vnpardonable to offend the least of these locusts The holy Frier at supper time eate like a glutton and like a beast could not giue over tossing the pot vntill being overcome with drinke he exposed himselfe a shamefull spectacle to so chast and sober a family But in the morning as if he had beene some young Saint lately dropped from heaven he causeth the Bell to towle to the Sermon and in the midst thereof blustering out certaine good words he presumed to grow hot against some sinnes of the time and amongst the rest to thunder bouldly against drunkennesse Young Gilpin who had but newly got the vse of his tongue having observed as it seemed the hatefull basenesse of the man by his oversight the night before and now hearing the beast cry out so loud against these crimes which himselfe had so lately beene guilty of as he was sitting neere to his Mothers lap in the Church sodainly crieth out in these words O Mother doe you heare how this fellow dare speak against drunkennesse who was drunke himselfe yesternight at our house The Mother made speed to stop the childes mouth with her hand that he might speake no further After this the parents of the boy perceiving his disposition by many evident testimonies were diligently carefull to make him a scholler He had a schoolfellow one Edwin Airy whom afterwards he loved intirely for his good disposition and approoved honesty but Gilpin did farre excell the rest in acutenesse of wit Having therefore with great approbation passed his time in the Grammar-schoole he is by his parents who had now conceived great hope of their sonne sent to Oxford At that time in Oxford both learning and Relligion were in all things out of ioynt and over-grown with the rust of Barbarisme And now was young Gilpiâ— sixteene yeares of age at his comming to Oxford being in the yeare of our Lord 1533. Being entred in Queenes Colledge he profited wondrously in humane learning He became as almost all the good wits of that time very conversant in the writings of Erasmus He fell very close to the study Logick and Philosophy wherein he was observed to grow excellent and to beare away the bell in schooles He added to this his humane learning the singular knowledge of the Greeke and Hebrew wherein he made vse of the assistance and friendship of one Neale betwixt whom and this Gilpin was growne much familiarity by the affinity of their studies This Neale was a Fellow of New-Colledge and afterwards Professour of the Hebrew in Oxford And now after some few yeares carefully spent in these studies Gilpin began to be so famous and so beloved in Oxford that there was hardly any place of preferment for a scholler whereof the eminency of Gupâ—ns vertue had not rendred him worthy in the publick estimation There was then an enquiry made for men of more then ordinary learning and fame who might make vp a number of schollers in Christ-Church at that time newly begun and honour it with the commendation of learning Amongst these was our Gilpin one of the first elected At that time he had not fully attained to truth and sincerity in Relligion as having beene alwayes instructed in the traditions of the Church of Rome for in those dayes the most part of men did not regulate their Relligion and peity by the rule of Gods word but according to the Traditions of their Fathers received from hand to hand His minde although disposed to holinesse did for a while remaine in darknesse and being over-clouded with preiudiciall respects laboured vnder the burthen of superstition not without some shadow of Antiquity being more earnest against vices and corruptions of the time then against the traditions of the Fathers Therefore at that time Gilpin seemed a great vphoulder of the Popish Relligion He held disputation publickly against Iohn Hâ—â—per who was afterwards Bishop of Worcester and at the last a glorious Martyr of Christ. After the death of King Henry the eight when Edward the sixt was King Peter Martyr induced by the piety and Munificence of such a Prince read the Divinity Lecture in Oxford Against whom the Sophisters indeavoured to make opposition Chedsey Weston and Morgan who desired also to draw in Gilpin on their side that by his advise and help they might the more distract Peter Martir and the matter at last came to this push that Gilpin was produced to hould disputation against the positions of Peter Martir Vpon occasion of which dispute Gilpin to the end that he might defend his cause in hand adventureth more diligently then ordinary to examine the Scriptures and the auncient Fathers And by how much the more he studied to defend the cause which he had vndertaken so much the lesse confidence he began to haue therein because he supposed that he ought to stand for the truth which he stroue with all his might to discover and finde out But whiles he was zealously searching for the truth he began by little and little to haue a sight of his owne errours Whereupon Peter Martir was wont often to say that he was not much troubled either for Weston Morgan or the like but as for that Gilpin saith he I am very much mooved concerning him for he doth and speaketh all things with an vpright heart The rest seeme to me to be men who regard their bellies most of all and being most vnconstant are carried away as it were with every blast of ambition and covetousnesse But Gilpin reâ—ting firmely vpon gravity of manners and the testimony of a most laudable life seemeth to honour with his owne goodnesse the cause which he vndertaketh Yea and he did often pray vnto God that he would be pleased at the last to convert vnto his truth the heart of Gilpin being so inclinable to all honest desires And doubtlesse God heard the prayer of Peter Martir For from that time forward Gilpin drew neere to the knowledge of the truth not vpon a sodaine but as himselfe confessed by degrees Peter Martir had much illuminated Oxford with the truth of Divinity and the knowledge of humane learning Whereupon Gilpin resolved more earnestly to apply himselfe both by study and prayer to search out the truth To which purpose he determined to put in writing the disputation which had beene betwixt himselfe and Hooper But in the expressing and vnfoulding of the said controversie while he dwelt for a time vpon an accurate examination of the points which he had resolved to confute whiles he searcheth them to the bottome and regulateth the institutions of the Church to the authority of Scripture without which he well vnderstood that there could be no true Church at all he felt himselfe easily overcome and was not sory to be overcome by the truth Those draughts being found amongst Mr. Gilpiâ—s writings reserved in his private deske doe testifie his ingenuous and free confession together with the power of the truth and Gods great mercy in his conversion Whiles he
curiously pryeth into the Popish relligion he was inforced to acknowledge that very many errours were crept into the Church which hinder and obsâ—ure the matter of our salvation insomuch that they are no small offence to as many as hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and the knowledge of the truth He discovered many corruptioâ—s and changes of sound doctrine he found not so much as word touching seven Sacraments before Peter Lumbard and that the vse of the Supper was delivered vnder one kinde onely contrary to expresse Scriptures that Transubstantiation was a devise of the Schoolemen that the doctrine of the worke wrought called Opuâ— operatum was newly risen that the Masse was turned from a Sacrament to a Sacrifice that in the Church wherein all things were ordeined for the edification of the people all things were now done to the non-edification of them that the adoration of Images was instituted against the expresse commandement of God Demurring for a while as distracted with these thoughts behold the rule of faith lately changed in the Councel of Trâ—nâ— vtterly astonished him For he had observed out of the auncient Writers as well as out of the later ones Luâ— baâ—d Scotus Aqâ—inas and the rest that the rule of faith was to be drawne onely from the holy Scriptures but in the Councel of Trent he beheld humane traditions made equall wiâ—h the Scriptures And seeing he vnderstood these traditions to be nothing else but peevish and crosse expositions of the holy Scriptures devised by the Bishops of Rome and thrust in among the Decretall Epistles as also that the said Decretall Epistles were meerely feigned and suppositions as is confirmed by the testimonies of many learned men and indeed by the confession of the very Papists themselues is acknowledged to be out of all doubt this so great a confusion of things being risen in the Church in these latter ages enforced Gilpin now earnestly desiring nothing so much as true piety to begin to doubt whether the Pope might not be that Antichrist foretould in the Scriptures and the Popish Church plainly Antichristian For what is it to exalt and set vp himselfe against all that is called God insomuch that he sitteth as God in the Temple of God behaving himselfe as God if not this that the Pope is head of the vniversall Church the Lord the Monarch and as it were the God thereof And that the word of the Pope is defended as the very word of God For how shall not he whose word is as the word of God be as God opposing himselfe to God and shewing himselfe that he is God But this word is called the vnwritten word or verbum non scriptâ—m is drawne out of the stinking puddles of the Decretals that is to say patched vp together out of false and fictitious writings And this word which is in no respect worthy to be compared with the word of an honest man is the vnwritten word of God and to be enterteined with the same pious affection as are the holy Scriptures Can Antichrist when he shall come if yet there be another to come more grievously wrong and blaspheme Christ and the holy Scriptures then the Pope doeth And here at the last he demurred as in an exceeding great doubt For who would haue thought the Pope to be Antichrist who durst to speake such a word before Martin Luther Therefore thus he argued with himselfe If the Pope be Antichrist I fee not onely probable but even necessary causes to depart from the Popish Church But if the Pope be not Antichrist I see no sufficient ground for such a departure It is not lawfull to make a seperation from the Church but we are not onely enioyned to come out of the Church of Antichrist but we see the fearefull anger of the living God and heare his dreadfull threates thundered out against those who shall remaine in Babiloâ— that Sinagogue of Antichrist Forasmuch as a voice from heaven speaketh vnto vs. Apoc. 18 Come out of her my people it is denounced that they shal receiue of her plagues whosoever haue beene partakers of her sinnes Here therfore he stoppeda while because except the Pope were manifestly detected to be Antichrist he did not vnderstand how he might seperate from the Church and therefore he applied himselfe by searching reading prayer and meditation to be resolved of this truth He observed out of the Auncient Fathers Tertullian Iâ—rom Ambrose Augustine Chrysostome Cyrill and others that passage wherein Antichrist is described 2 Thess. 2 7. He which now withhouldeth shall let till he be taken out of the way to be so interpreted as vnderstood of the Romane Empire that the Romane Empire which now held preheminence should keepe possession vntill Antichrist shall come who shall possesse the seat of the Romane Empire And moreover whereas it is said in the same place that Christ shall not come againe except there be a departâ—râ— first he observed this thing to be fulfilled likewise He perceived first a very maine departure of the Church of Rome from her primitiue simplicity and truth And secondly a second departure or seperation no lesse manifest to wit of that of the Reformed Churches from the Church of Rome Mr. Gilpin would often say that the Churches of the Protestants were not able to giue any firme and solid reason of their seperation besides this to wit that the Pope is Antichrist For he vnderstood that a departure was commanded from the Church of Antichrist by that heavenly iniunction Goe out of her my people and be not partakers of her sinnes lest ye reciue also of her plagues Revel 18. 4. In which place S. lohn wisely foretelleth that the people of God should be called out of the Synagogue of Antichrist that here was no third thing to be thought vpon that either the Church of Christ was not to be forsaken or the Pope to be accounted Antichrist out of whose Church the Church of God is called forth by an heavenly voice command And now event which is the most vndoubted interpreter of Prophecies hath prooved all these things vnto vs We haue seene already many Ages agoe that Kingdome taken away which ruled over all in the time of the Apostles and in the roome thereof an Ecclesiasticall Kingdome erected such an one as was never seene in the Church in former Ages We haue beheld the fearfull departure of the Church of Rome from the auncient purity and integrity of the Church We haue observed and doe daily the people called as it were by a voice from heaven comming out of Babylon that is to say out of the Church of Antichrist Our eyes haue seene these things fulfilled which we haue read of as being foretould so many Ages agoe These things mooved the mind of Mr. Gilpin wonderfully to follow that Church which was shewed vnto him out of the word of God The Church of Rome kept the rule of faith intire vntill that rule was changed and altered by the
any more This desolation of the Church and ignorance of the common sort much troubled the holy heart of Mr. Gilpin He therefore purposed with himselfe with asmuch care and vigilancy as he could not to make vp the breach wholy for that was a thing impossible for him to dooe but to doe this owne duty to the best of his indeauours that the truth may be propagated and God glorified This desolation of the congregations appeared most of all in Northumbâ—rland and the ports adioyning which are called Riddesdale and Tindale For in these quarters especially in that time the word of God was neuer heard of to be preached amongst them but by Mr. Gilpins Ministry So that once a yeare it was his custome to make a iourney amongst them For which purpose he would vsually take the opportunity of Christmas Holidayes when in respect of frost and snowe other men were loth to travell That time he liked best because then there came many Holy-dayes together the people would more vsually assemble vpon the Holy-dayes whereas at other times they neither would come together so easily nor so often He got himselfe a great deale of estimation and respect amongst this people both by preaching and by distribution of monies to the poore in his Iourney being sometimes benighted before he was well aware and forced to lodge in the snowe all night In which extremity he commanded William Airy who for the most part attended vpon him to troâ—t the horses vp and downe and neither to permit them nor himselfe to stand still whiles he himselfe in the meane while did bestirre himselfe sometimes running sometimes walking as not able to stand still for could At home his daily care was for the discharge of his Ministry and provision for the poore Now there was in this towne of Houghton a streete of poore people for their releife he tooke order that every Thursday through the yeare a very great pot should be providedfull of boyled meat purposely for the poore And not at Houghton alone but even wheresoever oppoâ—tunity presented it selfe he was carefull for the poore insomuch that by the common consent of the Country people he was stiled a father of the poore Vpon a time as he was returning home vpon a iourney there was a certaine husbandman at plow in whose teame of horse one vpon a sodaine fell downe whether with being overwrought or vpon some disease it is vncertaine The husbandman and those who were with him did their best to raise the horse againe with all the strength they had but it was in vaine for the horse was dead Mr. Gilpin passing by accidentally stayed to obserue the issue of the matter And perceiving that the horse could not be raised againe and that the husbandman was exceedingly grieved for the death of his beast and that he cryed out he was even vndone by that miserable accident he commanded his man to alight from the horse he had vnder him and patiently to carry the saddle and bridle to the next towne and to giue to the poore man the horse whereon he rode The husbandman thereupon cryed out Alas Sir I am not able to pay you the price of so good an horse Be of good cheare saith Mr. Gilpin thou shalt never pay me for him till I demand it in the meane while goe on with thy worke Yea and many a time as he travailed was he accustomed thus to help poore men When at any time he chanced to meete any naked poore he would put off part of his apparrell to cover their nakednesse and at his table he vsually fed many poore persons When that blessed Queene Elizabeth of never dying memory after the direfull times of her sisters Raigne came to the Crowne the scarsity of learned men who were able to preach the word of God mooved not onely many religious persons but even the very Counsell of the Queene to seeke a salue for this sore by all the meanes they could Mr. Gilpin observing the laudable endeavours of many in relieving the Churches want in this kinde himselfe also was exceeding studious to doe what good he could possibly in his owne charge Whereupon he began to conceiue thoughts of a seminary of good literature or a Grammer-schoole and builded a schoole allowing maintenance for a Master and Vsher. Himselfe also made choice out of the same schoole of such as he likedâ—best to be privately instructed by himselfe Which resolution of his much benefited Mr. Gilpnn himselfe and the whole Church of God all England over For in that schoole of his were bred very many learned men who very much graced the Church by their indeavours and vprightnesse of life There was great resort of schollers to that schoole of his many of whom were boorded in the towne and many at Mr. Gilpins house He boorded the sonnes of Knights and Esquires at a small rate those who were of his kindred were free yea and he had many poore mens sonnes vpon whom he bestowed both meate and drinke and cloth and education Whereby Mr. Gilpins schoole was every where spoken of to his credit but himselfe much more Out of this schoole of his he sent daily very many to both Vniversities vnto divers whereof he also allowed maintenance in the Vniversity at his owne cost and charges And now while he was wholly taken vp with these imployments glory and reputation which followeth him that flyeth from it and flyeth from him that had pursued it had made the name of Mr. Gilpin most renowned insomuch that he was vvas not onely honoured among the Fathers of the Clergy but amongst all the Nobility of the Kingdome Amongst the Nobles at Court the Earle of Bedford vvas one that marvelously respected Mr. Gilpin This Earle earnestly desired of the Queene that the Bishoprick of Carlile at that time vacant vpon the death of Owen Oglethorpe should be bestovved vpon Mr. Gilpin and obtained it And thereupon the Earle dispatcheth his letters to Mr. Gilpin to gather that povver of election vvhich is termed Congedesâ—ier Mr. Gilpin receiving the letters together vvith the Congedeslier sent back a messenger out of hand vvith letters to the Earle vvherein having returned all hearty thaâ—kes to the Queene and to the Earle he humbly beseecheth the Earle to be mediatour to the Queene for him and to get him excused as concerning the Bishoprick alledging that he was best acquainted with his owne strength and conscious to himselfe of his owne insufficiency for the discharge of so great a place if in the meane-while he could be any other way serviceable to the Church he would be diligent and carefull in some meaner imployment At that time was Edwin Sandes Bishop of Worcester a man venerable for his approved wisdome learning and holinesse of life who vvas aftervvards translated to London and thence to Yorke This Bishop hapned to be in London at the same time when the Earle of Bedford was busy about the preferring of Mr. Gilpin to a Bishoprick and he