measure ye measure unto us look for the same again at Gods hands When his Articles and Answers were read Pa. 198. he said Ye go about to trap us with your subtilties and snares and though my Father and Mother and other my Kinsâ—olk did believe as you say yet they were deceived in so believing whereas you say Doctor Cranmer and others c. be Hereticks I do wish that I were such an Heretick as they were and be Then Bonner asked him again Whether he would turn from his error and come to the unity of their Church No said he I would ye would recant for I am in the truth and you in error Hus. Mr. John Hus preaching at the honourable and very solemn Funeral of three in Prague Fox Vol. 1 Pa. 778. who had been put to death in Prison for calling the Pope Antichrist and speaking against Indulgences at whose Funeral was sung on this wise These be the Saints which for the Testament of God gave their bodies c. much commended them for their constancy and blest God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had hid the way of his Verity so from the prudent of the world and had revealed it to the simple who chose rather to please God then man This occasioned his expulsion out of Prague being before excommunicated by the Pope The Emperor having given safe conduct to Mr. John Hus to come to the general Council at Constance he promised to come Pag 786. professing he was ready alwayes to satisfie all men which shall require him to give a reason of his faith hope c. and giving notice to all that could object any error or heresie to him to appear and not spare him The Twenty sixth day after he came to Constance Pa. 789 790. two Bishops c. were sent to him to bring him before the Pope and his Cardinals To whom he answered I am not come to defend my Cause particularly before the Pope and his Cardinals but to appear before the whole Council and there answer for my defence openly c. unto all such things as shall be demanded or required of me Notwithstanding forasmuch as you do require me so to do I will not refuse to go with you and if it happen that they evil intreat me yet nevertheless I trust in my Lord Jesus that he will so comfort and strengthen me that I shall desire much rather to die for his glory sake then to deny the Verity which I have learned by his holy Scriptures When he came to the Cardinals they told him they had heard that he had taught great and manifest errors through the Realm of Bâ—hemia c. You shall understand answered Mr. Hus that I am thâ—s minded and affectioned that I should rather chuse to die then I should be found culpable of one only error much less of many and great errors For this cause I am willingly come to the general Council to receive correction if any man can prove any errors in me Some of the Articles presented to the Council against him Pa. 791. 4 He saith that all Priests be of like power 8 He holdeth this opinion That a man being once ordained a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden or kept back from the office of preaching When several false witnesses rose up against him Pa. 799. he said Albeit they were as many more in number as they are I do much more esteem yea and without comparison regard the witness of my Lord God before the witness of all mine adversaries He being ask'd whether it was lawful for him to appeal unto Christ Pa. 800. answered Verily I do affirm before you all that there is no more just nor effectual plea then that which is made unto Christ forasmuch as the Law doth determine that to appeal is no other thing then in a cause of grief oâ— wrong done by an inferiour Judge to implore and require aid remedy at an higher Judges hands Who is then an higher Judge then Christ Who can know or judge the matter more justly or with more equity In him is found no deceit noâ— can he be deceived Who can better help the miserable and oppressed then he It being in his Accusation that he counsel'd the people to resist with the sword all such as did gain-say his Doctrine c. he answered That he at all times when he preached did diligently admonish and warn the people that they should arm themselves to defend the truth of the Gospel according to the saying of the Apostle With the helâ—et and sword of salvation and that he never spake of any material sword but of that which is the Word of God Some more Articles against him taken out of his Treatise of the Church Pa. 802. 1 There is but one holy universal or Catholick Church which is the universal Company of all the Predestinate 6 A reprobate man is never a member of the holy Church 18 An Heretick ought not to be committed to the secular powers to be put to death Pa. 804. for it is sufficient that he suffer the Ecclesiastical censure In his appeal Forasmuch as the most mighty Lord One in Essence Three in Person Pa. 805. is both the chief and first and also the last and uttermost refuge of all those which are oppressed and forasmuch as the Lord Jesus Christ very God and Man being compassed in with the Priests Scribes and Pharisees wicked Judges and Witnesses c. hath left behind him this godly example for them that shall come after him to the intent they should commit all their causes into the hand of God O Lord behold my affliction c. thou art my Protector and Desender O Lord thou hast given me understanding and I have acknowledged thee For mine own part I have been as a meek Lamb which is led unto sacrifice and have not resisted against them Deliver me from mine enemies for thou art my God I appeal to the Sovereign and most just Judge who is not defiled with cruelty nor can be corrupted with gifts and rewards neither yet be deceived by false witness I John Hus do present and offer this my appeal to my Lord Jesus Christ Pa. 806. my just Judge who knoweth and defendeth and justly judgeth every mans just and true cause The day before his condemnation when four Bishops were sent by the Emperour to him to know whether he would stand to the judgment of the Council Pa. 816. Mr. John de clum spake thus unto him Mr. J. Hus I require you if you know your self guilty of any of those errours which are objected against you that you will not be ashamed to alter your mind to the will of the Council if contrariwise I wil be no Author to you that you should do any thing contrary to your conscience but rather to suffer any kind of punishment then to deny that which you have known to be the
disdained as slaves misers and wretches The Bishop laid to my charge my not coming to Church Here I might have dallied with him and put him to his proofs Notwithstanding I answered him through Gods merciful help that I neither had nor would come at their Church as long as their Mass was used there to save if I had them five hundred lives The Bishop asking me who should judge the Word I told him Christ was content that the people should judge his Doctrine by searching the Scriptures and so was Paul Methinks ye should claim no farther priviledge nor preâ—eminence than they had The Bishop telling me He was my Bishop and therefore I must believe him If you say black is white said I must I also say as you say and believe the same because you say it is so Pa. 425. If you will be believed because you be a Bishop Why find you fault with the people that believed Mr. Latimer Mr. Ridley Mr. Hooper c. that were Bishops Because they were Hereticks said the Bishop And may not you erre quoth I as well as they I looked for learning at my Lords hand to perswade me and he oppressed me onely with his Authority He said I dissented from the Church and asked me where my Church was before King Edward's time I desired him to shew me where their Church was in Elias time and what outward shew it had in Christs time The tidings that I should be carried to Lichfield did at first somewhat discourage me fearing least I should by reason of my great sickness through extream handling which I looked for have died in the Prison before I should come to my answer But I rebuked immediately with Gods Word this infidelity in my self c. after this manner What make I of God Is not his power as great in Lichfield as Coventry Doth not his providence extend as well to Lichfield as Coventry Was he not with Habakkuk Daniel Meshach Jeremy in their most dangerous imprisonments He knows what things we have need of them He hath numbred all the hairs of our head The Sparrow falleth not to the ground without our heavenly Fathers will much more will he care for us if we be not faithless whom he hath made worthy to be witnesses of his truth So long as we put our trust in him we shall never be destitute of his help neither in prison nor in sickness nor in health nor in death nor before Kings nor before Bishops Not the Devil himself much less one of his Ministers shall be able to prevail against us With such like meditations I waxed chearful of good consolation and comfort So that hearing one say They could not provide Horses enough for us I said Let them carry us in a Dung-Cart for lack of Hoeses if they list I am well content for my part I told Jephcot the Chancellors Servant That they should have judgement without mercy that she weâ— no mercy and this mercy I found at his hand at Lichfield He put me into a Prison that same night where I continued till I was condemned in a place next to the Dungeon c. very cold with small light and there he allowed me a bundle of Straw instead of a Bed without Chair Form or any other thing to ease my self withall God of his mercy gave me great patience through prayer that night so that if it had been his pleasure I could have been contented to have ended my life In the time of my imprisonment I gave my self continually to prayer and meditation of the merciful promises of God made unto all without exception of persons that call upon the Name of his dear Son Jesus Christ I found in my self daily amendment of health of body increase of peace in conscience many consolations from God by the help of his holy Spirit sometime as it were a taste and glimmering of the life to come All for his onely Son Jesus Christs sake To him be all the praise for ever and ever The enemy cease not many times sundry wayes to assault me Oftentimes objecting to my conscience my own unworthiness of the greatness of the benefit to be accounted amongst those that suffer for Christ for his Gospels sake Against him I replied with the Word of God on this sort What were all those whom God had chosen from the beginning to be his Witnesses and to carry his Name before the world Were they not men Acts 24. Rom. 11. Rem 4. John 1. as well subject to sin and imperfections as other men be Who gave first unto him What hast thou that thou hast not received All have received of his fulness They were no bringers of any goodness to God but altogether receivers They chose not God first but God chose them They loved not God first but he loved them first Yea he both loved and chose them when they were his ene mies full of sin and corruption as well as void of all goodness He is and will be the same God as rich in mercy as mighty as able as ready as willing to forgive sins without respect of persons to the worlds end of all them that call upon him God is near he is at hand he is with all with all I say and refuseth â—one excepteth none that faithfully in true repentance call upon him in what hour what place or what time soever it be It is no arregancy nor presumption in any man to burden God as it were with his promise and of duty to claim and challenge his aid help and assistance in all our perils dangers and distress calling upon him not in the confidence of our own godliness but in the trust of his own promises made in Christ His Word cannot lye Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50. and I will hear thee and thou shalt praise me I answered â—he enemy also on this manner I am a sinner and therefore unworthy to be a witness of this truth What then Must I deny his Word because I am â—ot worthy to profess it What bring I to pass in â—o doing but add sin to sin What is greater sin â—han to deny the truth of Christs Gospel He that 〈◊〉 ashamed of me or of my words saith Christ of him â—lso will I be ashamed before my Father and all his â—ngels I might also by the same reason forbear to â—o any of Gods Commancments When I am provoked to pray the enemy may say to me I am 〈◊〉 worthy to pray therefore I shall not pray c. 〈◊〉 When the Bishop came to Lichfield he perswaded me to be a Member of his Church which had continued so many years As for our Church as he called it it was not known he said but larely in King Edward's time I profess my self to be a Member of that Church said I that is builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the head corner-stone And the Church hath been
truth Mr. Hâ—â— with tears answered Verily as before I have oftentimes done I do take the most high God for my witness that I am ready with my whole heart and mind if the Council can instruct me any better by the Scripture to change my purpose One of the Bishops telling him he should not be so arrogant as to prefer he is own opinion before the judgment of the whole Council Pa. 817. he said If he which is the meanest or least in all this Council can convact me of errour I will with an humble heart and mind do whatsoever the Council shall require of me When they condemned his appeal as heretical Pa. 819. he said O Lord Jesus Christ whose Word is openly condemned here in this Council unto thee again do I appeal which when thou wast evil intreated of thine enemies didst appeal unto God thy Father committing thy Cause unto a most just Judge that by thy example we also being oppressed with manifest wrongs and injuries should flee unto thee Whilst they were reading his Sentence He interrupted them often Pa. 820. and specially when he was charged with obstinacy he said with a loud voice I was never obstinate but as alwayes heretofore even so now again I desire to be taught by the holy Scriptures and I do profess my self to be so deâ—â—ous of the truth that if I might by one only word subvert the errours of all Hereticks I would not refuse to enter into what peril soever it were to speak it When the Sentence was ended kneeling down upon his knees he said Lord Jesus Christ forgive mine enemies by whom thou knowest that I am saâ—fly accused c. forgive them for thy great mercies sake When he was degraded he spake to the people â—hâ—s These Lords and Bishops do exhort and counsel me that I should here confess before you â—ll that I have erred the which thing to do if it might be done with the infamy and reproach of â—an onely they might peradventure easily perâ—wade me thereunto but now truly I am in the â—ight of the Lord my God without whose great â—gnominy and grudge of mine own conscience I can by no means do that which they require of me With what countenance should I behold the â—eavens With what face should I look upon â—â—em whom I have taught where of there is a great number if through me it should come to pass that those things which they have hitherto known to be â—ost certain and sure should now be made uncerâ—ain Should I by this my example astonish or â—rouble so many souls so many consciences endued with the most firm and certain knowledge of the Scriptures and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and his most pure Doctrine armed against all the assaults of Satan I will never do it neither commit any such kind of offence that I should seem more to esteem this vile carcase appointed unto death then their health and salvation When one of the Bishops took from him the Chalice saying O cursed Judas c. We take away from thee this Chalice of thy salvation But I truth said he unto God the Father Omnipotent and my Lord Jesus Christ for whose sake I do suffer these things that he will not take away the Chalice of his Redemption but have a stedfast and firm hope that this day I shall drink thereof in his Kingdome The other Bishops took away the Vestments put upon him and each of them giving him their curse Whereunto he said That he did willingly embrace and hear those blasphemies for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Then the Bishops caused to be made a Crown of Paper in which were printed three ugly Devils and this title set over their heads Heresiarchs A Ring-leader of an Heresie and he saw it he said My Lord Jesus Christ for my sake did wear 〈◊〉 Crown of Thorns why should not I then for his sake wear this light Crown be it never so ignominious Truly I will do it and that willingly When it was set upon his head the Bishops said Now we commit thy soul unto the Devil But I said Mr. Hus lifting up his eyes toward Heaven do commit my Spirit into thy hands O Lord Jesus Christ unto thee I commend my Spirit which thou hast redeemed When the people heard his prayers at the Stake Pa. 821. they said What he had done afore we know not but now we see and hear that he doth speak and pray very devoutly and godlily After he had prayed some while being raised by his Tormentors with a loud voice he said Lord Jesus assist and help me that with a constant and patient mind I may bear and suffer this cruel and ignominious death whereunto I am condemned for the preaching of thy most holy Gospel and Word When he beheld the Chain with which his Neck was to be tied to the Stake he smiling said That he would willingly receive the same Chain for Jesus Christs sake who he knew was bound with a far worse Chain The Duke of Bavaria Pa. 822. before the fire was kindled coming to him and exhorting him to be mindful of his safeguard and renounce his errors be answered What error should I renounce when as I know my self guilty of none for as for those things that are falsly alledged against me I know that I never did so much as once think them much less preach them for this was the principal end and purpose of my Doctrine that I might teach all men repentance and remission of sins Clarks first Volume of Lives pag. 217. Leigh 's Saints Encouragements in evil times out of Luther 's Preface before Daniel according to the verity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Exposition of the holy Doctors wherefore with a cheerful mind and courage I am here ready to suffer death He told them at his death That out of the ashes of the Goose so Hus in the Bohemian Language signifies an hundred years after God would raise up a Swan so Luther in that Language signifies in Germany whose singing should affright all those Vaâ—tures and who should escape their burning This Prophesie was exactly fulfilled in Luther who rose up just an hundred years after 1415 the year when Mr. Hus was burnt and though he so enraged the Pope and his powerful party he died in his bed In his Letter to the people of Prague Pa. 823. Be circumspect and watchful that ye be not circumvented by the crafty trains of the Devil and the more circumspect ye ought to be for that Antichrist laboureth the more to trouble you The last judgment is near at hand death shall swallow up many but to the elect children of God the Kingdome of God draweth near because for them he gave his own body Fear not death love together one another persevere in understanding the good will of God without ceasing Let the terrible and horrible Day of Judgment be alwayes before your eyes
Christ shall be on the same Augustine Boughs fall off trees said he and stones out of buildings Ward pa. 140. and why should it seem strange that mortal men dye Austine Austine a Barbar Fox Vol. 2. pag. 124. born about Hennegow in Germany as he was led to execution being desired by a Gentleman to have pity upon himself and if he would not favour his life yet that he would favour his own soul He answered What care I have of my soul you may see by this that I had rather give my body to be burned than to do that thing that were against my conscience B Babilas Babilas Bishop of Antiâ—ch St. Chrysost cont Gentiles being cast by Decius into a filthy stinking Prison for the name of Christ with as many irons as he could bear intreated his Friends that visited him that after his death they would bury with him the signs and tokens of his valour meaning his bolts and fetters Now said he will God wipe away all tears Ward pag. 141. and now I shall walk with God in the land of the living Bainham Mr. James Bainham Fox Vol 2. pag. 300. when he repented of his Recantation in Austin's Church in London He declared openly with weeping eyes that he had denyed God and prayed all the people to beware of his weakness and not to do as he did For said he If I should not return again unto the truth this Word of God he having a New Testament in his hand would damn me both body and soul at the Day of Judgement He perswaded them to die by and by rather than to do as he did for he would not feel such an hell again for all the worlds good When he was at the Stake in the midst of the flaming fire which had half consumed his Arms and Legs he spake these words O ye Papists Behold ye look for miracles and here now you may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a Bed of Down it is to me as a Bed of Roses Barbevil John Barbevil said to the Friers that called him ignorant Ass Ward pag. 162. Well Admit I were so yet shall my bloud witness against such Balaams as you be Bale Mr. John Bale in his excellent Paraphrase in Apocalyps See the image of both Churches printed 1550. In his Preface He that will live godly in Christ Jesus and be a patient sufferer he that will stand in Gods fear and prepare himself to temptation he that will be strong when adversity shall come and avoid all assaults of Antichrist and the Devil let him give himself wholly to the study of this prophesie He that knoweth not this Book knoweth not what the Church is whereof he is a member It containeth the universal troubles persecutions and crosses that the Church suffered in the Primitive Spring what it suffereth now and what it shall suffer in the later Times by the subtilties of Antichrist and his Followers the cruel Members of Satan and it manifesteth what Promises what Crowns and what Glory the said Congregation shall have after this present Conflict with the Enemies that the promised Rewards might quicken the hearts of those that the Torments feareth Unto St. John were these Mysteries revealed when he was by the Emperor Domitianus exiled for his Preaching into the Isle of Patmos at the cruel Complaints of the Idolatrous Priests and Bishops and by him writ and sent out of the same exile into the Congregations The Contents of this Book are from no place more freely and clearly opened nor told forth more boldly than out of exile Flattery dwelâ—ing at home and sucking there still his Mothers breasts may never tell out the truth he seeth so many dangers on every side as displeasure of Friends decay of Name loss of Goods offence of Great men and jeopardy of Life c. The forsaken wretched sort hath the Lord provided alwayes to rebuke the world of sin hypocrisie blindness for nought is it therefore that he hath exiled a certain number of believing Brethren the Realms of England of the which afflicted Family my faith is that I am one Whereupon In have considered it is no less my bounden â—â—uty under pain of damnation to admonish Christs flock by this present Revelation of their perils past and dangers to come for contempt of â—he Gospel which now reigneth there above all 〈◊〉 the Clergy Graciously hath the Lord calâ—ed them especially now of late but his voice is â—othing regarded His Servants have they impriâ—ned tormented and slain having his Verity in much more contempt then before We looked for a time of peace saith the Prophet Jeremiah and we fare not the better at all we waited for a time of health and we find here nothing else but trouble And no marvel considering the Beasts head that was wounded is now healed up again so workmanly as Rev. 13. mentioneth The abominable hypocrisie idolatry pride and filthiness of those terrible termagaunts of Antichrists holy houshold those two-horned Whoremongers those Conjurers of Egypt and lecherous Locusts leaping out of the bottomless Pâ—t which daily deceive the ignorant multitude with their Sorceries Charms must be shewed to the World to their utter shame and confusion To tell them freely of their wicked works by the Scriptures I have exiled my self for ever from mine own native Countrey Kindred Friends Acquaintance which are the great delights of this life and am well contented for the sake of Christ and for the comfort of my Brethren there to suffer poverty penury abjection reproof and all that shall come beside Here are we admonished before-hand of two most dangerous evils neither to agree with those Tyrants that wage war with the Lamb in his elect Members nor yet to obey those deceitful Bishops thaâ— in hypocrisie usurp the Churches Titles O those hath our heavenly Lord premonished us in this heavenly work of his and graciously called us away from their abominations lest we should be partakers of their sins and so receive of their plagues If we unthankfully neglect it the greateâ— is our danger Barlaam He holding his hand in the flame over the Altar Fox Vol. 1 pag. 118. Ward pag. 141. sung that of the Psalmist Thou teachest my hands to war and my fingers to fight I have been reported said Dr. Fox Vol. 2 pag. 527. Barnes at the Stake to be a Preacher of Sedition and disobedient to the Kings Majesty but here I say to you that you are all bound by the command of God to obey your Prince with all humility and with all your heart and that not onely for fear of the sword but also for conscience sake before God Yea I say further If the King should command you any thing against Gods Law if it be in your power to reâ—ist him yet may you not do it Basil When Valens the Emperour sent his Officers to him seeking to turn him from the
Word plainly manifested unto thee by Reading Disputing and Preaching publickly and privately but now to make thee altogether excuseless and as it were almost to sin against the Holy Ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romish Rout to suppress the Verity and set out the contrary thou hast my life and blood as a Seal to confirm thee if thou wilt be confirmed or else to confound thee if thou wilt take part with the Prelates and Clergy which now fill up the measure of their Fathers which flew the Prophets and Apostles that all the righteous blood from Abel to Bradford may be required at their hands For the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and blood I beseech you to take Christs eye-salve to anoint your eyes that you may see what you do and have done in admitting the Romish rotten Rags which once you utterly expelled O be not the Dog returned to his vomit be not the Sow that was washed returning to her wallowing in the mire Beware least Satan enter in with seven worse Spirits c. It had been better you had never known the truth than after knowledge to have run from it Ah! woe to this world and the things therein which hath now so wrought with you Oh that ever this Dirt of the Devil should daub up the eye of the Realm What is man whose breath is in his nostrils that thou shouldst thus be afraid of him Dost not thou know Rome to be Babylon Dost not thou know that as the old Babylon had the children of Judah in captivity so hath Rome the true Judah i.e. the Confessors of Christ Dost not thou know that as destruction happened unto it so shall it do unto this Dost not thou know that God will deliver his people now when the time is come as he did then Hath not God commanded his people to come out of her and wilt thou give example to the whole Realm to run unto her Hast thou forgotten the woe that Christ threatneth to offence-givers Wilt not thou remember that it were better that a Milstone were hanged about thy neck and thou thrown into the Sea than that thou shouldst offend the little ones Dear Mother Receive some admonition of one of thy poor children now going to be burned for the testimony of Jesus Come again to Gods truth come out of Babylon confess Christ and his true Doctrine repent that which is past c. Remember the readings c. of Gods Prophet Bucer Call to mind the threatnings of God now somewhat seen by thy children Leaver and others Let the exile of Leaver Pilkinton Grindal Haddon Horn Scory Ponet c. something awake thee Consider the martyrdom of thy Chickens Rogers Saunders Tailor And now cast not away the poor admonition of me going to be burned also and to receive the like Crown of Glory with my fellows Even now the Axe is layd to the Root In his Letter to Lancashire and Cheshire Pa. 313. c. Indeed if I should simply consider my life with that which it ought to have been and as God in his Law requireth then could I not but cry as I do Righteous art thou O Lord c. But when I consider the cause of my condemnation I cannot but lament that I do no more rejoyce for it is Gods truth So that the condemnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ and his Truth Bradford is nothing else but an instrument in whom Christ and his Doctrine is condemned And therefore my dearly beloved rejoyce rejoyce and give thanks with me and for me that ever God did vouchsafe â—o great a benefit to our Countrey as to choose the most unworthy I mean my self to be one in whom it pleaseth him to suffer Forget not how that the Lord hath shewed himself true and me his true Preacher by bringing to pass these plagues which at my mouth you oft heard before My blood will cry for vengeance as against the Papists Gods enemies c. so against you if â—e repent not amend not and turn not unto the â—ord In his Letter to the Town of Walden Pa. 316. What â—an you desire more to assure your Consciences of the Verity taught by your Preachers than their â—wn lives Waver not therefore in Christs Reliâ—ion truly taught you Never shall the enemies be â—ble to burn it and imprison it and keep it in â—onds though they may imprison and burn us I humbly beseech you and pray you in the â—owels and blood of Jesus now I am going to â—eath for the testimony of Jesus love the Lords â—ruth love I say to love it and to frame your â—ves thereafter Alas you know the cause of all these plagues fallen upon us and of the success which Gods adversaries have daily is for our not â—ving Gods Word You know how that we were â—ut Gospellers in lips and not in life Remember that before ye learned A.B.C. your Lesson was Christs Cross Forget not that Christ will have no â—isciples but such as will promise to deny themselves and to take up their Cross mark that take 〈◊〉 up and follow him and not the multitude cuâ—ome c. Loth would I be a witness against â—ou at the last day as of truth I must be if ye repent not if ye love not Christs Gospel In his Letter to B. C. The world seems to have the upper hand Pa. 317. the Truth seems to be oppressed and they which take part therewith are unjustly entreated The cause of all this is Gods anger and mercy His anger because we have grievously sinned against him we have been unthankful for his Word c. we have been so carnal covetous licentious c. that of his Justice hâ— could no longer forbear but make us feel his anger c. His mercy is seen in this that God doth vouchsafe to punish us in this present life If he should not have punished us Do not you think we should have continued in the evils we were in 〈◊〉 Yes verily we should have been worse The way to Heaven is not the wide way of the world 〈◊〉 but it is a strait way which few walk in for few live Godly in Christ few regard the Life to come few remember the day of Judgment few remember how Christ will deny them before his Father that do deny him here few consider that Chrisâ— will be ashamed of them in the last day which are ashamed of his Truth and true Service few caâ—â— up their accounts what will be laid to their charge in the day of vengeance few regard the condemnation of their own consciences in doing that which they inwardly disallow few love God better that their goods Of this I would that ye were all certain that all the hairs of your heads are numberless so that not one of them shall perish neither shall man or Devil be able to attempt any thing much less do any thing to you
before you heavenly Father which loveth you most tenderly shall give them leave they shall go no farther theâ— he will nor keep you any longer in trouble thâ—â— he will Therefore cast on him all your care foâ— he is careful for you Onely study to please him and to keep your consciences clean and your bodies pure from the idolatrous service which now every where is used and God will marvellously and mercifully defend and comfort you In his Letter to Erkinald Rawlins and his wife Pa. 318. First we have cause to rejoyce for these dayes because our Father suffereth us not to lye in Jezabel's bed steeping in our sins and security but as mindful of us doth correct us as his children Secondly because they are dayes of tryal wherein not onely ye your selves but also the world shall know that ye be none of his but the Lords Darlings whom we obey his servants we are Now it is seen whether we obey the world or God But the tryals of these dayes ye are occasioned more to repent more to pray more to contemn this world more to desire life everlasting more to be holy for holy is the end wherefore God doth afflict us and so to come to Gods company In his Letter to Mr. Laurence Saunders Pa. 320. A Friend having moved the Prisoners to subscribe to the Papists Articles with this condition so far as they are not against Gods word Dr. Taylor and Mr. Philpâ—t think the salt sent by our Friend is unseasonable for my own part I pray God in no case I may seek my self and indeed I thank God I purpose it not In another Letter This will be offensive Pa. 321. therefore let us Vadere plane and so sane I mean let us all confess we are no changlings but re ipsa are the same we were in Religion and therefore cannot subscribe except we will dissemble both with God with our selves and with the world In his Letter to Dr. Cranmer Dr. Ridley and Dr. Latimer Our dear brother Rogers hath broken the Ice valiantly this day I think or to morrow at the uttermost hearty Hooper sincere Saunders and trusty Tailor end their course and receive their Crown The next am I who hourly look for the Porter to open me the Gates after them to enter into the desired Rest God forgive me mine unthankfulness for this exceeding great mercy For though I justly suffer for I have been a great Hypocrite c. The Lord pardon me yea he hath done it he hath done it indeed yet what evil hath he done Christ whom the Prelates persecute his truth which they hate in me hath done no evil nor deserved death O what am I Lord that thoâ— shouldest thus magnifie me Is this thy wont to send for such a wretched Hypocrite in a fiery chariot as thou didst for Elias In his Letter to the Lord Russel Pa. 322. Faith is reckoned and worthily among the greatest gifts of God by it as we are justified and made Gods children so are we Temples and Possessors of the Holy Spirit yea of Christ also Eph. 4. And of the Father himself John 14. By faith we drive the Devil away 2 Pet. 5. We overcome the world 1 John 5. And are already Citizens of Heaven c. Yet the Apostle doth match even with faith yea as it were prefer suffering Persecution for Christs sake Phil. 1. Though the wisdom of the world think of the Cross according to sense and therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominy and shame yet Gods Scholars have learned to think otherwise of the Cross as the Frame-house wherein God frameth his Children like to his Son Christ the Furnace that fineth Gods gold the High-way to Heaven the Suit and Livery of Gods servants the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory In his Meditation on the Commandements Pag. 93 94. As the first Command teacheth me as well that thou art my God as what God thou art therefore of equity I should have no other Gods but thee that is I should onely hang on thee trust in thee serve thee call on thee obey thee and be thankful to thee so because thou didst reveal thy self visibly that thou mightest visibly be worshipped The second Commandement is concerning thy Worship that in no point I should follow in worshipping thee the device or intent of any man Saint Angel or Spirit but should take all such as idolatry and image-service be it never so glorious And why forsooth because thou wouldst I should worship thee as thou hast appointed by thy Word for if service be acceptable it must be according to the Will of him to whom it is done and not of him who doth it c. So that the meaning of this Precept is that as in the first I should have none other Gods but thee so I should have no worship of thee Pa. 19â— but such as thou appointest And therefore utterly abandon mine own will and reason all the reasons and good intents of man and wholly give my self to serve thee after thy will and word Pag. 98 99. Thou bidst me not to take thy Name in vain as by temerarious or vain swearing c. So by denying thy truth and word or concealing it when occasion is offered to promote thy glory and confirm thy truth By reason whereof I may well see that thou wouldst have me to use my tongue in humble confessing thee and thy word Pa. 113 114. This was his Meditation in Q. Marie's time and truth after my Vocation c. Thy Ministers I pray not for thy Church I am not careful for no not now good Lord when wicked Doctrine most prevaileth Idolatry Superstition and Abomination abound the Sacraments c. blasphemously corrupted c. all which my wickedness brought in my profaning of the fourth Commandement and my not praying Thy Ministers are in Prison dispersed in other Countreys spoiled burnt murthered many fall for fear of goods life name c. from the truth they have received to most manifest idolatry false Preachers abound among the people thy people dearly bought even with thy blood are not fed with the bread of thy Word but with swillings and drink for swine Antichrist wholly prevaileth and yet for all this also I am too careless nothing lamenting my sins which have been the cause of all this Help thy Church cherish it Pa. 115 116. and give it harbour here and elsewhere for Christs sake Purge the Ministry from corruption and false Ministers Send out Preachers to feed thy people Destroy Antichrist and all his Kingdom Give to such as be fallen from thy truth repentance Keep others from falling and by their falling do thou the more confirm us Confirm thy Ministers and poor people in Prison and Exile Strengthen them in thy truth Deliver them if it be thy good will Give them that with conscience they may so answer their Adversaries that thy servants may rejoyce
It may also scandalize many little ones if I a Catholick should require judgement at an Arians hands In the midst of his greatest sufferings he used to say Plura pro Christo toleranda We must suffes more than this for Christ G. Gardiner William Gardiner Fox Vol. 2. pag. 746. an English Merchant in Portugal was so much troubled in spirit at the sight of the Idolatry committed by the Priests in the Mass at the solemnization of the Marriage between the King of Portugal's Son and the King of Spain's Daughter that he could not be quiet till he had though in the presence of the King and of the Nobles and whole City the next Sabbath with one hand snatched away the Cake from the Priest and trod it under his feet and with the other overthrew the Chalice The King asking him how he durst be so bold He answered Most noble King The thing which you have seen was not done nor thought of me for any contumely or reproach to your presence but onely for this purpose as before God I do clearly confess to seek the salvation of this people Being ask'd who set him on He answered He was not moved by any man but by his own Conscience there being no man under Heaven for whose sake he would put himself into so manifest a danger but he owed his service first to God and secondarily to their salvation wherefore if he had done any thing displeasing to them they ought to impute it to themselves who so irreverently used the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unto so great Idolatry not without great ignomony to the Church violation of the Sacrament and the peril of their own souls except they repented For this he was cruelly tormented and burned and in the fire he sung Psal 43. Judge me O God and defend my cause against the unmerciful people Gauderin Christopher Gauderin Fox Vol. 3. Cont. 49. having been a Spend thrist was converted by Lewis Stallins telling him That he ought rather to distribute of his geitings to the poor then to spend them so wastfully for if he continued so God would surely call him to an account for it insomuch that he was chosen a Deacon in the Church in the execution of which Office he was taken and imprisoned and being ask'd how he came to turn Heretick seeing he learned not that of his Master the Abbot he answered I am no Heretick but a right believing Christian which he taught me not indeed but rather other vile qualities which I am ashamed now to rehearse Some objecting to him his youth being about the age of thirty He told them That mans life consisted but of two dayes viz. the day of his birth and the day of his death And for my part said he I am now willing by death to pass into eternal life The morning that he was to be executed He said to his Fellow-Prisoners having put on a clean shirt and washed himself Brethren I am now going to be married I hope before noon to drink of the wine of the Kingdome of Heaven A Frier coming to them as he said to convert them Christopher said unto him Away from us thou seducer of Souls for we have nothing to do with thee One of his Fellow-sufferers as the Hâ—ngman was gagging him said What shall we not have liberty in this our last hour to praise our God with our voice and tongue Brother said Gauderin let not this discourage us for the greater wrong our enemies think to do unto us the more assistance we shall find from God And so he never ceased to comfort them till he was gagged also and burnt June 2. 1568. Gerard. About the year 1160. Clarks Martyrolegy pag. 41. in the reign of Henry the Second came about thirty Waldenses into England Gerardus being their Minister to labour to win Disciples to Christ They were converted before a Council of Bishops at Oxford and Gerard speaking for them all said We are Christians holding and reverencing the Doctrine of the Apostles Being urged with arguments against their Doctrine they answered They believed as they were taught by Gods Word but would not dispute their faith Being admonished to repent and threatned if they did not they despised their Counsel scorned their threats saying Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven They were excommunicated burnt in the foreheads for Hereticks Mr. Gerard both in the forehead and cheek their cloaths were cut off to their Girdles and so whipt through Oxford they singing all the while Blessed are ye when men hate you and despitefully use you c. Ghest Laurence Ghest had his wife and seven children brought to him the Bishop hoping to overcome him by his natural affection to them and his wise beginning to exhort him to favour himself Fox Vol. 1. pag. 1012. He desired her not to be a block in his way for that he was in a good course running toward the mark of his salvation Gibson Some of the Articles exhibited against Mr. Richard Gibson Fox Vol. 3 pag. 858. Richard Gibson 3 That he hath commended allowed defended liked both Cranmer Latimer Ridley and all other Hereticks here in this Realm of England according to the Ecclesiastical Laws condemned for Hereticks also liked their Opinions 4 That he hath comforted aided assisted and maintained both by words and otherwise Hereticks and erroneous Persons or at the least suspected and infamed of Heresies c. 5 That he hath affirmed that the Religion now used in this Realm is in no wise agreeable to Gods Word and Commandment c. The Bishop asking him if he knew any cause why the Sentence should not be read against him he said Pa. 859. the Bishop had nothing wherefore justly to condemn him Sentence being read He again admonished Gibson to remember himself and so save his soul Mr. Gibson answered That he would not hear the Bishops babling boldly protesting that he was contrary to them all in his mind though he aforetime kept it secret for fear of the Law And speaking to the Bishop he said Blessed am I that am cursed at your hands We have nothing now but thus will I for as the Bishop saith so it must be And no heresie is it to turn the truth of Gods Word into lies and that do you Mr. Gibson also propounded Nine Articles to Bonner by him to be answered by yea or nay or else by saying he could not tell 1 Whether the Scriptures of God written by Moses and other holy Prophets of God through faith that is in Christ Jesus be available Doctrine to make all men in all things unto salvation learned without the help of any other Doctrine or no 3 Whether the holy Word of God as it is written doth sufficiently teach all men of what dignity estate or calling by Office whatsoever he or they be their full true and lawful duty in their Office and
to Mr. Harlow be brought to light and it shall testifie that he was not ashamed to say That the liberty of the Preachers tongues would cause the Council and Nobility to rise up against them for they could not suffer so to be entreated These were the fruits in the time of Harvest a little before the Winter came and of the time of Mary what should I write It hath cast off the Truth known and confessed and followeth lyes and errours which once it detested Pag. 72. It buildeth the building which once it destroyed it raiseth up the idols which once were there confounded They persecute they banish they burn Christ the Son of God in his members Pag. 73. But to be short this onely remaineth for both these Nations that they repent and return into the Vineyard with the first Son and bring forth the fruits of Repentance The fruits of Repentance I call not onely to know your sins and to lament them but to amend your lives to make strait the Lords paths by resisting Satan and Sin obeying God in doing the works of righteousness and executing Gods precepts and Judgements so long amongst you contemned Mat. 3. for even now is the Axe put to the root of the tree c. The Lord hath now his Fan in his hand and will purge his floor c. Repent there ore whilst you have time before you be fanned hewn down and fired Pag. 74. Here have we to lament the miserable state of mankind which is so seduced by the subtile Serpent that he cannot know his misery when he is admonished nor perceive his perdition when it draweth so near When the Servants of God set forth his Truth they are charged to trouble Realms and Countreys as was Elias when they warn men not to joyn hands with wicked Kings and Princes they are counted Traytors as was Isaiah and Jeremiah such is mans malice Wherefore I do admonish and exhort you both in the Name of the living God that how soever you have hitherto shewed your selves the Servants of men to bear and flatter with the world that now ye learn in Gods cause to despise the faces of men to bend your selves against this wicked world neither regarding the Visors of Honours vain Titles nor dignities any farther than they seek Gods onely Glory for his Glory will he not suffer to be contemned for any cause no he will pour contempt on those Princes that strive against his Truth but those that glorifie him will he glorifie Behold Pag. 75 your onely remedy remaining â—s to repent your time of ignorance of stubbornness of cruelty of idolatry wherein ye have so long continued Mourn for your ignorance and now with all diligence seek for knowledge of the Word of God and openly profess the Gospel which is the power of God where of ye ought not to be ashamed Cease at the last from your old stubbornness and labour in the Vineyard with all meekness Cease from your cruelty against Christs Members learn to suffer for Christs sake if ye will be true Christians Banish all Idolatry and Popish Superstition from amongst you else can ye have no part in Christs Kingdom no more than Christ can be partaker with Antichrist Pray to the Lord of Hosts and Armies to give you the courage strength and means The Lords Arm is not shortened now no more than of old Be strong therefore in the Lord for the defence of the Truth though all the World rise against it Now when the battel is fierce against the living God for dead idols against the Gospel of Christ for the inventions of Antichrist against Christs members for Popish ceremonies can any of you that will be accounted Gods Children still halt of both hands Pag. 76. If you will maintain Gods truth in the Earth he will receive you as his Children into the Heavens if you confess his Christ before this wicked Generation Christ shall confess you before his Father in the Heavens in the presence of his Angels But if you persist stubbornly to banish Gods Word and his Son Christ in his Members forth of your Earthly Kingdomes how can ye look for any part in his Heavenly Kingdom Pag. 77. Lo here is the choice of life and death of misery and wealth offered to you by Gods mercies and the means how you may win Gods favour opened whereby onely ye may prevail against your enemies God grant you hearts to answer as the people did to Joshua offering the like choice Josh 24. God forbid say they that we should forsake God we will serve the Lord our God and obey his voice for he is our God And we your banished Brethren by the Power of God to provoke you forwards will thus pronounce with Joshua That we and our Families will serve the Lord God though all Nations run to Idols though all people do persecute us We know that Satan hath but a short time to rage and that Christ our Captain right speedily will crown his So Idiers to whom as he is the eternal God with his Father be all honour and glory for ever and ever So be it A short Prayer which Mr. Gilby made for the saithful in those dayes See it at the end of the Dialogue O Lord God and most merciful Father we beseech thee for the honour of thy Holy Name to desend us from that Antichrist of Rome and from all his detestable enormities manners laws garments and ceremonies Destroy thou the counsel of all the Papists and Atheists enemies of thy Gospel and of this Realm of England Disclose their mischiefs and subtile practises Confound their devices Let them be taken in their own wiliness And strengthen all those that maintain the Cause and Quarrel of thy Gospel with invincible force and power of the Holy Spirit so that they fail not to proceed go forward to that true Godliness commanded in thy Holy Word with all simplicity and sincerity to thy Honour Glory the comfort of thine Elect and the confusion of thine enemies through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Amen And say from the heart Amen Glee When the Friers told Madam La Glee Fox Vol. 3. Cont. p. 24. that she was in a damnable estate It seems so indeed said she being now in your hands but I have a God that will never leave me nor forsake me for all that Thou hast said they renounced the Faith It is true said she I have renounced your faith which I am able to shew is rejected and accursed of God and therefore deserves not so much as to be called Faith When news was brought her Pag 25. that she was condemned to be hang'd she fell down upon her knees and blessed God for that it pleased him to shew her so much mercy as to deliver her by such a kind of death out of the troubles of this wretched world and to honour her so far as to call
behaved themselves boldly in Gods Cause as Stephen Peter Paul Daniel the three Children the Widows Sons in your dayes Anne Askew Lawrence Sanders John Bradford c. Be afraid in nothing saith Saint Paul of the adversaries of Christs Doctrine Phil. 1. the which is to them a sign of perdition but to you of everlaesting salvation Christ commandeth the same saying Fear them not Let us not follow the example of him who asked time first to take leave of his Friends If we do so we shall find few of them that will encourage us to go forward in our business please it God never so much We read not that James and John Andrew and Simon when they were called put off the time till they had known their Fathers and Friends pleasure but the Scripture saith They forsook all Mat. 13. and by and by followed Christ Christ likened the Kingdom of God to a precious Pearl the which whosoever findeth selleth all that he hath to buy it Yea whosoever hath but a little taste or glimmering how precious a treasure the Kingdome of Heaven is will gladly forego both life and goods for the obtaining of it But the most part now adayes be like to Aesop's Cock which when he had found a precious stone wished rather to have found a barley corn so ignorant be they how precious a jewel the Word of God is that they choose rather the things of this world which being compared to it be less in valuê than a barley corn If I would have given place to worldly reasons these might have moved me the foregoing of you and my children the consideration of the state of my children being yet young apt and inclinable to vertue and learning and so having the more need of my assistance I was never called to be a Preacher or Minâ—ster and because of my fickness fear of death in Prison before I should come to my answer and so my death to be unprofitable But these and such like I thank my heavenly Father which of his infinite mercy inspired me with his Holy Ghost for his Sons sake my onely Saviour and Redeemer prevailed not in me But when I had by the wonderful permission of God fallen into their hands at the first sight of the Sheriffe nature a little abashed yet ere ever I came to the Prison by the working of God and through his goodness sear departed Little justice was shewed by Mr. Sheriffe but the less justice a man sindeth at their hands the more consolation in conscience shall he find from God for whosoever is of the world the world will love him After I came to Prison and had reposed my self there a while I wept for joy and gladness my belly full musing much of the great mercies of God as it were saying to my self after this sort O Lord who am I on whom thou shouldst bestow this thy great mercy to be numbred among the Saints that suffer for the Gospels sake And so beholding and considering on the one side my imperfection unableness sinsul misery and unworthiness and on the other side the greatness of Gods mercy to be called to so high promotion I was as it were amazed and overcome for a while with joy and gladness concluding thus O Lord thou shewest power in weakness wisdome in foolishness mercy in sinfulness Who shall let thee to choose where whom thou wilt As I have ever zealously loved the consession of thy Word Pa. 424. so ever thought I my self unworthy to be partaker of afflâ—ction for the same Some travelling with me to be dismissed upon bonds to them my answer was to my remembrance after this sort Forasmuch as the Masters have imprisoned me having nothing to burthen me withal if I should enter into bonds I should in so doing accuse my self â—eâ—ing they have no matter to lay to my charge they may as well let me pasâ— without bonds as with bonds Secondly if I shall enter into bonds covenant and promise to appear I shall do nothing but excuse colour and cloak their wickedness indanger my self nevertheless being bound by my promise to appear Afterward debating the matter with my self these considerations came into my head I have from time to time with good conscience God I take to record moved all such as I had conference with to be no dalliers in Gods matters but to shew themselves after so great a light knowledge hearty earnest constant and stable in so manifest a truth and not to give place one jot contrary to the same Now thought I if I shall withdraw my self and make any shifts to pull my own neck out of the Coller I shall give great offence to my weak Brethren in Christ and advantage to the enemies to slander Gods Word It will be said he hath been a great emboldner of others to be earnest and fervent to fear no worldly perils and dangers but he himself will give no such example Wherefore I thought it my bounden duty both to God and man being as it were by the great goodness of God called and appointed hereunto to setaside all fear perils and dangers all worldly respects and considerations and like as I had before according to the measure of my small gift within the compass of my vocation and calling from the bottom of my heart unseignedly moved exhorted and perswaded all that profess Gods Word manfully to persist in the defence of the same not with sword and violence but with suffering and loss of life rather than to defile themselves again with the whorish abominaon of the Romish Antichrist So the hour being come with my fact example to ratifie confirm and protest the same to the hearts of all true Believers and to this end by the mighty assistance of Gods holy Spirit I resolved my self with much peace of conscience willingly to sustain whatsoever the Romish Antichrist should do against me When Mr. Warren the Chancellor willed the chief Jaylor to carry me to the Bishop I laid to his charge the cruel seeking of my death and when he would have excused himself I told him he could not wipe his hands so He was as guilty of my blood before God as though he had murthered me with his own hands He departed from me saying I needed not to fear if I would be of his belief God open his eyes and give him grace to believe this which he and all of his inclination shall find I fear too true for their parts that all they which cruelly maliciously and spitefully persecute molest and afflict the Members of Christ for their Conscience sake and for the true testimony of Christs Word Cause them to be most unjustly slain and murthered without speedy repentance shall dwell with the Devil his Angels in the fiery lake everlastingly where they shall wish and desire cry and call but in vain as their right companion Epulo to be refreshed of them whom in this world they contemned despised
the Lord hath taught me to eschew evil and do good Seest thou not said they how these opinions have troubled the world and how many of the learneder sort do contradict them So far is it off said he that the Doctrine of the Gospel should be the cause of troubles debates and strife swhich reign in the world These troubles indeed arise from the rage of men And as for your learned men it is impossible for humane wisdom to comprehend the Doctrine of God for which cause Christ saith Father I thank thee that thou hast hid these secrets from the wise men of the world and hast revealed them unto Babes When those two Malefactors that were coupled with him brake Prison and fled he might have escaped but fearing his flight might be imputed to the godly Christians in the City he would not flye When he was advertised of his Sentence He thanked God for advancing him to so high an honour at to be counted worthy to suffer for his Name As he passed forth from the Court viewing the people who waited to see him he said See here how this wicked world rewards the poor Servants of Christ Whilest I gave my self to drunkenness c. I was never in danger of these bands lifting up his hands which were bound I was then counted a good fellow and at that time who but I But no sooner began I by conversion to ask after a godly life but the world made war upon me and became my enemy persecuting and imprisoning me and now last of all sending me to the place where I must pay my last debt Mat. 10.24 Joh. 15.20 But the Servant is no better than his Lord for seeing they persecuted him no question they will persecute us At the Stake he said Brethren I fight under the Standard and in the quarrel of my great Lord and Caâ—tain Christ I am now going to be trucified follow you me when God of his goodness shall call you to it He was burnt Nov. 4. An. 1560. Hierome I find two of this Name 1. Fox Vol. 2 pag. 524. Mr. William Hierome Vicar of Stepney near London Being accused for preaching against Magistrates he affirmed as before he had preached That no Magistrate of himself could make any Law or Laws to bind the inferiour people unless it were by the power and authority of his or their Princes to him or them given but only the Prince Adding If the Prince make Laws consenting to Gods Laws we are bound to obey them and if he make Laws repugnant to the Laws of God c. yet we are bound not violently to resist or grudge against him At the Stake he gave the following Exhortation to the people Pa. 527. I say unto you good Brethren that God hath bought us all with no small price neither with gold nor silver nor other such things of small value but with his â—â—st precious blood Be not unthankful therefore but do what you can to keep his Commandments Pa. 528. i. e. love your Brethren If God hath sent thee plenty help thy neighbour that hath need give him good counsel if he lack Bear your Cross with Christ Let all Christians put no trust nor confidence in their works but in the blood of Christ to whom I commit my soul beseeching you all to pray to God for me and for my Brethren here present with us c. 2. Mr. Hierome of Prague When he was brought Prisoner to Constance Fox Vol. 1. Pag. 832. several of the Bishops said unto him Hierome why didst thou fly and didst not appear when thou wast cited He answered Because I could not have any safe conduct c. and I would not my self be the occasion of my perils and danger but if I had known of this citation although I had been in Bohemis I would have returned again When certain cried out Let him be burned Pa. 833. let him be burned He answered If my death doth delight and please you in the Name of God let it be so When he was welcomed to Prison by a Friend of Mr. Hus saying to him Be constant and fear not death for the Truths sake of the which when you were at liberty you did preach so much goodness He answered Truly Brother I do not fear death and forasmuch as we know that we have spoken much thereof in times past let us now see what may be known or done in effect Vitus Asking him how he did He answered Truly Brother I do very well After a long sore imprisonment he was forced to recant and consent unto the death of Mr. John Hus that he was justly condemned and put to death but his hopes of freedome thereupon were disappointed Pa. 834. for they caused him to be carried back unto the same Prison but not so straitly chained and bound as before After his Recantation and Consent to the death of Mr. Hus he refused to answer to any Questions propounded to him in private except he might be brought before the Council They supposing he would confirm his former Recantation sent for him May 25. An. 1416. When he was brought before them Pa. 835. he began with Prayer to God beseeching him to give him Spirit ability and utterance which might most tend to the profit and salvation of his own soul Then he spake unto them thus I know that theâ—e have been many excellent men which have suffered much otherwise than they have deserved being oppressed with false witnesses and condemned with wrong judgement as Socrates Plato Anaxagoras Zeno Boetius Moses Joseph Isaiah Daniel and almost all the Prophets c. John Baptist Christ Stephen and all the Apostles who were condemned to death not as good men but as seditious stirrers up of the people contemners of the gods and evil doers This was the old manner of ancient and learned men and most holy Elders that in matters of Faith they did differ many times in Arguments not to destroy the Faith but to find out the Verity So did Augustine and Hierome dissent As for Mr. Hus he was a good just and holy man â—o his knowledge and much unworthy that death which he did suffer Pa. 836. At last he added That all the sins that ever he had committed did not so much gnaw and trouble his conscience as did that only sin which he had committed in that most pestiferous fact when as in his Recantation he had unjustly spoken against that good and holy man and his Doctrine and especially in consenting to his wicked condemnation Concluding that he did utterly revoke that wicked Recantation which he made in that cursed place and that he did it through weakness of heart and fear of death and that whatsoever he had spoken against that blessed man he had altogether lied upon him and that it did repent him with his whole heart that ever he did it Being again brought forth to have judgement given him and prest to recant what
you persecute This I dare be bold in God to speak which by his Spirit I am moved to say that God will shorten your hand of cruelty that for a time you shall not molest his Church And this shall you in short time perceive my dear Brethren to be most true for after this day in this place shall there not be any by him put to the trial of Fire and Fagot Which accordingly came to pass He was the last burnt in Swithfield Then he began to exhort his Friends to repentance Pa. 878. and to think well of them that suffered for the testimony of the Gospel The day that Mr. Holland and the rest suffered a Proclamation was made that none should be so bold as to speak to them or receive any thing of them upon pain of imprisonment Notwithstanding the people cried out desiring God to strengthen them and they prayed for the people and the restoring of his Word At length Mr. Holland embracing the Stake and the Reeds said Lord I most humbly thank thy Majesty that thou hast called me from the stake of death unto the light of thy heavenly Word and now unto the fellowship of thy Saints that I may sing and say Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts-Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit Lord bless these thy people and save them from idolatry Hooper Mr. John Hooper in his exile writ a Declaration of Christ and his Office and a Declaration of the holy Commandments of Almighty God c. In his Epistle before his Declaration of Christ and his Office to the Duke of Somerset See his Declar. of Christ and his Office Printed at Zurick An. 1547. Because the right of every just and lawful Heir is half lost and more when his Title and Claim is unknown I have written this little Book containing what Christ is and what his Officeis that every godly man may put to his helping hand to restore him again to his Kingdome who hath fastained open and manifest wrong this many years as it appeareth by his evidence and writings the Gospel sealed with his precious blood In his Declaration ch 3. Jesus Christ in all things executed the true Office of a Bishop to whom it appertained to teach the people which was the chiefest part of the Bishops Office and most diligently and straitly commanded by God As all the Books of Moses and the Prophets teach and Christ commanded Peter John 20. and Paul all the Bishops and Priests of his time Acts 20. Christ left nothing untaught but as a good Doctor manifested unto his Audience all things necessary for the health of man John 4. He gave also his Apostles and Disciples after his resurrection commandment to preach and likewise what they should preach Go into allthe world and preach the Gospel to every creature teaching them is observe what I have commanded Matt. 28. As they did most sincerely and plainly without all glosses or additions of their own inventions and were 〈◊〉 testimonâ—es of the Truth and not the Authors thereof Alwayes in their Doctrine they taâ—ght the thing that Christ first taught and Gods holy Spirit inspired them Gal. 1.2 Cor. 3. Holy Apostles never took upon them to be Christs Vâ—car in the Earth nor to be his Lieutenant But said Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. And in the same Epistle the Apostle Pâ—â— biddeth the Corinthiuns to follow him in nothing but where he followed Christ chap. 11. They ministred not in the Church as though Christ was absent although his most glorious Body was departed into the Heavens above but as present that alwayes governeth his Church with his Spirit of Truth as he promised Matth. ult Behold I will 〈◊〉 with you to the end of the world In the absence of his Body he hath commended the protection and governance of his Church to the Holy Ghost one and the same God with the Father and himself It was no little pain that Christ suffered in washing away the sins of this Church therefore be will not commit the defence thereof to man It is no less glory to defend and keep the thing won by force than it is by force to obtain the victory Therefore he keepeth the defence and governance of the Church onely and solely himself in whom the Devil hath not a jot of right Though the Apostles were instructed in all truth c. they were but Ministers Servants Testimonies and Preachers of this verity and not Christ's Vicars on earth c. but only appointed to approve â—he thing to be good that God's Law commanded and that to be ill which the Word of God condemned Seeing that Christ doth govern his Church alwayes by his holy Spirit and bindeth all the Miâ—isters thereof unto the sole Word of God what â—bomination is this that one Bishop of Rome c. â—hould claim to be Christ's Vicar on Earth and â—ake upon him to make any Laws in the Church of God to bind the Conscience beside the Word of God and by their Superstition and Idolatry put be Word of God out of his place All that â—â—e not blinded with the smoke of Rome know the â—shop of Rome to be the Beast John describeth in â—e Apocalyps as well as the Logician knoweth that â—ibilitate distinguitur homo a caeteris animantibus â—hrists supremacy and continual presence in the â—hurch admits no Lieutenant nor general Vicar â—kewise it admitteth not the Decrees and Laws of â—en brought into the Church contrary unto the â—ord and Scripture of God which is only sufâ—ient to teach all verity and truâ—h for the salvaâ—n of man ch 4. This Law teacheth man sufficiently as well what he is bound to do unto God as unto the Princes of the world Row 13. 1 Pet. 2. Nothing necessary for man but in this Laâ— it is prescribed Of what decree vocation or calling soever he be his duty is shewed unto hi mâ— the Scripture And in this it differeth from mâ—â— laws because it is absolutely perfect and never 〈◊〉 be changed nothing to be added to it nor taken from it And the Church of Christ the more iâ— was and is burdened with mans laws the farther it is from the true and sincere verity of Godâ— Word Though Basil Ambrose Epiphanius Aâ—gustine Bernard and others erred not in any principle Article of the Faith yet they did inordinately and more then enough extol the Doctrine anâ— Tradition of men and after the death of the Apostles every Doctors time was subject to sâ—d Ceremonies and manners that were neither proâ—fitable nor necessary Unto the writing of Scripture only and onâ—unto the writings of men God hath bound anâ— obligated his Church In this passage I admonisâ— the Christian Reader that I speak not of the Luâ—of Magistrates and Princes that daily order neâ— Laws for the preservation of their Commonuealthâ— as they see the necessity of their Realms or
Citiâ— require but of such Laws as men have ordaineâ— for the Church of Christ which should be now anâ— for ever governed by the word of God Tâ—â—â— Law must-prevail We must obey God rather thâ—â— man The example hereof we have in Dauiel 〈◊〉 the Three Children who chose rather to burn 〈◊〉 the fiery Furnace than to worship the Image thâ— Nebuchadnezzar had made So did the Apostleâ— Acts. 5. Cursed be those that make such Lawâ— and cursed be those that with sophistry deseâ— them ch 5. The Authority of Gods word requireth me to pronounce this true Judgement in the case of Images that be not worshipped in the Church that their presence in the Church is against Gods Word as well as to say Sancta Maria 〈◊〉 pro nobis The old Testament saith Exod. 20. Deut. 6. Thou shalt make no Image The New saith that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Matth. 5. Christ therefore hath left the commandments of the old Law unto the Church in which he saith Thou shalt not make any Image Of late years Images were in the Temple and honoured with pater moster heart and mind leg and knee Now they be applied to another use to teach the people to be Lay-mens books as Damascene c. saith O blasphemous and devillish Doctrine The most perfect Churches of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles used no such mean and we ought to follow them and the Word of God writ by the Prophets and Apostles The words of Gregor ad Seren. Episcop Massil part 10. Ep. 4. should move no man though he say Quod legentibus Scriptura hoe ideotis pictura praftat cernentibus This is but Gregory's opinion Epiphanius was not of his mind He willed the occasion of ill to be taken out of the Church as Paul commandeth 1 Thes 5. This Doctor was as all men know of singular learning and vertue Again against the Authority of Gregory the Great I set the Authority of Athanasius the Great who denieth in express words the Images to be the Books of the Lay people Lactantius Firmianus crieth so out against Images that he saith there can be no true Religion where they be Tertullian judgeth the same Loved we God we would be content with the Scripture Shall not the Patriarks Prophets Christ and his Apostles suffice the Church of God What although many learned men have approved Images should their wisdome maintain any contrary to the Word of God Such as defend them have nothing but sophistical arguments to blind the people with The Scripture nor Apostles Church used none Had all Asia Africa and Europe and Gabriel the Archangel descended from Heaven approved the use of Images forasmuch as the Apostles never taught nor wrote any such thing their Authority should have no place the Word of God solely and only is to be prefer'd which forbiddeth Images ch 10. The Office of Christ to sanctifie us according to John 17. I sanctifie my self that they may be sanctified doth abrogate all other things that mans constitutions attribute any holiness unto as bewitched water c. for only Christ sanctifieth and all holiness we must attribute unto him Sactaments must be used holily yet not have this Office of Christ added to them ch 11. In the latter dayes when Christ as King was to be born the Angel declâ—red the Power and Puissance of his Kingdome He shall reign over the house of Jacob and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. Although the Commonwealth of the Church hath no certain place appointed where it shall remain as it was appointed in the old Law yet certain we be that this Kingdome of Christ remaineth upon the Earth and shall do till the Earth be burned Matth. 16.28 1 Cor. 15. Howbeit as Christ wan and obtained this Kingdome in the later dayes without shield or spear so doth he preserve it with his holy Spirit and not with carnal weapons My Kingdome is not of this world John 18. Meaning he would not reign in this world as a Prince of this world in pomp and pride but defend his people with his holy Spirit that the Devil and the World should not break their patience though many afflictions and sorrows should fight against them for the Truth 's sake Christ doth not deny to be King of the world but he meant not to reign worldlily to the hinderance and defacing of the Emperouts Dignity and Title as the Jews falsly accused him as Cyrillus l. 12. c. 10. in Johannem saith This Kingdome shall be ever perseâ—nted till the worlds end Isaiah the Prophet described the Church of this present life saying He will give you the bread of adversity and the water of afflictione but he will not remove thy teachers chap. 30.20 Thus the Church shall alwayes remain but in affliction I know such as favour not the Truth will interpret my words that I condemn all Princes and Kings as enemies of the Gospel because they peaceably enjoy their Kingdomes whereas I wish them alwayes so to do to the glory of God but of this one thing I will assure every Prince of the world The more sincere he is in the Cause of God the more shall be his Cross God indeed preserveth above humane reason his Ministers as he did Jacob from the hands of Esau David from Saul Daniel from the â—ons and Paul in the Ship when there was no humane hope of salvation Likewise he governeth his Church with his only Laws The only Law whereunto this Congregation is bound ist he Gosrel as Christ saith Joh. 4. The Holy Ghost shall teach you all things and brng to your remembrance all things which I have said unto you Here Christ bindeth the Apostles all the Church unto the things that he had taught them Such as teach the people to know the Commonwealth of the true Church by these signs the traditions of men and the succession of Bishops teach wrong Those two false opinions have given unto the succession of Bishops power to interpret the Scripture and power to make such Laws in the Church as it pleased them God hath given the Civil Magistrates power and authority to make such Laws for the Commonwealth as shall be agreeable with reason and not against Gods Law and likewise power to interpret the same Laws but this is not to be admitted in the Church unto whom God hath given the Gospel and interpreted the same by his only Son taught the meaning and contents thereof himself The adversaries of the Truth defend many an error under the name of the holy Church when the Church therefore is named diligently consider when the Articles they would defend were accepted of the Church by whom and who was the Author of them Leave not till the matter be brought unto the first original and most perfect Church of the Apostles If thou find by their writings that their Church used the thing that the Preacher would prove then accept it or
else not Be not amazed though they speak of never so many years nor name never so many Doctors If either the Authority of Bishops of the greater part should have power to interpret the Scripture the sentence of the Pharisees should have been prefer'd before the sentence of Zachary Simeon Elizabeth or the blessed Virgin Consider the true Church is many time but a small Congregation as Isaiah saith Unless God had left us a remnant we had been as Sodom Therefore the interpretation of the Scripture is not obligated to ordinary power nor the most part Beware of deceit when thou hearest the name of the Church The verity is then assaulted They call the Church of the Devil the holy Church many time Remember Christian Reader that the gift of interpreting the Scripture is the Light of the Holy Ghost given unto the humble and penitent person that seeketh onely to honour God and not unto those persons that claim it by title or place because be is a Bishop or followed by succession Peter oâ— Paul Remember therefore to examine all Doctrine by the Word of God for such as preach it aright have their infirmities and ignorance they may depart from the Truth or else build some superstition and false Doctrine upon the Gospel of Christ Superstition is to be avoided false Doctrine to be abhorred whosoever be the Author thereof Prince Magistrate or Bishop As the Apostles made answer Acts 5. We ought to obey God rather than man ch 13. The Law is necessary for a justified man to teach him with what works he should exercise his faith will and obedience unto God We may not chuse works of our own wisdome to serve him withal He would have us to be governed by his Word as David saith Thy Word is a light unto my feet And Christ In vain do they worship me by the commands of men In the second Declaration See his Declaration of the holy ten Com. of Almighty God Printed Anne 1548. pag. 8 9. Moses commandeth Deut. 4. that no man should decline from this Law neither to the right nor left hand i.e. That no man should add to or take any thing from it but simply to observe it as it is given or written to us From this right line and true rule of Gods Word man erreth divers wayes Sometimes by ignorance because he knoweth not or will not know that only the express Word of God sufficeth He holdeth with the most part and condemneth the better as it is to be seen at this present day This reason taketh place it is allowed of the most part and established by so many holy and learned Bishops therefore it is true c. Another way that leadeth from the Word of God is many times the power and authority of this world as we see by the Bishop of Rome and all his adherents who give more credit to one Charter and gift of Constantine than to the whole Bible Another erreth by mistaking of the time making his superstition far elder than it is c. One saith thus My Father believed and should I believe the contrary Pag. 11. Whereas no Law at all should be spoken of conscience but the only Word of God which never altered nor can be altered Mat. 5. Luk. 10. Psal 18.119 If Heavens and Earth made by word cannot be altered how much more the Word it self Unto which Law the conscience of man in matters of faith is bound only Pag. 13. Such as can interpret nothing will say I have an ill opinion of God in Heaven and of the superiour Powers on Earth because I damn the Disciples of the false Doctors with the Doctors and take from all Powers on Earth authority to prescribe unto their Subjects any Law touching Religion of the soul As concerning those that be seduced by false Teachers St. Luke c. 6. Ezekiel 3. and 13. judge as I do Both he that leadeth to damnation and he that is led Pag. 14. falleth into the pit Notwithstanding I believe that in the midst of darkness when all the world as far as man might judge had sworn unto the Bishop of Rome Christ had his Elect that never consented to his false Laws as it was in the time of Elias 1 Kings 19. where God saith He had preserved seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal Pag. 15. As many as die before us seduced by false Teachers without repentance the Scripture condemneth As many as believed them not but trusted to the Scripture or else deceived yet repented before they died live eternally in joy and solace and are saved as John saith Rev. 13. in the blood of the Lamb. As touching the superiour Powers of the Earth it is not unknown to all men that have read and marked the Scripture that it pertaineth nothing to their Office to make any Law to govern the consciences of their Subjects in Religion but to reign over them in this case as the Word of God commandeth Pag. 16. Howbeit in their Realms they make what Laws they will and as many as they will command them to be kept as long it pleaseth them and change them at their pleasure as they shall see occasion for the wealth commodity of their Realms Unto the which superiour Powers we owe all obedience both of body and goods and likewise our daily prayer for them to Almighty God c. And as many divers Commonwealths as there be so many divers Laws there may be Howbeit all Christian Kings and Kingdomes with other Magistrates should reign by one Law and govern the Churches of their Realms solely by the Word of God Pag. 17. which is never to be changed Thus Christ commanded his Apostles to teach and their Audience to hear the things he commanded Matth. 28. Mark 16. Pag. 26. Moses prescribeth unto his Audience seven Rules wherewith he prepareth them to the receiving of the ten Commandements 1 A right perswasion of Gods word that God will undoubtedly give the good promised to the good and inflict the evil threatned against the evil Pag. 29. 2 To have a right opinion of the Magistrates and superiour Powers of the Earth to give them no more nor any less honour and reverence than the Word of God commandeth For lack of this preparative the world hath erred from the Truth this many years Men do not look what Gods Word saith but extol the authority of mans Laws preferring the decree of a general or provincial Council before the Word of God Pag. 30. 3 Another preparative is obedience both to God and man It were as good nere read the Law in case we mind not to be obedient Pag. 31. Pag. 32. Pag. 34. 4 To observe jus gentium 5 To esteem the Doctrine of the Commandments as it is worthy 6 A true and right understanding of the Law not to constrain the letter against the mind of the Text but behold alwayes the consent of the Scripture
of the fire now prepared for me rather than to deny the truth of his Word desiring you and others in the mean time to commend me to Gods mercy in your Prayers I thank God said the Knight that ever I knew you for God did appoint you to call me being a lost child and by your good instructions where before I was both an Adulterer and Fornicator God hath brought me to the forsaking and deâ—esting of the same If you had the grace so to do said the Bishop I do highly praise God for it and if you have not I pray God you may have and that you may continually live in his fear The Knight and the Bishop parting with tears the Bishop told the Knight that all the troubles be had sustained in Prison had not caused him to uttes so much sorrow A Papist telling him he was sorry to see him in that case Be sorry for thy man said he and Iament thine own wickedness for I am well I thank God and death to me for Christs sake is welcome When he was committed to the Sheriff of Glocester Pa. 154. the Mayor and Aldermen at first saluted him and took him by the hand Mr. Mayor said Mr. Hooper I give most hearty thanks to you and to the rest of your Brethren that you have vouchsafed to take me a Prisoner and condemned man by the hand whereby to my rejoycing it is somewhat apparent that your old love and friendship towards me is not altogether extinguished and I trust also that all the things I have taught you in times past are not utterly forgotten c. For the which most true and sincere Doctrine because I will not now account it falshood and Heresie as many other men do I am sent hither by the Queens command to die and am come where I taught it to confirm it with my blood And now Mr. Sheriffs My request to you is that there may be a quick Fire shortly to make an end in the mean time I will be as obedient unto you as your selves would wish If you think I do amiss in any thing hold up your finger and I have done for I am not come hither as one inforced or compel to die for it is well known I might have had my life with worldly gain but as one willing to offer and give my life for the truth rather than to consent to the wicked Papistical Religion of the Bishop of Rome c. When the Sheriffs fetcht him from his Chamber to the place of Execution with Bills Weapons c Mr. Sheriffs said he I am no Traytor neither needed you to have made such a business to bring me to the place where I must suffer for if ye had willed me I would have gone alone to the Stake and have troubled none of you at all When he saw the multitude of people that were assembled he said unto them that were about him Alas why be these people assembled and come together peradventure they think to hear something of me now as they have in times past but alas speech is prohibited me Notwithstanding the cause of my death is well known unto them when I was appointed here to be their Pastor I preached unto them true and sincere Doctrine and that out of the Word of God because I will not account the same to be Heresie and untruth this kind of death is prepared for me When he was come to the place where he was to suffer after he had begun to pray a Box was brought and laid before him upon a stool with his Pardon or leastwise it was feigned so to be from the Queen if he would turn at the sight thereof he cried If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away with it In his Prayer he was overheard to say Lord I am Heil but thou art Heaven I am swill and a sink of sin but thou art a gracious God and merciful Redeemer Pa. 155. Thou art ascended into Heaven receive me Hell to be partaker of thy joys where thou sittest in equal glory with thy Father for well knowest thou wherefore I am come hither to suffer and why the wicked do persecute this thy poor servant not for my sins and transgressions against thee but because I will not allow their wicked doings to the contaminating of thy blood and to the denial of the knowledge of thy Truth wherewith it did please thee by thy holy Spirit to instruct me the which with as much diligence as a poor wretch might being thereto called I have set forth to thy glory And well seest thou my Lord and God what terrible pains cruel torments be prepared for thy Creature such Lord as without thy strength none is able to bear or patiently to pass But all things that are impossible with man are possible with thee Therefore strengthen me of thy goodness that in the fire I break not the rules of patience or else asswage the terrour of the pains as shall seem most to thy glory When he was at the Stake three irons made to bind him to the Stake were brought one for his Neck another for his Middle and the third for his Legs He refusing them said Ye have no need thus to trouble your selves for I doubt not but God will give strength sufficient to abide the extremity of the fire without bands notwithstanding suspecting the frailty and weakness of the flesh but having assured confidence in Gods strength I am content ye do as ye shall think good When he was first scorch'd with the fire Pa. 156. he pray'd saying mildly and not very loud but as one without pains O Jesus the son of David have mercy upon me and receive my soul When the second fire was spent and only burnt his lower parts he said for Gods love good people let me have more fire In the third fire he prayed with somewhat a loud voice Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus have mercy on me Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The Reasons of Mr. Hooper 's refusing the Episcopal Habits c. I find thus C. Why do not you my Lord use these innocent and harmless weeds See Cabal p. 13 14. H. I put my self upon the tryal of the searcher of Hearts that no obstinacy but meer Conscience makes me refuse these ornaments C. These Ornaments are indifferent of themselves and of ancient use in the Church H. They are useless being ridiculous and superstitious C. Nay my Lord being enjoyned by lawful Authority they become necessary not to salvation but to Church-unity H. Being left indifferent by God it is presumption in man to make them necessary C. By a moderate use of these Ceremonies we may gain Papists into the Church H. While you hope to gain Papists into the Church you lose many Protestants out of it C. You discredit other Bishops who have used this Habit. H. I had rather discredit them than destroy mine own conscience C.
whether we fear more God or man It was an easie thing to hold with Christ whilst the Prince and world held with him but now the world hateth him it is the true trial who be his Wherefore in the Name and in the Vertue Strength and Power of his holy Spirit prepare your selves in any case to adversity and constancy Let us not run away when it is most time to fight Remember none shall be crowned but such as fight manfully and he that endureth to the end shall be saved Ye must now turn all your cogitations from the peril you see and mark the felicity that followeth the peril either victory in this world of your enemies or else a surrender of this life to inherit the everlasting Kingdome Beware of beholding too much the felicity or misery of this world for the consideration and too earnest or love fear of either of them draweth from God Wherefore think with your selves as touching the felicity of the world it is good but yet none otherwise than it standeth with the favor of God It is to be kept but yet so far forth as by keeping of it we lose not God It is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here but yet so that we tarry noâ— therewithal in Gods displeasare and hereafter dwell with the Devils in fire everlasting There is nothing under God but may be kept so that God being above all things we have be not lost Of adversity judge the same Imprisonment is painful but yet liberty upon evil conditions is more painful The Prisons stink but yet not so much as sweet Houses where the fear and true honour of God is lacking I must be alone and solitary It is better to be so and have God with me then to be in company with the wicked Loss of Goods is great but loss of Gods grace and favour is greater I am a poor simple creature and cannot tell how to answer before such a great sort of noble learned and wise men It is better to make answer before the pomp and pride of wicked men than to stand naked in the fight of all Heaven and Earth before the just God at the later day I shall die then by the hands of the cruel man He is blessed that loseth his life full of miseries and findeth the life of eternal joyes It is pain and grief to depart from Goods and Friends but yet not so much as to depart from grace and heaven it self Pa. 157. Wherefore there is neither felicity nor adversity of this world that can appear to be great if it be weighed with the joyes or pains in the world to come I can do no more but pray for you do the same for me for Gods sake For my part I thank the heavenly Father I have made mine accounts and appointed my self unto the will of the heavenly Father as he will so I will by his grace I am a precious jewel now and daintily kept never so daintily for neither mine own man nor any of the Servants of the House may come to me but my Keeper alone Jan. 23. 1555. In another Letter Pa. 158. The grace mercy and Peace of God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ be with you my dear Brethren and with all those that unfeignedly love and embrace his holy Gospel Amen We must give God thanks for the Truth he hath opened c. and pray unto him that we deny it not nor dishonour it with idolatry but that we may have strength and patience rather to die ten times over than to deny him once Blessed shall we be if ever God make us worthy of that honour to shed our blood for his Names sake and blessed then shall we think those Parents which brought us into this world that we should be carried from this mortality into immortality Col. 3. If we follow the command of Paul that saith If ye be risen with Christ seek these things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God we shall neither depart from the vain transitory goods of this world nor from this wretched and mortal life with so great pains as others do There is no better way to be used in this troublesome time for your consolation than many times to have Assemblies together of such men and women as be of your Religion in Christ and there to take and renew among your selves the truth of your Religion to see what ye be by the Word of God and to remember what ye were before ye came to the knowledge thereof to weigh and confer the dreams and false yes of the Preachers that now preach with the Word of God that retaineth all truth and by such talk and familiar resorting together ye shall the better find out all their lies that now go about to deceive you and also both know and love the Truth that God hath opened to us It is much requisite that the Members of Christ comfort one another make prayers together confer one with another so shall ye be stronger and Gods spirit shall not be absent from you but in the midst of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in all godly things patient in adversity and strong in persecution Ye see how the Congregation of the wicked by helping one another make their wicked Religion and themselves strong against Gods Truth and his people Ye may perceive by the life of our fore-fathers that Christs words In the world ye shall have trouble He that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution be true for none of all his before our time escaped trouble then shall ye perceive that it is but a folly for one that professeth Christ truly to look for the love of the world Ye be no better than your fore-fathers Be glad that ye may be counted worthy Souldiers for this War and pray to God when ye come together that he will use and order you and your doings 1 That ye glorifie God 2 That ye edifie the Church and Congregation 3 That ye profit your own souls In all our doings beware ye be not deceived for although this time be not yet so bloody and tyrannous as the time of our fore-fathers that could not bear the Name of Christ without danger of life and goods yet is our time more perillous for soul and body Therefore of us Christ said Luke 18. Think ye when the Son of man cometh he shall find faith upon the earth He speaks not of being christened and in name a Christian but of saving Faith and doubtless the scarcity of Faith is now more and will I fear increase than it was in the time of the greatest Tyrants that ever were In Rev. 6. ye may perceive that at the opening of the fourth Seal came our a pale Horse and he that sate upon him was called Death and Hell followed him This Horse is the time when Hypocrites and Dissemblers entred into the Church under
a man that being vexed with adversaries and persecutions saw nothing but death and hell apprehending not only man but God angry with him yet he by Prayer humbly resorted unto God and put the hope of his salvation in him whom he felt his enemy In this command possess your lives by your patience God requires every one to be patient he saith not It is sufficient that other holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists and Martyrs continued their lives in patient suffering the troubles of this world but Christ saith it to every one of his people By your patience continue you your life not that man hath patience in himself but that he must have it for himself of God the only Giver of it if he purpose to be a godly man Besides as our Profession and Religion requireth patience outwardly without resistance and force so requireth it patience of the mind and not to be angry with God although he use us that be his own creatures as him listeth We may not murmure against God Pa. 162. but say alwayes his judgments be right and just and rejoice that it pleaseth him to use us as he used heretofore such as he most loved in this world Have a singular care to this command be glad and rejoice c. he sheweth great cause why because your reward is great in Heaven Mat. 5. Christ also takes from us all shame and rebuke as though it were not an honour to suffer for him because the wicked world doth curse and abhor such poor troubled Christians He placeth all his honourably saying Even so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you We may learn by things that nourish and maintain us both meat and drink what loathsomness and in a manner abhorring they come to before they work their perfection in us c. that whosoever saw the same would loath and abhor his own nourishment before it came to its perfection Is it then any marvel if such Christians as God delighteth in be so mangled and defaced in this world which is the Kitchin and Mill to boil and grind the flesh of Gods people in till they atchieve their perfection in the world to come Raw flesh is not meat wholesome for man and unmoâ—tified men and women be not creatures meet for God Christs people must be broken and all to torn in the Mill of this world and so shall they be most fine meant to their Heavenly Father We must therefore patâ—ently suffer and willingly attend upon Gods doings although they seem clean contrary after our judgement to our wealth and salvation as Abraham did when he was bid to offer his Son Isaac in whom God promised the Blessing and multiplying of his seed Joseph at the last came to that which God promised him although in the mean time after the judgement of the world he was never like to be as God said he should be Lord over his Brethren When Christ would make the blind man to see he put clay upon his eyes which after the judgement of man was a means rather to make his double blind than to give him his sight but he obeyed and knew that God could work his desire what means soever he used contrary to mans reasons To judge things indifferently the trouble be not yet generally as they were in our good Fathers time soon after the death and Resurrection of our Saviour Christ Mat. 24. Was there ever such trouble as Christ threatned upon Jerusalem Towards the end of the world we have nothing so much extremity as they had then but even as we be able to bear In another Letter I require you not to forget your duty towards God in these perillous days in the which the Lord will try us I trust you do increase by the reading of the Scriptures the knowledge you have of God and that you diligently apply your self to follow the same for the knowledge helpeth not except the life be according thereto I commend you to God and the guiding of his good Spirit to stablish and confirm you in all well doing and keep you blameless to the day of the Lord watch and pray for this day is at hand In his Letter to his charitable Friends in London For your liberality I most heartily thank you and praise God highly in you for you c. praying him to preserve you from all famine scarcity and lack of the truth of his Word which is the lively food of your souls as you preserve my body from hunger and other necessaries which would happen unto me were it not cared for by the charity of godly people Such as have spoiled me of all that I had have imprisoned me and appointed not one half-penny to feed or relieve me withall but I do forgive them and pray for them daily in my poor Prayer to God and from my heart I wish their salvation and quietly and patiently bear their injuries wishing no farther extremity to be used towards us yet if the contrary seem best to our heavenly Father I have made my reckoning and fully resolved to suffer the uttermost that they are able to do against me yea death it self by the aid of Christ Jesus who died the most vile death of the Cross for us wretched and miserable sinners But of this I am assured that the wicked world with all his force and power shall not touch one of the hairs of our heads without leave and license of our heavenly Father whose will be done in all things If he will life life be it if he will death death be it only we pray that our wills may be subject to his will If we be contented to obey Gods will and for his commands sake to surrender our goods and our lives to be at his pleasure it maketh no matter whether we keep goods and life or lose them Nothing can hurt us that is taken from us for Gods cause nor can any thing at length do us good that is preserved contrary to Gods command Let us wholly suffer God to use us and ours after his holy wisdome and beware we neither use nor govern our selves contrary to his will by our own wisdome for if we do our wisdome will at length prove foolishness It is kept to no good purpose that we keep contrary to his Commandments It can by no means be taken from us that he would should tarry with us He is no good Christian that ruleth himself and his as worldly means serve for he that so doth shall have as many changes as chances in the world To day with the world he shall live and praise the truth of God to morrow as the world will so will he like and praise the falshood of man to day with Christ to morrow with Antichrist Glorifie your heavenly Father both with your inward and outward man If ye think ye can inwardly in the heart serve him and yet outwardly serve with the world in external service the thing that is
not of God ye deceive your selves for both the body and soul must concur together in the honour of God 1 Cor. 6. for if an honest wife be bound to give both heart and body to faith and service in marriage and if in honest wives faith in the heart cannot stand with a who rish or defiled body much less can the true faith of a Christian in the service of Christianity stand with the bodily service of external idolatry for the mystery of Marriage is not so honourable between man and wife as it is between Christ and every Christian Therefore dear Brethren pray to the heavenly Father that as he spared not the soul nor the body of his dearly beloved Son but applied both of them with extream pain to work our salvation both of soul and body so he will give us all grace to apply our souls and bodies to be Servants to him Let us not deride our selves and say our souls serve him whatsoever bodies do to the contrary for civil order and policy But alas Pa. 164. I know by my self what troubleth you viz. the great danger of the world that will revenge ye think your service to God with sword and fire with loss of goods and lands but dear Brethren weigh on the other side that your enemies and Gods enemies shall not do as much as they would but as much as God shall suffer them who can trap them in their own counsels and destroy them in the midst of their furies Remember ye be the Work-men of the Lord and called into his Vineyard there to labour till Evening-Tide that you may receive your penny which is more worth then all the Kingdoms of the Earth but he that called us into his Vineyard hath not told us how fore and how fervently the San shall trouble us in our labour but hath bid us labour and commit the bitterness thereof to him who can and will so moderate all afflictions that no man shall have more laid upon him then in Christ he shall be able to bear unto whose merciful tuition and defence I commend both your souls and bodies Yours with my poor Prayer J. H. In a Letter to a Merchant of London I thank God and you for the great help and consolation I have received in time of adversity by your charity but most rejoyce that you be not alter'd from truth although falshood cruelly seeketh to disdain her Judge not my Brother truth by outward appearance for truth now worse appeareth and is more vilely rejected then falshood Leave the outward shew and see by the Word of God what is truth and accept truth and dislike her not though man call her falshood As it is now so it hath been heretofore truth hath been rejected and falshood received Such as have professed truth have smarted and the friends of falshood laughed them to scorn The one having the commendation of truth by man but the condemnation of falshood by God flourishing for a time with endless destruction the other afflicted a little season but ending with immortal joyes Wherefore dear Brother ask and demand of your Book the Testament of Jesus Christ in these woful and wretched dayes what you should think and what you should stay your selves upon for a certain truth and whatsoever you hear taught try it by your Book whether it be true or false The dayes be dangerous and full of peril not onely for the world and worldly things but for Heaven and neavenly things It is a trouble to lose the treasure of this life but yet a very pain if it be kept with the offence of God Cry call pray and in Christ daily require help succour mercy wisdome grace and defence that the wickedness of this world prevail not against us In his Letter to Mrs. Wilkinson I am very glad to hear of your health and do thank you for your loving tokens but I am a great deal more glad to hear how Christianly you avoid Idolatry and prepare your self to suffer the extremity of the world rather then to endanger your self to God You do as you ought to do in this behalf and in suffering of transitory pains you shal avoid permanent torments in the world to come Use your life and keep it with as much quietness as you can so â—hat you offend not God The ease that cometh with his displeasure turneth at length to unspeakaâ—le pains and the gains of the world with the loss of his favours is beggary and wretchedness In his Letter to Mr. Hall and his Wife The dayes be dangerous and full of peril but let us comfort ourselves in calling to remembrance the dayes of our Fore-fathers upon whom the Lord sent such troubles that many hundreds yea thousands died for the testimony of Jesus Christ both men and women suffering with patience and constancy as much cruelty as Tyrants could devise and so departed out of this miserable world to the bliss everlasting where now they remain for ever looking alwayes for the end of this sinful world when they shall receive their bodies again in immortality and see the number of the Elect associated with them in full and consummated joyes and as vertuous men suffering Martyrdom now rest in joyes everlasting their pains ending their sorrows and beginning their ease so did their constancy and stedfastness animate confirm all good people in the truth and gave them encouragement to suffer the like rather then to fall with the world to consent unto wickedness and idolatry Wherefore my dear Friends seeing God hath illuminated you in the same true faith wherein the Apostles and Evangelists and all Martyrs suffered most cruâ—â— death thank him for his grace in knowledge and pray to him for strength and perseverance that ye be not ashamed nor afraid to confess it Ye be in the truth and the gates of Hell shall never prevaiâ— against it nor Antichrist with all his Imps prove iâ— false they may persecute and kill but never overcome Be of good comfort and fear God more then man This life is short and miserable happy be they that can spend it to the glory oâ— God In his Letter to Mrs. Pa. 165. Warcop I did rejoyce to understand that you be fully resolved by Gods grace to suffer extremity rather then to go from the truth which you have professed As you be travelling this perillous journey take this Lesson with you practised by the Wise men Matth. 2. Such as travelled to find Christ followed onely the Star and as long as they saw it they were assured they were in the right way and had great mirth in their journey but when they entred into Jerusalem whereas the Star led them not thither but to Bethlem there asked the Citizens the thing that the Star shewed before they were not onely ignorant of Bethlem but lost the sight of the Star c. The Word is the onely Stat that sheweth us where Christ is and which way we may come
favour their wicked doings Now chuse you which way you will take either the narrow c. or the broad way c. I for my part have now written this short admonition to you of good will as God is my witness to exhort you to that way which at length you shall prove and find to be best and I do not only write this but I will with the assistance of Gods grace seal it with my blood Hunter Atwell a Sumner Fox Vol. 3 pag. 190. telling William Hunter it was never a merry world since the Bible came abroad in English Say not so for Gods sake said Hunter for it is Gods Book out of which every one that hath grace may learn to know what things both please God and also what displeaseth him Could not we tell said Atwell before this time how God was served No said Hunter nothing so well as we may now if that we might have his blessed Word amongst us still as we have had You must turn or burn said Atwell God give me grace said Hunter that I may believe his Word and confess his Name whatsoever come thereof Whereas you doubt of my belief said Hunter to Wood the Vicar of Southwell I would it were tryed Pag. 19. Whether that you or I would stand faster in our Faith Yea thou Heretick said Wood wouldst thou have it so tryed That which you call heresie said Hunter I serve my Lord God withall I would that you and I were fast tyed to a Stake to prove whether that you or I would stand strongest to our Faith It shall not be so tryed said Wood No said Hunter I think so for if I might I think I know who would soonest recant for I durst set my foot against yours even to the death Bonâ—er telling him Pa. 192. that he was content he should keep his conscience to himself so that he would go to Church and receive c. No said he I will not do so for all the good in the world Then said Bonner I will make you sure enough I warrant you Well said Hunter you can do no more then God will permit you Well said B. will you recant indeed by no means No said H. never while I live God willing Bonner asking him how old he was he said He was Nineteen years old Well said B. you will be burned ere you be Twenty if you will not recant H. answered God strengthen me in his Truth Bonner Pa. 193. even after Sentence was past offering him if he would then recant to make him a Freeman of the City and to give him Forty pound in money to set up with or to make him Steward of his House c. Hunter said unto him My Lord if you cannot perswade my conscience by Scriptures I cannot find in my heart to turn from God for the love of the world for I count all things worldly but loss and dung in respect of the love of Christ If thou diest in this mind said B. thou art condemned for ever God judgeth righteously said H. and justifieth them whom man condemneth unjustly When he was brought to Burntwood to be burned his Father and Mother came to him and desired heartily of God that he might continue to the end in that good way which he had begun and his Mother said unto him That she was glad that ever she was so happy to bear such a Child which could find in his heart to lose his life for Christs Names sake Then said he to his Mother For my little pain which I shall suffer which is but short Christ hath promised me a Crown of Joy May you not be glad of that Mother With that his Mother kneeled down on her knees saying I pray God strengthen thee my Son to the end Yea I think thee as well bestowed as any Child that ever I pare His Father said I was afraid of nothing but that my Son should have been killed in the Prison for hunger and cold the Bishop was so hard to him The night before his Execution he had a dream that he was where the Stake was pitcht where he should be burned and that it was at the Towns end where the Butts stood which was so indeed and that he met his Father going to the Stake and that there was a Priest at the Stake which went about to have him recant and that he said to him Away false Prophet and that he exhorted the people to beware of him and such as he was which things came to pass accordingly Whilst he was led to the Stake the Sheriffs Son came to William and embraced him saying William be not afraid of these men who are here present with Bills and Weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned William answered I thank God I am not afraid for I have cast my account what it will cost me already Then the Sheriffs Son could speak no more to him for weeping When he met his Father according to his dream his Father said unto him God be with thee Son William William answered God be with you good Father and be of good comfort for I hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry At the Stake the Sheriff told him That there was a Letter from the Queen if he would recant he should live if not he must be burned No said William I will not recant God willing Mr. Brown telling him upon his desire to the people to pray for him as long as he was alive I will pray no more for thee then I will pray for a Dog Mr. Brown said William now you have that you sought for and I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day howbeit I forgive you I ask no forgiveness of thee said Mr. Brown Well said William if God forgive you not I shall require my blood at your hands Then said William Hunter Son of God shine upon me Immediately the Sun in the Firmament shined out of a dark cloud so full in his face that he was constrained to look another way When the Priest came according to his dream he said Away thou false Prophet Beware of them good people and come away from their abominations lest that you be partakers of their plagues Then said the Priest look how thou burnest here so shalt thou burn in Hell William answered Thou lyest thou false Prophet away thou false Prophet away When the fire was kindled his Brother said to him William think on the holy Passion of Christ and be not afraid of Death William answered I am not afraid Then lift he up his hands to Heaven and said Lord Lord Lord receive my spirit Highed Mr. Highed of Essex being prest by Bonner to recant Fox Vol. 3 pag. 196. answered I will not abjure for I have been of this mind these sixteen years and do what ye can ye shall do no more then God will permit you to do and with what
Macabees that the wicked did burn the Law of God and killed them that had the same Again under the New Testament they burned the Saints with the Books of the Law of God Remember the sayings of our merciful Saviour by which he forewarneth us There shall be saith he before the Day of Judgement great tribulation Mat. 24. such as was not from the beginning until this day nor shall be afterwards So that even the Elect of God should be deceived if it were possible but for their sakes those dayes shall be shortned The Council of Constance shall not extend to Bobemia for I think that many of them which are of the Council shall die before they shall get from you my Books They shall depart from the Council and be scattered abroad throughout all parts of the world like Storks and then they shall know when Winter cometh what they did in Summer I trust in God that he will send after me those that shall be more valiant and there are alive at this day that shall make more manifest the malice of Antichrist and shall give their lives to the death for the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall give both to you and me the joyes of life everlasting This Epistle was written upon St. John Baptist's day in Prison and in cold Irons I having this Meditation with my self that John was beheaded in his Prison and Bonds for the Word of God In another Letter I desire you if any man at any time have noted any levity either in my talk or in my conditions that he do not follow the same but pray to God for me Pa. 827. to pardon me that sin of lightness I look next day for the Sentence of death having a full trust that he will not leave me to deny his truth c. How mercifully the Lord God hath dealt with me in marvellous temptations ye shall know when as hereafter by the help of Christ we shall all meet together in the joy of the world to come I beseech you pray to God for our enemies In another Letter to a Minister My dear Brother be diligent in preaching the Gospel neglect not your Vocation labour like a blessed Souldier of Christ First live godlily and holily Secondly teach faithfully and truly Thirdly be an example to others in well doing that you be not reprehended in your sayings Preach continually but be short and fruitful Never affirm or maintain those things that be uncertain or doubtful Exhort men to the confession of their Faith Against fleshly lust preach continally all that ever you can for that is the raging beast which devoureth men for whom the flesh of Christ did suffer In another Letter Pa. 828. O holy God how largely doth Antichrist extend his power and cruelty But I trust that his power shall be shortned and his iniquity shall be detected more and more amongst the faithful people Let Antichrist rage so much as he will yet he shall not prevail against Christ I am greatly comforted in those words of our Saviour Happy be you when men shall hate you and shall separate you and shall rebuke you and shall cast out your name as execrable for the Son of mâ—n Rejoyce and be glad Luke 6. for great is your reward in Heaven O worthy yea a most worthy consolation which not to understand but to practise in time of tribulation Jam. 1. is an hard Lesson Certainly it is a great matter for a man to rejoyce in trouble and to take it for joy to be in divers temptations A light matter it is to speak it and to expound it but a great matter to fulfill it For why our most patient and most valiant Champion himself c. was troubled in spirit and said My soul is heavy unto death c. and yet he notwithstanding being so troubled said to his Disciples Let not your hearts be troubled O most merciful Christ draw us weak creatures after thee for except thou shouldst draw us we are not able to follow thee Without thâ—â— we can do nothing much less enter into the cruel death for thy sake Give us that prompt and ready spirit a bold heart an upright faith a firm hope and perfect charity that we may give our lives patiently and joyfully for thy Names sake In another Letter Pa. 829. I love the counsel of the Lord above gold and precious stones Wherefore I trust in the mercy of Jesus Christ that he will give me his Spirit to stand in his Truth Pray to the Lord for the spirit is ready but the flesh is weak Know this for certain that I have had great conflicts by dreams in such sort as I had much ado to refrain from crying out I dreamed of the Popes escape before he went and after the Lord John had told me thereof immediately in the night it was told me that the Pope should return to you again I dreamed also of the apprehending Mr. Hierom although not in full manner as it was done All the imprisonments whither and how I am carried were opened to me before although not fully after the same form and circumstance Many Serpents oftentimes appeared to me having heads also in their tail but none of them could bite me These things I write not esteeming my self a Prophet or that I extol my self but onely to signifie to you what temptations I had in body and also in mind and what great fear I had lest I should transgress the Commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ In a Letter to the Lord John de Clum I pray you expound to me the dream of this night I saw how that in my Church of Bethlem they came to raze all the Images of Christ and did put them out The next day after I arose and saw many Painters which made more fairer Images and many more then I had done before which thing I was very glad and joyful to behold And the Painters with much people about them said Let the Bishops and Priests come now and put out these Pictures Which being done much people seemed to me in Bethlem to rejoyce and I with them and I awaking therewith felt my self to laugh c. This Vision the Lord John and Mr. Hus himself in his Book of Epistles Ep. 45. see meth to expound and applieth the Images of Christ to the preaching of Christ and of his life The which preaching and doctrine of Christ though the Pope and Cardinals should extinguish in him yet did he foresee and declare that the time should come wherein the same doctrine should be revived again by others so plenteously that the Pope with all his power should not be able to prevail against it In the Forty eight Epistle Pa. 830. seeming to speak with the same Spirit of Prophesie he hath these words But I trust those things which I have spoken within the House hereafter shall be preached upon the top of the House In a certain Treatise
with an holy scorn smiling at the threats of Tyrants who are the terrors of the mighty in the Land of the Living Wouldst thou see shackled Prisoners behave themselves like Judges and Judges stand like Prisoners before them Wouldst thou see some of the rare exploits of Faith in its highest elevation immediatly before it be swallowed up in the beatifical vision To conclude Wouldst thou see the heavenly Jerusalem pourtraied on Earth as the earthly Jerusalem once was upon a Tile Ezek. 4.1 And wouldst thou hear the melodious voices of ascending Saints in a ravishing consort ready to joyn with the heavenly Chorus in their ravishing Hallelujahs Then draw near come and see If thou be a man of an heavenly spirit here is brave suitable entertainment for thy spirit And after thou hast conversed a while with these excellent Spirits it may be thou wilt judge as I do That dead Saints are sweeter Companions in some respects for thee to converse with then those that are living And when thou shalt see the magnificent acts of their Faith their invincible patience their flaming love to Christ their strange contempt of the World their plainness and simplicity in the profession of the Gospel and their servent love to each other thou wilt mourn also with me to consider the scandalous and shameful relapse of Professors from these glorious heights and to think how many degrees these Graces are gone back in the souls of Professors as the Sun upon the Dial of Ahaz The Judicious Collector hath gathered this Posie from the Martyrs Graves bound up in an excellent method and presented it to thee Here thou hast the Cream of the larger Martyrologies scum'd off the very Spirits of them extracted which is more cheap and less tiresome He intends if God permit a Second Part speedily And I assure thee he is a Person singularly qualified for the Work having both Materials and Judgement to dispose his Collections Bless God for such profitable Instruments and improve their Labours Such a Book hath been long desired many have attempted it but every one hath not that Furniture of Books Parts for it Solomon detecting some of those artifices which the Buyer useth in Trading Prov. 20.14 detects this as one It is naught it is naught saith he Buyer i.e. he disparageth the Commodity to â—eat down the price but when he is gone he boasteth â— am mistaken if thou also do not boast of thy penny worth in this Book when thou art gone and hast well perused it that it may reach the end upon thy â—eart for which it is designed is the desire of thy â—riend to serve thee J. F. The Books Poetical Prologue I Tell their death's who dying made Death yield By Scriptures sword and Faith's unbattered shield Their number 's numberless who ran to dye Vnder their Saviours Standard valiantly More Saints ten Tyrant Emperours did slay Then for a year Five thousand to each day Since Jesuites from th' infernal Lake did rise More then Eight hundred thousand lost their lives In thirty years Bloody Duke d' Alva will'd In Six years Eighteen thousand to be kill'd In Henry 's and in Mary's Bloody Reign Eight thousand have inhumanely been slain Twelve thousand and seven hundred more were Stockt Or Whipt or Wrackt or else Exil'd or Mockt I only promise many a Swan-like Song Read them and beg of God with heart and tongue That as the Vine that 's cut and prun'd bears more In one year then it did in three before So may Christs Vine and may the Saints of God As Camomile grow better being trod And may Christs Sufferers in like cases find The living God as near as true as kind As these have found and learn sin more to fear Then parting with what er'e they count most dear Swan-like SONGS A. Adrian Ward 's life of faith in death pag. 160. ADrian's wife seeing the Coffin hooped with Iron wherein she was to be buried alive spake thus Have you provided this Pasty-crust to bake my flesh in Agnes Fax's Acts and Monuments c. Vel. 1.122 Agnes a Roman Martyr contemning all threats of tortures was assaulted as to her chastity To the lascivious Wretch she said Thou shalt willingly bathe thy sword in my blood if thou wilt but thou shalt not defile my body with filthy lust do what thou canst Hereupon his eyes were struck out by a flame of fire like unto a flash of lightning and upon her prayer he was restored to sight again When she saw a sturdy cruel fellow to behold approaching with a naked sword in his hand I am now glad said she and rejoyce more that such an one as thou a stout fierce strong and sturdy Souldier art come then if one more feeble weak and faint-hearted should come This even this is he I now confess that I do love I will make haste to meet him and will no longer protract my longing desire Albane Fox Vol. 1. pag. 114. Albane England's Proto-Martyr delivered up himself to the Souldiers instead of Amphibolus who had converted him to Christianity after he had fled to his house for refuge and being bound was carried before the Judge who at that time was sacrificing to his Idols The Judge perceiving the fraud told Albane Forasmuch as thou hadst rather convey away the Rebel and Traytor to our gods than deliver him up to the Souldiers that he might undergo due punishment for blaspheming our gods look what torments he should have suffered if he had been taken the same shalt thou suffer if thou refuse to practise the Rites of our Religion Albane notwithstanding his threats told him plainly to his face that he would not obey his command Then said the Judge of what House and Stock art thou Albane answered It matters not of what Stock I am but if thou desirest to know my Religion be it known unto thee I am a Christian c. Then the Judge demanded his name my Parents said he named me Albane and I honour and worship the true and living God that made all things of nothing The Judge told him If he would save his life he must come and sacrifice to their gods Albane answered The sacrifice that you offer to the Devil profits you nothing but rather purchaseth for you eternal pains and Hell fire The Judge commanded him to be beheaded The Executioner observing his faith and servent prayers fell down at his feet casting from him the sword desired rather to be executed for or with him than to do execution upon him yet afterwards another gave the fatal blow Alcock Constable Rolf John Alcocks Master having bail'd his Servant Fox Vol. 3.383 said unto him I am sorry for thee for truly the Parson will seek thy destruction Sir said Alcock I am sorry I am a trouble to you as for my self I am not sorry but I do commit my self into Gods hands and I trust he will give me a mouth and wisdom to answer according to
right Yet said Rolph take heed of him he is a blood-sucker c. I fear not said Alcock he shall do no more to me than God will give him leave and happy shall I be if God will call me to dye for his Truths sake In his first Letter to Hadley he writes thus O my Brethren of Hadley why are ye so soon turned from them which called you into the Grace of Christ to another Doctrine Though those should come unto you that have been your true Preachers and preach another way of salvation then by Jesus Christs death and passion hold them accursed yea if it were an Angel came from Heaven and would tell you that the sacrifice of Christs body upon the Cross once for all were not sufficient for all the sins of all those that shall be saved accursed be he Why cometh this plague upon us Cometh not this upon thee because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Thine own wickedness shall reprove thee and thy turning away shall condemn thee that thou mayest know how evil and hurtful a thing it is that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Algerius Pomponius Algerius Fox Vol. 2. pag. 181. whilst he was a Prisoner at Venice before he was burnt at Rome writ thus in his comfortable Letter to the Christians departed out of Babylon into Mount Sion To mitigate your sorrow which you take for me I cannot but impart unto you some portion of my joyes which I feel to the intent you may rejoyce with me I shall utter that which scarce any will believe I have found a nest of honey an honey-comb in the entrails of a Lion In the deep dark Dungeon I have found a Paradise of pleasure In the place of sorrow and death tranquility of hope and life when others do weep I do rejoyce when others do shake and tremble there I have found plenty of strength and boldness in strait bands and cold irons I have had rest Behold he that was once far from me now is present with me whom once I could scarce feel I now see most apparently whom once I saw afar off now I behold near at hand whom once I hungred for the same now approacheth and reacheth his hand unto me he doth comfort me and heapeth me up with gladness he driveth away all bitterness he ministreth strength and courage c. O how easie and sweet is the Lords yoke Learn ye well-beloved how amiable the Lord is how meek and merciful who visiteth his servants in temptations neither disdaineth he to keep company with us in such vile and stinking Caves Will the blind and incredulous world think you believe this or rather will it not say thus No thou wilt never be able to abide long the burning heat the pinching hardness of that place c. The rebukes and frowning faces of great men how wilt thou suffer Dost not thou consider thy pleasant Countrey the Riches of the World thy Kinsfolk the delicate pleasures and Honours of this life Dost thou forget the solace of thy Sciences and fruit of all thy Labours Wilt thou thus lose all thy labours which thou hast hitherto sustained Finally fearest thou not death which hangeth over thee O what a fool art thou which for one words speaking mayest salve all this and wilt not But now to answer Let this blind world hearken to this again What heat can there be more burning then that fire which is prepared for thee hereafter What things more hard and sharp and crooked than this present life which we lead What thing more odious and hateful than this world here present And let these worldly men here answer me What Countrey can we have more sweet than the Heavenly Countrey above What treasures more rich or precious than everlasting life and who be our Kinsmen but they which hear the Word of God Where be greater riches or dignities more honourable than in Heaven And as touching the Sciences let this foolish world consider Be not they ordained to know God whom unless we do know all our labours our night-watchings our studies and all our enterprises here serve to no purpose all is but labour lost Furthermore let the miserable worldly men answer me What remedy or safe refuge can there be unto him who lacks God who is the life medicine of all men how can he be said to fly from death when he himself is already dead in sin If Christ be the way verity life how can there be any life without Christ The solely heat of the Prison to me is coldness the cold winter to me is a fresh spring in the Lord. He that feareth not to be burned in the fire how will he fear the heat of weather Or what careth he for the pinching frost which burneth for the love of the Lord The place is sharp and tedious to them that be guilty but to the innocent it is mellifluous Here droppeth the delectable dew here floweth the pleasant Nectar here runneth the sweet milk here is plenty of all good things In this world there is no mansion firm to me and therefore I will travel up to the New Jerusalem which is in Heaven and which offereth it self to me without paying any Fine or Income I have travelled hitherto laboured and sweat early and late watching day and night and now my travels begin to come to effect What man can now cavil that these our labours are lost which have followed and found out the Lord and Maker of the World and which have changed death with life If to dye in the Lord be not to dye but to live most joyfully where is this wretched worldly Rebel which blameth us of folly for giving away our lives unto death O how delectable is this death to me to taste of the Lords Cup. I am accused of foolishness for that I do not rid my self out of these troubles when with one word I may But doth not Christ say Fear not them which kill the body but him which killeth both body and soul and whosoever shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heaven and he that denyeth me before men him will Falso deny before my Heavenly Father Seeing the words of the Lord be so plain how or by what authority will this wise Counsellor approve this his counsel which he doth give God forbid that I should relinquish the commandements of God and follow the counsels of men for it is written Blessed is the man that hath not gone in the way of sinners and hath not stood in the counsel of the ungodly c. Psal 1.1 God forbid I should deny Christ where I ought to confess him I will not set more by my life then by my soul neither will I exchange the life to come for this world here present This Letter he underwrit thus From the delectable Orchard of Leonine Prison 12 Calend. August An. 1555. Allen. Sir Edmond Tyrrel bidding Rose
accordingly came to pass Being askt what he should do and whither he would go if he should have his liberty he said He cared not whether he want out or no but if he did he would marry and abide still in England secretly teaching the people as the time would suffer him When the Keepers Wife told him the sad News as she called it of the nearness of his death being to be burned the next day he put off his Cap and lifting up his eyes to Heaven said I thank God for it I have looked for the same a long time and therefore it cometh not now to me suddenly but as a thing waited for every day and hour the Lord make me worthy thereof Creswell offering to labour for him Pa. 292. and desiring to know what suit he should make for him What you will do said he do it not at my request for I desire nothing at your hands If the Queen will give me life I will thank her if she will banish me I will thank her if she will burn me I will thank her if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her The Chancellor pressing him to do as they had done in hopes of the Queens mercy and pardon Pa. 283. My Lord said he I desire mercy with Gods mercy i. e. without doing or saying any thing against God and his Truth pag. 290. but mercy with Gods wrath God keep me from Gods mercy I desire and also would be glad of the Queens favour to live as a Subject without clog on Conscience but otherwise the Lords mercy is better to me than life Life in his displeasure is worse than death and death with his favour is true life He having refused again and again to answer to the Chancellors Quaeries Pa. 286. said That no fear but the fear of perjury made him unwilling to answer he having been six times sworn not to consent to the practising of any Jurisdiction or any Authority on the Bishop of Rome's behalf within the Realm of England I am not afraid of death I thank God I look and have looked for nothing else from your hands a long time but I am afraid when death cometh I should have matter to trouble my Conscience by the guilt of perjury As for my death as I know there are twelve hours in the day so with the Lord my time is appointed and when it shall be his good time then I shall depart hence but in the mean season I am safe enough though all the people had sworn my death into his hands have I committed it and do his good will be done The Earl of Derby lending one of his Servants to him Pa. 292. willing him to tender himself He told the Messenger that he thanked his Lordship for his good will towards him but in this case I cannot tender my self more than Gods honour The same Servant saying also Ah Mr. Bradford consider your Mother Sister Friends Kinsfolk Countrey what a great discomfort it will be to them to see you dye as an Heretick Mr. Bradford replyed I have learned to forsake Father Mother Brother Sister Friends and all that ever I have yea and my own self for else I cannot be Christs Disciple Being askt by a good Gentlewomans Servant Pa. 305. that was sent to him How de did he answered Well I thank God for as men in Sailing which be near to the Shore or Haven where they would be would be nearer even so the nearer I am to God the nearer I would be In a Letter to his Mother and Brethren Pa. 308. I am at this time in Prison sure enough from starting to confirm that I have preached unto you As I am ready I thank God with my life and blood to seal the same if God vouchsafe me worthy of that honour If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him Be not therefore faint-hearted but rather rejoyce at the least for my sake who now am in the right and high way to Heaven for by many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God Now will God make known his Children When the wind doth not blow the Wheat cannot be known from the Chaffe but when the blast cometh then flyeth away the Chaffe but the Wheat remaineth and is so far from being hurt that by the wind it is more cleansed from the Chaffe Gold when it is cast into the fire is the more precious so are Gods Children by afflictions Indeed I thank God more for this Prison than for any Parlour yea than for any pleasure that ever I had for in it I find God my most sweet good God alwayes Of all deaths it is most to be desired to dye for Gods sake such are sure to go to Heaven Death nor Life nor Prison nor Pleasure I trust in God shall be able to separate me from my Lord God and his Gospel Rejoyce in my sufferings for it is for your sakes to confirm the truth I have taught Howsoever you do be obedient to the Higher Powers that is in no point either in hand or tongue Rebel but rather if they command that which with good conscience you cannot obey lay your head on the Block and suffer what they shall do or say By patience possess your souls In his Letter to the City of London Pa. 310. I ask God heartily mercy that I do no more rejoyce than I do having so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my dear Lord and Saviour to suffer Although my sins be manifold and grievous yet the Bishops and Prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his Word his Truth and Religion Let the anger and plagues of God most justly fallen upon us be applyed to every one of our deserts that from the bottom of our hearts every one of us may say It is I Lord that have sinned against thee It is my hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetousness uncleanness carnality security idleness unthankfulness self-love c. which have deserved the taking away of thy Word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by Exile Imprisonment Death c. Prepare your selves to the Cross be obedient to all that be in Authority in all things that be not against God his Word for then answer with the Apostle It is more meet to obey God than man Howbeit never for any thing resist or rise against the Magistrates A venge not your selves Commit your Cause to the Lord. If you feel in your selves an hope and trust in God that he will never tempt you above that he will make you able to bear be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to bear all brunts but if you want this Hope flee and get you hence rather than by your tarrying Gods Name should be dishonoured In his Letter to Cambridge Pa. 312. Thou my Mother the University hast not onely had the truth of Gods