crosse. The heaueÌ„s trembled The Angels mourned The Sunne lost his light· The veile riued The earth quaued The stones rent The graues opened The dead rose Preces supplicationes cum clamore valido lachrymis He offred vp his praiers and supplications with a huge cry with a piteous voyce with a lamentable and deadly shrich and with weeping teares to God his father he hanging on the crosse euen when the spirit shoulde departe the body not then forgetting his people at the houre when all the people forgetteth both the worlde and themselues Which cry was so huge and great so maruelous and of that effect that the heauens trembled thereat the Angels mourned for pity the Sunne lost his light the vaile in the temple riued in two the earth quaued the stones rent asonder and brast in gobbetes the graues opened the dead bodies rose to life appeared in the City Centurio those that kept Christ to see the execution done cried Verè filius Dei erat iste This was the vndoubted sonne of God His prayer and weeping teares were so pleasaunt vnto the father that it was heard Exauditus est pro reuerentia sua He was heard why For it was so entire so deuout so reuerently done in such a maner and fashion with such a zeale grounded vpoÌ„ such a charity suffering for our guilt and not for his owne And for that he did the very office of a byshop so entyrely to pray and so reuerently to offer vp himselfe in sacrifice for his people he was heard he was heard his prayer was heard of God And that is the third property of a good Bishop to offer sacrifice for his people Euery Bishop euery Bishoppe for his Diocesanes and for the whole vniuersall Church In these three we ought as much as we may to folow Christ. The third 〈◊〉 of a â—â—shop is to â—â—nister and 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 oâ— offer Thus this Christ was and is Pontifex fidelis a faythfull Byshop Faythfull faythfull in his word true in his promise deceyuing no man but profiting all â—n al that he did or spake he sought nothing his own glory but the glory of God teaching therby all Byshops of the world in all that go about to doe it to the laude prayse and glory of God And herein we ought also to followe hym â—agnus Magnus Pontifex He is the great Bishop the high Byshoppe the supreme Byshop the vniuersall Bishop ouer all the world No great bishop but he No great Bishop but 〈◊〉 Christ. None high none supreme nor vniuersall Byshop but he And herein the byshop of Rome outragiously vsurpeth vpon God as he doth vpon the world to take the honor and names onely to God appropriate to himselfe â—he Pope blaspheâ—eth God and doth greuously blaspheme and offend God therein Greater blasphemy can not be then to ascribe to God that that no wayes belongeth vnto him or to take froÌ„ God that that is vnto him appropriate It is meete therefore he do betimes and in season leaue his vniust encrochmentes both agaynst his Lord God and also agaynst the world least he do prouoke God to poure out all his vialles of wrath vpon him That is â—â—asphemie the Vaees I meane the maledictions and vengeaunce that Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalips Apoc. 9. I woulde aduise hym to cease the iniuries which he hath dayly
Thus sayth S. Iohn speaking of all Christen people 1. Peter 2. In like maner is it sayde 1. Peter 2. where he writeth vnto all Christen men You quoth he be a chosen generation a regall priest hood an holy people Beede vpon the epistle of S. Peter S. Bede expounding the same as my remembraunce doth serue shall testify playnely with me And S. Augustine I wot well in diuers places recordeth that all Christen men be so called Regale Lacerdotium And likewise doth Faber in his Commentaries vpon the same place Whosoeuer looketh vpon the treatise called Vnio dissidentium shall finde a multitude of auncient Fathers sayinges declaring the same But this may yet seme a strange thing a new that al persons should be called priests that in scripture which can not lye Truth it is in deede it may seeme straunge to diuers as it did to me and many other How all men are Priestes when we read it first because we neuer read ne heard of the same before and so did Christes doctrine and his apostles seeme new to his audience when he himselfe preached Albeit he yet proued his doing and sayinges by authority of the law and Prophetes as is shewed in the first to the Romanes where Paule reporteth Rom. 1. That he was chosen a part to be a minister of the Gospell that was promised before by the Prophettes And our Sauiour testifieth the same in Saynt Iohn saying to the Iewes Iohn â— Thinke you not quoth he that I shall accuse you before my Father There is one to accuse you which is Moyses in whome ye doe trust But if you beleued Moyses you should certaynely beleue me for he writeth of me c. Likewise a litle aboue he biddeth theÌ„ search the Scriptures for they make report of him But although these sayinges doe seeme newe for lacke that we haue not had olde familiarity with Scripture and vsage in reading the same God amend and help it when it shall please him yet truely so standeth it written as I haue sayd and so is interpreted by the Doctors aboue named and so was it preached of a certayne Doctour also of Diuinity in London the second day of Aduent last past in this sentence I wote not whether these were the selfe wordes or no. The church quoth the doctor is nothing els but the congregatioÌ„ of faythfull people The saying of a Doctour preaching at Paules and you all quoth he to the people are of the church as well as I or any other if you be of God And likewise we all men are priestes but yet are not all alike ordeyned Ministers sayd he for to consecrate the body of Christ in the Churche All 〈◊〉 priestes but not all ministers publicke Thus sayd the preacher whom when I see oportunity I dare be bolde to name And these I say ought not all to preach openly in generall conuentions or assembles neither canne they but they rather should come to learne yet priuatelye are they bound for instructions of theyr seruauntes children Euery man mynister of good instruction in his owne house Eph. â— kinsfolke and such like to speak that should be for the destruction of vice and encrease or vpholding of vertue whensoeuer time and place so behoueth as sheweth Saint Paul saying in this wise You that are fathers prouoke noâ— your children to wrath or anger but bring them vp in the doctrine and discipline of the Lord. In the xxiij where you doe aske whether I beleeue that it is lawefull for lay people of both kindes Answere to the 23. article that is to wit both men and women to sacrifice and preach the word of God I say that it is not meet for none in mine opinion to preach openly the word of God No man to preach opeÌ„ly except he be chosen Gal. 1. Rom. 5. except they be chosen elect to the same either by God or solemnly by men or els by both and therefore S. Paule calleth him selfe in all his Epistles an Apostle of God that is to wit a messenger of God And to the Galathians he writeth thus Paule an Apostle not sent by men nor by man but by Iesus Christ. Also to the Romanes How shall men preach truely quoth he excepte they be sent Notwithstanding I say this both by supportation of Gods law In tyme of great necessity lay people man or woman may preach 1. Cor. 1â— 1. Cor. 11. and also of lawes written in the Decrees that in time of great necessity laye people may preach and that of both kindes both men and women as you may see in the Epistle to the Corinthians where as he sayth That it is a shame for a woman to speake in a multitude or congregation Yet in an other place he sayth That euery woman praying or prophecying hauing nothing vpoÌ„ her head doth dishonor her head To this accordeth the prophesye of Ioel recited Act. 2. where in the person of God is sayd thus Ioell 2. Act. 2. Luke 2. Wâ—men that prophesied in the scripture I shall poure out of my spirit vpon all flesh both your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecy Thus did Anna the Prophetesse daughter of Phanuel geue prayse vnto Christ in the Temple spake of him to all men of Hierusalem that looked after the redeÌ„tion of Israel This also doth yet speake vnto vs in Scripture the virgine Mary by the song which she made that is dayly recited in the Church called Magnificat Yea Stephen also being no Priest Act. 7. but a Deacon made a wonderful good sermon Actes 7. This also willeth your Decrees Dist. 9. de Conse Distin. 9. de consecrat where is thus sayde A woman although shee is learned holy may not presume to teach men in the congregation ne baptise except necessity requireth So that where need is I shall adde this but not without the mind of him that wrote the Lawe like as a woman maye baptise Cap. 16. quest 1. Dist. 1â— cap abijcimus so may she teach the woord of God or preach as is declared more playnely Cap. 16. quest 1. in Glosa 11. Cap adijcimus dist 18. And I beseeche God that for lacke of true and well learned Officers suche necessity doe not come now vpon vs that such shal need to take vpon them to preach There is a learned man which in a Dialogue that he maketh betwixt a rude Abbot a Gentlewoman He meaneth the dialogue of Erasmus intituled Abbas Eâ—udita hauing skill in learning iesteth but with prety earnest as his maner is and geueth a watch worde touching somewhat my purpose It is in the end of the Dialogue The gentlewoman aunswering the Abbot for that he had partly checked her because she was quicke in vtterance of learning Syr quoth she if you continue therin so dull as you haue done and dayly do the world perceiuing it as they begin fast to grow quicke in
22. article Christ sayde to Peter Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. And thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Luke 22. And to his Apostles he sayd Goe ye into all the world and preache the Gospell This heresie is onely to the Pope but none at all to God c. Againe S. Paule 1. Corinth 1. sayth That Christ sent him not to baptise but to preache To what other office or function he sent the Pope let thē iudge which consider the Scriptures 23 If thou binde thy selfe to chastitie to obteyne that whyche Christ purchased for thee so surely art thou an Infidell fol. 175. 23 article Reade and conferre the place of Tindall which is thys Chastitie canst thou not geue to God further then God lendeth it thee The place annexed If thou canst not liue chaste thou art boūd to marry or to be damned c. For to what purpose thou bendest thy selfe must be seene If thou do it to obteyne thereby that which Christ hath purchased for thee so art thou an Infidell Chastitye and hast no parte with Christ. If thou wilt see more of this matter looke in Deuteronomy and there shalt thou finde it more largely intreated c. 24 He denieth rebuketh and damneth miracles fol. 176. 24. article The words in Tindals Obedience be these And when they crie miracles The place annexed Miracles how farre to be beleued miracles remember that God hathe made an euerlasting Testamente whiche is in Christes bloud against which we may receiue no miracles no neither the preaching of Paule himselfe if he come agayne by his owne teaching to the Galathians neither yet by the preaching of the Aungels of heauen c. The end of Gods miracles is good the end of these miracles is euill For the offerings which are the cause of the miracles do but minister and maintaine vice sinne and all abhomination and are geuen to them that haue too much so that for very aboundance they some out theyr owne shame and corrupt the whole world with the stinch of their filthines c. 25 He sayth that no man should serue God with good intent or zeale 25. article for it is playne Idolatry fol. 177. The place is this in the Obedience Remember Saule was cast away of God for euer for his good intente God requireth obedience vnto his word The place annexed Good intentes without Gods word God abhorreth and abhorreth all good intents and good zeales which are without Gods worde for they are nothing else but playne Idolatry and woorshipping of false Gods c. ¶ Heere followe other heresies and errours collected by the Byshops out of the booke called the Reuelation of Antichrist with the places of the booke out of the which they were gathered annexed to the same 1. TO binde a man perpetually to any vowe of Religion is without doubt an errour fol. 19. Articles out of the booke called the reuelation of Antichrist The place of the booke called the Reuelation whence this Article is gathered is this as foloweth Whiche the Fathers did neither make nor keepe he meaneth vowes but with the libertie of the spirite binding no man perpetually to them For if they did without doubt they erred according to mans fragilitie 2 To say the constitutions of Religion are good because holy men did ordeyne them 2. article as Augustine Benedict Fraunces Dominicke and such other and to folow such examples of Fathers is to leaue the fayth fol. 19. The place of the article is this But they obiect the statutes and ordinances are good Holy men did make them The place annexed as Augustine Benedict Bernard Fraunces Dominicke and such other To this I aunswer That is euen it that Christ and the Apostles did meane that these works shuld be like to those things which are taught in the Gospell for that they call counterfeiting of the doctrine and priuily bringing in of sectes and heresies because they take only of the fathers examples of workes and leaue the faith c. 3 All morall diuines haue a wicked conscience full of scrupulositie 2. Pet. 2. fol. 3. 3. article Morall diuines be they whose doctrine and hope of saluation consisteth in morall vertues rather then in christian faith apprehending the free promises of God in Christ. And they that be such can neuer be certified in conscience of their saluation but alwayes be full of feare and scrupulositie S. Paule therefore sayeth It is therefore of faith that it might come by grace and y e promise might be firme and sure to the whole seede Rom. 4. Rom. 4. 4 Morall vertues as iustice temperance strength chastitie described by naturall reason maketh a Synagogue ◠article and corrupteth Christes fayth fol. 64. The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelation is this So many he the Pope he meaneth corrupteth as he hath subdued and led vnder his lawes and imperie The place annexed And who is he in the world that is not subiect vnder him except they be infants or peraduenture some simple persons which are reserued by the inscrutable counsell and prouision of God O thou man of sinne O thou sonne of perdition O thou abhomination O thou corrupter O thou author of euill consciences O thou false maister of good consciences O thou enemie of faith and christen libertie who is able to rehearse yea or to comprehend in his mind the infinite waues of this monstrous * By this king he meaneth the king of 〈◊〉 which Daniell speaketh of 〈◊〉 the 8. chapter Kings euils If he had ordeined these his lawes in those workes of vertues that are commended in the ten precepts or else in such as the philosophers and naturall reason did describe as are iustice strength temperance chastitie mildnes truth goodnes and such other peraduenture they shoulde only haue made a Sinagoge or else haue ordeyned in the world a certaine ciuill iustice for through these also fayth should haue bene corrupted as it was amōgst the Iewes Howbeit nowe hee keepeth not himselfe within these boundes but runneth at riot and more at large raising infinite tempests of mischiefe entising and drawing vs to ceremonies and his owne fayned traditions and bindeth vs like asses and ignorant fooles yea and stockes vnto them c. 5 Christ tooke away all lawes and maketh vs free and at liberty and most of all he suppresseth all ceremonies fol. 65.63 5. article The place of this Article gathered out of the Reuelation is this Christ taking away all lawes to make vs free The place annexed and at libertie did most of all suppresse and disanull the ceremonies which did consist in places persons garmēts meates dayes and such other so that their vse shoulde be to all men most free and indifferent c. What he meaneth by taking away all lawes he declareth a little before saieng he hath not deliuered vs from the law but from the power violence
by good reasoÌ„ 〈◊〉 The wordes be these Playnely I thinke that y e whole is takeÌ„ away sith I see manifestly the one part gone for y e bread the wine is but one sacrameÌ„t the other is left only for a laughing stocke For he that in one part offendeth against god is gilty in al. Therfore it were better to receiue neither of the partes then the one alone for so we might y e more suâ—ely eschue the transgression of that which Christe did institute â—5 Article c. 35. The law of the Pope that commaundeth euery man to communicate together vpon one day is a most cruell law constrayning men to theyr owne destruction fol. 73. The place 〈◊〉 The place is this He the Pope he meaneth setting a most cruell and deadly snare to tangle the consciences suffereth not the vse of this Sacrament to be free but coÌ„pelleth all together on one certayne day once in the yeare to communicate 〈◊〉 ought 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 Here I pray thee ChristeÌ„ brother how many doest thou thinke do communicate onely by the coÌ„pulsion of this precept which truely in theyr hart had leuer not to communicate And all these sinne for they doe not communicate in spirite that is to say communion agaynst their willes but to be exhorted and left to their owne disposition neither in fayth nor will but by the compulsion of this letter and law sith that this bread requireth a hungry and not a full hart muche lesse a disdayning hateful minde And of all these sinnes the Pope is author constrayning all men by his most cruell lawe to theyr owne destruction where as he ought to leaue this communion free to euery man and onely call exhort them and not compell and driue them vnto it c. 36 The spirit would that nothing should be done but that which is expressely rehearsed in scripture· fol. 81. 36. Article In thinges appertayning to Gods worship and seruice true it is that he is not to be worshipped In things perteyning to gods worship it is true but only according to that which he hath reuealed expressed vnto vs in his owne word And this is the meaning of the author as by his wordes doth playnely apppeare 37 Saynt Thomas de Aquino sauoreth nothing of the spirite of God fol. 83. 37. Article The doctrine of Thomas Aquine referreth the greatest or a very great part of our righteousnes to opus operatuÌ„ and vnto merites Tho. Aquine The spirit of God referreth al our righteousnes before God onely to our fayth in Christ. Nowe how these sauor together let any indifferent reader iudge 38 The Pope did condemne the truth of the word of God openly at Constance in Io. Hus 38. Article perseuering vnto this day in the same stubbernnes fol. 86. Iohn Hus. Touching the condemnation of Iohn Hus the maner of his handling the cause of his death read his storye before beginning pag. 602. and consider moreouer his prophecy of the hundreth yeares after him expyred pag. 770. how truly the sequele did folow in M. Luther theÌ„ iudge of his cause good reader as the truth of Gods worde shall lead thee And thus much concerning these slauÌ„derous articles * Here follow other heresyes and errors Articles out of the Summe of the Scripture collected by the Byshops out of the booke named the Summe of the Scripture with the places of the booke annexed to the same THe water of the fount hath no more vertue in it then hath any other water fol. 1. 1. Article 2 The water of Baptisme lyeth not in halowed water or in other outward thing but onely in fayth fol. 6. The place of these two articles gathered out of y e suÌ„me of the Scripture is this 2. Article The water of Baptisme taketh not away our sinne for then were it a precious water and then it behoued vs dayly to wash our selues therin The place annexed Neyther hath the water of the Fount more vertue in it selfe theÌ„ the water that runneth in the riuer of Rhene WheÌ„ Philip baptised the Eunuch the seruant of Candace the Queene of Ethiope there was then no halowed water nor candle nor salte nor creame neither white habite Actes 8. but he baptised him in the first water they came to vpoÌ„ y e way Here mayst thou perceiue that the vertue of Baptisme lyeth not in halowed water or in the outward thinges that we haue at y e Fount but in the fayth onely c. Christ hath healed vs sayth S. Paule by the bath of regeneration and renouation of the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 3 Godfathers and Godmothers be bound to helpe theyr childreÌ„ that they be put to schole that they may vnderstand the Gospel 3. Article and the Epistles of S. Paule fol. 15. The place of this article gathered out of the sayd booke is this The Godfathers and Godmothers be bounde to helpe the children that they be put to schole to the entent The place annexed y t they may vnderstand the Gospell the ioyfull message of God with the Epistles of S. Paule God hath commaunded to publish to shew the Gospel not onely to priestes but to euery creature Goe ye sayth Christ vnto his Disciples into the vniuersall world and preach the Gospel to euery creature Marke 16. For we be all equally bound to knowe the Gospell and the doctrine of the new testament c· And S. Paule writing to the Corinthi confesseth that hee sendeth hs Epistles to all the Churche that is to say to all the assemble of Christen men to all them that call â—n the name of Iesus c. 4 We thinke when we beleue that God is God can our creed that we haue the fayth that a christian man is bound to haue 4. Article but so doth the deuill beleue fol. 17. 5 To beleue that the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost be one God is not the principall that we must beleue our fayth dooth not lye principally in that for so beleueth the deuill fol. 18. 5. Article This place out of the which these two articles are collected is this We thinke when we beleue that God is God The place annexed and can our Creede that we haue the fayth which a Christian is bound to haue The deuill beleueth also that there is a God and life euerlasting and a hell Iam. 2. but hee is neuer the better for it and he trembleth alway for this fayth as sayth Saint Iames The deuils beleue and they tremble A man might aske What true fayth is that iustifieth what shall I then beleue Thou shalt beleue playnely and vndoubtedly that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost is one only God c. But this likewise beleue the wicked spirites and are nothing the better therfore There is yet an other fayth which Christ so much requireth
of vs in the Gospell and whereunto S. Paule almost in all his Epistle so strongly exhorteth vs that is that we beleue the Gospell when our Lord began first to preach he sayd as rehearseth S. Marke repent and beleue the Gospell Of this fayth read before in the first Article gathered out of the wicked Mammon and in the ix and x. of the Reuelation of Antichrist Marke 1. 6 If we beleue that God hath promised euerlasting life it is impossible that we should perish fol. 20. 6. Article Lo here good Reader an other manifest example of the vnhonest dealing and false cogging of these meÌ„ For where the place of the author speaketh expressely of putting our trust in God his promises the article pretily leaueth out our trusting in gods promise fayth onely if we beleue y t god hath promised The place of the author falsly wrasted Read the place and conferre it with the article then iudge whether there be no differeÌ„ce betwene trusting in the promise y t God hath made of euerlasting life and beleuing onely that God hath made the promise of euerlasting life The place here foloweth as it is there written When with a perfect courage we put all our trust in god and in his promises it is impossible that we should perish for he hath promised vs life euerlasting And for as much as he is almighty he may well performe that that he hath promised and in that he is mercifull and true he will performe his promise made vnto vs if we can beleue it stedfastly and put all our trust in him 7. Article 7 If thou canst surely and stedfastly beleue in God he will holde his promise For he hath bound himselfe to vs and by his promise he oweth vs heauen in case that we beleue him fol. 21. Seing all our hope standeth onely vpon the promise of God what heresy then is in this doctrine to say that God oweth vs heauen by his promise True doctrine made heresie whiche is no other to meane but that God can not breake promise And nowe iudge thou good reader whether is more heresy to say that God oweth vs heauen by his promise as we say or this that God oweth vs heauen by the condignity congruity of our workes as the Papists say 8. Article 8 All Christes glory is ours fol. 27. 9. Article 9 We neede not to labour for to be Christes heyres and sonnes of God and to haue heauen for we haue all these thinges already fol. 24. The words out of the which these two heresyes are gathered be these We be made his heyres and al his glory is ours as S. Paule largely declareth This hath God geuen vs without our deseruing and we need not to labour for all these thinges for these we haue already c. They which note these articles for heresy by the same iudgement they may make heresy of S. Iohns gospel of Paules epistles True doctrine madâ— heresie Iohn 7. and of al together S. Iohn sayth the glory which thou gauest me I haue geuen theÌ„ that they may be one as we also are one As many as receiued him to theÌ„ gaue he power to be the sonnes of God S. Paule sayth The same spirit certifieth our spirit Iohn 1. that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. If we be sonnes then are we also heyres y e heyres I meane of God and heyres annexed with Christ. 10 We need not to labor by our good workes to get euerlasting life 10. Article for we haue it already we be all iustified we be all the childreÌ„ of God fol. 28. 11. Article 11 All that thinketh that good workes helpe or profite any thing to get the gift of saluation they blaspheme agaynst God and rob God of his honour fol. 28. 12 If we be circumcised that is to say if we put any trust in workes 12. Article Christ shall not helpe vs. fol. 18. 13 We deserue nothing of God fol. 30. 13. Article 14 We deserue not euerlasting life by our good woorkes for God hath promised it vnto vs 14. Article before that we began to do good fol. 40. 15. Article 15 Euery Christian man muste keepe Gods commaundementes by loue and not by hope to gette for his seruice euerlasting lyfe fol. 42. 16 The Iewes kept the commaundementes and the law of God yet they could not come to heauen 16. Article fol. 43. 17 Men trusting in theyr good workes are like to the theefe on the left side 17. Article and are such men as commeth to the Church daylye keepeth holydayes and fasting dayes and heareth masses these people be soonest damned for this is one of the greatest errors in Christendome to thinke that thy good workes shall helpe to thy saluation True Christianity turned into heresie fol. 47. If these articles be made heresy which referre the benefite of our inheritance of life and saluation to Gods gyft not to our labors to grace and not to merits to faith and not to the law of workes theÌ„ let vs shut vp clean the new testament away with Gods word and set vp a new dâ—uinity of the Popes making yea let vs leaue Christ with his hereticall gospell and in his stead sette vp the Byshop of Rome with his Talmud and become the Disciples 〈◊〉 his decretals And certes except christen princes begynne betime to sake some zeale of God vnto them looke more seriously vpon the matter the proceedinges of these men seme to tend to litle better then to driue vs at length from true Christianity to an other kinde and forme of religion of theyr owne inuention if they haue not brought it well neare to passe already 18 To serue God in a tediousnesse or for feare of hel 18. Artiâ—â—â— or for the ioyes of heaueÌ„ is but shadowes of good workes and such seruice doth not please God fol. 41. The place is this Works done in faith be alonely pleasant vnto God and worthy to be called good workes These câ—â—â—teyne no matter eyâ—ther 〈…〉 for they be the works of the holy ghost that dwelleth in vs by this fayth But they that are done by tediousnes and euill will for feare of hell or for desire of heauen be nothing els but shadowes of workes making hipocrites The end of our good works is onely to please god knowledging that if we do neuer so much we can neuer do our duty for they that for feare of hell or for the ioyes of heauen do serue god do a constrayned seruice which God will not haue Such people do not serue God because he is their God and their father but to haue theyr reward and to auoyd his punishments and such people are hyred men and waged seruauÌ„tes are not children But the children of God serue theyr father for loue c. 19 We must loue death more desire to dye then
Antichrist the other not Idols were worshipped of both nations y e profauatyng of the Supper and Baptisme was lyke vnto them both wicked superstition raigned on both partes and true worship was deformed and defaced with detestable hipocrisie Truely it is most false that they do affirme and say that I had subscribed vnto such kynde of heresies as though they had bene conformable vnto the law of God when as nothyng is more aduerse or repugnaunt therevnto for euen now of late God of hys goodnesse and mercy had opened my daâ—elyng eyes and hath drawen me out of the filthy slow of Idolatry and superstition in the which amongest others I haue so long tyme wallowed and tumbled Neither is it any lesse absurde that they affirme me to haue allured many to embrace the same except peraduenture they do vnderstand that I haue oftentymes wished that the yoke of Antichrist should be shaken and cast off from the neckes of the Scottes as it is from the Englishe men whiche thyng with a sincere and vpright heart and with an earnest mynd I do now also wish and desire The 5. Article That the Scottish nation and their Clergy be altogether blynded 5. Article whome he did also say and affirme that they had not the true Catholike fayth And this he dyd openly teach and preached also that hys fayth was much better more excellent then the faith of all the clergy in the realme of Scotland Borthwike No man will deny that people to be blynded which neyther heareth Christ nor his Apostles Such is the people of Scotland I speake of those vnto whom the veritie and truth of Christ hath not yet opened or manifested it selfe There is no cause therefore why they should accuse me of heresy Furthermore how farre of the nation and people of Scotland be from the hearyng of Christ albeit the premisses do sufficiently declare in that they do chalenge vnto the Romishe Antichrist the autoritie which Christ and hys Apostles do declare Antithesis oâ— comparison betweene the religioÌ„ of Scotâ—â—â—h men and the religion of Christ. Christ himselfe to be endued with all and that contrary to the worde of GOD they forbid priests to marry I will adde some thing more unto it where by the matter may be more euident Christ calleth himselfe the dore whereby all men ought to enter in at Iohn the x. chapter Contrariwise the Scottes doe say and affirme that we must enter in by the virgine Mary and Saint Peter Christ in the fourth of Iohn sayth The tyme shall come when as the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and truth the Scottes builde themselues hye temples and chappels for Idols in the which euen as Israell in tymes past they commit fornication Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrews and x. chapter sayth That Christ by one onely oblation hath made perfect all those for euermore which are sanctified which saying confirmeth also the wordes of Christ hangyng vppon the Crosse saying it is finished signifieng that by hys death there was a finall ende set vnto all sacrifices which are offered vp for sinnes But the Scottish church men as they are blasphemers in deede so do they bragge and boast that they daily offer vp Christ for the sinnes both of the quicke and of the dead God commaundeth vs that we shall not worship any grauen Image The Scottes do not onely fall downe flatte before Images but also offer vp incense vnto them Saint Paule teacheth vs that Christ is made our wisedome righteousnesse satisfaction and redemption The Scottes beyng wyse men in theyr owne conceites preferre and embrace traditions fayned inuented out by mans head before the lawe of God they stablish righteousnesse in their owne workes sanctification in holy water and other externall things redemption in pieces of lead which they doe buy of their great Antichrist who then will quarell with me that I doe lye that the people of Scotland are blind and that my faith which doth onely behold the word of God to be much more better and excellent then theirs The 6. Article Agreeably to the ancient errors of Iohn Wickliffe and Iohn Hus Archheretikes condempned in the Councell of Constance 6. Article he hath affirmed and preached that the clergy ought not to possesse or haue any temporall possessions neyther to haue any iurisdiction or authoritie in temporalties euen ouer theyr owne subiectes but that all these things ought to be taken from them as it is at this present in England Borthwike The Lord in the xviij chapter of the booke of Numbers sayd thus vnto Aaron The Leuiticall law is no necessary rule now binding But he meaneth here of excessiue landes possessions of Abbeyes and religious he uses addict to them but the princes may diminish or conuert theÌ„ otherwise vpon considerations thou shalt possesse nothyng in theyr land neyther shalt thou haue any portion amongest them I am thy portion and inheritage amongst the children of Israell for vnto the sonnes of Leuy I haue geuen all the tithes of Israel that they should possesse them for their ministery which they do execute in the tent of ordinaries Albeit I do not doubt but that the order of the Leuites and of our clergy is farre different and variable For the administration of theyr sacred and holy thyngs after theyr death passed vnto their posterity as it were by right of inheritaunce which happeneth not vnto the posteritie of our clergy in these dayes Furthermore if any heritage be prouided or gotten for them I doe not gaynesay but that they shall possesse it But still I doe affirme that all temporall iurisdiction should bee taken from them for when as twise there rose a contention amongst the Disciples which of them should be thought the greatest Christ aunswered The kyngs of nations haue dominion ouer them and such which haue power ouer them are called beneficiall you shall not do so For he which is greatest amongst you shall be made equall vnto the yongest or lest and he which is the prince or ruler amongst you shall be made equall vnto hym which both minister mynding thereby and willyng vtterly to debarre the ministers of hys word from all terrene and ciuill dominion and Empire For by these poyntes he doth not onely declare that the office of a pastor is distinct and deuided from the office of a prince and ruler Ciuill dominion â—â—fering from Ecclesiasticall but that they are in effect so muche different and seperate that they cannot agree or ioyne together in one man Neither is it to be thought that Christ did set or ordaine an harder law then he himself before did take vpon hym Forsomuch as in the 12. of Luke certayne of the company sayd vnto hym Maister commaund my brother that he deuide his inheritaunce with me He aunswered Man who made me a Iudge or deuider amongest you We see therefore that Christ euen simply did reiect and refuse the office of a Iudge
man shall neuer sleepe but euer shall liue an immortall life The which life from day to day is renued in grace and augmeÌ„ted The faithfull soule shall neuer sleepe nor yet shal euer perish or haue an ende but euer immortall shall liue with Christ. To the which life all that beleue in him shal come and rest in eternall glory Amen When the Bishoppes wyth their complices had accused this innocent man in manner and fourme aforesayde incoÌ„tinently they condeÌ„ned him to be burnt as an heretik not hauing respect to hys godly answers and true reasons which he alleaged nor yet to their owne consciences thinking verelye that they shoulde doe to God good sacrifice conformable to the sayings of S. Iohn Iohn 16. They shal excommunicate you yea and the time shal come that he which killeth you shall thinke that he hath done to God good seruice The prayer of maister George O Immortall God how long shalt thou suffer the woodnes great crudelitie of the vngodly to exercise theyr fury vpon thy seruaunts which doe further thy woorde in this worlde The prayer of M. George Wyseharte for the congregatioÌ„ of God seeing they desire to be contrary y t is to choke and destroy thy true doctrine veritie by the whych thou hast shewed thy selfe vnto the world which was all drowned in blindnesse and misknowledge of thy name O Lord wee knowe surelye that thy true seruauntes must needes suffer for thy names sake persecution affliction and troubles in this present life whiche is but a shadowe as thou haste shewed to vs by thy Prophetes and Apostles But yet we desire thee hartily that thou conserue defende and helpe thy congregation which thou haste chosen before the beginning of the worlde and geue them thy grace to heare thy word and to be thy true seruaunts in thys present life Then by by they caused the common people to voide away whose desire was alwayes to heare that innocente man to speake Then the sonnes of darkenesse pronounced their sentence definitiue not hauing respecte to the iudgement of God When all this was done and sayde the Cardinall caused his warders to passe againe wyth the meeke Lambe into the Castle vntill suche time as the fire was made ready When he was come into the Castle then there came two Gray feendes frier Scot and his mate sayinge Sir yee must make your confession vnto vs. He aunswered and said I wil make no confession vnto you Go fetch me yoÌ„der man that preached this day and I will make my confession vnto him Then they sent for the Suppriour of the Abbey who came to him withall diligence But what he sayd in thys confession I can not shewe When the fire was made readie and the gallowes at the West part of the Castle neare to the Priorie the Lorde Cardinall dreading that master George should haue bene taken away by his friendes commaunded to bende all the Ordinance of the Castle right against that parte and commaunded al his gunners to be ready and stand beside their gunnes vnto such time as he were burned All this beyng done they bounde Maister Georges handes behinde hys backe and ledde hym foorth wyth their souldiors from the Castle to the place of their wicked execution As hee came forth of the Castle gate there met him certaine beggers asking his almes for Gods sake To whome he answered I want my handes wherwith I should geue you almes but the mercifull Lorde of his benignitie and aboundaunce of grace that feedeth all men vouchsafe to geue you necessaries both vnto your bodies and soules M. Wisehart prayeth for the relief of the poore Then afterwarde met him two false fiendes I shoulde say Fryers sayinge Master George pray to our Lady that she may be mediatrix for you to her sonne To whome he answeared meekely Cease tempt me not my brethren After thys hee was lead to the fire with a roape about his necke M. Wysehart aunswereth the Fryers tempting him and a chayne of yron about his middle When that he came to the fire he sate downe vpon hys knees and rose againe and thrise he sayd these woordes O thou Sauiour of the worlde haue mercy on mee Father of heauen I commend my spirit into thy holy hands When he had made this prayer he turned him to the people and sayde these wordes The wordes and exhortation of M. Wysehart at his death to the people I beseeche you Christian brethren and sisters that yee be not offended in the woorde of God for the affliction and torments whych ye see alreadye prepared for mee But I exhorte you that ye loue the worde of God and suffer paciently and wyth a comfortable heart for the woordes sake whych is your vndoubted saluation and euerlasting comforte Moreouer I pray you shewe my brethren and sisters whych haue hearde me ofte before that they cease not nor leaue of the worde of God which I taught vnto them after the grace geueÌ„ vnto me for no persecutioÌ„s or troubles in this world which lasteth not and shew vnto them that my doctrine was no wiues fables after the constitutions made by men And if I had taught mens doctrine I had gotten greate thankes by men But for the woordes sake and true Euangel which was geuen to me by the grace of God I suffer thys day by men not sorowfully The coâ—â—stant paâ—â—â—ence of 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent that I shoulde suffer this fire for Christes sake Consider and beholde my visage yee shall not see mee chaunge my colour Thys grim fire I feare not And so I pray you for to doe if that any persecution come vnto you for the wordes sake not to feare them that slay the bodye and afterwarde haue no power to slay the soule Some haue sayde of me that I taught that the soule of man should sleepe vntil y e last day But I know surely my faith is such that my soule shall suppe w t my sauiour Christe this night ere it be 6. houres for whom I suffer this Then he praied for them which accused hym saying M. Geoâ—â—â— Wyseharâ—â— prayeth hi◠〈◊〉 forgeâ— them I beseeche thee father of heauen to forgeue them that haue of any ignoraunce or els of any euill minde forged any lies vpon me I forgeue them wyth all my heart I beseeche Christ to forgeue them that haue condemned me to death thys day ignorantly And last of all he sayd to the people on thys manner I beseeche you brethren and sisters to exhorte your Prelates to the learning of the woorde of God M. 〈◊〉 Wysehaâ—â— propheâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—â—dinall 〈◊〉 which 〈…〉 that they at the laste may be ashamed to doe euill and learne to do good And if they will not conuert themselues from their wicked error there shal hastly come vpon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschewe Many faithfull wordes
might y t the spirite of Christ and efficacye of our fayth can doe in these our writinges if ye shall persist so still in your fury we condemne you together with this Bull all the Decretall we geue you to Sathan to the destruction of flesh y t your spirite in the day of our Lord may be deliuered in the name whiche you persecute of Iesu Christ our Lord. Amen For our Lord Iesus Christ yet liueth and raygneth in whom I do nothing doubt who I firmly trust wil shortly come and slay with the spirite of his mouth and destroy with the brightnes of his comming this man of sinne and sonne of perditioÌ„ for asmuch as I cannot deny The Pope the true Antichrist if the pope be the author and doer of these mishapen and monstruous doinges but he is the true finall most wicked and that famous Antichrist that subuerteth the whole worlde by the operation of his delusions as we see it in all places fulfilled and accomplished But whether doth the burning zeale of charity cary me Neither am I as yet fully perswaded this to be the popes Bull but to proceede from his wicked Apostle Eckius who with his fathers Eccius fariously gaping at me like a gulfe would swallow me cleane vppe â—inging wyth the wicked thus Let vs swallow him vp quicke and whole like hell and like one descending downe into the pitte For little careth this furious maâ—braine Prouerb 1. howe the veritie of God be extinguished ye he would count that for a lucre so he might â—ill his malicious desire with the bloude 〈◊〉 his brother O miserable state of the Churche at this time worthy to be bewailed w t teares oâ— bloude But who heareth our gronings or who comforteth our weepings The furie of the Lorde seemeth to be inoxorable against vs. Ouer and besides what a ridiculous toye or pretie figment haue they inuented wherby belike to sport theÌ„selues with some merye matter amongest their earnest businesse wryting that besides other great frendshippe whych they haue shewed vnto me they haue also offered to support me with mony The Pope lyeth in his Bull where he saith that he offered money to Luther to come to Rome and to beare my charges with theyr liberality in my iourney to Rome Wil ye see what a charity is newly come vpon the Citie of Rome which after it hath pilled and polled the whole world of their money and hath consumed wasted the same by intolerable tyranny nowe coÌ„meth and to me onely offereth money But this impudent lye I know with whose hoÌ„mer it was coined Caietanus the Cardinall a man borne and formed to lie for the whetstone after his worshipfull Legacie depeached in Germanie comming home to Rome there he forged fained that he promised me mony wheras he being at Anspurge was there in such miserable penury so pinching in his house that it was thought he woulde haue famished his familye But thus it becommeth the Bull to be verè Bulla that is a thing of nought voide of all trueth and wit And so these great iudges condemners after all thys yet haue authority to commaund vs to beleeue them to say truth when they do nothing but lie and that they are good Catholickes when they be starke heretickes and that they are true Christians The Pope by the vertue of this vniuersall Quodcunque ligaueris can do all thinges wheÌ„ they play the very Antichrist and all by the vertue of this vniuersall Quodcunque ligaueris c. i. Whatsoeuer thing thou bindest c. So that where nothing is excepted they thinke they may do all things Who not only do lie most loudly and manifestly but also which passeth all impudencie do vaunt and commend their liberalitye before y e people to bring me more in hatred making men falsly to beleue that they offered frendship and money vnto me Whereas these tyrantes of Rome if they had had any trueth goodnesse or godlinesse in them shoulde haue taken some better hede in their doing and speaking so that no aduersarye might conceiue any suspition of euil against them But now if there were no other matter els to bring this Bull out of credite onely this grosse foolish lie were sufficient to declare how light vaine and false this Bul is What would Rome thinke yee offer money to mee And how then commeth thys which I knowe to be moste certaine that out of the banke as they call it two or three huÌ„dreth crownes were assigned in Germanye to be disposed and geuen to ruffians and catchpoles Men hyred by the Papistes to kill Luther to murder Luther for these be the reasons arguments whereby nowe fighteth raigneth and triumpheth the holy Apostolicke sea the mistres of faith mother of al churches y t which long since should haue bene prooued to be the very â—eate of Antichrist and manifold waies hereticall if shee had fought wyth the sword of the spirit which is the word of God whereof she her self is nothing ignorant therefore because she would not be brought to that issue thus shee fareth and taketh on like as she were madde in the Churche of Christ confounding and consuming all thinges wyth warres The Popes Church flyeth the tryall of the Scripture murthers bloudshed death and destruction and yet for all thys they must nedes be counted most holy fathers in God vicars of Christ and Pastors of his flocke But goe to that I may also dally with them a while let them yet send me the money they speake of for as touching their promise safeconduct because I will not ouercharge them that I gladly resigne to them againe seeing I haue no great nede therof so that y e moni may come to my haÌ„ds But heere I must require so muche as may suffice mee to wit that I may be furnished with fifty thousand footemen and ten thousande horsemen to conducte me safe to Rome and so for any other promise of safe conduct I wil not trouble them And this I requier because of the daunger that is in Rome What safe conducte M. Luther requireth of the Pope whych deuoureth vp her inhabitauntes neyther keepeth nor euer did keepe promise wyth any Where these most holy fathers do slay their beloued children in the charitie of God and brethren destroy their brethren to doe seruice to Christe as the manner is and stile of Rome In the meane time I will keepe my selfe free and saâ—â— from the Citation of this most reuerend Bull. O ye miserable varlets which are so coÌ„founded with the truth and with your own conscience that neither ye can lie handsomely neither dare ye speake the truth and yet neither ca ye so kepe your selues quiet to your perpetuall ignominie and confusion Furthermore here in this Bull is brought in a straunge fashion of stile not heard of before For where Augustine would haue sayd that he would not beleue the Gospel
can not forget your grace tolde me you woulde suffer no innouation and indeed if you deliuer this realme to the king at 8. yeares of age as the king his father whose soule God assoyle left it as I trust you shall the acte is so honourable and good as it were pity to trouble it with any innouation whyche were a charge to your grace more then needed beynge already burthened heauely And albeit in the commoÌ„ wealth euery man hath his part yet as God hath placed you the matter is vnder the kinges Maiestye chiefely yours and as it were yours alone ¶ If the 6. articles might haue continued stil al were quiet with Winchester how so euer it were els with the true church of Christ. ¶ Printers Players and Preachers trouble Winchester Euery man hath his eye directed vnto you both here abroad you shall shadow mens doinges if they be done which is one in commodity of high rule And for my part besides my duty to the kinges maiesty and the realme I would that your grace in whom since your gouernement I haue found much gentlenes and humanity had muche honor w t good successe as euer any had and pray to God that men would let your grace alone and suffer the realme in the time of your gouernement in quyet among our selues wherby to be the more able to resist forreigne trouble which your grace doth prudeÌ„tly forsee Certayne printers * Euery incerteinty is noysome I graunt But reformatioÌ„ of religion is not by by the cause of incerteinty in a common wealth nor maketh euery man to be a maister players preachers make a wondermeÌ„t as though we knew not yet how to be iustified nor what sacramentes we should haue And if the agreement in religion made in the time of our late soueraigne Lord be of no force in theyr iudgement what establishment coulde anye new agrement haue And euery incertenty is noysome to any realme And where euery man will be mayster there must nedes be vncertaynty And one thing is maruelous that at the same time is taught that all men be lyers at the selfe same time almost euery man woulde be beleued And amongst theÌ„ Bale when his vntruth appeareth euidently in setting forth the examination of Anne Askew whiche is vtterly misreported I beseeche your Grace to pardon my babling with you But I see my late soueraigne Lord and maister slaundred by such simple persons ¶ The realme is troubled by theÌ„ much lyke as the Prophet Hely was he that troubled the kingdome of Acheb ¶ Salt layd on a sore if it do vexe it the fault is not in the salt but in the fleshe which cannot abide it religioÌ„ assaulted the realme troubled and peaceable men disquieted with occasion geuen to enemies to poynt and say that after Wickliefes straunge teaching in the sacrameÌ„ts of Christes churche hath vexed other it is finally turned vnto vs to molest scourge vs for other fruite cannot Bales teaching haue ne the teaching of such other as goe about to trouble the agrement established here In which matter I dare not desire your grace specially to looke earnestlye vnto it leaste I should seme to note in you that becommeth me not And I know that your grace being otherwise occupied these thinges may creepe in as it hath bene heretofore sometime it may be heard for your grace to finde out or pull out y e root of this naughtines but yet I am so bolde to write of these of mine owne stomacke who haue euer vsed for discharge of my selfe to say and write in time and place as I thought might do good for reliefe of the matter remitting the rest to the disposition of GOD who hath wrought wonders in these matters since they were first moued and geuen me such knowledge and experieÌ„ce in them ¶ Wincâ—â—â—ster what he saith 〈◊〉 long as 〈◊〉 proueth 〈◊〉 it mattereâ— not whâ—â— he sayth as I ought to take them as they be for corruption and vntrueth I meane knowledge and experience of them that be chiefe styrrers so infect with vntruth as they cannot speak or report truly in common matters The pretence is of the spirit and al is for the flesh Women and meat with liberty of hand and tongue a dissolution and dissipation of all estates cleane contrarious to the place GOD hath called your Grace thereunto * A 〈◊〉 sight in 〈◊〉 sonne 〈…〉 Duke of Saxonâ—â—â— king ¶ True reâ—ligion of the opinâ—â—â— of these Germaâ—â—â— wil be 〈◊〉 not to disaâ—gree whâ—â— the Bysâ—â—â— of Wincheâ—ster shal 〈◊〉 be able to proue the contrary as yet he hath not done it hitherto For it tendeth all to confusion disorder which is the effect of vntrueth Bale hath set forth a prayer for the Duke I. of Saxe wherein the Duke remitteth to Gods iudgement to be shewed here in this world the iustnesse of his cause concerning religion and desireth GOD if hys cause be not good to order him to be taken and to be spoiled of his honor and possessions with many such gay wordes whereby to tempt God since which prayer the Duke is indeed taken as all the world sayth at the time of his taking as the account is made such straungenesse in the sonne as we saw it here as hath not bene sene They happened both together this we know and be both maruelous but whether the one were a token ordered to concurre with other God knoweth and manne cannot define Many common wealthes haue continued without the B. of Romes iurisdiction but without true religion and with such opinions as Germany maynteyned no estate hath coâ—â—â—â—ned in the circuit of the world to vs knowne since Christ câ—me For the Turkes and Tartarres gouernement is as it were a continuall warre and they vphold theyr rule with subduing of nobility by fyre and sworde * Germaâ—â— with 〈◊〉 religion 〈◊〉 doth starâ— notwithstanding Wynchestâ—â— and the Emperour did withstand theâ— what that they both could His argument Goâ— lawe hath rule of all Men wâ—â—meÌ„ say the vnderstanâ— Gods law Ergo men and wemâ—â— haue rule all Nego argument quia const 4. terminâ—â—â— His argument shouâ—â— thus procead Goâ— lawe hath rule of all Men and wemen 〈◊〉 they are Gods law Ergo such men wâ—â—men haue rule of alâ— thus is thâ— forme of the 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 matter 〈◊〉 Wyncheâ—â— a friend 〈◊〉 lent thou he loued fishe The actiâ—â— of Christ haue 〈◊〉 and â—ooâ— endes 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 to fâ—â—â—fill the 〈◊〉 Some peâ—â—â—liar to 〈◊〉 owne peâ—â—sone Some peâ—â—tayning 〈◊〉 publike ample Germanye with theyr new religion could neuer haue stand though the Emperor had let them alone for if it be perswaded the vnderstanding of Gods lawe to be at large in women and children wherby they may haue the rule of that and theÌ„ Gods law must be the rule of all is not hereby the rule of all brought into theyr handes These of some will be called witty reasons but they
at length and discussed with my Lord of Caunterbury the vnderstanding of gods commaundement to the Iewes 〈◊〉 euery â—hing were 〈◊〉 oracle by 〈◊〉 by that 〈◊〉 Henry 〈◊〉 then â—inchester 〈◊〉 here a 〈…〉 so as all the Clearkes in Christedome could not amend it And where as one had denyed the Image of the Trinitye to be had by reasons as be touched in your Graces letters I heard his highnesse aunswere to them at another time And when hee had himselfe specially commaunded diuers Images to be abolished yet as your Grace knoweth he both ordered and himselfe putte in execution the kneeling and creeping before the Image of the Crosse and established agreement in that truth through all this Realme whereby all argumentes to the contrary be assoyled at once I would wysh Images vsed as the booke by his highnesse sette forth doth prescribe and no otherwise I know your Grace only teÌ„pteth me with such reasons as other make vnto you and I am not fully at liberty although I am bolde enough and some will thinke to bolde to aunswere some thinges as I woulde to an other man mine equall being so much inferiour to your Grace as I am but me thinketh Saynte Paules solucion during the kinges Maiesties minoritye should serue all Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus We haue no such custome in the Church When our soueraign Lord commeth to his perfect age which God graunt I doubt not but God wil reueale that shal be necessary for the gouerning of his people in religion Wherefore then serue the Scripture for reaâ—mes to be ruled by if God neuâ—â— reueale any thing in a reâ—â—me but by the kinges owne person in his mans age And if any thing shal be done in the meane time as I thinke there shall not by your Graces direction he may when he commeth to age say in the rest as I heare say he sayd nowe of late concerning procession that in his fathers time men were wont to folow procession vpon which the kinges maiestyes saying the procession as I heard was well furnished afterwardes by your Graces Commaundement which speach hath put me in remembraunce that if the Bishops and other of the Clergy should agree to any alteration in religion to the condemnation of any thing set forth by his Father whereby his father might be noted to haue wanted knowledge or fauor to the truth what he would say I can not tell but he might vse a maruellous speach and for the excellency of his spirite it were like he would and hauing so iust a cause against Bishops as he might haue it were to be feared he would And when he had spoken theÌ„ he might by his lawes do more then any would gladly suffer of our sort at these dayes for as the allegatioÌ„ of his authority represented by your grace shal be then aunswered as youre Grace now writeth vnto me that y t your Grace onely desired truth according to Gods scripture and it may be â—heÌ„ sayd we Bishops when we haue our soueraigne Lord head in minority we fashion the matter as we lust then some young man that would haue a piece of the Bishops landes shall say the beastly Bishops haue alwayes done so and when they can no longer mayntayne one of theyr pleasures of rule and superioritye then they take another way and let that go and for the time they be here spend vp that they haue which eat you and drinke you what ye list we together with Edamus bibamus cras moriemur And if we shall alleadge for our defence the strength of Goddes trueth and the playnesse of scripture with the word of the Lord and many gay termes and say we were conuinced by scriptures such an excellent iudgement as the kinges maiesty is like to haue will neuer credite vs in it ne be abused by such a vayne answere And this is a worldly polliticke consideration and at home for the noyse abroade in the world will be more slaunderous then this is daungerous And touching the bishop of Rome the doing in this realme hitherto hath neuer done him so much displeasure as an alteration in religion during the kinges Maiestyes minority should serue for his purpose for he wanteth not wits to beate into other princes eares that where his authority is abolished there at euery chaunge of gouernors shal be change in Religion and y t hath bene amongst vs by a whole consent established shall by pretence of an other vnderstanding in scripture streight be brought in questioÌ„ Canterbury and Duresme carped of Wynchester for they will geue it no other name but a pretence howe stiffely so euer we will affirme otherwise and call it Gods worde and here it should much be noted that my Lorde of Caunterbury being the high Bishop of the Realme highly in fauour with his late Soueraigne Lord and my Lord of Duresme a manne of renowmed fame in learning and grauity both put by him in trust for theyr councell in the order of the Realme shoulde so soone forgette theyr olde knowledge in Scripture sette forth by the Kynges Maiesties book and aduise to enuey such matter of alteration All which thinges be I knowe well by your Grace and them considered And therefore it is to me incredible that euer any such thing should be in deede with effect whatsoeuer the lyghtnesse of talke shall spread abroade whyche your Grace hath by Proclamation well stayed But and ye had not and the world talked so fast as euer they did I assure your Grace I woulde neuer feare it as men feare thinges they like not vnlesse I saw it in execution for of this sort I am that in all thinges I thinke shoulde not be done in reason I feare them not wherewith to trouble mee otherwise then to take heede if I canne and to the head Gouernours as now to your Grace shewe my minde and such experience hath euery manne of me that hath commoned with me in any such matters And therfore albeit your Grace writeth wisely that ouermuch feare doth hurt and accelerateth sometime that was not intended yet it needes not to me for I haue learned that lesson already and would a great many moe had which in deede should be a great stay And thus I talke with your Grace homely with multiplication of speache not necessary as though I meant to sende you as great a packet as I receyued from you One thing necessary to aunsweare your Grace in touching your maruell howe I know sooner thinges from thence then your Grace doth there whiche ariseth not vppon any desire of knowledge on my behalfe for euill thinges be ouersoone knowne not vpoÌ„ any slacknes of your graces behalf there who is is noted very vigilaÌ„t as your graces charge requireth But thus it is euen as it was when I was in some little authoritye they that were the euill doers in such matters would hide them from me So now they haue handled it otherwise for as for
is eternall life Rom. 6. And these be the resolutions which I heard him geue to the questions by M. Nowell proposed The iudgement of D. Yonge about the controuersies of religion From which hys sentence and iudgement so heard by me and of him vttered as I remember I neuer declined or varied I beseeche our Lorde Iesus Christ to cease these troublous stormes wherewith the Church is tossed and vouchsafe for his holy names sake tenderly to beholde looke vpon his poore wretched flocke so miserably scattered and dispersed Anno 1552. beseeching him also of his goodnes to preserue your worship At London the third of Nouember * Heere followeth the history no lesse lamentable then notable of William Gardiner an Englishman suffering most constantly in Portyngale for the testimony of Gods truth The story of W. Garâ—â—ner most 〈…〉 in Portugale COmming now to the yeare next following 1552. wee will some what step aside and borow a little leaue coasting the Seas into Portingale amongst the Popish marchauntes there whither a certaine countrymaÌ„ of ours doth call me named William Gardiner a man verely in my iudgement not only to be compared with the most principall chiefe Martirs of these our daies but also such one as the auncient Churches in the time of the first persecutions can not shew a more famous whether we do behold the force of his faith his firme and stedfast constantnes the inuincible strength of his spirit or the cruell and horrible tormentes the report only and hearing whereof were enough to put any man in horror or feare Yet notwythstanding so farre it was of that the same did discourage him that it may be doubted whether the payne of his body or the courage of his mind were the greater when as in deede both appeared to be very great Wherfore if any prayse or dignity amongst men as reason is be due vnto the Martirs of Christ for their valiant actes W. Gardiner comparable with the Martyrs in the primitâ—â—e church What duâ—ty is to be geueÌ„ of ChristiaÌ„s to the blessed Martyrs past The memory of Christes Martyrs not to be forgotten this one man amongst many seemeth worthy to bee numbred and also to be celebrate in the Church with Ignatius Laurentius Ciriatius Grescentius and Gordianus And if the Church of Christ do receiue so great and manifolde benifits by these martirs with whose bloud it is watred by whose ashes it is enlarged by whose constancie it is confirmed by whose testimonie it is witnessed and finally through whose agonies and victories the truth of the Gospell doth gloriously triumph let not vs then thinke it any great matter to requite them with our duety againe by committing them vnto memory as a perpetuall token of our good will towards them Albeit they themselues receiue no glory at our hands and much lesse challenge the same but referre it wholy vnto the Lord Christ froÌ„ whom it came whatsoeuer great or notable thing there was in them Notwithstanding for so much as Christ himselfe is glorified in his Saints we caÌ„ not shew our selues thankefull vnto him except we also shew our selues dutifull vnto those by whome his glory doth increase Heereupon I thinke it came to passe that the aunciente Christians in the time of the first persecutioÌ„s How it 〈◊〉 to passe that 〈…〉 Church 〈◊〉 yearely 〈…〉 Martyrs â—â—perstitioÌ„ 〈◊〉 honouâ—â—â—g Martyrs What 〈◊〉 coÌ„meth 〈◊〉 memory 〈◊〉 Martyrs 〈◊〉 vs. thought good to celebrate yearely commemorations of the Martirdome of those holy men not so much to honour theÌ„ as to glorifie God in his souldiours vnto whom all glory praise doth worthely belong and moreouer that we being instructed by their example might bee the more prompt and ready in the policies of those warres to stand more stoutly in battaâ—le against our aduersaries and learne the more easily to contemne and despise thys worlde For in considering the ende and death of these men who will greatly long or luste after this life which is so many wayes miserable through so many afflictions dolorous through so many casualties rumous wherin consisteth so litte constancie lesse safety being neuer free from some hard calamitie one or other What good maÌ„ would haue this world in reputatioÌ„ wherin he seeth so many good men so cruelly oppressed wherin no man can liue in quietnes except he be wicked Wherfore I do not a little merueile The world 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 wicked â—â—ecially that in this great slaughter of good meÌ„ with so many spectacles and examples of cruell tormeÌ„t Christians do yet liue as it were drowned in y e foolish desires of this world seeing dayly before their eyes so many holy and innocent men yeeld vp their spirits vnder the handes of such tormentors to lye in filthy prisons in bondes darkenes and teares in the end to be consumed with fire We see so many Prophets of God euen Christ himself the sonne of God to be so cruelly and many waies afflicted in this world tormoiled scourged and crucified yet we laugh drinke and giue our selues vnto all losenes of life and all lasciuiousnes For honour great possessions we contend we build we study labour by al meanes to make our selues rich Unto whome it doth not suffice y t we with safety and freedome from their afflictions racks wheeles scourges yrons read hote grediroÌ„s fleshhookes mallets and other kyndes of tormentes may serue our Christ in peace and quiet but being herewith not content will giue ouer our selues to all kinde of wickednes to be led away at the will and pleasure of Sathan 〈…〉 be lessons to vs to plucke vs from â—his world But what do we thinke in so doing Eyther we must recken those meÌ„ to be most miserable in this life or els our selues to be most vnhappy But if their blessednes be most certaine and sure then let vs direct the course of our life to the same felicitie These men haue forsaken this life which they might haue enioyed But if wâ— cannot willingly put of this life yet let vs not be slow to amend and correct the same and though wee cannot dye with them in like martyrdome yet let vs mortifie the worldly and prophane affections of y e flesh which striue agaynst y e spirite at the least let vs not runne thus headlong into the liceÌ„tious desires of the world as we do As the lyfe of Christen men is nowe I praye thee what doe these bondes prisons these woundes and scarres these great fires and other horrible tormentes of martirs then vpbrayd vnto vs our slouthful sluggishnes worthely make vs ashamed therof Which Martirs if in their liues they liued so innocently in their death continued so constant what then is to be deemed of vs which suffer nothing for Christ and will not take vpon vs the small conflict agaynst vices our owne affections How would we suffer the cruell looks of tirannes The great difference
breade and wyne are substauncially transumpted into the verye bodye and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. If sayth he thou doest not know the maner how it is brought to passe let it be enough to thee to beleue that it is done by the operation of the holy Ghost and we do know no more but that the lyuing word of God is working and almighty but the very maner how is inscrutable to vs and no great maruell sayth he for we cannot well expresse howe the materiall bread wine or water are transumpted naturally into the same body and bloud of the receiuer and be become an other body then they were before So sayth this great ancient Clarke also this shewbread with wine and water are chaunged by the comming of the holy Ghost into christes body and bloud and they be not two bodies there but very one of Christ and the same Rochester First I denye Mayster Doctour that Damascene was one thowsande yeares past Damascene expounded secondarily that hee is not to be holden as an auncient father for that he mainteyneth in his workes euill and damnable doctrine as the worshipping of images and such like Thyrdly I say that in deede God by his holy spirit is the worker of that whiche is done in the sacrament Also I graunt that there is a mutation of the common bread and wine spiritually into the Lordes breade and wine A spirituall mutation of the bread and wine but no mutation of the substance by the sanctifying of them in the Lordes word But I denye that there is any mutation of the substaunces for there is no other chaunge there indeed then there is in vs which when we do receiue the sacrament worthely then are we chaunged into Christes body bones and bloud not in nature but spiritually and by grace much like as Isaias saw the burning cole euen so we see not there the very simple bread as it was before the consecration for an vnion cannot be but of two very thinges Wherefore if we be ioyned to Christ receyuing the sacrament then there is no adnihilation of bread which is wheÌ„ it is reduced to nothing as it is in your fained transubstantiation Glin. So I perceiue you would haue me to graunt that the Sacrament is but a figure which Theophilactus doeth deny Rochester You say trueth he denyeth it deed to be a figure but he meaneth that it is not onely a figure Glin. Theophilact expounded Whereas Saynt Paule sayth that we being manye are one bread he speaketh not nor meaneth one materiall bread as you do here ergo he speaketh of a heauenly bread And holy Chrysostome vpon Mathew sayth that the paschall Lambe was a figure but the mistery is the veryty For the Disciples would not haue bene offended to haue dronken a figure of Christes bloud being well accustomed to figures The paschall Lambe a figure For Christ did not institute a figure for a figure but the cleare verity in stead of the figure as Saynt Iohn sayth grace and verity was geuen by Christ. Doest thou see bread sayth Chrisostome doth it auoyd or passe as other meates do which we receiue God forbid ergo c. Madew That auncient Clarke Origene vpon the 15. of S. Mathew sayth thus as touching that which is materiall in the Sacrament it descendeth The 〈…〉 of the Sâ—â—crameÌ„t 〈◊〉 out as â—â—ther meâ— doe and issueth out as other nutrimentes doe But as concerning that which is celestiall it doth not so Glin. Chrisostome homile 83. vpoÌ„ Mathew sayth that we cannot be deceiued of Christes wordes but our naturall sences may be deceiued in this poynt very soone and easely his sayd wordes cannot be false but our sences be many times beguiled of theyr iudgementes Because therefore that Christ sayd this is my body let vs not at any hand doubte sayth he but let vs beleue it and well perceiue it with the eyes of our vnderstanding And within a litle after in that place he sayth thus It was not enough that he was become man and afterwardes to be scourged for vs but also he did reduce and bring vs to be as one body with him not thorow fayth onely but in very deed also he maketh vs his body And after that he sayth that these works are not of mannes power But the same thinges that hee wrought in his last supper he nowe worketh also by his precept to his right minister and we doe occupy the place of the same ministers but hee it is that doth sanctify and transumpt the creatures he performeth still the same Rochester M. Doctour you must vnderstand that in that place S. Chrisostome sheweth vs that Christ deliuered to vs no sensible thing at his last supper Glin. Honourable syr by your pacience I graunt that hee gaue to his Disciples no sensible thing in substaunce but a thing insensible his owne precious body and bloud vnder the onely kindes of creatures And truely as it seemeth Theophilactus best knew the meaning of Chrisostome because all authors accept him as a faythfull interpreter of him And he hath these same playne words transelemented and transformed Also Theophilactus Alexandrinus super Marcum Cyrillus and Saynt Augustine sayth that before the consecration it is breade but afterwardes it is Christes very body In like maner S. Augustine vpon 33. Psalme sayth that in his last supper Christ did beare himselfe in his owne handes Now euery man may beare the figure of his body in his owne hands but S. Austen saith it there for a miracle Ireneus in his fift booke is of the same minde And Saynt Augustine sayth I doe remember my wordes c. The law and figures were by Moises but the verity and body came by Christ. Rochester Well say what you list it is but a figuratiue speach like to this if you will receiue and vnderstand he is Elias for a property but indeede he was not Elias but Iohn the Baptist. And so in this place Christ called it his body when it was very bread But better then the coÌ„mon breade because it was sanctified by the woorde of Christ. ¶ Here Mayster Langdale replyed to Doctor Madew Langdale RIght worshipfull Mayster Doctor by your pacience I haue noted two thinges that you affirmed in youre position euen nowe before this honourable audience Two 〈◊〉 noted in Madewâ— position the which as me seemeth are not consonant to the trueth of Gods worde The first is as touching Christes sayinge I will not from hence forth drinke any more of the fruite of the Uyne vntill I drinke it newe with you c. Whyche place of the Scripture you dyd as I thinke vnderstand and interprete as though nothing els remayned after the consecration but very wyne still Whereof I doe not a little maruell Seeyng that that most famous Clarke Erasmus whose authoritye and sentence you refuse at this present onely yet neuerthelesse he is very worthy in thys matter of farre better estimation amongest
c. Segewicke In the olde law there were many sacrifices propiciatory ergo there be also in the new law or els you must graunt that God is not so beneficiall now to vs as then he was to them seing that we be as frayle and as nedy as euer were they whiche must be especially the moste pure dayly sacrifice of Christes body and bloud that holy Malachy speaketh of Madew What sacrifice it is that Malachie speaketh of As touching the place of Malachy the Prophet I answere that it is nothing to your purpose for the offering of Christ dayly in the Sacrament For that sacrifice there spoken of is nothing els but the sincere most pure preaching of Gods holy word prayer and of thankesgeuing to God the Father thorow Iesus Christ. Here M. Segewicke was commaunded to cease to Mayster Yong. Yong. WOrshipful mayster Doctor although you haue learnedly and Clarkely defended these your conclusioÌ„s this day yet seeing that I am now placed to impugne theÌ„ in place of a better I do begin thus w t you It hath pleased Christ to make vs partakers of his holy spirite and that in very deede by receiuing of the Christen fayth hope and charitye ergo muche more of his owne blessed bodye and bloud spiritually and in very deede in the Lordes supper Item the Aungels foode was altogether holy from aboue and heauenly called Manna ergo also this celestial and heauenly foode can be iustly estemed to be of no lesse excellency then that The wordes of Scripture euer effectuall but without comparison better and so no very wheate after due consecration of it Item the wordes of holy scripture are euermore effectuall and working ergo they must performe the thing indeede that they doe promise For he that might create might also chaunge at hys pleasure the natures and substaunces of creatures as appeareth that Christ did by chaunging water into wyne at a Mariage in Galile But Christ in the Scripture dyd promise Iohn 6. that the bread that he would geue is hys flesh in deede whiche promise was neuer fulâ—illed till in his last supper when he tooke bread gaue thankes blessed it and gaue it to his disciples saying take eate this is my body Which bread then was his flesh in deede as doth well appeare in the sayd place and next promise depending vpon the same thus which flesh I will geue for the life of the world This last promise was fulfilled by him vpon the Crosse ergo the first was likewise at his last Supper So that it was but one and the same flesh first and last promised and performed Rochester In deed the wordes of holy scripture doe worke theyr effectes potencially and thorowly by the mighty operation of the spirite of God Yong. If it please your Lordship Man is â—â—â—rished bâ— the 〈◊〉 Christeâ— bloud bâ— faith bâ— not by drinckiâ—â— really in cuppe man is fedde and nourished with Christes bloud ergo theÌ„ it is his bloud indeed though it do not so appeare to our outward senses which be deceiued for Christ sayth this is my bloud And also my bloud is drinke in deede And because that we shoulde not abhorre his blessed bloud in his naturall kinde or his flesh if they shoulde be so ministred vnto vs of his most excellent mercy and goodnesse condescending to our weake infirmityes he hath appoynted them to be geuen vs vnder the sensible kindes of his conuenient creatures that is to say of bread and wyne Also our body is fedde with Christes body which is meate in deede but it can not be nourished with that that is not there present ergo Christs body that feedeth vs must needes be present in very deede in the sacrament Item the nature of bread is chaunged but the nature of the bread and the substaunce of it is all one thing ergo the substaunce also is chaunged My first proposition is S. Cyprian de coena domini saying that the bread in figure is not chaunged but in nature Rochester Cyprian there doth take thys worde nature for a propertye of nature onelye Cypriaâ— expound and not for the naturall substaunce Yong. That is a straunge acception that I haue not read in any author before this time but yet by your leaue the communion of Christes body can not be there where hys body is not but the communion of Christes body is in the sacrament ergo Christes body is there preseÌ„t in very deed Rochester Grace is there communicated to vs by the benefite of Christes body sitting in heauen Yong. Not so onely for we are members of his flesh and bones of his bones Rochester We be not consubstantiall with Christ We be 〈◊〉 consubsâ—â—â—â—ciall witâ— Christ ioyned 〈◊〉 him by 〈◊〉 holy spiâ—â—â— God forbid that but we are ioyned to his mistical body thorow his holy spirite and the communion of hys fleshe is communicated to vs spiritually thorow the benefite of his flesh in heauen Yong. Well I am contented and do most humbly beseeche your good Lordshippe to pardon me of my greate rudenesse and imbecillity which I haue here shewed ¶ Here ended the first disputation holden at Cambridge the 20. day of Iune 1549. ¶ The second disputation holden at Cambridge 24 of Iune Ann. 1549. Doctor Glin in his first conclusion Misterieâ— may 〈◊〉 be beleeâ—â— then cuâ—â—â—ously seaâ—â—ched TThe misteries of fayth as August witnesseth may very profitably be beleued but they cannot well be searched forth as sayth the scripture I beleued therefore I spake and he that confesseth me before men him will I coÌ„fesse before my father which is in heauen We beleue euery man in his arte therefore much more Christ our sauior in his word Maruell not most honorable Lordes and worshipfull Doctours that I speake thus nowe for once you your selues spake the same But peraduenture some wyll say beleue not euery spirite I aunswere charity beleeueth all thinges but not in all thinges If those thinges whiche I shall vtter be conuinced as false I shall desire you to take them as not spoken at all But these are the wordes of of trueth hoc est corpus meum this is my body Christ spake them therefore I dare not say this bread is my body As 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 the breaâ— figure 〈◊〉 speaking â—â—â—guratiue at other tymes caâ—â—led theâ— not plaâ—â— figures though they 〈◊〉 so for so Christ sayd not Christ sayd thus this is my body and therfore I but duste and ashes yea a worme before him dare not say this is a figure of his body heauen and earth saith he shal passe but my word shall not passe Whatsoeuer our old father Adam called euery creature that is his name to this day y e new Adam Christ Iesus sayd this is my body is it not so he neuer sayd this is a figure of my bodye nor eat you this figure or signe of my body And therfore wheÌ„ y e paschall lambe was set before him he sayd not this
✚ sanctifiest thou quickenest thou ✚ blessest and geuest vnto vs. Here let him w t â—couer the chalice and make a signe of the crosse with the host fiue times first beyond the chalice on euery side secondly eauen with the chalice thirdly within the chalice fourthly like as at the first Fifthly before the chalice Thorow ✚ him and with ✚ him and in him is vnto thee God father ✚ almighty in the vnitie of the ✚ holy Ghost all honour and glory Here let the Priest couer the chalice and holde hys handes still vppon the altar till the pater noster be spoken saying thus Worlde without ende Amen Let vs praye Being aduertised by holsome preceptes and taught by Gods institution we are bold to say Heere let the Deacon take the paten and holde it vncouered on the right syde of the Priest hys arme beeyng stretched out an high vntill da propitius Heere let the Priest lift vp his hands saying pater noster c. The quire must say Sed libera nos c. Deliuer vs we beseeche thee O Lorde from all euill past present and for to come and that by the intercession of the blessed glorious and our virgin Mary the mother of God and thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and Andrew with all Saincts Heere let the Deacon commit the patten to the Priest kissing hys hande and let the Priest kisse the patten Afterward let him put it to his left eye and then to the right After that let him make a crosse with the paten aboue vpon his head and so lay it downe againe into hys place sayeng geue peace graciously in our dayes that we being helped through the succour of thy mercy may both be alway free from sinne and safe from all trouble Heere let him vncouer the chalice and take the body doing reuerence shifting it ouer in the holow roome of the chalice holding it betweene his thombes and forefingers and let him breake it into three partes the first breaking while there is sayd Through the same our Lord Iesus Christ thy Sonne The second breaking Who with thee in the vnity of the holy Ghost liueth and reigneth God Heere let him hold two peeces in his left hand and the third peece in the right hand vpon the brinke of the chalice sayeng this with open voice World without ende Let the quire answere Amen Heere let him make three crosses within the chalice with the thirde parte of the hoste saying The peace of the Lord ✚ be alwayes ✚ with ✚ you Let the quire answere And with thy spirite To saye Agnus dei let the Deacon and subdeacon approch neere vnto the Priest both being on the right hande the Deacon neerer the subdeacon farther off And let them say priuately O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world graunt vs peace In Masses for the dead it is sayd thus O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world geue them rest With this addition in the third repetition Euerlasting Heere making a crosse let him put downe the said third part of the hoste into the sacrament of the bloud sayeng This holy mingling together of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ be vnto me and to all that receiue it saluation of mind and body an holesome preparation both to deserue and to receiue eternall life through the same Christ our Lord. Afore the Paxe be geuen let the Priest say O Lord holy father almighty eternall God graunt me so woorthily to take this holy body and bloud of thy Sonne our Lord Iesu Christ that by this I may merite to receyue forgeuenesse of all my synnes and be replenished wyth thy holy spirite and to haue thy peace for thou art GOD alone neyther is there anye other without thee whose glorious kingdome and Empyre endureth continuallye worlde without ende Amen Heere let the Priest kisse the corporas on the right side and the brinke of the chalice and afterwarde let hym say to the Deacon Peace be vnto thee and to the Church of God Aunswere And with thy spirite On the right hand of the Priest let the Deacon receaue the pax of him and reach it to the subdeacon Then to the step of the quere let the Deacon himselfe beare the pax vnto the rectors of the quere And let them bring it to the quere eyther of them to his owne side beginning at the eldest But in feastes and feriall dayes when the quere is not gouerned the pax is borne from the deacon vnto the quere by two of the lowest of the seconde forme like as afore After the pax geuen let the Priest say the prayers folowing priuately before he communicate holding the hoste (c) â—or falling with both his hands O God father thou fountaine originall of all goodnesse who being moued with mercye haste willed thine onely-begotten sonne for our sakes to descende into the lower partes of the worlde and to be incarnate whom I (d) Holde him fast Whyle ye haue him in your handes lest he flye from you as lyke he wil if ye mocke with him to much vnworthy hold in my handes Here let the priest bowe (e) Why notâ— if it be his maker him selfe to the hoost saying I worshippe thee I glorifie thee I prayse thee wyth whole intention of mind and hart And I beseech thee that thou (f) If it faâ—â—e your kitchen wil be the colder faile not vs thy seruauntes but forgeue our sinnes so as with pure hart and chaste body wee may be able to serue thee (g) Note that the priest speaketh all this to the host whereby it is euident how horribly they abuse Gods creatures the onely liuing and true God through the same Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord Iesu Christ thou sonne of y e liuing God who according to the will of the father the holy Ghost working with all hast quickened the world through thy death Deliuer me I beseeche thee through this thy holy body and this thy bloude from all my iniquities and from all euils And make me alway obey thy commaundements and neuer suffer me to be seperated from thee for euermore thou Sauiour of the worlde Who with God the father and the same holy Ghost liuest and raignest God worlde without end Amen O Lord Iesu Christ let not the sacrameÌ„t of thy body bloud which I receiue though vnworthy be to my iudgment and damnation but thorow thy goodnes let it profite to the saluation of my body and soule Amen To the body let him say with humilation afore he receaue Haile for euermore thou most holy (a) that neuer was borne of our Ladye flesh of Christ vnto mee afore all
the deuill and defendeth meÌ„ from deceptions of phantasy c. Thus ye haue heard the author and father of holly water which some also ascribe to Pope Sixtus which succeeded Alexander But as y e Papists do not agree in the fyrst authour or institutor of this hallowing of Elementes so I thinke the same vntruely to be ascribed to either but leauing the probation of this to farther leasure let vs nowe heare in our owne tongue theyr owne words which y e vse in this theyr coniuration The forme and wordes vsed of the Priest in coniuring Salt I coniure thee thou creature of Salte by the ✚ liuyng God Salt coniured by the ✚ true God by the holy God c. That thou mayest be made a coniured Salte to the saluation of them that beleue And that vnto all suche as receiue thee thou mayest be health of soule and body and that from out of y e place wherein thou shalt be sprinckled may flie away and depart all phantasy wickednes or craftines of the deuils subtlety and euery foule spirit c. The forme of coniuring water Water coniured I coniure thee thou creature of water in the name of ✚ God the father almighty and in the name of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue ✚ of the holy Ghost that thou become a coniured water to expell all power of the enemy c. Who seeth not in these wordes blasphemye intollerable how that which only is due to the bloud of Christ and promised to fayth onely in him the same is transferred to earthly and insensate creatures to be saluation both to bodye and spirite inwardlye to geue remission of sinnes to geue health and remedy agaynst euils and deuils against all phantasies wickednesse and all foule spirites and to expell the power of the enemy c. If this be true whereto serueth the bloud of Christ and the vertue of Christian fayth Therfore iudge thy selfe gentle Reader whether thou thinke this trompery rightly to be fathered vpon those ancient fathers aforenamed or els whether it may seme more like trueth that Iohn Sleydan writeth whose woordes in his second booke de Monarchijs are these Ioan 〈◊〉 danu◠〈◊〉 de 4. â—â—â—narch Horum decreta sunt in libris inserta conciliorum sed ex his plaeraque tam sunt leuicula tam nugatoria tam aliena prorsus a sacris literis vt credibile sit ab alijs longo post teÌ„pore fuisse conficta c. That is The decrees of these foresaid Bishops and Martyrs be inserted in the booke of Counsels but of these decrees many therof be so childish so trifling and so farre disagreeing from the holy scripture Many 〈…〉 imputeâ— the oldâ— theâ—â— which 〈◊〉 none oâ— theirs that it is very like that the same were fayned and counterfayted of others long after theyr time c. Thus muche sayth Sleydane with moe woordes in that place Unto whose testimony if I might be so bolde also to adde my coniecture I would suppose the coniuration of this foresayd water and Salte to spring out of the same fountayne from whence proceeded the coniuring of flowers and braunches because I see the order and manner of them both to be so like and vniforme as may appeare The maner of halowing flowers and braunches I coniure thee thou creature of flowers and brauÌ„ches in the name of ✚ God the father almighty Floures braunch hallowâ— and in the name ✚ of Iesu Christ his sonne our Lord and in the vertue of the holy ✚ Ghost Therfore be thou rooted out and displaÌ„ted from this creature of flowers and braunches all thou strength of the aduersary all thou host of the deuill and all the power of the enemy eueÌ„ euery assault of the deuils c. And thus much concerning the antiquity of holy bread and holy water wherby thou mayst partly coniecture the same not to be so olde as Steuen Gardiner in hys Letter agaynst mayster Ridley aboue mentioned woulde haue Pag. 753. being both deceiued himselfe and also goyng about to seduce other Furthermore as touching the reseruing of reliques the memoriall of sayntes brought into the masse Ex Actiâ— Rom. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Gregoriâ—â— Gregory the thyrd is the author therof who also added to the canon therof this clause Quorum solennitates hodie in coÌ„spectu diuinae maiestatis tuae celebrantur c. Finally it were to long to recite euery thing in order deuised and brought in particularly to the masse and to y e Church For after that mans brayne was once set on deuising it neuer coulde make an end of heaping rite vppon rite and ceremony vpon ceremonye till all religion was turned well nighe to superstition Thereof commeth oyle and creame brought in by Pope Siluester not wont to be hallowed but by a byshop Oyle 〈◊〉 creame The 〈◊〉 onelâ— linnen That the corporas shuld not be of silcke but onely of fine linnen cloth That the Psalmes should be song on sides the one side of the quier singing one verse the other an other with gloria patri c. That baptisme should be ministred at no other time in the yere but onely at Easter and at whitsontide saue onely to infantes and such as were in extreame infirmity and that it should be requyred 40. dayes before Autor 〈◊〉 Conciliâ—â— Tomo 〈◊〉 Hallow of the 〈◊〉 at Easteâ—â— Whitsoâ—â—tide Christ iâ— of bellâ— Ex ponâ— cali 〈…〉 No beaâ—â— so determined by Pope Siricius and therfore was it that fontes were halowed onely at these two seasons the which hallowing they keep yet still but the ordinaunce they haue reiecte Item that belles also were Christened Item no Prieste shoulde weare a beard or haue long hayre so appoynted by Pope Martine the first Item that auriculare confession shoulde be made that the booke of decrees and decretals should be stablished and transubstauntiation confirmed in whiche three Actes Pope Innocentius the thyrd was the chiefest doer Transuâ—â—stantiatâ—â— about the yeare of our Lord. 1215. And thus haue ye in sum the gatheringes of the masse with the Chanon and all the appurtenaunce of the same which not much vnlike to the Crow of Esope being patched with the feathers of so manye byrdes was so long a gethering that the temple of Salomon was not so long in building as the Popes Masse was in making Whereby iudge now thy selfe good Reader whether this Masse did proceede from Iames and other Apostles or no. And yet this was one of the principall causes for which so much turmoyle was made in the Church with the bloudshed of so many Godly men suffering in so many quarters of this realme some consumed by fire some pined away with huÌ„ger some hanged some slayne some racked some tormented one way some another and that onely or chiefelye for the cause of this aforesayd popish Masse as by the reading of this story folowing by the grace of Christ our Lord shall appeare more
remayneth that the natuâ—all vniâ—â—ng to Christes body commeth not by the bodely eating of the Sacrament vnto our body but to our soule so shall redounde at length vnto our bodyes naturally I prooue it thus As Christ liueth by the Father so lyue we by hys flesh eaten of vs But Christ liueth not by hys father onely by faith and loue but naturally Therfore we do not lyue by eating of Christs flesh only by faith and loue as you suppose but naturally Cran. The Minor is not true Tres. This is the opinion of Arrius that Christ is vnited to his father by coniunction of mynd and not naturally Cran. I say not so yet neither do I thinke so But I wil tel you what I like not in your Minor You say that Christ doth not liue by his father only by faith and loue but I say that Christ liueth not at all by his faith West Marke and consider well this word by faith least any occasion of cauilling be geuen Tres. Let that worde by faith he omitted Neither dyd I meane that Christ liueth by his father thorough faith Yet the strength of the Argument remayneth in force If that vnion of the substance of flesh should be graunted vnto our bodies then should our bodies neuer dye nor see corruption For els Hillary doth not conâ—ute y e Arrians except there be a greter coniunction betwene vs Christ when he is eaten of vs then only a spiritual coniunction You do only graunt a vnion As for a carnall or naturall vnion of the substance of flesh by which we are ioyned more then spiritually you do not grant But our lord Iesus geue you a better mind and shew you the light of his truth that you may returne into the way of righteousnesse West We came hether to dispute and not to pray Tres. Is it not lawfull to pray for them that erre West It is not lawfull yet But proceed Tres. Agayne I reason thus As Christ liueth by hys father after the same maner do we lyue by the eating of hys flesh But Christ liueth not by his father onely in vnitie of will The same argument againe repeated but naturally Ergo we do not lyue when we eate the flesh of Christ only by fayth and vnitie of will but naturally Cran. This is my faith and it agreeth with the scripture Christ liueth by his father naturally Aunswere maketh vs to lyue by himselfe in deede naturally and that not onely in the sacrament of the Eucharist but also in Baptisme For Infants when they are baptised do eate the flesh of Christ. Weston Aunswer eyther to the whole argument or to the partes therof For this argument is strong and cannot be dissolued Cran. This is the argument As Christ liueth by his father after the same maner do we lyue by his flesh The Archb. repeateth the argument beyng eaten of vs But Christ liueth not by his father onely in vnitie of will but naturally Ergo we eating his flesh do not lyue only by faith and loue but naturally But the Maior is false namely that by the same maner we liue by Christ as he liueth by his father West * Christ not after his manhood but after his diuine nature liueth naturally by his father which diuine nature of his worketh also in his manhoode an immortality So our spirite and soule receauing the naturall bodye of Christ in the misteries by fayth do receaue also the nature of his body that is his purenes iustificatioÌ„ lyfe the operation wherof redounding likewise vnto our bodyes doth make the same also capable of the same glory and immortality And thus it is true that as Christ liueth naturallye by his father so we liue naturally by the bodye of Christ eaten in the misteryes hauing respecte both to the manhood of him and of vs. For as the fleshe of Christ in respecte of bare fleshe liueth not naturally by the father but for that it is ioyned to his diuinity So our flesh liueth not naturally by Christs body eaten in the SacrameÌ„t for then euery wicked man eating the SacrameÌ„t should liue naturally by hym but for that our flesh is ioyned to the spirite and soule whiche truely eateth the bodye of Christe by fayth and so onely the bodyes of the faythfull doe lyue by eating the bodye of Christe naturally in particypatyng the naturall propertyes of the bodye of Christe Hillary sayth after the same manner vpon these words he that eateth my flesh shal lyue by me Ergo Christ liueth by his father and as he liueth by his father after the same maner we shall lyue by his fleshe Here you see that Hillary saith after the same maner Cran. After the same manner doth not signifie lyke in all things but in deed and eternally for so do we liue by Christ and Christ liueth by his father For in other respects Christ liueth otherwise by his father then wee lyue by Christ. West He liueth by his father naturally and eternally Ergo we liue by Christ naturally and eternally Cran. We do not liue naturally but by grace if you take naturally for the manner of nature As Christ hath eternall lyfe of hys Father so haue we of hym West I sticke to this word naturally Cran. I meane it touching the truth of nature For Christ liueth otherwise by his Father then we lyue by Christ. West Hillary in the 8. booke De Trinitate denieth it when he sayth he liueth therfore by his father and as he liueth by his Father Naturall expounded after the same manner we shall lyue by his flesh Cran. We shall lyue after the same maner as concerning the nature of the flesh of Christ for as he hath of his father the nature of eternitie so shall we haue of him West Answer vnto the partes of the Argument As Christ liueth by his father after the same manner shall we lyue by his flesh The argument the third tyme repeated But Christ doth not lyue by his father onely in vnitie of will but naturally Ergo we eating his flesh do not liue onely by faith and loue but naturally Cran. I graunt as I said we liue by Christ naturally but I neuer heard that Christ liueth with his Father in vnitie of will onely West Because it semeth a meruaile vnto you heare what Hillary sayth These things are recited of vs to this ende because the heretikes fayning an vnitie of wyll onely betweene the father and the sonne did vse the example of our vnity with godâ— as though that we beyng vnited to the sonne and by the sonne to the father onely by obedience and wyll of religion had no proprietie of the naturall communion by the sacrament of the body and bloud But answer to the argument Christ lyueth by his father naturally and eternally therfore do we liue by Christ naturally and eternally Cran. Cyrill and Hillary do say that Christ is vnited to vs not onely by will but also by nature
for the washing away of sinnes as it was euen the same day that it flowed out of the blessed side of our sauiour and finally that the whole substance of our sacrifice which is frequented of the Church in the Lords Supper The wholâ— substance 〈◊〉 our sacrificâ— wherein it consisteth consisteth in praiers praise and geuing of thankes and in remembring and shewing foorth of that sacrifice once offered vpon the altar of the crosse that the same might continually be had in reuerence by mystery which once onely and no more was offered for the price of our redemption These are the things right worshipfull M. Prolocutor and ye the rest of the Commissioners which I could presently prepare to the aunswering of your three foresayde propositions being destitute of all helpe in this shortnes of time sodaine warning and want of bookes B. Ridley appealeth from the vniust sentence of his aduersaries to some other superiour competent iudge Wherefore I appeale to my first protestation most humbly desiring the helpe of the same as much as may be to be graunted vnto me And because ye haue lately giuen most vniust and cruell sentence against me I do heere appeale so farfoorth as I may to a more indifferent iust censure iudgemeÌ„t of some other superiour competent lawful iudge that according to the approued state of the church of England Howbeit I confesse that I am ignoraunt what that is at this present through the trouble and alteration of the state of the Realme â— Ridley 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 â—ppealeth 〈◊〉 â—ighty 〈◊〉 But if this appeale may not be graunted to me vpon earth then do I flye euen as to my onely refuge and alone hauen of health to the sentence of the eternall iudge that is of y e almighty God to whose most merciful iustice towardes his most iust mercifulnes I doe wholly commit my selfe and all my cause nothing at all despayring of the defence of mine Aduocate and alone Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with the euerlasting Father and the holy Spirit the sanctifier of vs all be now and for euer all honour and glory Amen Albeit this learned Byshop was not suffered to reade all that is aboue prefixed before the Disputations yet because he had it then ready and offered it vp to the Prolocutour after the Disputations sentence pronounced I thought heere the place not vnmeete to annexe the same together with the rest Now let vs heare the Arguments and aunsweres betweene Doctour Smith and him ¶ D. Smith beginneth to oppose SMith You haue occasioned me to go otherwise to worke with you then I had thought to haue done Me seemed you did in your supposition abuse the testimonies of scripture concerning the Ascension of Christ to take away hys presence in the Sacrament as though this were a strong Argument to inforce your matter withall Smithes argument Christ did ascend vnto heauen Ergo he is not in the Sacrament Now therefore I will go about to disproue this reason of yours Christes Ascension is no let to his reall presence in the Sacrament Ergo you are deceiued whereas you do grounde youre selfe vpon those places Rid. You import as though I had made a strong Argument by Christes going vp into heauen But howsoeuer mine Argument is made Aunswere you collect it not rightly For it doth not only stay vpon his Ascension but both vpon hys Ascension and his * The veritie of M. Ridleyes answere touching the reall being of Christ in earth to be restrained by his ascending and abiding in heauen standeth vpon a necessitie whiche we call Necessitas consequentiae by thys demonstration Da Euery naturall body must necessarily be contayned in his pecular and certaine place â—iâ— Christes body is a naturall body â— Ergo Christes body not to be in one certaine place at once contayned it is impossible according to the rule Omne propositiones de impossibili de necesâ—e equipollent dicto dissimiliter se habenti modoÌ„ similiter abiding there also Smith Christes going vp to heauen and his abiding there hinder not his reall presence in the Sacrament Ergo you are deceiued Rid. Of Christes reall presence there may be a double vnderstanding if you take the reall presence of Christ according to the reall and corporal substance which he tooke of the virgine that presence being in heauen caÌ„ not be on the earth also But if you meane a reall presence secuÌ„dum rem aliquam quae ad corpus Christi pertinet i. according to some thing that appertaineth to Christes body certes the Ascension and abiding in heauen are no let at all to that presence Wherefore Christes body after that sort is heere present to vs in the Lords supper by grace I say as Epiphanius speaketh it West I will cut off from hencefoorth all equiuocation and doubt For whensoeuer we speake of Christes body wee meane that which he tooke of the Uirgin Rid. Christes Ascension and abiding in heauen can not stand with this presence Smith Christ appeared corporally and really on the earth for all his Ascension and continuall abode in heauen vnto the day of Dome Argument Ergo his Ascension and abiding in heauen is no let to his reall presence in the Sacrament Rid. Aunswere Maister Doctour this Argument is nothing worth I do not so straightly tye Christ vp in heauen that he may not come into the earth at his pleasure For when he will he may come downe from heauen and be on the earth as it liketh himselfe Howbeit I do affirme that it is not possible for him to be both in heauen and earth at one tyme. Smith Marke I pray you my Maisters diligently that be here what he aunswereth First he saith that the sitting of Christ at the right hande of his father is a let to the reall presence of his body in the Sacrament and then afterward he flyeth from it agayne Rid. I woulde not haue you thinke that I do imagine or dreame vpon any such maner of sitting as these men heere sit in the Schoole Smith Ergo it is lawfull for Christ then to be heere present on the earth when he will himselfe Rid. Yea when he will it is lawfull indeede Smith Ergo his ascending into heauen doth not restrayne his reall presence in the Sacrament Rid. I do not gaynesay but that it is lawfull sor hym to appeare on the earth when he wil but proue you y t he wil. Christes aboâ—e in heauen is no let for him to appeare on earth when he will but whether he wil that must be proued Againe it is one thing to appeare on earth an other still in the Sacrament and to be present the same time with his body in heauen wheÌ„ he is bodely present in earth Smith Then your aunswere dependeth vppon the will of Christ I perceiue Therfore I will ioyne agayn with you in this short argument Christ albeit hee doth alway abide in heauen
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
Gospell of Iesus Christ my fellow Elder and most deare brother in England THe heauenly father graunt vnto you and to all those which are in bands and captiuitie for his name sake grace and peace through Iesus Christ our Lord A letter of M. Bullenâ—er to M. Hooper 〈…〉 of latin 〈◊〉 Engâ—â—â—h with wisedome patience and fortitude of the holy Ghost I haue receiued from you two letters my most deare brother the former in the moneth of September of the yeare past the latter in the moneth of May of this present yeare both written out of prison But I doubting least I should make aunswere to you in vayne whilest I feared that my letters should neuer come vnto your handes or else increase and double your sorrow did refrayne from the duety of writing In the which thing I doubt not but you will haue me excused especially seeing you did not vouchsafe no not once in a whole yeare to aunswere to my whole libels rather then letters whereas I continued still notwithstanding in writing vnto you as also at this present after I heard that you were cast in prison I did not refraine from continuall prayer beseeching our heauenly Father through our onely mediatour Iesus Christ to graunt vnto you and to your fellowe prisoners faith and constancie vnto the ende Now is that thyng happened vnto you my brother the which we did oftentimes prophecie vnto our selues at your being with vs should come to passe especially when we did talke of the power of Antichrist and of his felicitie and victories For you know the saying of Daniell The power of Antichrist described in Daniell chapt 8. Math. 10. Iohn 15.16 â— Tim. 2.3 His power shall be mighty but not in his strength and he shall wonderfully destroy and make hauocke of all things and shall prosper and practise and he shall destroy the mighty and the holy people after his owne will You knowe what the Lord warned vs of before hand by Mathew in the tenth chapter by Iohn in the 15. chapter and the 16. and also what that chosen vessell Saint Paule hath written in the second to Timothy and the third chapter Wherefore I do nothing doubt by Gods grace of your faith and patience whilest you knowe that those things which you suffer are not looked for or come by chaunce The doctrine of the Protestants what it is wherefore they are persecuted but that you suffer them in the best truest and most holy quarell for what can be more true and holy then our doctrine which the Papistes those worshippers of Antichrist do persecute All things touching saluation we attribute vnto Christ alone and to his holy institutions as we haue bene taught of him and of his disciples but they would haue euen the same things to be communicated as well to their Antichrist and to his institutions Ephes. 1. Such we ought no lesse to withstand then we reade that Helias withstoode the Baalites For if Iesus be Christ then let them knowe that he is the fulnes of his Church and that perfectly but and if Antichrist be King and Priest then let them exhibite vnto him that honor How long do they halt on both sides 2. Thes. 2. Christ is sufficient and not be patched with the Pope Can they geue vnto vs any one that is better then Christ Or who shall be equall with Christ that may be compared with him except it be he whome the Apostle calleth the Aduersarie But if Christ be sufficient for his Church what needeth this patching and peecing But I know well enough I neede not to vse these disputations with you which are sincerely taught and haue taken roote in Christ being perswaded that you haue all things in him and that we in hym are made perfect Go forwardes therefore constauntly to confesse Christ and to defye Antichrist Apoc. 21 being mindfull of this most holy and most true saying of our Lorde Iesus Christ He that ouercommeth shall possesse all things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne but the fearefull and the vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and the murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue theyr part in the lake which burneth with fyre and brimstone whych is the second death The fyrst death is soone ouercome although a man must burne for the Lordes sake for they say well that do affyrme thys our fyre to be scarcely a shadowe of that which is prepared for the vnbeleeuers and them that fall from the trueth Moreouer the Lorde graunteth vnto vs that wee may easily ouercome by his power the fyrst death the which he hymselfe dyd taste and ouercome promising withall such ioyes as neuer shall haue ende vnspeakeable and passing all vnderstanding the which we shall possesse so soone as euer we departe hence For so agayne sayeth the Angell of the Lord If any man woorship the beast and his Image and receyue hys marke in hys forehead or on his hande the same shall drinke of the wrath of God Apoc. 14. Gods wrath vpon the beast and them that taâ—e his 〈◊〉 yea of the wyne which is poured into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb and the smoke of their tormeÌ„ts shal ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast his Image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name Here is the patieÌ„ce of Saintes here are they that keep the commandements of God In this time of Antichrist is the pacience and fayth of Gods children tryed whereby they shall ouercome all his tyranny read Math. 24. and the fayth of Iesus To this he addeth by and by I heard a voyce saying to me write blessed be the dead that dye in the Lord froÌ„ henceforth or speedely they be blessed Io. 5 euen so sayth the spirite for they rest froÌ„ their labours but their works follow theÌ„ for our labour shall not be frustrate or in vayne Therefore seeing you haue such a large promise be strong in the Lorde fight a good fight be faythfull to the Lorde vnto the ende consider that Christ the sonne of God is your Captaine and fighteth for you and for that all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs are your fellow souldiours They that persecute and trouble vs are men sinfull and mortall whose fauour a wise man would not buy with the value of a farthing besides that our life is frayle short brickle and transitory Happy are we if we depart in the Lorde who graunt vnto you and to all your fellow prisoners fayth and constancy Commend me to the most reuerend fathers and holy Confessours of Christ Doctor Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury D. Ridley Bishop of London and the good old father D. Latimer Them and all the rest of the prisoners with you for the Lordes cause salute in my name and in the name of all my fellow
haue dedicate themselues vnto Christ in fayth to liue purely and chastly then let them so remayne without any fable and stronglye stedfastly abide the rewarde of virginitye But if they will not abide or els cannot abide then it is better to mary then for to fall into the fire of concupiscence And let theÌ„ geue to the brethren sisterne none occasion of sclaunder c. ¶ Saynt Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali ad Iulianum CErtayne men doe affirme those men to be aduouterers that doe marry August de Bono coniugali ad Iulianum after that they haue vowed chastity But I do affirme that those men do greuously sinne the whiche do separate them c. ¶ Ambrose 32. Quest. 1. Cap. Integritas The Pope his Byâ—hops commaundeth and counselleth not to mary yea to burne men for marying CHastitye of the bodye ought to bee desired of vs the whiche thing I do geue for a counsell and do not commaund it imperiously For Virginity is a thing that alonelye ought to be couÌ„selled but not to be commaunded it is rather a thing of voluntary will and not a precept ¶ A briefe recapitulation out of Doctour Taylours causes afore touched for the Reader more euidently to see how the Papistes do agaynst their own knowledge in forbiddinge Pristes Mariage THe Popes Clergy forbidding Ecclesiastical persons to mary do against their conscience knowledge as may well be proued by these causes hereunder folowing 1. First they know that Matrimony in the old testament De iure institutionis is indifferently permitted to all menne without any exception 2. Secondly they know that in the old Testament De facto both Priestes Leuites Prophets Patriarches and al other had theyr wiues 3. Thirdly they know that Matrimony was permitted instituted of God for two principall endes to wit for procreation and auoyding of sinne 4. Fourtly they know that in the old testameÌ„t God not onely instituted and permitted Matrimony to be free but also induceth appoynteth meÌ„ to mary and take wiues in these wordes It is not good for a man to be alone c. 5 Fiftly they know that in the new testament S. Paule permitteth the state of Matrimony free to all men hauing not the gift of continency and forbiddeth none 6. Sixtly they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paule not only permitteth but also expressely willeth chargeth men hauing not the gift to mary saying For auoyding fornication let euery man haue his wife c. 7. Seuenthly they know that in the new Testament the sayd S. Paul not onely permitteth and commauÌ„deth but also commendeth and prayseth the state of Matrimonye Hebr. 13. Calling it honorable and the bedcompany to be vndefiled c. 8. Eightly they know that in the new testament Christ himselfe not onely was not conceiued nor borne of the virgine before she was espoused in matrimonye but also that both he and his blessed mother did beutify and honour the state of matrimony with their presence yea in the same began his first miracle 9. Ninthly they know both by the old testament new that mariage is no impediment to walke in the obedieÌ„ce of Gods commandement for both Abraham caryed into the land of Canaan his old yea and barrayne wife the vertuous woman Sara with him also to Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid and other their mariage was no impedemeÌ„t to them to talk with God neither to other Leuites bishops and Priestes in the time both of the old testament of the new Agayne neither was it a let to Peter Philip other both to haue their wiues with them and also to supply the office of Apostleship 10. Tenthly they know both by the old testameÌ„t new y t sinnefull fornicatioÌ„ adultry depriueth man of Gods fauor graces of the holy Ghost which graces especially be requisite in men of the Church 11. Eleuenthly they know in theyr owne secret conscience by experience that neither they which enioyne this vow of chastity nor they which take it doe obserue the vowe of chastity Whereupon rise inconueniences more then can be expressed but the Lord aboue knoweth all besides the secret murders peraduenture of many a poore infant c. 12. Twelfthly they knowe by S. Cyprian Epist. 11. and S. Augustine Lib. De bono coniugali ad Iulianum that a vowe is no impediment sufficient to let Matrimony or to diuorce the same 13. Thirtenthly they know that Chrysostome affirmeth it to be an heresy to say that a byshop may not haue a wife 14. Fourtenthly they know that S. Ambrose 32. q. 1. Integritas will haue no commaundement but counsel onely to be geuen touching the obseruing of virginity 15. Fiftenthlye they knowe that before the time of Pope Hildebrand that is during that time of 1000. yeares after Christ mariage was neuer restrained by any forceable necessity of vow from men of the Church 16. Sixtenthly they know that S. Paul calleth it the doctrine of deuils to forbid meates and maryage which God hath left free with thankes geuing for necessity of man and woman After that Doct. Taylour thus with great spirite and courage had aunswered for himselfe and stoutly rebuked his aduersaries for breaking their oth made before to king Henry and to king Edwarde his sonne and for betraying the realme into the power of the Romain bishop they perceiuing that in no case he could be styrred to their wils and purpose that is to turne with them from Christ to Antichrist committed him therupon to prison againe where he endured till the last of Ianuary * D. Taylour the fourth tyme with M. Bradford and M. Saunders brought before Winchester and other Byshops VPon which day yeare aforesayd Gardineâ— Hopton Boner Capon Tonstall D. Tailour and M. Bradford and M. SauÌ„ders were agayne called to appeare before the byshop of Winchester the bishop of Norwich of London of Salisbury and of Duresme and ther were charged agayne with heresy schisme and therfore a determinate answere was required whether they woulde submit themselues to the Romayne byshop abiure there errors or els they would according to theyr lawes proceed to theyr condemnation When D. Taylour and his felowes M. Bradford and M. Saunders heard this they answered stoutly and boldly The conâ—â—cye of thâ— men that they would not depart froÌ„ the truth which they had preached in king Edwards dayes neither would they submit themselues to the romish Antichrist but they thanked God for so great mercy that he would cal them to be worthy to suffer for his word and truth When the Bishops saw them so boldly constanly and vnmoueably fixed in the truth Sentence death 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 they read y e senteÌ„ce of death vpon them which wheÌ„ they had heard they most ioyfully gaue God thankes and stoutly sayde vnto the Byshops We doubt not but God the righteous Iudge will require our bloud at your handes and
the proudest of you all shall repent this receiuing agayne of Antichrist and your tiranny that ye now shew agaynst the flocke of Christ. So was Doctor Taylour nowe condemned committed to the Clinke the keepers charged straitlye to keepe him for ye haue nowe an other maner of charge quoth the Lord Chauncellour then ye had before therefore looke ye take heed to it WheÌ„ the keeper brought him toward the prison y t people flocked about to gase vpoÌ„ him vnto whoÌ„ he sayd God be praysed good people I am come away from theÌ„ vndefiled will confirme the truth with my bloud So was he bestowed in the Clincke till it was toward night and theÌ„ he was remoued to the Counter by the Poultry When D. Taylour had lyen in the sayd Counter in the poultry a seuennight or there aboutes prisoner the fourth day of February Anno 1555. Edmund Boner Byshop of London with others came to the said Counter to disgrade him bringing with them such ornaments as do appertein to theyr massing MuÌ„mery Now being come he called for the sayd D. Taylor to be brought vnto him the bishop being then in the chamber where the keeper of the Counter and his wife lay So D. Taylour was brought downe froÌ„ the chamber aboue that to the sayd Boner And att his comming the Bishop sayd Mayster Doctour I woulde you would remember your selfe and turn to your mother holy Church so may you do wel enough and I wil sue for your pardon Wherunto M. Taylor aunswered I would you and your felowes would turne to Christ. As for me I will not turne to Antichrist Well quoth the byshop I am come to disgrade you wherfore put on these vestures No quoth Doct. Taylour I will not Wilt thou not said the Bishop I shall make thee ere I goe Quoth Doct. Taylor you shal not by the grace of God TheÌ„ he charged him vpon his obedience to do it but he would not do it for him So he willed another to put them on his backe wheÌ„ he was throughly furnished therwith he set his handes by his side walking vp and down and sayd how say you my Lord am I not a goodly foole how say you my maysters If I were in cheape should I not haue boyes enough to laugh at these apish toyes toying trumpery So the byshop scraped his fingers thuÌ„bes the crowne of his head and did the rest of such like deuilish obseruaunces At the last when he should haue geuen D. Taylour a stroke on the brest with his Crosierstaffe the Bishoppes Chapleine sayd my Lord strike him not for hee wyll sure strike agayne Yea by S. Peter will I quoth Doct. Taylour The cause is Christes and I were no good Christian if I would not fight in my Maysters quarrell So the byshop laid his curse vpon him but stroke him not Then D. Taylor sayd though you do curse me yet God doth blesse me D. Taylour 〈…〉 the â—ope and 〈…〉 of D. â—aylour I haue the witnes of my conscience that ye haue done me wrong and violence And yet I pray God if it be hys will forgeue you But from the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome his detestable enormities good Lord deliuer vs. And in going vp to his chamber he still sayd God deliuer me from you God deliuer me froÌ„ you And when he came vp he told Maister Bradford for they both lay in one chaÌ„ber that he had made the Byshop of London afearde for sayth he laughingly his Chapleine gaue him counsel not to strike me with his Crosierstaffe for that I would strike agayne and by my troth sayde he rubbing his handes I made him beleue I would do so in deed The night after that he was disgraded his wyfe and his sonne Thomas resorted to him â—eepers of 〈◊〉 and were by the geÌ„tlenes of the keepers permitted to suppe with hym For this difference was euer found betweene the keepers of the byshops prisons and the keepers of the kinges prisons that the Bishops keepers were euer cruell blasphemous and tyrannous like theyr Maysters but the Keepers of the kinges prisons shewed for the most part as much fauor as they possible might So came Doctor Taylours wife his sonne and Iohn Hull his seruaunt to sup with him and at their comming in afore supper they kneeled downe and praied saying the Letany D Taylour â—lessed his 〈◊〉 D. Taylours 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 sonne â—â—rthy of al 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 After supper walking vp and downe he gaue GOD thanks for his grace that had so called him and geuen him strength to abide by his holy worde and turning to hys sonne Thomas My deare sonne sayd he almighty God blesse thee geue thee his holy spirit to be a true seruaunt of Christ to learn his word and constantly to stand by his trueth all thy long life And my sonne see that thou feare God alwaies Flee from all sinne wicked liuing be vertuous serue God with dayly prayer and apply thy booke In any wise see thou be obedient to thy Mother loue her and serue her be ruled by her now in thy youth and folow her good counsell in all thinges Beware of lewd company of young men that feare not God but folowe theyr lewde lustes and vayne appitites Flye from Whooredome and hate all filthy liuing remembring that I thy father do dye in the defence of holy mariage And another day wheÌ„ god shall blesse thee loue cherish the poore people couÌ„t that thy chiefe riches is to be rich in almes and when thy mother is waxed old forsake her not but prouide for her to thy power and see that she lacke nothing For so will GOD blesse thee and geue the long life vpon earth and prosperity which I pray God to graunt thee Then turning to his wife D. Taylour councelleth hiâ— wyfe My deare wife quoth he continue stedfast in the feare and loue of God keepe your selfe vndefiled from theyr Popysh Idolatryes and superstitions I haue bene vnto you a faythfull yokefelow and so haue you bene vnto me for the which I pray GOD to reward you and doubt you not deare wife but God wyll reward it Now the time is come that I shall be taken from you you discharged of the wedlocke bond towards me therfore I will geue you my counsell what I thinke most expedient for you You are yet a childbearing woman and therfore it will be most conuenient for you to marry For doubtlesse you shall neuer be at a conuenient stay for your selfe and our poore children nor out of trouble tyll you be maryed Therfore as soone as God will prouide it marry with some honest faythfull man that feareth God Doubt you not God will prouide an honest husband for you he wil be a mercifull father to you and to my children whom I pray you bring vp in the feare of God in learning to the vttermost of your power and keep them from
gift of spirit and courage God had geuen to this godly and blessed martyr At what time Doctour Taylour was depriued of hys benefice of Hadley there was one called Syr Robert Bracher a false pretensed Protestant in king Edwardes dayes and afterward a deadly enemy to the same ReligioÌ„ who was also one of them that so vnmercifully thrust Doctor Taylors wife and children out of the dores as she her selfe yet can testify notwithstanding the same now since became a Protestant agayne This Syr Robert Bracher aforesayde Syr Robâ—â—â— Bracherâ— coÌ„ming 〈◊〉 Hadley comming to Hadley to the buriall of a certayne frend of his and Gods great enemy one Walter Clarke albeit he came somewhat to late to the market as he sayd yet desirous to vtter such Popishe pelfe and packeware as he brought with him hee opened there his baggage of pestilent doctrine A popisâ— Sermon Syr 〈◊〉 Bracher preaching in the same towne of Hadley agaynst iustification of fayth of the corporall presence of praying for the dead and Auricular confession Whereof Doctour Taylour hauing vnderstanding by Letters writeth agayn to them of Hadley directing his Letter to his wife in confutation of the sayde Popish poysoned Sermon the Copy of which Letter we thought not vnworthy here in the ende of this story to bee annexed as vnder foloweth ¶ A Letter of Doctor Taylour of Hadley written to his wife DEare wife This cap was a 〈◊〉 cap sent M· Couâ—â—dale to 〈◊〉 Taylor 〈◊〉 his wyfe I pray God be euer with vs through Christ our onely Mediator Amen I thanke you for my cap I am something proud of it for it is one steppe from the Clergy in these dayes I thanke God my hart is cleane deuided from theyr proceedinges for I knowe that no man can serue two maisters specially if they agree no better theÌ„ Christ and Antichrist do I am glad that Hadley can skill of such packing ware as was brought thether the first day of May last past Christes sheepe can discerne Christes voyce from the voice of straungers theeues or hirelings The packebringer was sory that he came to late to the funerall market of his faithfull friend· But here I will leaue them both to Gods iudgement and somethyng touch the matter whereof the packer made mention on his openyng day At the first he called the Scripture as I heare full of darke sentences but in deed it is called of Dauid a candle to our feete and a light to our pathes Our Sauior Christ calleth hys word the light which euill doers do flee from and hate least their deeds should be reprooued thereby S. Paule would haue vs to walke as children of light and in any wyse not to continue in ignorance or darkenes But all we in the world pertaine to two princes eyther to the father of light truth or els to the prince of darkenes and lyes In these dayes preachers declare euidently of whome they are sent and with what spirit they speake to what prince they belong 〈◊〉 stripe 〈◊〉 falsely 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 to be â—eare and 〈◊〉 For they cry out against Gods Lightes Sunne Moone Starres torches lampes lanternes cressets and candles in Gods booke the Bible prouided of Gods great goodnes and mercy to auoyd all foule darknes cloudes and mistes or dangerous doutfull wayes in this our iourney to our heaueÌ„ly father long home mansion houses and dearely purchased heritage Esay gods faithfull messenger sayth Woe be vnto them that call sweete sower good euill and light darkenes Therfore commeth my people into captiuitie because they haue no vnderstanding Our Sauiour Christ pronounceth errours and heresies to remaine among the people so long as ignorance of the scriptures remayneth And hereby it appeareth to all good consciences what they meane which defame or accuse Gods blessed word beyng full of light as though it were full of darkenes These Owles would haue all day lights scraped out of bookes hartes and Churches Oh Lord turne their heartes and tongues bowe them from the waye of darkenesse least they goe to the prince of darkenesse and be cast into the pit of vtter darkenes where is weepyng and gnashyng of teeth Now touching the packes of wooll and the packes of cloth I feare they were as all other wares bee transubstantiate into flockes The Popes packe ware Iustification by workes Corporall pâ—esence Praying for soules Auricular confession euen his very finest packing stuffe against onely faith iustifieng and for the corporal presence of Christes body in the sacrament for praying for soules departed and for auricular confession Abrahams iustification by fayth by grace by promise and not by workes is plainly set forth both in the epistle to the Rom. cap. 4. and to the Gal. ca. 3. and Abrahams works of obedience in offring vp his sonne so long after his iustification must needes be taken as a fruite of a good tree iustifieng before men and not of iustification before God for then had man to glory in then dyd Christ die in vayne And where as the 6 chap. of Iohn was alledged to proue that Christ did geue his body corporally in his supper eueÌ„ as he had promised in the sayd 6. chap. it is most vntrue Against the corporall presence For onely he gaue his body sacramentally spiritually and effectually in his supper to the faythfull Apostles and corporally he gaue it in a bloudy sacrifice for the lyfe of the worlde vppon the crosse once for all There in hys owne person Chrâ—sts body geuen in the Supper spiritually vpon the croâ—se corporally in hys owne naturall body he bare all our sinnes By whose stripes we were healed as S. Peter proueth 1. Pet. 2. and Esay 53. In deed receiuyng Christs sacrament accordingly as it was instituted we receyue Christes body Christs bloud euen as I sayd before the Apostles dyd But the popish Masse is another matter The Masse as it is now is but one of Antichrists youngest daughters in the which the deuill is rather present and receyued Against the Masse The Masse the Popes youngest daâ—ghter Dâ—scription of the popes â—ingdome then our sauiour the second person in Trinitie God and man O Lord God heauenly father for Christes sake we beseeche thee to turne agayne England to the right way it was in in K. Edwards tyme from this Babylonicall stewish spirituall whoredome conspiracie tyranny detestable enormities false doctrine heresie hardnes of hart and coÌ„tempt of thy word and commaundements from this euident and open idolatry sacriledge simonie blasphemy superstition hypocrisie transubstantiate angell of lyght and day deuill kyngdome of lyes foule vayne schismes sects sedition apostasie gay sweete poyson honied and sugred viperous venome wily woluishnesse sathanicall subtletie and abhomination in the sight of God and of all such as put on the true spectacles of holy scripture I am the more playne now in this matter because I feare greatly that many will be to much ready to go from Christ to
other time for which he gaue God thankes and vsed the same to his necessitie Amâ—y Couper Shiriffes of Chesâ—er When the time and day appointed came that he should suffer the Sheriffes of y e Cittie whose names were Amry Couper with their Officers and a great nuÌ„ber of poore simple Barbers with rousty Billes Polaxes went to the Northgate there tooke out the said George Marsh who came with them most humbly meekly Marsh led to his MartyrdoÌ„e with a lock vpon his feete And as he came vpon the waye towardes y e place of execution some folkes proferd him money looked that he should haue gone with a litle purse in his hand as the maner of felons was The old vse in Lancashyre to geue money to bye Trâ—ntalls accustomed in that Cittye in times past at their goyng to execution to y e end to gather money to geue vnto a priest to say Trentals of Masses for theÌ„ after their death wherby they might as they thought be saued G. Marsh refuseth to receaue money going to his death but Marsh sayd he would not as theÌ„ be troubled w t medling with mony but willed some good man to take the mony if y e people were disposed to geue any to geue it vnto the prisoners or poore people So hee went all the way vnto his death w t his booke in his hand looking vpoÌ„ the same many of y e people sayd this maÌ„ goeth not vnto his death as a theefe or as one that deserueth to dye Now when he came to the place of execution w tout the Citie G. Marsh refuseth the Quenes pardon neare vnto Spittle boughton one Uawdrey being then deputie chamberleine of Chester shewed Marshe a writyng vnder a great seale saying that it was a pardon for him if he would recant Wherat Marsh answered that he would gladly accept the same and sayd farther that he loued the Queene but for asmuch as it tended to plucke him froÌ„ God he would not receiue it vpon that condition After that hee began to speake to the people shewing the cause of his death G. Marsh not suffred to speake to the people and woulde haue exhorted them to sticke vnto Christ. Whereupon one of the Sheriffes sayd George Marshe we must haue no sermoning nowe To whom he sayd Mayster I cry you mercy and so kneeling downe made his prayers and then put of his clothes vnto his shirt and then was he chayned vnto the post hauyng o number of Fagottes vnder him and a thing made like a firkin with pitch and tarre in the same ouer his head by reason the fire was vnskilfully made and that the winde dyd dryue the flame to and fro he suffered great extremitie in his death whiche notwithstanding he abode very paciently ¶ The cruell burning of George Marsh Martyr Wherein this in him is to be noted that when as hee had bene a long time tormented in y e fire without mouing hauing his fleshe so broyled and puft vp that they whiche stoode before him vnneth could see the chayne wherewith he was fastened and therfore supposed no lesse but he had bene dead notwithstanding sodenly he spread abroad hys armes saying father of heauen haue mercy vpon me so yelded his spirite into the handes of the Lord. Upon this many of y e people sayd that he was a martyr and died maruelous patiently and godly The 〈◊〉 of G. Marâ—â— the blesseâ— Martyr Which thing caused the Bishop shortly after to make a Sermon in the Cathedrall Church and therein affirmed that the sayde Marshe was an hereticke burnt like an hereticke was a firebrand in hell In recompence of this hys good and charitable sermoÌ„ within short time after the iust iudgement of God appeared vppon the sayde Byshop Gods iust reuenging hand vpoÌ„ persecutiâ—â— Bishop recompensing hym in suche wise that not long after he turned vp his heeles and dyed Upon what cause his death was gendred I haue not here precisely to pronounce because the rumour and voyce of y e people is not alwayes to be followed Notwithstanding such a report went in all mens mouthes that he was burned of an harlot Whereupon whether he dyed or no I am not certayne neyther dare leane to much vppon publicke speach Albeit this is certayn that wheÌ„ he was afterward searched being dead by some of hys secret frends certain Aldermen for stoppyng the rumour of y e people this maydenly Priest and Byshop was fouÌ„d not to be free froÌ„ certayne appearaunce which declared but small virginitie in him that the rumour was not raysed vp altogether vpoÌ„ naught amongest the people But of this I will stay and proceed no further not because more caÌ„ not be said but because I will not be so vncharitable in defacing these men as they are cruel in condemning Gods seruants to death Letters of George Marshe This good maÌ„ wrote diuers and sondry letters out of prison besides his examinations as before ye haue heard Touching the which hys examinations this letter first he sendeth to his frendes the copy wherof here followeth ¶ A letter of George Marsh to the reader touching the matter of his examination HEre haue ye dearely beloued frendes in Christ the chiefe principal Articles of Christian doctrine briefly touched A letter of G. Marshâ— to the reader whiche heretofore I haue both beleeued professed and taught and as yet do beleue professe and teach and am surely purposed by Gods grace to continue in the same vntill the last day I do waÌ„t both time and oportunitie to write out at large the probations causes partes effectes and contraries or erroures of these Articles which who so desireth to know let them read ouer the coÌ„mon places of the godly learned men Philippe Melancthon and Erasmus Sarcerius whose iudgement in these matters of Religion I do chiefly follow and leane vnto The Lorde geue vs vnderstanding in all thinges and deliuer vs from this present euill world according to his will and pleasure and bryng vs agayn out of this hell of affliction into which it hath pleased the mercifull Lord to throw vs downe and deliuer vs out of the mouth of the Lyon and from all euill doing and keepe vs vnto his heauenly and euerlasting kingdome Amen Though Sathan be suffered as wheate to sift vs for a tyme yet fayleth not our fayth through Christes ayde but that we are at all tymes able and readye to confirme the fayth of our weake brethren 1. Pet. 3. and alwayes ready to geue an aunswere to euerye man that asketh vs a reason of the hope that is in vs and that wyth meekenes and reuerence hauing a good conscience that when as they backbyte vs as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuch as they haue falsely accused our good coÌ„uersatioÌ„ in christ I thought my selfe nowe of late yeares for the cares of this lyfe well setteled with my louing
the bowels of Christe to helpe vs and all other our felow souldiors standing in like perillous place with your praiers to God for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord and geue some example of boldnes constancie mingled with pacience in the feare of God that yee and others our brethren thorough oure example may be so encouraged and strengthned to folow vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lorde geue vs vnderstanding in all things 2. Tim. 2. 1. Cor. 7. 1 Iohn â— Coloss. 3. Brethren the time is short it remaineth that yee vse thys world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde vanisheth away See that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world but set your affection on heauenly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Be â—eeke long suffering serue and edifie one other Doctrine 〈◊〉 good workes with the gift that God hath geuen you Beware of strange doctrine lay aside the old conuersation of greedy lustes and walke in a new life Beware of all vncleannes couetousnes foolish talking false doctrine dronkennes Reioyce be thankful towardes God submit your selues one to an other Cease from sinne spend no more time in vice be sober and apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue each other and let the glory of God and profite of your neighbor be the onely marke ye shoote at in all your doings Repent ye of the life that is past and take better heede to your doings hereafter And aboue all things cleaue yee fast to him who was deliuered to death for our sins rose againe for our iustification To whome with the father the holy ghost be al honor rule for euermore Amen Salute from me in Christe all others which loue vs in the faith and at your discretioÌ„ make them partakers of these letters and pray ye all for me and other in bondes for the Gospell that the same God which by his grace hathe called vs from wicked papistrie vnto true Christianitie and now of loue prooueth out patience by persecution wil of his mercy and fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs either by death or by life to his glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the 30. of August 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruant of Christ George Marsh. To his welbeloued in Christ Ienkin Crampton Iames Leiuer Elice Fogge Rafe Bradshaw the wife of Richard Bradshaw Elice Crampton and to euery one of them be these deliuered from Lancaster G. Marsh. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the felowship of the holy Ghost be w t you al. Amen After salutations in Christ and harty thanks for your frendly tokens and your other remembraunces towards me beseeching God y t ye may encrease in faith feare loue and 〈◊〉 good gifts grow vp into a perfit man in Christe these be earnestly to exhort you yea to beseech you in the â—ender mercy of Christe that w t purpose of heart ye continually cleaue vnto the Lorde and that ye worship serue him in spirite in the gospel of his sonne For God wil not be worshipped after the commandements traditions of men neither yet by any other meanes appoynted prescribed and taught vs but by his holy word And though all men for the most parte defile them selues with the wicked traditions of men ordinances after y e world and not after Christ yet doe ye after the ensample of Tobie 〈◊〉 1. Daâ—â—ell 1. â— Math. 1. Daniel his 3. companions Matharhias and his 5. sonnes be at a poynt with your selues that ye wil not be defiled wyth y e vncleane meates of the heathen I do meane the filthinesse of Idolatrie and the very Heathenish ceremonyes of the Papistes but as true worshippers serue ye God in spirite and verity according to his sacred Scriptures Iohn 4. Iohn 5 1. Tymâ— 5. which I would wish and will you aboue all things continually and reuerently as both S. Paule and Christ commaund you to searche and read with the wholesome monitions of the same to teach exhort comfort edifie one an other Math. 24. and your brethren neighbours now in time of thys our miserable captiuitie and great famishment of soules for want of the foode of Gods worde And doubt not Math. 28. but that the merciful Lord who hath promised to be with vs euen vnto the worldes end and that whensoeuer 2. or 3. be gathered together in his name hee will be in the middest of them will assist you and teach you the right meanings of the sacred Scriptures will keepe you from all errors and lead you into all truth as he hath faithfully promised And though ye thinke your selues vnable to teach yet at the coÌ„maundement of Christ now in time of famine the hungry people being in wildernes farre froÌ„ any townes Iohn 1â—â— which if they be sent away fasting are sure to faint pearish by the way employ and bestow those fiue loaues and two fishes that ye haue vpon that hungrie multitude although ye thinke it nothing among so many And y t he increased the v. loaues and the ij fishes to feede v. M. men Math. â— besides women and children shall also augment his gifts in you not only to the edifying and winning of others in christ but also to an exceding great increase of your knowledge in God his holy word And feare not your aduersaries for either according to his accustomed maner God shal blind their eies that they shal not espie you Phil. 1. either get you fauour in their sight either els graciously deliuer you out of their handes by one meanes or other Obey with reuerence al your superiours vnlesse they commaund idolatrie or vngodlinesse Make prouision for your housholds chiefly that they be instructed and taught in the law of God Loue your wiues euen as your owne selues as Christ loued the congregatioÌ„ Loue your children but rate theÌ„ not lest they be of a desperate mind and bring them vp in the nurture information of the Lorde and teache them euen as the godly parents of Tobie the younger and Susanna did teach their children euen from their infancy to reuerence God according to his lawe to abstaine from sin prouiding y t in no wise they be brought vp in idlenes wantonnes seing y t ye recken your selues to be the children of God and looke for the life whych God shall geue to them that neuer tourne their beliefe from him See that ye euer feare God and keepe his commandements and though the plague of God chance vnto you yet remaine yee stedfast in the faith and feare of God and thanke him and serue hym in such holines and righteousnes as are acceptable before him all the dayes of your life Comfort
xxiij of May did aunswere to the same confessing and graunting the articles and the contentes thereof to bee true accordyng as they were obiected in euery part subscribing also the same with hys hand Such strength and fortitude gods holy spirit wrought in hym to stand stoutly and confidently to the defence of the sincere doctrine of hys sonne Whereupon the B. exhorting him with many wordes to leaue his heresies as he called them and to returne to the bosom of his mother the holy church commanded him to appeare agayne the next day being the xxiiij of the same moneth Who so doyng and aunswering as he did before was willed to come thither agayne at after noone so hee dyd The 〈◊〉 Session agaynst 〈◊〉 Warne where and at what tyme he was earnestly exhorted by the sayd Bish. to recant his opinions To whom he aunswered that he would not depart from his receyued profession vnlesse he were therunto throughly perswaded by the holy scriptures Upon which aunswer he was willed to come agayne the next day beyng the 25. day of the same moneth The thirâ— session May. 25. at one of the clocke in the after noone At which day and houre the B. examined him agayne vpon all his former articles before obiected to the which he most constantly did sticke with his further aunswer thereunto added I am persuaded quoth he to be in the right opinion and that I see no cause to repent for all filthines Idolatry is in the church of Rome The B. then seyng that notwithstandyng all his faire promises terrible threatnyngs whereof he vsed store he could not any thing preuaile Iohn Warne â—â—nstant agaynst the Bishops persuasioâ— Sentence geuen agaynst Iohn Warne May. 30. Cardmakâ—â— and Iohn Warne brought 〈◊〉 execution Iohn Warne tyed to thâ— stake finished this examination with the definitiue sentence of condemnation pronounced against the said Iohn Warne and so charged the Shiriffs of London with him vnder whose custody he remained in the prison of Newgate vntil the 30. day of the same month of May. Upon the which 30. of May being the day appoynted for their execution Iohn Cardmaker with the sayd Iohn Warne were brought by the shiriffes to the place where they should suffer Who beyng come to the stake first the Shiriffes called Cardmaker aside and talked with hym secretly so long that in the meane tyme Warne had made hys prayers was chayned to the stake and had wood and reede set about hym so that nothyng wanted but the firyng but styll aboade Cardmaker talkyng with the shiriffes The people whiche before had heard that Cardmaker would recant and beholding this maner of doing The peopâ—â— afrayd at Cardmakâ—â— recanting were in a meruailous dumpe and sadnes thinkyng in deede that Cardmaker should now recant at the burning of Warne At length Cardmaker departed from the Shiriffes and came towards the stake and in his garments as he was kneeled downe made a long prayer in silence to himself yet the people coÌ„firmed themselues in their fantasie of his recanting seyng him in his garments praying secretly no semblance of any burning ⧠The Martyrdome of Iohn Cardmaker and Iohn Warne Vpholster An. 1555. May. 30. ¶ The confession of the fayth of Iohn Warne Citizen of London which he wrote the day before he was burned the 30. day of May. 1555. I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth A Father because hee is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 who is the euerlasting word whome before all worldes he hath begotten of himselfe which worde was made flesh and therein also manifested to be his sonne in whom he hath adopted vs to be his children the inheriters of his kyngdom and therfore he is our father An almighty God because he hath of nothing created all things visible and inuisible both in heauen and in earth euen all creatures conteyned therin and gouerneth them And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. The eternall word perfect God with his father of equal power in all things of the same substance of like glory by whom all things were made and haue life without whom nothing liueth he was made also perfect maÌ„ and so being very God and very man in one person is the onely Sauiour Redeemer and Ransomer of them which were lost in Adam our forefather He is the onely meane of our deliuerance the hope of our health the suretie of our saluation Which was conceyued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary According to the Fathers most mercifull promise this eternal sonne of God forsaking the heauenly glory humbled himselfe to take flesh of a virgin according to y e scriptures vniting the substance of the Godhed to the substaÌ„ce of the manhoode which he tooke of the substaunce of that blessed virgin Mary in one person to become therein the very Massiah the annointed king and priest for euer appointed to pacifie the fathers wrath which was iustlye gone out agaynst vs all for our sinne Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell He was arraigned before Pontius Pilate the ruler of Iewrie and so vniustly accused of many crimes that the Ruler iudged him innocent and sought meanes to deliuer him but contrary to knowen iustice he did let go Barrabas which had deserued death and deliuered Christ to bee crucified who deserued no death which doth declare vnto vs manifestly that he suffred for our sinnes was buffeted for our offences as the prophets do witnes thereby to haue it manifested to all men that he is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Therefore sufferyng for our sinnes he receiued and did beare our deserued condemnation the paines of death the tast of abiection the very terror of hell yelding his spirit to his father his body to be buried in earth The third day he rose againe from death to lyfe To make full and perfect the whole worke of our redemption and iustification the same crucified body which was layd in the graue was raised vp againe the third day from death by the power of hys Father and glory of hys Godhead he became the first fruits of the resurrection got the victory of death that all by him might be raised vp from death Thorough whome all true penitent sinners may now boldly come vnto the father and haue remission of their sinnes He ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty After that in his death and resurrectioÌ„ he had conquered sinne death and the deuil and had bene conuersant 40. days in the earth being seene of the Apostles more then v. hundred brethren at once in the same body in which he wrought the worke of our saluation he ascended into heauen with eternal triumph for the victory ouer death sinne and hel leauing the passage open by which all true beleeuers may and shal enter
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
his fellowes which was the 9. of February Neuertheles his execution was prolonged The death of Haukes diffeâ—red Thomas Haukes brought downe to Essex by the Lord Rich. and he remained in prison till the 10. day of Iune Then was he committed to the handes and charge of the Lord Rich who being assisted with power sufficieÌ„t of y e worshipfull of the shyre had the foresayd Tho. Haukes downe into Essex with vi other fellow prisoners whose stories hereafter folow there to suffer martirdoÌ„e Haukes at Coxehall the other seuerally in other seuerall places Thomas Haukes by the way vsed much exhortation to his frendes and when soeuer oportunitie serued to talk with them he would familiarly admonish them A little before his death certayne there were of his familiar acquayntaunce and frendes Agreed betweene Thomas Haukes and his frendes to geue them a token in the fire whether the payne of burning were so greeuous as it seemeth or no. who frequenting hys company more familiarly which seemed not a little to be confirmed both by the example of his constancie by hys talke yet notwithstanding the same agayne being feared with the sharpenes of the punishment which he was going to priuely desired that in the middest of the flame hee would shewe them some token if he coulde whereby they might be more certayn whether the payne of such burning were so greate that a man might not therein keepe hys minde quiet and pacient Which thing he promised them to do and so secretly betwene them it was agreed that if the rage of the payne were tollerable and might be suffered then he should lift vp his handes aboue his head toward heauen before he gaue vp the ghost Thomas Haukes caryed to the place of execâ—tion Not long after when the houre was come Thomas Haukes was leade awaye to the place apoynted for the slaughter by the Lorde Rich his assistaunce who beyng now come vnto the stake there mildly patiently addressed himselfe to the fire Thomas Haukes standing at the stake reasoneth with the Lord Rich. hauing a straite chayne cast about his middle with no smal multitude of people on euery side compassing him about Unto whome after he had spoken many thinges but especially vnto the Lorde Rich reasoning with him of the innocent bloud of Sayntes at leÌ„gth after his feruent prayers first made and poured out vnto god the fire was set vnto him ¶ The Martirdome of Thomas Haukes in Essex at a Towne called Coxehall Anno. 1555. Iune 10. In the which when he continued long and when his speech was taken away by violence of the flame his skin also drawen together and his fingers consumed with the fire so that now all men thought certainely he had bene gone sodainely and contrary to all expectation the blessed seruaunt of GOD beyng myndefull of his promise afore made reached vp his hands burning on a light fier which was marueilous to behold ouer his head to y e liuing God and with great reioysing A token geuen in the fire that burning is not so intollerable a payne as it was thought as seemed strooke or clapped theÌ„ three tymes together At the sight whereof there followed such applause outcry of the people and especially of them which vnderstode the matter that y e like hath not coÌ„monly bene heard And so the blessed Martyr of Christ straight way sinckyng downe into the fire gaue vp his spirite An. 1555. Iune 10. And thus haue you playnely and expresly described vnto you the whole story The end and Martyrdome of Thomas Haukes at Coxhall as well of the lyfe as of the death of Thomas Haukes a most constant faythfull witnes of Christes holy Gospell ¶ Letters ¶ An Epistle to the Congregation by Thomas Haukes GRace mercy and peace from God the father and from our Lord Iesust Christ A letter of Thomas Haukes to the congregation bee alway with you all my deare brethren and sisterne in the Lord Iesus Christ for euer and his holy Spirite conduct and leade you all in all your doynges that you may alwayes direct your deedes according to his holy word that when he shall appeare to reward euery man according to their woorkes ye may as obedient children be found watching ready to enter into his euerlasting kingdome with your lamps burning and when the Bridegrome shall shew himselfe ye neede not to be ashamed of this life that God hath lent you whiche is but traÌ„sitory vaine and like vnto a vapour that for a season appeareth and vanisheth away so soone passeth away all our terrestriall honour glory and felicitie For all fleshe sayth the Prophet is grasse and all his glory as the floure of the fielde which for a season sheweth her beautie and as soone as the Lord bloweth vpon it it withereth awaye and departeth For in this transitory and daungerous wildernes The manifolde daungers which a true Christian hath to passe tâ—orow in this world we are as Pilgrimes and straungers following the footesteps of Moses among many vnspeakeable daungers beholding nothing with our outward man but all vaine vanities and vexation of mind subiect to hunger colde nakednesse bondes sickenes losse labours banishment in daunger of that dreadfull dragon and his sinnefull seede to be deuoured tempted and tormented who ceaseth not behind euery bush to lay a baite when we walke awry to haue his pleasure vpoÌ„ vs casting abroad his apples in al places times and seasons to see if Adam will be allured and entised to leaue the liuing God his most holy Commaundements whereby hee is assured of euerlasting life promising the world at will to all that will fall downe in all ages for a messe of potage sel set at naught the euerlasting kingdome of heauen So frayle is flesh and bloud And in especiall Israell is most ready to walke awry when he is filled wyth al maner of riches as sayth the Prophet Therefore I am bolde in bondes as entirely desiring your euerlasting health felicitie to warne you and most hartely desire you to watch and pray for our estate is dangerous The higher in dignity the nearer to daunger and requireth continuall prayer For on the hygh mountaynes doth not grow most plenty of grasse neither are the highest trees farthest from daunger but seldome sure alwaies shaken of euery wind that bloweth Such a deceitfull thing saith our sauior is honor and riches y t without grace it choketh vp the good seede sowne on hys creatures blindeth so their seeing that they go gropyng at none day in darckenes it maketh a man thinck himselfe somewhat y t is nothing at all For though for our honour we esteeme our selues stand in our owne light Prouerb 11. Riches helpe not before God yet when we shall stand before the liuing God there shal be no respect of persons For riches helpeth not in the day of vengeance neither can we make the Lord partiall for money But
remeÌ„ber that once you were as farre as a man might iudge of the Religion that I am of at this present 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 religiâ—â— with M. â—â—adford and I remember that you haue set forth the same earnestly Gladly therfore would I learn of you what thing it was that moued your conscience to alter and gladly would I see what thing it is that you haue sene sithen which you saw not before Pendleton Maister Bradford I doe not know wherefore you are condemned Bradford Transubstantiation is the cause wherfore I am condemned and because I denye that wicked men receyue Christes body wherein I woulde desire you to shewe me what reasons which before you knew not did moue your conscience now to alter For once as I sayd you were as I am in Religion Here mayster Pendleton halfe amazed began to excuse himselfe if it would haue bene as though he had not denied fully transubstantiation in deede although I sayde quoth he that the word was not in Scripture Pendleton belike would study out the reasons that moued him to alter for he had none ready to shew Euill men receiue not Christes body He must be in Christes body that must receiue Christes body and so hee made an endlesse tale of the thing that moued hym to alter but sayd he I wil gather to you the places which moued me and send you them And here he desired Bradforde that hee might haue a copye of that whiche he had sent to Mayster Weston the which Bradford did promise him Syme reasoning also they had whether euill men dyd receiue Christes body Bradford denying and Pendleton affirming Bradford sayd that they receiued not the spirit Ergo not the body for it is no 〈◊〉 carkas Hereto Bradford brought also S. Augustine how Iudas receiued Panem Domini and not Panem Dominum how that he muste be in Christs body which must receiue the body of Christ. But Pendleton went about to put it away with idem and not ad idem and how that in Corpore Christi was to be vnderstand of all that be in the visible Church with Gods elect Bradforde denyed this to be Saynt Augustines meaning and sayd also that the allegation of idem and not ad idem could not make for that purpose They talked more of Transubstantiation Pendleton bringing forth Cyprian The place of S. Cyprian expounded how the nature of bread is chaunged Cyprian expounded by Gelasius Panis natura mutatur c. And Bradforde sayde that in that place natura did not signify substaunce As the nature of an herbe is not the substaunce of it so the breade chaunged in nature is not to be taken for chaunged in substaunce For now it is ordeined not for the foode of the body simply but rather for the soule Here also Bradford alleadged the sentence of Gelasius Pendleton sayde that he was a Pope Yea sayd Bradford but his faith is my fayth in the Sacrament if ye would receiue it They reasoned also whether accidentia were res or no. If they be properly res sayde Bradford then are they substaunces and if they be substances they are earthly Pendleton driuen to say that accidences be substance then are there earthly substaunces in the Sacramen as Irenaeus sayth which must needes be bread But Pendleton sayde that the colour was the earthly thing and called it an accidentall substaunce I omitte the talke they had of my Lord of Canterbury of Peter Martyrs booke of Pendletons Letter layde to Bradfordes charge when he was condemned with other talke more of the Church whether Dic Ecclesiae was spokeÌ„ of the vniuersall Church or of a particular which PeÌ„dleton at the length graunted to bee spoken of a particulare Church also of vayne glory which he willed Bradford to beware of and such like talke A litle before his departing Bradford sayd thus Maister Doctor Bradford could heare no reason of the Papistes to infirme his opinion agaynst transubstantiation as I said to M. Weston the last day so saye I vnto you agayne that I am the same man in Religion agaynst Transubstantiation styll which I was wheÌ„ I came into prison for hitherto I haue sene nothing in any poynt to infirme me At which words Pendleton was something moued and said that it was no Catholicke doctrine Yes quoth Bradford and that wil I proue euen by the testimony of the Catholicke fathers vntill Concilium Lateranense or thereabout Thus Pendleton weÌ„t his way saying that he would come oftener to Bradford God our father be with vs all and geue vs the spirite of his truth for euer Amen The same day in the afternoone about fiue of the clock came Mayster Weston to Bradford and after gentle salutations he desired the company euery man to depart so they two sat downe And after that he had thanked Bradford for his writing vnto him he pulled out of his bosome the same writing which Bradford had sent him The writing is this that foloweth * Certayne reasons agaynst Transubstantiation gathered by Iohn Bradford and geuen to Doctour Weston and others 1. THat which is former sayth Tertullian is true that whiche is latter is false TransubstantiatioÌ„ not brought into the church before the yeare 1215. by Pope Innocentius 3. But the doctrine of transubstantiation is a late doctrine for it was not defined generally afore the Councel of Laterane about 1215. yeares after Christes comming vnder Pope Innocentius the thyrd of that name For before that time it was free for all men to beleue it or not beleue it as the Bishop of Duresme doth witnesse in his booke of the presence of Christ in his Supper lately put forth Ergo the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is false 2. That the words of Christes supper be figuratiue the circuÌ„staÌ„ces of the scripture the Analogy or proportioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„tes Three reasons prouing the wordes of the Lordes supper to be figuratiue the senteÌ„ces of all the holy fathers which were did write for the space 1000. yeares after Christes Ascension do teach wherevpon it foloweth that there is no transubstantiation 3. That the Lord gaue to his Disciples bread and called it his body the very Scriptures do witnesse For he gaue that called it his body which he tooke in his handes wheron he gaue thankes which also he brake gaue to his Disciples that is to say bread as the fathers 1. Circumstances of Scripture 2. Proportion of Sacramentes 3. Testimony of olde Doctours The wine is not transubstantiateâ— Ergo neyther the bread Iraeneus Tertullian Origene Cyprian Epiphanius Augustine and all the residue which are of antiquity doe affirme but in as much as the substaunce of breade and wine is an other thing then the substance of the body bloud of Christ it plainely appeareth that there is no transubstantiation 4. The bread is no more transubstantiate then the wine but that the wine is not traÌ„substaÌ„tiate S. Mathew S. Mark
I haue preached before him It is Gods truth I haue taught It is that same infallible word whereof he sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The masse and such baggage as the false worshippers of God and enemies of Christes Crosse the Papistes I say haue brought in agayne The Masse is a poyson to the Church to poyson the Church of God withall displeaseth God highly and is abhominable in his sight Happy may he be whiche of conscience suffereth losse of life or goodes in dissalowing it Come not at it If God be God follow him If y e Masse be God let them that will see it heare or be present at it ComparisoÌ„ betweene the Lordes supper and the Masse go to the deuill with it What is there as God ordayned His supper was ordayned to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our fayth that his body was broken for vs his bloud shed for pardon of our sinnes but in the masse there is no receiuing but the pâ—iest keepeth all to himselfe alone Christ sayth Take eate No sayth the Priest gape peepe There is a sacrificing yea killing of Christ agayne as much as they may There is Idolatry in worshipping the outward signe of bread wyne there is all in Latine you cannot tell what he saith To conclude there is nothing as God ordeyned Wherefore my good mother come not at it Oh will some say it will hinder you Doubtes obiections aunswered Math. 19. if you refuse to come to masse and to do as other do But God wil further you be you assured as you shall one day find who hath promised to them that suffer hinderaunce or losse of anye thing in this world his great blessing here and in y e world to come life euerlasting You shall bee counted an hereticke but not of others then of heretickes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the Priestes but God wil that all they shall not be able to withstand you No body wil do so but you onely In deede no matter for â—ewe enter into the narrow gate which bringeth to saluation Howbeit you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and other my brothers and sisters to go with you therein but if they will not I your sonne in God I trust shall not leaue you an inche but go before you pray that I may geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffering for it is for your sakes to confirme the truth I haue taught How soeuer you do beware this letter come not abroad but into father Traues his handes For all this caueat yet this letter came to the Earle of Darbyes knowledge for if it should be knowne that I haue pen and inke in the prison then would it be worse with me Therfore to your selues keep this letter commending me to God his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his Gospel and Church sake Out of the Tower of London the sixt day of October 1553. My name I write not for causes you know it well enough Like the letter neuer the worse Commend me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. Howsoeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is no point either in hand or tongue rebell but rather if they coÌ„maund that which with good conscience you caÌ„not obey lay your head on the blocke and suffer what soeuer they shall do or say By pacience possesse your soules After the time that M. Bradford was condemned and sent to the Counter it was purposed of his aduersaryes as ye heard before that hee shoulde be had to Manchester where he was borne and there be burned Whereupon he writeth to the Cittye of London thinking to take his last Vale of them in this letter ¶ To the Citie of London TO all that professe the Gospell and true doctrine of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Cittie of London A fruitefull letter of M. Bradford 〈◊〉 the citye oâ— London Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of y e Lord now not onely in prison but also excommunicated condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine wisheth mercy grace peace with increase of al godly knowledge and pietie from God the father of mercy through the merites of oure alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Iesus Christ by the operation of the holy spirite for euer Amen My dearely beloued brethren in our Sauiour Christ although the tyme I haue to liue is very little for hourly I looke when I shoulde be had hence to be conueyed into Lankeshyre there to be burned and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God where I first receaued it by y e same prouidence and although the charge is great to keepe me from all things wherby I might signifie any thing to the world of my state yet hauing as now I haue pen inke through Gods working maugre the head of Satan and his souldiours I thought good to write a shorte confession of my fayth and thereto ioyne a little exhortation vnto you all to liue according to your profession First for my fayth I do confesse and pray all the whole Congregation of Christ to beare witnesse with me of the same that I do beleue constantly through the gift goodnes of God for fayth is Gods onely gifte all the 12. articles of the Symbole or Creede commonly attributed to the collection of the Apostles This my faythe I woulde gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple but alas by starts stealth I write in maner that I write and therfore I shall desire you all to take this breuitie in good part And this fayth I holde not because of the Creede it selfe but because of the word of God the which teacheth and confirmeth euery Article accordingly This worde of God written by the Prophetes and Apostles left and contayned in the Canonicall bookes of the whole Bible I do beleue to containe plentifully all thinges necessary to saluation so that nothing as necessary to saluation ought to be added thereto and therfore the Church of Christ nor none of his congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine theÌ„ which hereout hath his foundation and ground In testimony of this fayth I render and geue my life being condemned as well for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his Catholicke and vniuersall Church here or els wherevppon earth as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of Transubstantiation and Christes reall corporall and carnall presence in his supper vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine To beleeue Christ our Sauiour to be the head of hys Churche and kinges in their Realmes to be the supreme powers to whom euery soule oweth obedience and to beleue that
or rise agaynst the magistrates Auenge not your selues but commit your cause to the Lord to whome vengeance pertayneth and he in his tyme will reward it If you feele in your selues an hope and trust in God that he will neuer tempt you aboue that he will make you able to beare Patience be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to beare all bruntes But if you want this hope flee and get you hence rather then by your tarying Gods name should be dishonored In summe cast your care on the Lorde knowing for most certayne that he is carefull for you with him are all the heares of your head numbred so that not one of them shall perish without his good pleasure and wille muche more thē nothing shall happē to your bodies which shall not be profitable how soeuer for a time it seeme otherwise to your sences Hang on the prouidence of God We ought to depend vpon Gods prouidence alwayes not onely when you haue meanes to helpe you but also when you haue no meanes yea when all meanes be agaynst you Geue him this honour which of all other thinges he most chiefly requireth at your handes namely beleeue that you are his children through Christ that he is your father and God through him y t he loueth you pardoneth you al your offences he is with you in trouble and will be with you for euer When you fall he will put vnder his hande you shall not lye still before you cal vpon him he heareth you out of euill hee will finally bryng you and deliuer you to his eternall ioy Doubt not my dearly beloued hereof doubt not I say this will God your father do for you in respect not of your selues but in respect of christ your Captayne your Pastor your keeper out of whose hands none shal be able to catch you All our hope is only in Christ for his sake to be receaued in him be quiet oftē cōsider your dignitie namely how that ye be Gods children the saints of God citizens of heauen temples of the holy Ghost the thrones of God members of Christ and Lordes ouer all Therfore be ashamed to think speake or do any thing that should be vnseemely for Gods children Gods saynts Christes members To beare the Crosse. c. Marueile not though the deuil and the worlde hate you though ye be persecuted here for the seruaunt is not aboue his mayster Couet not earthly ryches Mortification feare not the power of man loue not this world nor thinges that be in this world but long for the Lord Iesus his comming at whiche time youre bodies shall be made like vnto his glorious body when he appeareth you shall be like vnto him when your lyfe shall thus be reuealed then shall ye appeare with him in glory In the meane season liue in hope hereof Let the lyfe you lead be in the faith of the sonne of God For the iust doth liue by fayth which fayth fleeth from al euill followeth y e word of God as a Lanterne to her feete and a light to her steppes her eyes be aboue where Christ is shee behouldeth not the thinges present but rather thinges to come she glorieth in affliction she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not like to be compared to the glory whiche God will reueale to vs We must liue in the fayth of Christ. The property of fayth and in vs. Of this glory GOD graunt vs here a liuely taste then shall wee runne after the sent it sendeth forth It wil make vs valiaunt men to take to vs the kingdome of God whyther the Lorde of mercy bryng vs in hys good tyme through Chryste oure Lorde to whome with the father and the holy ghost three persōs and one God be al honour and glory world without end Amen My dearly beloued I woulde gladly haue geuen here my body to haue bene burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I haue taught here vnto you But that my Countrey must haue Therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good will towardes euery of you Impute the want herein to tyme and trouble Pardon me mine offensiue and negligent behauiour when I was amongest you With me repent labour to amend Continue in the trueth whiche I haue truely taught vnto you by preaching in al places where I haue come Gods name therefore be praysed Confesse Christ when you be called whatsoeuer commeth therof and the God of peace be with vs all Amen This xi of Februar an 1555. Your brother in bondes for the Lordes sake Iohn Bradford To the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge TO all that loue the Lorde Iesus and his true doctrine being in the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge An other letter of M. Bradford to the vniuersity of Cambridge Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lord nowe not onely prisoned but also condemned for the same true doctrine wisheth grace peace and mercye with increase of all godlines from God the father of all mercy through the bloudy passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ by the liuely working of the holy spirite for euer Amen Although I looke hourely when I should be had to the stake my right dearely beloued in the Lord and although the charge ouer me is great and strayt yet hauing by the prouidēce of God secretly pen and an ynke I could not but something signifie vnto you my solicitude which I haue for you and euerye of you in the Lord though not as I woulde yet as I may You haue often and openly heard the truth speciallye in this matter wherein I am condemned disputed and preached that it is needeles to do any more but onely to put you in remembraunce of the same but hitherto haue you not heard it confirmed and as it were sealed vp as now you doe and shall heare by me that is by my death and burning For albeit I haue deserued through my vncleannes hypocrisie auarice vainglory idlenes vnthankfulnes and carnalitie wherof I accuse my selfe to my confusion before the world that before God through Christ I might as my assured hope is I shall find mercy eternall death and hell fire much more then this affliction and fire prepared for me yet my dearly beloued it is not these or any of these thinges wherfore the prelates do persecute me but Gods verity and truth yea euen christ him selfe is the onely cause and thing wherefore I nowe am condemned The Martyrs persecuted of the prelates not for their sinnes but onely for Christ. and shal be burned as an hereticke for because I will not graunt the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his churche here and euery where vppon earth by Gods ordinaunce and because I will not graunt suche corporall reall and carnall presence of Christes body bloud in the sacrament as doth transubstanciate the
tell more of this then I can write Therfore deare mother receiue some admonition of one of thy poore children nowe goyng to be burned for the testimonye of Iesus Come agayne to Gods truth come out of Babilon confesse Christ and his true doctrine repent that whiche is past make amendes by declaryng thy repentaunce by the fruites Remember the readings and preachinges of Gods Prophet and true Preacher M Bucer Call to minde the threatninges of God nowe something seene by the children Leauer and others Let the exile of Leauer Pilkinton Grindall Haddon Horne Scorye Ponet c. something awake thee Let the imprisonmēt of thy deare sonnes Cranmer Ridley and Latimer moue thee Consider the Martyrdome of thy chickens Rogers Saunders Taylor And nowe cast not awaye the poore admonition of me goyng to be burned also and to receiue the like crowne of glorye with my fellowes Take to harte Gods calling by vs. Be not as Pharao was for then will it happen vnto thee as it did vnto hym What is that hardnes of hart And what then destructiō eternally both of body and soule Ah therefore good mother awake awake repent repent buskle thy selfe and make hast to turne to the Lord. For els it shal be more easie for Sodome and Gomorra in the daye of iudgement then for thee Oh harden not your hartes Oh stop not your eares to day in hearyng Gods voyce though it be by me a most vnworthy messenger Oh feare the Lord for his anger is begon to kindle Euen now the axe is layd to the roote of the tree You know I prophecied truely to you before the Sweate came what would come if you repēted not your carnall Gospelling And now I tel you before I depart hence that the eares of men will tingle to heare of the vengeaunce of God that will fall vpon you all both Towne and Vniuersitie if you repent not if you leaue not your Idolatrie if you turne not speedely to the Lord if you still be ashamed of Christes truth which you know Oh Perne repent Oh Thomson repent Oh you Doctors Bachelers Maisters repent Oh Maior Aldermen Towne dwellers repent repent repent that you may escape the nere vengeaunce of the Lord. Rent your hartes come apace calling on the Lord. Let vs all say Peccauimus we haue all sinned we haue done wickedly we haue not hearkned to thy voyce O Lord. Deale not with vs after our desertes but be mercifull to our iniquities for they are great Oh pardon our offenses In thine anger remember thy mercy Turne vs vnto thee O Lord God of hostes for the glory of thy names sake Spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Let not the wicked people say where is now their God Oh for thine owne sake for thy names sake deale mercifully with vs. Turne thy selfe vnto vs and vs vnto thee and we shall prayse thy name for euer If in this sort my dearely beloued in hart and mouth we come vnto our father prostrate our selues before the throne of his grace then surely surely we shall finde mercie Then shall the Lord loke merely vpon vs for his mercy sake in Christ then shall we heare him speake peace vnto his people God◠mercy 〈◊〉 to Cambridge if it repent For he is gracious mercifull of great pitie compassion he can not be chiding for euer his anger can not last long to the penitent Though we weepe in the morning yet at night we shall haue our sorow to cease For he is exorable and hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner he rather would our conuersion and turning Oh turne you now and conuert yet once agayne I humbly besech you and then the kingdome of heauen shall draw nigh The eye hath not seane the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man is able to conceiue the ioyes prepared for vs if we repent amende our liues and hartely turne to the Lord. But if we repent not but be as you were and goe on forwardes with the wicked following the fashion of the world the Lord will leade you on with wicked doers you shall perish in your wickednes your bloud will be vpon your owne heades your part shal be with hypocrites where shal be weepyng gnashyng of teeth ye shal be cast from the face of the Lord for euer and euer eternall shame sorrow wo and miserie shal be both in body and soule to you world without end Oh therefore right deare to me in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you amende amende your liues depart from euill do good follow peace and pursue it Come out from Babilon cast of the workes of darkenesse put on Christ confesse his truth be not ashamed of his Gospell prepare your selues to the Crosse drinke of Gods cup before it come to the dregges and then shall I with you and for you reioyce in the day of Iudgement which is at hand and therefore prepare your selues thereto I hartely beseche you And thus I take my vale in aeternum with you in this present life myne owne deare hartes in the Lord. The Lord of mercie be with vs all and geue vs a ioyfull and sure meetyng in his kyngdome Amen Amen Out of prison the 11. of Februarie Anno. 1555. Your owne in the Lorde for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To Lankeshire and Cheshire TO all those that professe his name and true Religion of our sauiour Iesus Christ in Lankeshyre and Chesshyre An other letter of M. Bradford to Lankeshire Cheshire and specially to Manchester and specially abiding in Manchester and therabout Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lorde now not onely in boundes but also condemned for y e same true religion wisheth mercy and grace peace and increase of all godlines from God the father of all pitty through y e desertes of our Lord Iesus Christ by the working of the most mighty and liuely spirite the comforter for euer Amen I heard it reported credibly my dearely beloued in the Lord that my heauenly father hath thought it good to prouide that as I haue preached his true doctrine and Gospell amongest you by worde so I shall testifie confirme the same by deede That is I shall with you leaue my life whiche by hys prouidence I first receaued there for in Manchester was I borne for a seale to the doctrine I haue taught with you and amongest you so so that if from henceforth you wauer in the same you haue none excuse at all I know the enemies of Christ whiche exercise this crueltie vpon me I speake in respect of myne offence which is none to themwardes thinke by killing of me amongest you to affray you and others least they shoulde attempt to teach Christ truely or beleue his doctrine hereafter But I doubt not but my heauenly father will be my death more confirme you in his truth for euer And therefore I greatly reioyce to see sathan and his souldiours supplanted
preached the worde of GOD. Turne I saye vnto you all and to all the inhabitours there aboutes vnto the Lord our God and hee will turne vnto you he will saye vnto his Aungell It is enough put vppe the sworde The whiche thyng that he will doe I humblye beseeche his goodnesse for the precious bloudes sake of hys deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Ah good brethren take in good parte these my last wordes vnto euery one of you Pardon me myne offences and negligences in behauiour amongest you The Lorde of mercye pardon vs all our offences for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen Out of Prison readye to come to you the eleuenth of February Ann. 1555. ¶ To the Towne of Walden 〈…〉 of M. Bradford to 〈◊〉 towne 〈◊〉 Walden TO the faythfull and such as professe the true doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ dwelling at Walden and thereaboutes Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lorde nowe in bandes and condemned for the same true doctrine wysheth grace mercy and peace with the encrease of all godlynesse in knowledge and liuing from GOD the Father of all comforte through the desertes of our alone and full redeemer Iesus Christ by the mighty working of the most holy spirit the comforter for euer Amen When I remember how that by the prouidence and grace of God I haue bene a man by whome it hath pleased him through my ministery to call you to repentaunce and amendment of life something effectually as it seemed and to sowe amongest you his true doctrine and religion least that by my affliction stormes now arisen to trye the faythfull and to conforme them lyke to the Image of the sonne of GOD into whose companye wee are called you might be faint harted I could not but out of prison secretly for my keepers may not know that I haue penne ynke write vnto you a signification of the desire I haue that you should not only be more coÌ„firmed in the doctrine I haue taught amongest you which I take on my death as I shall answere at the day of dome I am perswaded to be Gods assured infallible and playne trueth 〈…〉 answeâ—â— with 〈◊〉 bloud 〈◊〉 his docâ—â—â—ne but also should after your vocation auow the same by confession profession and liuing I haue not taught you my dearely beloued in the Lord fables tales or vntruthe but I haue taught you the verity as now by my bloud gladlye praysed bee God therfore I do seale the same In deed to confesse the truth vnto you and to all the Churche of Christ I doe not thinke of my selfe but that I haue moste iustly deserued not onely this kinde but also all kindes of death and that eternally â— Bradford 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 lyfe for myne hypocrisy vayneglory vncleannesse selfe loue couetousnesse idlenesse vnthankefulnesse and carnall professing of Gods holy Gospell liuing therein not so purely louyngly and paynefully as I should haue done The Lord of mercy for the bloud sake of Christ pardon me as I hope yea I certainely beleue he hath done for his holy names sake thorowe Christe But my dâ—arely beloued you and all the whole world may see and easely perceiue that the Prelates persecute in me an other thing then mine iniquities euen Christ himselfe Christes verity and trueth because I canne not dare not nor wyll not confesse Transubstantiation and howe that wicked menne ye Mise and Dogges eating the Sacrament which they terme of the aultar thereby ouerthrowing Christes holy Supper vtterly do eate Christes naturall and reall body borne of the virgine Mary To beleue and confesse as Gods worde teacheth the primatiue Church beleued and all the Catholicke and good holy Fathers taught fiue hundreth yeares at the least after Christ that in the Supper of the Lord which the Masse ouerthroweth as it doth Christes Priesthoode sacrifice death and passion the ministerye of his word true â—ayth repentance and all godlines whole Christ God and man is present by grace to the fayth of the receiuers but not of the standers by and lookers on as bread and wyne is to theyr sences will not serue and therefore I am condemned shall be burned out of hand as an hereticke Wherefore I hartelye thanke my Lord God that will and doth vouch me worthy to be an instrument in whome he himselfe doeth suffer For you see my affliction and death is not simply M. Bradford persecuted for confessing the truth because I haue deserued no lesse but muche more at his handes and iustice but rather because I confesse his verity and trueth and am not affrayd through his gift that to do that you also might be confirmed in his truth Therefore my dearely beloued I hartely do pray you and so many as vnfaynedly loue mee in God to geue with mee and for mee most harty thankes to our heauenly Father through our sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ for this his exceeding great mercy towardes me and you also that your fayth wauer not from the doctrine I haue taught and ye haue receiued For what can you desire more to assure your coÌ„sciences of the verity taught by your preachers then theyr owne liues Goe to therefore my deare hartes in the Lord wauer not in Christes religion truely taught you and set forth in king Edwardes dayes Neuer shall the enemies be able to burne it to prison it and keepe it in bondes Vs they may prison Gods truth can neuer be kepte vnder by the aduersaryes they may bynde and burne as they doe and will doe so long as shall please the Lord but our cause religion and doctrine which we confesse they shall neuer be able to vanquish and put away Theyr Idolatry and Popish religion shall neuer bee builte in the consciences of menne that loue Gods trueth As for those that loue not Gods truth that haue no pleasure to walke in the wayes of the Lord in those I say the Deuill shall preuayle For God will geue them strong illusion to beleue lyes Therefore deare brethren and sisters in the Lord I humbly beseech you and pray you in the bowelles and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesuâ— Christ He exhorteth them to loue Gods truth and to liue therafter now goyng to the death for the testimony of Iesus as ofteÌ„times I haue done before this present out of your Pulpitte that you woulde loue the Lordes trueth loue I saye to loue it and frame your liues thereafter Alas you know the cause of all these plagues fallen vp vs and of the successe which Gods aduersaryes haue dayly is for our not louing Gods word You knowe how that we were but Gospellers in lippes and not in life We were carnall concupiscentious idle Gods Gospell abused· vnthankfull vncleane couetous arrogant dissemblers crafty subtle malicious false backebiters c. and euen glutted with Gods word yea we lothed it Gods Gospell lothed as did the Israelites the Manna in the wildernes and therefore as to them
before hys mercifull harte laye open your infirmities and euilles with desire of pardon and helpe after hys good will and pleasure but in hys time and not when you will and by what meanes he will not by that waye you woulde in the meane season hange on hope of his fatherly goodnes and surely you shall neuer be ashamed For if a woman that is naturall cannot finally forget the Childe of her wombe be â—ure God whiche is a father supernaturall Esay â—9 cannot nor will not forget you Yea if a woman coulde be so forgetfull yet God hymselfe sayth he will not be so This opinion yea rather certayne perswasion of God our father through Christe see that you cherishe and by all meanes as well by dilligent consideration of his benefites as of his louing corrections whether they be inward or outwarde see that you nourishe knowyng for certayne that as the deuill goeth about nothing so muche as to bring you in a doubte whether yee be Gods childe or no so what soeuer shall moue you to admitte that dubitation be assured the same to come from the Deuill If you feele in your selfe not onely the want of good thinges but also plentye of euill do not therefore doubte whether you be Gods childe in Christ or no. For if for your goodnes or ilnesse sake which you feel or feele not ye should beleue or doubte then shoulde you make Christe Iesus for whose sake onely God is your father either nothyng or els but halfe Christ. But rather take occasion of your wants in good and of your plenty in euill to goe to God as to your father and to praye to him that in asmuch as he commaundeth you to beleue that he is your God and father so he would geue you his good spirite that you might feele the same and liue as hys childe to hys glorye and cease not vpon such prayers to look for comfort Gods good tyme still hoping the best and reiecting all dubitation and so all euill workes words and cogitations as the Lord shal enable you by hys good spirite and grace which I beseeche hym to geue vnto you my good sister for euer And further I pray you that as hee hath made you to be an helper vnto your husband so you would endeuour your selfe therein to shewe the same as well in soule as body and begge grace of God that your indeuour may be effectual to both your comfortes in Christ. Amen Iohn Bradford To my welbeloued in the Lord VV. P. GRace and peace from God the father through our Lorde Iesus Chryste Amen Deare brother God most iustly hath cast me downe into a dungeon but much better then I deserue wherein I see no man but my keeper nor can see any except they borne to me Soâ—ething in the earth my lodgyng is which as an example and memoriall of my earthly affections which God I trust will mortifie and of my sepulchre whereunto I trust my Lord God will bryng me in peace in hys good time In the meane season hee geue me pacience liuely hope and his good spirite I pray you praye for me for the prayer of the godly if it be effectuall This disease was a rewme with a feblenes of stomacke wherewith he was much troubled whiles he was at libertye worketh muche with God I thanke God my common disease doth lesse trouble me then when I was abroad which doth teache me the merciful prouidence of God towardes me Vse true and harty prayer and you shall perceiue GOD at length will declare himselfe to see where now many thinke he sleepeth Out of the Tower by the Lordes prisoner Iohn Bradford A letter whiche he wrote to a faythfull woman in her heauines and trouble most comfortable for all those to read that are afflicted and broken harted for their sinnes GOd oure good father for hys mercies sake in Christe with his eternall consolation so comforte you A letter of M. Bradford to a faythfull womaÌ„ inwardly afflicted as I desire to be comforted of him in my moste neede Yea he will comfort you my deare sister onely caste your care vppon hym and he neuer can nor will forsake you For his calling and giftes be suche that he can neuer repente hym of them Whome he loueth he loueth to the end none of his chosen can perishe Romans 11. Of whiche number I knowe you are my dearely beloued sister God increase the fayth thereof dayly more and more in you hee geue vnto you to hange wholy on hym and on his prouidence and protection For who so dwelleth vnder * * Gods prouidence and protection Psalm 31.90 Gene. 19. that secret thing and help of the Lord he shall be cocke sure for euermore He that dwelleth I say for if we be flitters and not dwellers as was Loth a flitter from Segor where God promised hym protection if hee had dwelled there still wee shall remoue to oure losse as he did into the mountaynes Dwell therefore that is truste and that finally vnto the ende in the Lorde my deare sister and you shal be as Mount Syon As Mountaynes compasse Ierusalem so dooth the Lorde all hys people How then can hee forget you whiche are as y e apple of hys eye for his dear sonnes sake Ah deare heart that I were now but one half houre with you to be a Symon to helpe to cary your crosse with you God sende you some good Symon to bee with you and helpe you You complayne in your letters of the blyndenesse of your minde and the troubles you feele My dearely beloued God make you thankefull for that whiche God hathe geuen vnto you he open your eyes to see what and howe great benefites you haue receiued that you may be lesse couetous or rather impacient for so I feare me it should be called and more thankefull Haue not you receiued at his handes sight to see your blindnesse and thereto a desirous and seeking heart to see where he lyeth in the mydday as his deare Spouse speaketh of her selfe in the Canticles Oh Ioyce my good Ioyce what a gifte is thys Many haue some sight but none this sobbing and sighing none this seeking whiche you haue I knowe but such as he hath marryed vnto hym in his mercies You are not content to kisse hys feete w t the Magdalen but you would be kissed euen with the kisse of his mouthe Cant. 1. You would see his face with Moses forgetting how he biddeth vs seeke hys face Psalme 27. yea and that for euer psalm 105. which signifieth no such sight as you desire to bee in this present life which would see God nowe face to face where as he cannot be seene but couered vnder something yea sometyme in that whiche is as you would say cleane contrary to God as to see his mercye in hys anger In bringing vs to hell fayth seethe hym bryng vs to heauen in darkenesse it beholdeth brightnesse God cannot be seene
for her exceeding goodnes extended towarde them with theyr singulare commendation and testimonie also of her Christian zeale towarde Gods afflicted prisonners and to the veritie of his Gospell Shee departed of late at Holburne Anno 1568. whose ende was more like a sleepe then anye death â—ote how God comâ—only 〈…〉 helpers 〈…〉 his 〈◊〉 so quietly and meekely shee deceased and departed hence in the Lord. Amongest other which wrote vnto her M. Bradforde also sent these letters to the said Lady the tenour whereof heere followeth To my good Lady Vane THe true sense and sweete feeling of Gods eternal mercies in Christe Iesus be euer more and more liuely wrought in your heart by the holy Ghost â— letter of Bâ—aâ—ford â—ritten to 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 Vane 〈…〉 he 〈…〉 Amen I moste heartily thanke you good Madame for your comfortable Letters and whereas you woulde be aduertised what were best to be done on your behalfe concerning your three questions the truth is that the questions are neuer wel seene nor answeared vntill the thing wherof they arise be well considered I meane vntill it be seene howe great an euill the thing is If it be once in deede in your heart perceiued vpon probable pithy places gathered out of Gods booke that there was neuer thing vppon the earthe so greate and so muche an aduersarie to Gods true Seruice to Christes Death Passion Priesthood Sacrifice and kingdome to the Ministerie of Gods woorde and sacraments to the church of God to repentance faith and all true godlines of life as that is whereof the questions arise as moste assuredly it is in deede then can not a Christian heart but so muche the more abhorre it and all thyngs that in any poynt might seeme to allowe it or any thing pertaining to y e same by how much it hath the name of Gods seruice Againe your Ladiship doth knowe that as all is to be discommended and auoided which is folowed or fled from in respecte of oure selues in respecte of auoiding Christes Crosse so the ende of all oure doings shoulde be to God-wards to his glory to our neighbours to edification and good example wherof none can be geuen in allowing any of the three questioÌ„s by you propounded But because this which I write nowe is briefe and needeth the more consideration or explication as I doubte not of the one in you so from me by Gods grace you shall receiue y e other shortly For I haue already wrytten a little booke of it whiche I will sende vnto you in the whiche you shall haue youre questions fully answeared and satisfied and therefore I omit to write any more hereaboutes presently beseeching God our good Father to guide you as his deare childe w t his spirite of wisedome power and comfort vnto eternall lyâ—e that you may be strong and reioyce in hym and wyth his Church to carie Christes crosse if hee shall so thinke it nede 1. Peter 1. Which is a thing to be desired wished and imbraced if wee looked on thinges after the iudgement of Gods word and tried them by that touchstone If you be accustomed to thinke on the breuitie vanitie and miserye of this life and on the eternitye truth and felicity of euerlasting life if you looke on things after their endes and not after their present appearance onely if you vse your selfe to set Gods presence power and mercy alwaies before your eies to see them as God by euery creature woulde you shoulde I doubt not but you shall finde suche strength and comforte in the Lorde as you shall not be shaken with all the power of Satan Gods mercye in Christ be with you and his good spirit guide you for euer Amen An other letter to the Lady Vane AS to mine owne soule I wishe to your Ladishippe An other letter of M. Bradford to the foresayd Lady Vane grace and mercy from God our deare father in Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour I thanke God that something he hath eased you and mitigated hys fatherly correction in vs both I woulde to God hee had done so muche in the behalfe of the griefe of the body to you as he hath done to mee For as for the soule I truste you feele that which I pray God increase in you I meane his fatherly loue and graunt that I may with you feele the same in suche degree as may please him I will not say as you feele least I should seeme to aske too much at one time God doeth often much more plentifully visite with the sense of his mercy them that humble them selues vnder his mighty hande and are sore exercised as you long haue bene then others whiche to the face of the worlde haue a more shewe and appearance Therefore I wish as I doe and that not onely for mine owne commoditie but also that I might occasion you to the consideration of the goodnesse of God whiche I by your letters doe well espâ—e whych is in deede the hye waye whereby as God encreaseth his giftes so sheweth he more liuely his saluation Psalme 50.107 I haue receiued Gods blessing from you the whiche I haue partly distributed vnto my three felowe prisonners Maister Farrar Maister Tailour Maister Philpot and the residue I will bestowe vppon foure poore soules whiche are imprisonned in the common Gayle for Religion also As for mine owne parte if I hadde neede I woulde haue serued my tourne also But because I hadde not nor I thanke God haue not I haue bene and wil be your Almner in such sorte as I haue already aduertised you God rewarde you and geue you to finde it spiritually and corporally Because otherwise I canne not talke with you therefore on thys sort as occasion and opportunitie will serue I am ready to shewe my good will and desire of youre helpe and furtheraunce in the Lorde to euerlasting life whereunto God bringe vs shortly for his mercies sake Amen Good Madame bee thankefull to God as I hope you be bee earnest in prayer continue in reading and hearing Gods worde and if Gods further Crosse come as therein God doeth serue hys prouidence for els it shall not come vnto you so be certaine the same shall turne to your eternall ioy and comfort Amen Iohn Bradford To my deare friendes and brethren R. and E. with their wiues and families THe comforte of Christe fealt commonly of his children in their Crosse for his sake An other letter of M. Bradford to 2. faythfull frends of his onâ— Royden and Elâ—ing the euerlasting God worke in both your heartes my good brethren and in the hearts of both your yokefelows especially of good Mary my good sister in the Lord. Amen If I had not somthing heard of the hazard which you are in for the Gospels sake if you continue the profession confession therof as I trust you do wil do and that vnto the ende God enabling you as hee will doubtlesse for hys mercies sake if you hope in him for
with coâ—â—rage Cast you selues on Christ who careth for you Kepe company with him now stil to the ende he is faithfull and wil neuer leaue you nor tempt you further then hee will make you able to beare yea in the middest of the temptation hee will make an outscape Nowe pray vnto him heartely be thankefull of his indignation reioyce in hope of the health you shall receiue and be mindefull of vs whych are in the vawarde and by Gods grace trust in Christ to be made able to breake the Ise before you that you followynge may finde the way more easie God graunte it may so be Amen Amen Out of prison by your brother in Christ Iohn Bradford To Maistresse Wilkenson ALmighty God our most louing father increase in your heart my good mother deare maistresse in the Lord his true knowledge and loue in Christe A letter M. Bradfâ—â—â— to 〈◊〉 Wilkinsâ—â— to y e encouraging and comforting of your faith in these stormy dayes as necessary vnto vs so profitable if we perâ—iste vnto the ende which thing God graunt to vs. Amen My righte dearely beloued I knowe not what other thing to wryte vnto you then to desire you to be thankfull vnto the Lord in that amongst thee not many of your calling and state it pleaseth him to geue you his rare blessing I meane to keepe you from all the filthe wherewyth onâ—e Countrey is horribly defiled Thys blessing assuredly is rare as you see But nowe if he shall blesse you with an other blessing which is more rare I meane to cal you foorth as a Martyr and a witnesse against this filth I hope you will become double thankefull For a greater token commonly we haue not to iudge of our election and saluation next to Christe and faith in him then the crosse especiallye when it is so glorious as on this sorte to suffer any thing The 〈◊〉 a great of Electâ—â—â— but chiefly losse of this life which in deede is neuer founde til it be so lost except the graine of wheate fall and be dead it remaineth fruitlesse You know how that he which was rapt into the third heauen and did knowe what he wrote doeth say That as the corne liueth not except it be dead and cast into the earth 1. Cor. â—â— so truely oure bodies And therefore the crosse shoulde so little feare vs that euen death it selfe shoulde altogether be desired of vs as the Tailour which putteth off oure ragges and araieth vs with the Royall Roabes of immortalitie incorruption and glory Great shame it shoulde be for vs â—om 8. that all the whole creatures of God shoulde desire yea grone in their kinde for our libertie and wee our selues to loath it as doubtlesse we doe if for the crosse yea for death it selfe we with ioy swallow not vp all sorrow that might let vs from following the Lordes calling and obtaining the Lordes prouidence whereby doubtles all crosses and death it selfe doth come and not by hap or chance In consideration whereof right deare Mother that this prouidence stretcheth it selfe so vnto vs and for vs that eueÌ„ the hair of our heads are numbred with God not one of them to fall to our hurte surely we declare our selues very faint in faith if we receiue not such comfort that we can willingly offer our selues to the Lord and cast our whole care vpon his backe honouring him with this honour that he is and euer will be carefull for vs and all we haue as for hys deare children Be therfore of good cheare euen in the middest of these miseries be thankful to the Lord and prepare your selfe for a further triall which if God sende you as I hope so do you beleeue that God therein wil help comfort you and make you able to bear whatsoeuer shall happen And thus much hauing this oportunitie I thoughte good to wryte praying God our father to recompence into your bosome all the good that euer you haue done to mee especially and to many others both in this time of trouble and alwaies heeretofore Your owne in the Lord Iohn Bradford An other letter wrytten to certaine godly persons encouraging them to prepare them selues with pacience to the crosse GRatious God and moste mercifull Father for Iesus Christes sake thy dearely beloued sonne graunte vs thy mercy grace wisedome and holy spirite to counsaile comforte and guide vs in al our cogitations woordes and woorkes to thy glorye and our euerlasting ioy and peace for euer Amen In my last letter you might perceiue my coniecturing to be no lesse towards you then now I haue learned But my dearely beloued I haue learned none other thyng then before I haue told you would come to passe if ye cast not away that which ye haue learned I do appeale to both your consciences whether herein I speake trueth as well of my telling though not so often as I might and should God forgeue mee as also of your learning Nowe God will trie you to make others to learne by you that whych ye haue learned by others and by them which suffred thys day ye might learne if already yee had not learned that life and honour is not to be set by more then Gods commandement They in no poynt for all y t euer their ghostly fathers could do hauing doctour Death to take their part would consent or seeme to consent to the popish masse and papisticall God otherwise then in y e daies of our late king they had receiued And this their faith they haue confessed with their deathes to their great glorye and all our comfortes if we follow them but to our confusion if we starre backe from the same Wherfore I beseeche you to consider it as well to praise God for them as to goe the same way with them if God so will Consider not the things of this life whyche is a verye prison to all Gods children but the things of euerlasting life which is our very home But to the beholding of thys geare â—â—ample of 〈…〉 goe with 〈…〉 ye must open the eyes of your mind of faith I shuld haue sayde as Moses did which set more by trouble wyth Gods people then by the riches of Egypt and Pharaos Court Your house home and goodes yea life and all that euer yee haue God hath geuen you as loue tokens to admonish you of his loue to win your loue to him againe Nowe will he trie your loue whether ye set more by hym then by his tokens or no. If ye for his tokeÌ„s sake that is for your home house goods yea life will goe w t the world least ye should loose them then be assured your loue as hee can not but espie it to be a strumpets loue â— strumpet 〈◊〉 more her 〈◊〉 then by â—ouer so will he cast it away with the world Remember that he which will saue his life shall loose it if Christ be true but he which aduentureth yea
looseth his life for the Gospels sake the same shal be sure to finde it eternally Do not ye knowe that the way to saluation is not the broade way which manye run in but the straight way which fewe now walke in Before persecution came men might partly haue stand in a doubt by the outward estate of the world with vs although by Gods woorde it was plaine whether was the high way king Edâ—â—rdâ— tyme 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 could 〈◊〉 be knoâ—en for there was as many that pretended the gospell as poperie but nowe the sunne is risen the winde bloweth so that the corne which hathe not taken fast roote can not nor will not abide and therefore easily yee may see the straight way by the smal number that passeth thorowe it Who will now aduenture their goods and life for Christes sake whiche yet gaue his life for our sakes Wee are now become Gergesites 〈◊〉 8. â—â—â—gesites 〈◊〉 more by 〈…〉 that would rather loose Christe then our Porkets A faithfull wife is neuer tried so to be but when shee reiecteth and withstandeth woers A faithfull Christian is then founde so to be when hys faith is assaulted If wee be not able I meane if wee will not forsake this world for Gods glory and Gospels sake trow ye that God will make vs able or geue vs a will to forsake it for natures sake Die ye must once and leaue al ye haue God knoweth how soone and when will ye or will ye not and seeing perforce ye must do this will ye not willingly now doe it for Gods sake If ye goe to Masse and do as the most part doeth then may ye liue at rest quietly but if ye deny to goe to it then shall ye goe to prison lose your goodes leaue your children comfortles yea lose your life also But my dearly beloued open the eyes of your faith see how short a thing this life is euen a very shadow and smoke Againe see how intollerable the punishment of hel fire is and that endles Last of all looke on the ioyes incompreheÌ„sible which God hath prepared for all them worlde without ende which loose eyther landes or goodes for his names sake And then doe ye reason thus If we goe to Masse the greatest enemie that Christe hath though for a little time we shall liue in quiet and leaue to our children that they may liue heereafter yet shall we displease God fall into his handes which is horrible to hypocrites and be in wonderful hazarde of falling from eternal ioy into eternal misery first of soul and then of body with the Deuil and all Idolaters Againe we shall wante peace of conscience which surmounteth all the riches of the world and for our children who knoweth whether God will visite our Idolatrie on them in this life yea our house and goods are in danger of loosing as our liues be through many casualties when God is angry with vs he can send alwaies when he will one meane or an other to take all from vs for our sinnes and to cast vs into care for our owne sakes which wil not come into some litle trouble for his sake On this sort reason with your selues and then doubtlesse God will worke otherwise with you and in you then ye are ware of Where nowe ye thinke your selues vnable to abide persecutioÌ„ be most assured if so be ye purpose not to forsake God that God will make you so able to beare his Crosse that therein you shall reioyce Faithful is God 1. Cor. 10. God will geue ability not 〈◊〉 to beare his Crosse but alâ—o to reioyce in bearing sayth Paul which wil not tempt you further then he wil make you able to beare yea hee will geue you an outscape in the Crosse which shal be to your comfort Thinke howe great a benefite it is if God will vouche you worthy thys honour to suffer losse of any thing for his sake He myghte iustly cast most greeuous plagues vpon you and yet now he will correct you with that rod wherby you shal be made like to his Christe that for euer ye may raigne wyth him Suffer your selues therfore now to be made like to Christ for els yee shall neuer be made like vnto him The Deuill woulde gladly haue you nowe to ouerthrowe that which godly ye haue of long time professed Oh howe woulde he triumph if he could winne his purpose Oh howe would the Papistes triumph against Gods gospell in you Oh howe would you confirme them in their wicked Poperie Oh how would the poore children of God be discomforted if now ye should go to masse and other idolatrous seruice and doe as the world doth Hath God deliuered you from y e Sweate to serue hym so Hath God myraculously restored you to healthe from your greeuous Agewes for suche a purpose Hath God geuen you such blessings in this world and good things al the daies of your life hitherto and nowe of equitie will ye not receiue at his hands and for his sake some euill God forbid I hope better of you Use prayer and cast your care vpon God commit your children into his hands geue to God your goods bodies and liues as he hath geuen them or rather sent them vnto you Say wyth Iob God hathe geuen and God hathe taken away hys name be praised for euer Caste your care vppon hym I saye for hee is carefull for you A great blessing of God to suffer for his sake and take it amongest the greatest blessings of God to suffer for his sake I trust he hath kept you hitherto to that ende And I beseeche thee O mercifull Father for Iesus Christes sake that thou wouldest be mercifull vnto vs comforte vs wyth thy grace and strengthen vs in thy trueth that in heart we may beleeue and in tongue boldly confesse thy Gospell to thy glorye and our eternall saluation Amen Pray for me and I by Gods grace will doe the same for you Iohn Bradford An admonition to certaine professours of the Gospell to beware they fall not from it in consenting to the Romish religion by the example of other halting and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christe whiche is the true effecte of Gods Gospell beleued my dearly beloued be more and more plentifully perceiued of you An other letter or admonition of M. Bradford to certayne godly professors of Gods truth through the grace of our dere father by the mighty working of the holy spirite our comforter Amen Thoughe I haue many lettes presently to hinder mee from wryting vnto you yet being desired I could not but something signifie my ready good will in this behalfe so much as I may when I can not so much as I would You heare and see howe Sathan bestirreth hym raging as a roaring Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partly what stormes he hath raised vp to drowne the poore Boate of Christe I meane hys Churche You see howe terribly
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
to speake with me but yet I trust that I shall speake wyth you Iohn Bradford To these letters of M. Bradforde aboue specified here is also adioyned an other Letter of the sayde Bradforde wrytten to certaine of his faithfull friendes woorthy of all Christians to be read wherein is described a liuely comparison betweene the Olde man and the Newe Also betweene the Law and the Gospell containing much frutefull matter of diuinitie necessary for Christian consciences to read and vnderstand A letter of M. Bradford describing a comparison betweene the olde man and the newe c. A Man that is regenerate and borne of God the whiche thing that euery one of vs be A compaâ—ison betweene the olde man and the new by M. Bradford our baptisme the Sacrament of regeneration doth require vnder paine of damnation and therefore lette euery one of vs wyth the virgine Mary say be it vnto me O Lord according to thy word according to thy Sacrament of baptisme wherein thou hast declared our adoption and let vs lament the doubting hereof in vs striuing againste it as we shal be made able of the Lorde a man I say that is regenerate consisteth of two men as a man may say namely of the olde man and oâ— the newe man The old man The new man The olde man is like to a mighty Giant suche a one as was Goliath â—or his birth is now perfecte But the newe man is like vnto a little childe such a one as was Dauid for his birth is not perfect vntill the day of hys generall resurrection The old man therfore is more stronger lusty and stirring then is the newe man Why the olde man is stronger then the new because the birth of the newe man is but begun now and the old man is perfectly born And as the olde man is more stirring lustye and stronger then the newe man so is the nature of him cleane contrary to the nature of the newe man In what respect one man is both an old man and also a nâ—w man as being earthly and corrupt with Sathans seede the nature of the newe man being heauenly and blessed with the celestiall seede of God So that one man in as muche as he is corrupte wyth the seede of the Serpent is an olde man and in as muche as he is blessed with the seede of God from aboue he is a new man And as in as much as he is an old maÌ„ he is a sinner and an enemy to God so in as much as he is regenerat he is righteous holy and a frend to God the seede of God preseruing him from sinne so that hee cannot sinne as the seede of the Serpent wherewith hee is corrupt euen from his conception inclineth hym yea enforceth him to sinne and nothing els but to sinne So that the best part in man before regeneration in Gods sight is not onely an enemy but enmitie it selfe How one man may be called alwayes sinfull and alwayes iust One man therefore which is regenerate well may be called alwayes iust and alwaies sinneful iust in respect of Gods seede and hys regeneration sinnefull in respecte of Sathans seede and his first birth Betwixt these two men therfore there is coÌ„tinual conflict and warre most deadly The flesh and olde man by reason of his birth that is perfect Why the olde man oftentymes preuayleth agaynst the new man doth often for a time preuaile againste the newe man being but a child in comparison and that in such sorte as not onely other but euen the children of God them selues thinke that they be nothing els but old and that the spirite seede of God is lost and gone away where yet notwithstanding the truth is otherwise the spirite and the seede of God at the length appearing againe The old man so mightely preuayleth sometymes agaynst the new in the children of God that the spirite seede of God seemeth to be vtterly taken from them whereas in deede it is not so as afterwards to their great comfort they finde and feele and dispelling away the clouds which couer the sonne of Gods seede from shyning as the cloudes in the aire do the corporall Sunne so that sometimes a man cannot tel by any sense that ther is any Sunne the cloudes and windes so hiding it from our sight Euen so our cecitie or blindnes and corrupte affections do often shadow the sight of Gods sede in Gods children as though they were plaine reprobates Whereof it coÌ„meth that they praying according to their sense but not according to the truthe desire of God to giue them agayne his spirite as thoughe they had lost it and he had taken it away Which thing God nor dothe in deede although hee make vs to thinke so for a time for alwayes hee holdeth hys hand vnder his children in their falles that they lye not still as other doe whych are not regenerate And thys is the differeÌ„ce betwixte Gods children which are generate and elect before all times in Christe and the wicked cast awayes that the elect lie not stil continually in theyr sinne as doe the wicked but at the length doe returne agayne by reason of Gods seede which is in them hid as a sparkle of fire in the ashes as we maye see in Peter Dauid Paule Mary Magdalene and others For these I meane Gods children God hathe made all thinges in Christe Iesu to whom he hath geuen this dignitie that they should be hys inheritaunce and spouses Thys our inheritour Christe Iesus God wyth God light of lyght coeternall and consubstantiall wyth the Father and wyth the holy Ghoste to the ende that he myghte become our husbande because the husbande and the wyfe must be one body and flesh hath taken our nature vppon him communicating with it and by it in his owne person to vs all his children 1. Peter 1. his diuine maiestie as Peter sayth and so is become flesh of our flesh and bone of oure bones substantially As the wyfe is no sutable person but the husband so Christe being our husband let him enter the Action for our sinnes as we are become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones spiritually al that euer we haue perteining to him yea eueÌ„ our sinnes as al that euer he hath pertaineth vnto vs euen his whole glory So that if Sathan should sommon vs to aunswere for oure dettes or sinnes in that the wife is no sutable person but the husbaÌ„d we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christe and he will make him a sufficient aunswere For this ende I meane that we might be coupled and maried thus to Christe and so be certaine of saluation and at godly peace with God in our coÌ„sciences God hath geuen his holy worde which hath two partes as nowe the children of God do consist of two men one part of Gods word being proper to the old man the other part of gods
me God I should say through it vnto a more contempt of worldly thyngs through the sequestration of such his busines as tofore I had ado withall I call it a contempt well take the word euen as it is hypocritically and vayne gloriously spoken for the whiche fault amongst my others innumerable I trust you remeÌ„ber in your prayers whereof I haue I would I knew how much neede There is yet another thyng whereof I will aduertise you euen to this ende that you might pray if it be Gods will that as I trust shortly to beginne so he may vouchsafe to confirme that he hath begun as if I be not deceyued I beleeue it is his workyng If the thyng seeme by Gods sprite in you that I presume then for the Lords sake aduertise me for I am much geuen to that disease the Lord deliuer me I haue mooued my M. therein already by letters to see if I shall haue any liuyng of hym as hitherto I haue had but I haue thereof no answer nor as our naturall speech is any likelyhood of any grant Yet that I haue alredy I trust be able for me for 3. yeres you looke what my purpose meaneth I am so long afore I come to it Therefore I doe it because my long bablyng should be lesse tedious Now shall you haue it If Gods will be whereunto pray I may be obedient I am mynded afore Midsomer to leaue London to goe to my booke at Cambridge and if God shall geue me grace to be a minister of his worde Thus you haue of a â—lie an Elephant Well take it in good part though you see my etiam non and not etiam etiam A tumblyng stone gathereth no mosse so therfore pray for me Perchaunce I do foolishly to forsake so good a liuyng as I haue I will say no more hereof but pray for me I trust as I said for three yeres study I haue sufficient if my Maister take all from me and when this is spent God wil send more I do not write this that you should thinke me to be in need of worldly helpe And therfore as Friers were woont secretly to beg No in y e Lords name I require you not to take it so for I had rather neuer send letter afore I should be herein a crosse to you for sufficit sua diei afflictio we are more set by then many sparowes But if my Mother or Sir Thomas Hall murmure at it or be offended with me as you can remedy it with your counsaile Howbeit as yet I will not write to them of it vntill such tyme as I bee goyng I am somethyng fickle mynded and vnconstant therefore praye for me that my hande beyng put to the plough presumptuously spoken I looke not backe You may gather by my wordes in this letter the Herodicall heart whiche lyeth in mee I haue sent you a booke of Bucer agaynst Winchester in English lately translated which I neuer red therefore I cannot prayse it And as I call to remembraunce I did send you with the other bookes moe then you receyued at the least one of them I remember which is called The Common places or the Declaration of the fayth by Urbanus Rhegius Aske for it or send me worde in whome the default is you haue it not Hereafter and that shortly by God grace I will send you primitiae laborum meorum a worke or two which I haue translated into English so soone as they bee printed which will bee afore Whitsontide Pray for me good father Traues and God send you health of soule and body as I would myne owne or any mans liuyng But yet to warne you of that you knowe not in writyng your letters to me you hit me home and geue mee that I looke for You are deceyued and so is all that knoweth me I neuer came to any poynt of mortification therefore a little ticklyng sets me a flote God help me and geue God thankes for me as all men bee most bounden Thus when Iones beginne to write to you I run as the Priest sayth Mattins for I thinke I may bee bold on you The holy Ghost preserue you your wife and family and perseuere his grace in you vnto the ende I pray you pray for me a most what should I call me miserable and blasphemous sinner The peace of God bee with vs. From the Temple this xij of May 1548. Sir Thomas Hall hath deceyued mee but hymselfe most I desire to speake with hym as this Winter it may chaunce if I discharge not my self of myne office to see him Pray for hym and for me A very hypocrite Iohn Bradford ¶ An other letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe perseuerance of Gods grace with the knowledge of his good will encrease with you vnto the ende To declare my selfe as I am a carnall man which vnderstandeth not the thyngs that be of the spirit These my letters though I counterfeit and meddle amongest them the spirituall wordes as the Deuill did in hys temptations to Christ will declare no lesse For I beginne with carnall thyngs in effect and no meruaile if I so ende for how can a man gather figs of bryers These wordes as they seeme so they are spoken for a cloke to make you thynke otherwyse but father Traues you can not thinke so euil of me as I am to the matter This present day by Gods grace I take my iourney towards Cambridge where I praye God and so earnestly pray you to pray for me that I may circumspectly redeme this tyme which God hath appointed to me vnknowen to lend me for alas I haue spent most wickedly the tyme past for the which I must account euen for euery haire bredth as they say for God hath not geuen here tyme to sine But if I considered this as I do nothyng lesse custome of sinne and pleasing my selfe hath so hardened my hart I should then come to the feelyng of my selfe then should I hate sinne which I now loue then should I feare Gods wrath which I now contemne theÌ„ should I cry out and wepe and continually pray as now I am as dry as a stone as dumbe as a nayle as far from pâ—aying as he that neuer knew any tast of it Which thing once I felte thankes to the Lord but now for myne vnthankfulnesse I am almost but most worthily depriued I feare me God will take hys grace from me I am so vnthankefull Alas why do I lye in saying I feare me nay God grant I may do so for then should I pray and pray but seyng I can not speake you for me pray for me that the Lord would remember his old compassions towards me for his mercies sake drawe me ye compel me to serue to feare and to loue hym Thus may you see how I presume for myne entent was to haue bene a Minister of Gods worde to haue bene hys instrument to cal from as I haue called to sinne but you see how that God
punisheth myne arrogancy Alas what shall I doe I am an vnprofitable and an idle member I thought I shoulde haue bene therein profitable but medice cura teipsum How should I or what should I doe I cannot labour wyth my handes Well I trust God will geue mee grace and knowledge to translate nothyng I feare me yea I distrust me that I shall neuer be minister of Gods worde yea if arrogancy were not in me how shuld I of all wretches the greatest thinke me to looke to the highest roume and vocation that is vppon earth Therefore eftsoones I desire you to pray for me that Gods will may bee done in me whether I lyue or dye so that hys name be honoured My maister which was hath denied me all his benefiseÌ„ce but I haue for this lyfe more then enough thankes bee to God As this Winter I entend by Gods fauor to declare more vnto you This booke which I haue sent take it in good part it is the first I trust it shall not be the last God hath appoynted me to translate The print is very false I am sory for it I pray you be not offended at my babling in the Prologues c. Iohn Bradford I will lye God willyng this Sommer at Katherines hall in Cambridge write to me ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe louyng kyndnes and aboundant mercy of God the father poured plentifully vpon all the faythfull in the bloud of that meeke Lambe Iesus Christ our onely satisfaction and mediator thorough the working of the most holy spirite be encreased and perceiued in you daily more and more to the glory of God c. Because I stand both in doubt of the readyng and deliuerie of such letters as I write and send vnto you derely beloued father Traues I am constrained to leaue of such griefes and spirituall wantes as thankes vnto the Lord I vnwillingly feele for the flesh as you knowe loueth nothyng so much as securitie of all enemies most perillous and not a little familiar with me from the which with vaine glory hypocrisie c. and worldlines the Lord deliuer me I had not thought to haue writen thus much but these I cannot keepe but commit them to your prayers And to the intent I would you should not thinke any ingratitude in me as also that I might geue you occasion to write to me agayne as heretofore I haue done euen so doe I enterturbe trouble you w t my babling but yet hauyng this coÌ„moditie that I babble not so much as I was woont to do The cause I haue declared which had almost bene the cause I had not written at all I did write vnto you from London when I came hither sende mee word what letters you haue receiued for from you I haue receiued but two and both by Iohn Mosse and in the latter I perceiued that the Lord had visited you with sickenes his fatherly rod whereby he declareth his loue vpon you and that he careth for you vt in tempore supremo exultes nunc ad breue tempus afflictus quo exploratio fidei multo praeciosior auro quod perit tamen probatur c Siquidem in hoc vocatus es vt cum Christo patiaris nam illo glorificabeâ—is Certus enim sermo est si sufferimus conregnabimus You know that Christ etsi filius Dei erat tamen ex his quae pastus est didicit obedientiam Patientia opus perfectum habeat vt sitis perfecti integri nullaque in parte diminuti and dothe not patientia come of probatio the one then you had so that you were goyng a schoole to learne the other with lerned what want you the ende of all Gods proouing is as Paule sayth vt impartiat nobis sanctimoniam igitur gratias age Deo patri qui idoneum te fecit ad participationem sortis sanctorum in lumine c. Nam qui te parumper afflixit idem instauret te fulciet roboret stabiliat And the Lord knoweth how eripere pios è testatione and that in tempore oportuno euen shortly for haud tardat qui promisit nam modicum tempus videbitis me veniens enim veniet non tardabit Itaque qui consortes estis crucis Christi gaudete sayth Peter vt in reuelatione quoque gloriae eius gaudeatis exultantes O how doth my will ouer runne my wit Why Bradford whom writest thou vnto Thou shewest thy selfe Thus father Traues you may see my rashnes to rable out the scriptures without purpose ryme or reason I will not blot it out as I had thought to haue done for that hereby you shall see my neede of your prayer Well I looke for a watchword from you Write for Gods sake and pray for me that I may be in somethyng profitable to the Lordes congregation that I may bee no stumbling blocke vt non confundantur in me qui illum expectant Send me such counsaile as the Lordes spirite shall mooue you how to study My desire is in somethyng to be profitable if it were the Lordes will for to be Minister verbi Alas I am vnmeete and my tyme my tyme yea the Lordes tyme I haue hitherto euill ye most wickedly mispent it c. Thus will I end The Lord be with you and your bedfellow to whom haue me hartily commended to all your children and family the which I beseeche the Lord to lighten his countenaunce ouer and graunt you his peace pray for me I long for Winter to speake wyth you Rescribe ora Pray for mee This assumption daye in Katherines hall in Cambridge Yours with all I haue and can Iohn Bradford ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe plentifull grace of God the father through our only maister and Lord Iesus Christ encrease in vs daily to the glory of his name Amen Forasmuch as I haue often written to you good father Traues and yet haue not once heard from you sithens Pentecost I can not now bee so bolde either in writing much or often as I would haue bene Howbeit this I say that I much meruaile that I heare not from you but not so for I am so wretched a sinner that the Lordes spirite I am certaine doth not mooue you to write to me yet for Gods sake pray for me and in the Lordes name I desire you geue thankes to God for me And when it maye please God to mooue you write to me thogh it be but two wordes and counsaile me how to study the worde of lyfe the ministerie whereof I desire if it bee the Lordes pleasure to professe and that I may doe it both in liuyng and learnyng pray for me Herus meus omnibus rebus suis me abdicauit quae prius concesserat iam soluere renuit mihi prorsus factus inimicus I know not when I shal see you in body therefore let me heare from you I write not this that you should thinke me in
aegestate aut angustijs esse No father the Lord geueth me omnia affatim and will doe I trust I shall shortly here haue a fellowship I am so promised and therefore I haue taken the degree of maister of Arte which els I could not haue attained If I get a fellowship I shall not need de crastino sollicitum esse as here after I shal more write to you by Gods grace I pray you write againe and often yray for me In hast as appeareth the 22. of October Ne sciat mater mea quod herus meus adeo duriter mecum egit c. Miserrimus peccator Iohn Bradford Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues THe peace and plenteous mercy of God our heauenly father in his Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour bee euer encreased in you by the holy spirit qui efficit omnia in omnibus Amen Father Traues though I might thinke my selfe more happy if you would often write vnto me yet because I ought to haue respect to your paynes whiche nowe that olde man cannot so well sustaine as it might I had rather loose my happines in y t behalfe then will your grief forasmuch as it can be no happines vnto mee which turneth to your payne yet because payne is not payneful when it is ioyned with gayne I therfore desire you for Gods sake o pray often for me for if I shall not be worthy of your praier as the Lord who knoweth all thyngs doth right well see it and so my conscience witnesseth yet your good prayer shall returne into your owne bosome And know this that who so conuerteth a sinner by prayer whether it bee by prayer preachyng or writyng letters c. the same hath saued a soule Use therefore for Gods sake I aske it that paynes whereunto is ioyned profite I meane prayer to God for me a miserable and most wretched sinner and as for the gaynelesse payne in writyng to me vse it yet as you may and surely God for whose sake you doe it in that he will reward a cup of cold water wil in some thing requite you And I know certainly that if you did see what spirituall profite I receyue by your letters I am certayne you would not thinke all your labour lost For Christes sake therefore begin agayne to write vnto me and reprooue me sharpely for my horrible vnthankfulnesse to GOD. You know how that God hath exonerated the loden conscieÌ„ce of the great waighty burthen for so I did write to you yea the Lord hath in maner vnburthened me of the lesser burthen also for I haue an asâ—uraunce of the payment of the same by Candlemas Loe thus you see what a good God the Lord is vnto me Oh father Traues geue thaÌ„ks for me and pray God to forgeue me my vnthankfulnesse But what should I reherse the benefite of God towardes me Alas I cannot I am to little for all his mercies yea I am not onely vnthankfull but I am to farre contumelious agaynst God For where you know the Sonne the Moone and the seuen starres did forsake me would not shine vpon me you know what I meane per herum heriles amicos yet the Lord hath geuen me here in the Uniuersitie as good a liuyng as I would haue wished For I am now a fellow of Pembroke hall of the whiche I nor any other for me did euer make any sute yea there was a contention betwixt the M. of Katherines hall and the bishop of Rochester who is M. of Pembroke hall whether should haue me sit hoc tibi dictum Thus you may see the Lordes carefulnes for me My fellowship here is woorth 7. pound a yere for I haue allowed me 18. pence a weeke and as good as xxxiij shillings foure pence a yeare in money besides my Chamber Launder Barbour c. and I am bound to nothing but once or twise a yeare to keepe a Probleme Thus you see what a good Lord God is vnto me But I pray you what do I now to God for all this I will not speake of the great mercies he sheweth vpon my soule Surely father Traues I haue cleaue forgotteÌ„ God I am all secure idle proud hard harted vtterly voyde of brotherly loue I am enuious and disdaine others I am a very starke hypocrite not onely in my words and works but euen in these my letters to you I am all sensual without the true feare of God an other manner of man then I haue bene sithens my call Alas father Traues I wryte this to put my selfe in remembraunce but I am wythout all sence I do but only write it For Gods sake praye for me which am onely in name a christian in very deed a very worldlyng to say to you the very truth a most worldling of all other I pray you exhort my mother now then with my sister Margaret to feare the Lord and if my mother had not sold the Foxe furre which was in my fathers gown I would she would send it me she must haue your counsaile in a piece of cloth Yours for euer I. Bradford Another letter of M. Bradford to father Traues THe selfe same mercy grace and peace which heretofore I haue felt plenteously thogh now through myne vnthankfulnes wilfull obedience to the pleasure of thys outward man I neither feele neither can bee perswaded that I possesse yea if I shall truly write I in maner passe not vpon the same so far am I fallen the Lord helpe me the same mercy c. I say I wish vnto you as I can with all encrease of godlines Hipocritically with my pen and mouth beseeching you in your earnest prayers to God to be an earnest suter vnto God for me whith am fallen into such a securitie euen an hardnes of hart that neyther I sorow my state neither with any griefe or feare of Gods abiection do write this before the Lorde which knoweth the harts of all men I lye not Consider for Christes sake therefore good father Traues my necessitie though I my selfe do it not pray for me that God cast me not of as I deserue most iustly For where I ought to haue well proceeded in Gods schoole by reason of the tyme I confesse it to my shame I am so far gone back as alas if shame were in me I might be ashamed to write it but much more to write it to thinke it not such is the reward of vnthankfulnes For where God wrought the restitution of y e great thing you know of the which benefit should bynde me to all obedience Alas father Traues I am to vnthankful I find no will in hart though by my writing it wil be hard to perswade you either to be thankfull either to beginne a new life in all things to mortifie this outward man and hartily to be well content to serue the lord in spirit veritie withstand myne affections especially my beastly sensualitie in meat drinke wherewith
not to be bodyly in the Sacrament Ioh 19. Iohn 17. whom he raysed from death euen Iesus which deliuered vs from the wrath to come c. Also Iohn 16. I went out from the father and came into the world Again I leaue the world and go to the father c. Iohn 17. Now I am not in the world and they are in the world and I come to thee And these places of the Scripture with other mo prooueth plainly to them that haue eares to heare that Christes body that was borne of the Uirgin Mary is in heauen and not in the Sacramentall bread and wyne and therefore it is idolatry to worship them c. Agaynst auricular confession To this fift Article I aunswer that I do beleue as I haue aforesayd that auricular confession is not good as it is now vsed Touching my sinnes wherein I haue offended God I must seeke to hym for remission therof for our Sauiour Christ sayth in the xj of S. Mathew Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden Mathew 11. I will ease you c. The riotous sonne Luke xv sayth I will arise and go to my Father and will say to him Luke 15. Father I haue sinned agaynst heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne c. Psal. 31. Psalme 31. I sayd I will knowledge myne offences and accuse my selfe vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest me the wickednesse of my sinne c. Iob. 13. But I will reproue myne own wayes in hys sight Iob. 13. He shal make me whole and there may no hypocrite come before hym Syrach 34. sayth Who can be clensed of the vncleane Sirac 34. And there was but one of the x. Lepers that were clensed that came to Christ to geue hym thanks He asked for the other ix But if I haue offended my neighbour I must reconcile my self to my neighbour Remission of sinnes to be sought onely at the handes of Christ. and if I be a notorious sinner after the first second admonition it ought to be declared to the congregation and the Minister of the congregation hath power by the word to excommunicate me and I am to bee taken as a Heathen person not for a day or xl dayes but vnto such tyme as I do openly in the congregation knowledge my fault then the minister hath power by the word to preach to me or them the remission of our sins in the bloud of Iesus Christ as it is written in the 13. of the Acts of the Apostles Math. 18. Other confession I know none To this 6. Article I the sayd Iohn Denley haue aunswered in the fift c. To this 7. Article I answer that as touchyng the sacrament of Baptisme which is the christenyng of childreÌ„ as it is altered and chaunged for S. Iohn Baptist vsed nothyng but the preachyng of the word and the water as it doth appeare wheÌ„ Christ required to be baptised of him and others also which came to Iohn to be baptised as it appeareth Math. 3. Mark 1. Luke 3. and Act. 8. the chamberlaine sayd See here is water Act. â— what letteth me to be baptised It appereth here that Phillip had preached vnto him for he sayd here is water We do not read that hee asked for any creame or oile not for spettle nor coniured water nor coniured waxe nor yet crysome nor salt for it semeth that Phillip had preached no such thyngs to hym for he would as wel haue asked for them as for water the water was not coniured but euen as it was afore Also Act. x. TheÌ„ answered Peter Acteâ— â— Acteâ— â— Can any man forbid water that these shold not be baptised c. Actes 16. And Paule and Silas preached vnto hym the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house he took them the same houre of the night and washed their wounds so was he baptised and al they of his houshold straight way Where ye see nothyng but preachyng the word the water The lyke also is to be sayd of the rest of the ceremonies of your Church To the 8. Article I answer shortly The Râ—â—â—â—bow as good a Sâ—â—crameâ—◠〈◊〉 some of 〈◊〉 Popish â—â—â—cramentâ— that there bee Sacraments no mo but two Baptisme and the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ except ye will make the rainbow a sacrament for there is no sacrameÌ„t but hath a promise annexed vnto it To the 9. Article I doe aunswer you that ye haue my mynd written alredy For it was found about me wheÌ„ I was taken and also ye know my mynd in the 4. Article plainly expressed concernyng the bodily presence for christes body is in heauen will not be conteyned in so small a piece of breade And as the wordes which Christ spake are true in deede so must they also bee vnderstanded by other of the Scriptures whiche Christ spake hymselfe and also the Apostles after hym And thus I make an ende c. By me Iohn Denley The Martyrdome of Maister Iohn Denley Then cruell D. Story beyng there present commanded one of the tormentors to hurle a fagot at hym whereupon beyng hurt therewith vpon the face that hee bled agayne he left his singyng and clapt both his hands on his face Truly quoth D. Story to him that hurled the fagot thou hast mard a good old song The sayd Iohn Denley beyng yet still in the flame of the fire put his hands abroad and sang againe yelding at the last his spirit into the hands of God through his sonne Iesus Christ. After the Martyrdome of M. Denley at Uxbridge which was the 8. of August suffered also not long after Patrike Pachingham at the same towne of Uxbridge about the 28. of the sayd moneth This Pachingham was charged of Boner as ye heard in the x. article before for hys behauiour shewed in the Bishops chappell who at y e masse tyme there staÌ„ding would not put of his cap which was taken for an haynous offence The said Pachingham also beyng much laboured by Boner to recant protested in these wordes to the B. that the church which he beleeued was no catholike church but was the church of Sathan therfore he would neuer turne to it c. Furthermore as touching the other which was Ioh. Newman Pewterer dwellyng at Maidstone in Kent he was burned the last of August at Saffron Walden in the Countie of Essex whose examinatioÌ„ and confession of his fayth and beliefe for the which he was cruelly burnt and persecuted here vnder followeth ¶ The examination of Iohn Newman Martyr IOhn Newman first was apprehended in Kent dwellyng in the towne of Maidstone and there was examined before Doctor Thornton Suffragane and others at Tenterden From thence he was brought to Boner and there condemned with M. Denley and Pachingham and burned at Saffron Walden as is before storied But because his
and the Archdeacon at Caunterbury the thirteenth daye of Iune The name of this Byshop was Richard Thorneton The Commissary was Robert Collins whome the Cardinall by his letters patent had substitute to his factor before his comming ouer to Englande The Archdeacon was Nicholas Harpsfield Under these a great sorte of innocent Lambes of Christ were cruelly entreated and slayne at Caunterbury amongest whome this foresayd Mayster Bland was one of the first â—he wordes â—f M. Bland 〈…〉 who as it is sayd being brought before the said Bishop and Colleagues whiche were Iohn Frankeshe Nicholas Sheterden Thomas Thacker Umfrey Middleton William Coker was examined of articles To whome it was obiected by the Commissarye whether hee beleue that Christ is really in the sacrament or no. c. To this he aunswered and sayd that hee beleeued that Christ is in the sacrament as he is in all other good bodies so that he iudged not Christ to be really in the sacrament Wherupon the day being Monday he was bid to appeare agayne vpon Wednesday nexte An other appearance and from thence he was deferred agayne to monday following being the xx Iune in the same Chapterhouse then to heare further what should be done in case he would not relent to theyr minde The whiche daye and place he appearing as before The last appearance of M. Bland before the Bishop of Douer and others was required to saye his minde playnely and fully to the foresayd articles being agayne repeated to him Whiche articles commonly and in course they vse to obiect to their Examinates which he wrought before them as here now followeth and need not much hereafter specially for that Countrey of Kent to be repeated ¶ Articles ministred by Richard Byshop of Douer to mayster Bland and likewise to the rest followyng after him 1. FIrste that thou arte of the Dioces of Caunterbury Articles oâ— Course ministred against M. Bland and so subiect to the iurisdiction of the Archbyshop there 2. Item that thou art a Christen man and doest professe the lawes of God and fayth of Christes Catholicke Church and the determination of the same 3. Item that all Parsons which teach preache beleeue affirme holde mayntayne or saye within the Dioces of Caunterburye otherwise then our holy mother y e church doth are excommunicate persons and heretickes and as excommunicate and heretickes ought to be named reputed and taken 4. Item that thou contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of our mother holy Churche within the Dioces of Caunterbury hast openly spokeÌ„ mayntayned holden affirmed and beleued and yet doest hold maynteine affirme and beleeue that in the blessed Sacrament of the aultar vnder the fourmes of bread and wyne there is not the very bodye and bloude of our Sauioure Iesus Christ in substaunce but onely a token signe and remembraunce thereof and that the very body and bloud of christ is onely in heauen and no where els 5. Item that thou contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of our mother holye Churche hast wythin this Dioces of Caunterbury openly spoken sayde maintayned holden affirmed and beleued and yet doest holde maynteine affirme and beleue that it is agaynst Gods word that the sacrament of Christes Churche shoulde be ministred in an vnknowne tongue and that no man safely and with a safe conscience or without perill of sinne receiueth any sacrament ministred in any tongue that he vnderstandeth not 6. Item that thou contrary to the Catholicke fayth of our mother holy Church hast and yet doest hold opinion and say that is against Gods word that the sacrament of the aultar shoulde be ministred in one kinde and that no man may with a safe conscience so receiue it 7 Item that the premisses be true and that there is a common fame vppon them within the Dyoces of Caunterbury The aunsweres of Mayster Bland to the foresayd Articles 1. TO these articles M. Bland aunswearing agayne in order as they were obiected to him Aunswere to the first article out of the Register The Catholicke Church of Christ. The Catholicke Church of Antichrist sayth to the first graunting the same that he was a priest and of the Dyoces of Caunterbury 2. To the second also he aunswered affirmatiuely 3. Item to thirde hee aunswereth that the Article is true meaning the Catholicke Churche to bee Chrystes Churche 4. Item in the fourth Article as touching the first parte of the Article he doth confesse that he hath preached and taught it as it is contayned in the same And as touching the seconde parte of the article he doth confesse that he doth nowe also hold and say as he preached and taught before 5. Item to the fift article he graunteth 6. To the sixt hee hath preached held and doth holde as it is conteyned in the article 7. Item to the last article he graunteth the same c. This done and his aunsweres and confession taken respite was geuen hym yet a few dayes to deliberate with himselfe So the xxv day of the sayde moneth of Iune hee making his appearing agayne in the sayd Chapterhouse there openly and boldly withstoode the authoritie of the Pope whereupon his sentence was read and so he condemned and committed to the secular power Touching the forme and tenor of the sentence M. Bland denyeth the Pope M. Bland condemned because all theyr sentences of course agree in one read before in y e historye of Maister Rogers ¶ The prayer of Maister Bland before his death THe Lorde Iesus for whose loue I doe willingly leaue thys life A prayer of M. Bland and desire rather the bitter death of this crosse wyth the losse of all earthly thinges then to abide the blasphemye of thy holye name or els to obey man in breaking thy Commaundements thou seest Oh Lord that where as I might liue in worldly wealth to worship false Gods and honoure thy enemye I chose rather the tormentes of this body and losse of this my life and haue counted al thinges but vile dust and dung that I might winne thee Which death is more deare vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer Such loue Oh Lorde hast thou layde vp in my brest that I hunger for thee as the Deere that is wounded desireth the soyle Send thy holy comfort O Lorde to ayd comfort and strengthen this weake peece of earth whiche is voyde of all strength of it selfe Thou remembrest O Lorde that I am but dust and not able to doe any thing that is good Therefore O Lorde as thou of thy accustomed goodnes hast bidden me to this banket and counted me worthy to drinke of thine owne cup amoÌ„gst thine elect geue me strength against this element that as it is to my sight most â—â—kesome and terrible so to my minde it may be at thy commaundement as an obedient seruaunt sweete and pleasaunt and through the strength of thy holye spirite I may passe through the strength of this fire into thy bosome according