haue good cause to tremble at that which our Lord hath denounced that at the great day he will be ashamed of those that are ashamed of him his word before men Let my exaumple serue you for a glasse and haue a dilygent eye to your selues you that haue abode vpright till this present sée that you kéepe preciously that so singuler a benefite that God hath so carefully kept for you suffer not that vncorruptible crowne to bée taken from you but constantly finish your course knowing that he that contineweth to the ende shall be saued And you alas that are the greatest number who eyther by myne exaumple are slipte out of the way or by myne occasion confirmed in your reuolt take héed the Deuil doe not bewitch you to make you fynde that swéete which is bitter to call lighte darkenes and darknes light bu kéepe the séede of the feare of God which is yet remayning in your harts nurrish and cherish it as a languishing fyre wayting the meanes to escape out of the captiuity more griouous then that of Egipt and vsing the same when .. God shal offer them vnto you ▪ Especially your grace Syr that haue receyued thys good and holye instruction from your youth in the trewe knowledge of GOD. Remember the fayth that was in your mother and Grandmother Quéenes of Nauarra And as Sainct Paule doeth by suche exaumples exhort his Timothe so thinke the same to apperteyne to you to the end that you may be as well heyre to the fayth of those holy Ladyes as you haue succéeded them in the Realme And pardon mée the iniury that I haue done to you humbly beséeching you in the name of GOD that as I haue ben a pestilent instrument to peruert you so nowe my exaumple may serue to conuert you to the lord You also moste noble Prince be myndfull of the zeale godlines and constancy in trewe religion whereof you haue séene the liuely paterns of your late of worthy memory Grandmother Father and mother I haue serued you in steade of a wicked spirite and euill counseler but lette not that which was sayed in tyme of force and violence beare so much sway and authoritye wyth you that for the same you should forgette the holye instructions which haue ben gyuen yow by aduised deliberation many years before Compare the presente estate whereunto you be now brought receyuing no comfort or edificatiō at al of that which your Amner doeth read or sing before you in his Portesse or Massebooke with the when you were present at the holy exhortatiōs and enterpreting of Gods word where you your self did help to sing prayses vnto his name And for as muche as manye may be kepte back in this reuolt through the reasons that they then vnderstood of mée at sundry tymes and in sundry places or els through certeyne writings that haue ben scattered abroad touching the trewe Church and by what markes she oughte to be discerned by the which at that time I went aboute to conclude that the Church of Roome deserued this title I beséech al Christian readers not to stay vppō those reasons so vayne and of so small importaunce Trew it is that see that time yea and somewhat afore I had be shakē therwithall as I haue confessed But sens hauing withdrawē mi self into these parts I haue learned and found out that they are but abuses and fallacyes easye to bée discouered and refuted for the which let it be graunted that they had greater appearance of sound reasons yet can not I be excused but that I did leudly and villenously to refuse to witnesse that treuth with my mouth which I did verely beléeue in my harte to exhort those that I could ageinst my cōsciēce to go to Masse and to yéeld obediēce to Antichrist Now as I doe by this present writing make open confession of my to too haynous enormity for a piece of amends and reparation of the offence publikely geuen so am I determined God willing to write of this matter of the Church to take away all doubt and scruple from the wauering cōsciences that be not yet fully resolued for that they haue hard the sayd reasons To conclude being now at full liberty to stick boldly without feare to that Church which in my harte I doe alowe of I protest before god to recognyse and acknowledge that for the trewe Church whiche hath for the rule of her fayth the holy scripture of the old newe Testament the olde conteyned in the lawe Psalms and Prophets as our Lord him self doeth deuide it the newe in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles anowyng for trewe markes of the Churche not the succession of persones and of menne but of the Doctryne of the Prophetes and Apostles Sithens it is manyfest that we can not acknowledge any for the house of GOD but that which is the piller and staye of the treweth nor anye to bée of the folde of Christ but those only that heare hys voyce and follow him and that shée is the trewe Spouse that hath Christ for her Spouse briefely that it is necessary to goe out of that Church wherein one can not abyde wythoute renouncyng of Iesus Christ and to be shorte without losse of bodye and Soule by dishonoring and offending of GOD. According whereunto I doe also embrace the confession of Fayth published in the name of the reformed Churches of Fraunce acknowledging and auowing the same to be a Christian confession by the conformitye and agréement that it hath with the holy Scripturs and ioyntly the Ecclesiastycall discyplyne to bée the conducte and gouernement of the people of god Wyth lyke assuraunce I holde and beléeue with all my harte and confesse as well by mouth as by writyng that those which for thys reformation haue a fewe yeares sence suffered death eyther by order of Iustyce or by the late blouddy murders more cruell then those of the Gotes or Vandales are trewe and blessed Martyrs of Iesus Christ dead for hys name and his holy trewth And for the commendation and prayse of them together for their comfort and consolation that are yet liuing women children parentes and frindes this sentence of Sainct Paule to the Thessalonians maye by good right be applyed yée are made followers of the congregacions of GOD that are at Iudea in Iesus Christ because yée haue suffered the selfe same thynges by them of your owne natyon as they dyd by the Ievves Who likewyse haue kylled the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophetes and haue banyshed vs they please not GOD and are aduersaries to al men not suffering vs to speak to the Gentils for their saluation to the ende that they may dayly heape vp their sins for the wrath of god is come vppon them to the vttermost Wherfore O ye faithful pastors of the Christian Church Stewards of the misteries of god that hath giuen you the word of reconciliation to the end that ye maye be Ambassadors for Christ ye that sometymes
¶ A LAMENTABLE discourse of the fall of Hughe Sureau commonly called Du Rosier from the truth his shamefull offence to the church togither with confession of his faulte penitent submissioÌ„ remorse Seruing for a notable example to al the world of the fraieltie vntowardnesse of man of the great and vnmeasurable mercie of God to his Chosen ¶ Imprinted at London for Lucas Harison and George Bishoppe 1573. ¶ THE TRANSLATOVR TO THE READER AS of all the blessinges that vve receue here in earth there is none that doth so liuely expresse Gods inward fauour towardes man as coÌ„uersion from sinne so truely there is none so dreadful a signe of his heauy reuenge as falling from fayth Mark but the history of the people of Israel and you shall finde that ther falling froÌ„ the lawe of God as it was the greatest sin which they coÌ„mitted so was it the greatest plague that euer they had Their sickenes and pestilence was nothing their dearth and famine was nothing the losse that they endured by warre was nothing their captiuity and death was nothing in comparison of reuolting from God who had chosen them for his people This was a plague of al plagues Likewise if we consider of Gods benefites towards them neither their deliueraunce out of the land of Egipt neither their safe conduct into the land of promise neither their well gouerned common wealth nor all the victories obteyned ageinst their enemies may ons be compared with that that it pleased him to turne their hartes from sinne and Idolatry to the trewe honoring of his name This was a blessing of al blessings So that in these two poyntes chiefly is set foorth vnto vs both Gods iustice and mercy His mercy in coÌ„uerting vs from sinne his iustice in leauing vs to our selues And surely there are perilous examples of renouncing and denying a professed treuth The tragicall histories of Frauncis Speyra and Iudge Hales are able to make a christiaÌ„ coÌ„scieÌ„ce to tremble No doubte it is coÌ„monly sene it is a iust plague that who so with his mouth belieth his conscience the same with his hand destroyeth him selfe Here I deny not but that God hath his secrete working beyond the reason and capacitie of man as by the pitifull discourse of this booke may easely appeare This mans fal was great his fact was detestable his mouth blasphemous his hart trayterous and iniurious to the blud of Christ yet notwithstanding al this did not God suffer him to sincke down into the pitte of dispeire but did rayse him vp ageine by the operation of his holy spirite Vndoutedly this is a rare exaumple like vnto the which many haue not ben seene in the church of god Therfore I would wish all such as are called to the testimony of the trewth to beware how grounding hereuppon they do tempt god in hope of the like fauour Let that hel and torment of conscience which they do here plainely see in this man terrify theÌ„ likewise froÌ„ denying the trewth He was sometime one of the chief ministers of the reformed church in Orleance and because I knew him my self and haue hard him preach ther sundry times I was the more willing at my frendes request to putte his booke into english hoping that all Christen men will reioyce as much at his penitent conuersion as they haue cause to be grieued at his reuolt I doubt not but there are that will scoffe at this matter and saye that he can not be of a sounde religion that hath turned his coate so ofte Of what religion then are these our men that haue turned alwayes with the time Let al turners with tyme learne of this man to returne a right It may be that some seke to shew now a more stedfastnes in error then in deed they haue â–ª to gaine therby the credite of constancy But alas it can not be called constancy to abyde in euil to continew in Idolatry to stick fast in ignorance This is obstinacy They shall neuer be accused of wauering that come out of Babel to dwell in Sion If this poore man had abidden still in the waye of perdition renouncing Christes veritie and betraying of Christians to Romish wolues oh what a heauy damnatioÌ„ had he procured to him self but God in his rich mercy hath better prouided for this loste sheepe Let all those therefore which are touched in harte with the care of gods trewth and do bewayle the ruinous decayes of Ierusalem iudge rightle hereof To conclude we may all see in this booke the liuely paterne of a trewe remorse here may we see how Saul doeth become Paul. VVhy should not the teares and mourning of Peter argue and declare the conuersion of Peter remember what a worthi father of our time when he came to the Fyre to be brent did to his hand that had subscribed to vntrewth The like maye wee hope of thys man that when tyme shall serue he vvill make both hand and tongue body life yea and all that he hath to feele the smart of that his deloyaulty Therefore good Reader be not hasty in condemning others but pray to God to strengthen thy selfe that thou mayest not fall and if thou doe fall that thou mayest ryse agayne to the glorye of GOD the edifying of hys Church and thyne owne saluation AMEN ¶ Hugh Suriaus fall and penitent Submission THe church of Christe hath had this custome of all antiquitie the the actes of Martyrs haue ben faithfully set down in writing namely their death their confession of fayth their disputing refutation of the doctrine of the aduersaries The reading of such histories did serue to confirme the faythfull in the faith to stirre them vp to the imitacion of the coÌ„stancy vertue of those personages As we reade the same to haue ben obserued by S. Luke in the narration of S. Stephens death of all the other persecutions done sens against the church the selfe same diligence hath ben followed euen till our time wherin our Lorde hath had worthy members a great nuÌ„bre that haue for his name sake suffered death namely in our countrey of Fraunce first by forme order of iustice and by sentence of the Iudge to the â—â—ath of fyre the most cruell horrible that may be deuised then afterward by murders committed without controlement last of al by the vnnatural slaughters lately executed through out the whole Realm wherof the trwe faithful histories shal in tyme to come beare witnesse signifying to posteritie how God hauing at the first but cropt as it wer certain first fruts of his field thought good now in these later dayes to make a great and plentifull haruest of his chosen In lyke case if ther haue ben any treason reuolt or notable breach of fayth committed by any one during the tyme of those persecutions men haue not ben slacke in noting such accidences to serue for an admonition to the faythful to consider with
them selues and to tremble at the dreadfull iudgements of God especially when those that committe such faults be publike persons and in some respect notable The fal of whom as it is a proofe of a horrible vengeaÌ„ce of God through the which they haue ben abandoned so is it a very violent temptacion to shake the weake consciences and therewithall to draw a great multitude to the same perdition And no doubt the rage of the cruell enemies doth not geue so dangerous a wouÌ„d to the flock of Christ as doth such treachery and infidelitie Moreouer if ther haue ben ani one of the church that hath by gods grace preueÌ„ted the hands of the murderers that he hath not fallen into them or if ther haue ben any apprehended and yet escaped thens without hauing eyther suffered or committed any euil the fauour of god in that his deliuerance ought not to be buried in sileÌ„ce but to be published to assure others to put their confidence in him that can drawe fourth his owne out of all perills as much as he knowes to be expedieÌ„t for him so to doe Of these thrée sortes there are at this day many examples in the extreame calamity of the present persecution full of crueltie and falsehood wherof in tyme the trewth shall be knowen published But as for me I hauing ben of that miserable and pestilent secte thorough my fall offenciue denyall wherin I laye wallowing a long tyme now after that God hath geuen me grace to come again to my right witts I will my selfe be the historiographer of the detestable cryme that I haue committed describing it according to the trewth and as it happened then afterward noting the circumstances I wil assaye to make confession of the enormitie and grieuousnes therof as much as in me shal be possible Finally wheÌ„ ye shal set before your eyes this writing Dearly beloued brethren and readers of this pitifull discourse I beséeche you that through christian compassion ye doe helpe me to féele to the quicke such an offence and in as muche as good may be drawen from euill that ye doe take instruction by my example I was then abyding in Fraunce in a small congregation not passing a dayes iourney from Paris wher being aduertysed of the slaughter within the said citie I tooke deliberation foure dayes after to saue my selfe out of the Realme And casting with my self the difficulties dangers that ther should be to passe I determined after a sort to counterfet the papist by the badge that was worn in the hatts by gesture countenaunce as much as I should see my selfe â—â—ged therunto by necessitie The morow after being come to the next town I was demaunded who I was wherwith finding my self wonderfully amased I had not the memory to speake that which before I had premeditated but making an answere without head or foote they had me in suspicion the Iudge examyning me by othe what I was forthwith without ought disguising I fréely coÌ„fessed the whole By the meanes wherof being clapt in prison I toke this resolution to suffer any kinde of death the they shold lay vppon me and I felt some peace rest in my conscience if I did defend the trewth of the Gospell wherof I was most assured Although I had euen than my head busyed with certeyne cogitacions touching the personall succession of the Romish church wherof I then disputed against some that wer ther preseÌ„t the trewth had alwaies the victorie against falsehod But this boldnes of mine was but a puffe that did not coÌ„tinew loÌ„g For being all alone I began to discourse with my self touching the grieuousnes of the persecution then befallen I founde the same to be farre beyond all the former For I alwayes toke the calamities of the tyme past to be but visitations and roddes wherwithall God did purge his church and had euer iudged them to bée assured marks of the children of god But because that in this last ther did appeare as it were a ruyne and vtter distruction of the whole without any appearance or hope of restablishment I began to valew it at none other rate then a playne testimony of gods wrath and indignation as if he had by this meanes declared that he did detest and condemne the profession and exercyse of our Religion for that he had so often turned againe to stryke vs yea finally so to ouerthrow vs as if he were willing wholly to destroy and roote out this coÌ„gregation fauour that of Rome By this meanes I began to giue streÌ„gth to this temptation of Sathan and the flesh desyring to saue it self from the present danger got the vpper hand In so much that I did straight way conclude with my selfe to acknowledge and auow the church of Rome for the trew church wherinto I did desire to be receued The which I did declare the same daye to the Iudge imagening that without delay I should be set at lybertie which being obtayned I wold withdraw my selfe with all spéede out of the Realme to kéepe me solitary and to apply my selfe to do what I could to passe away the rest of my tyme In the same prison ther were others of the Religion vnto whom I gaue counsell to do the lyke alleging to them that the Romish church was the auncient church whens we wer departed and wherunto we ought to returne with many other deuises tending to the same end Who consenting to my cursed allurements suggestions made the same protestations to the Iudge and not long after they were deliuered yet not content with that which I had done and sayde to shew that I did it with hart and good will I wrote to the chief of my congregation and farther to them of myne owne famyly exhorting them to betake them selues to popery to be assistant at the seruice there as I for my parte minded to be And to the ende that this Metamorphosis or change happened in my person should not astonish them I declared that I had reasons to moue me therunto wherof some I did set down in writing as well in the said letters as in a certayn scrole that I presented to the Iudge Now thought I verely that betwixt that and the morrow after I should be let out of prison to goe wher I would but it happened quite otherwise For the Iudge hauing geuen intelligence how I was taken and of the great and manifest signes of my conuersion and returne to the catholike church as they terme it kept me vntil he hard newes froÌ„ the Court whens he receiued letters of the King who gaue him commaundement to send me to him to be an instrumeÌ„t to serue to perswade the King of Nauarra and the prince of Conde to renounce the religion wherein they had ben brought vp with a protestation to follow the faith and doctrine of Rome and to acknowledge the Pope for head This newes being brought I was very sory when I sawe my selfe
and frinds praysing god who had done them this honour to suffer for his name Now are they grieuously tempted to mistrust the vprightnesse of the cause because they can not bée resolued on the opiniō that men ought to haue of the honorable death that so many godly Martyrs haue abiden through the crueltie of Antichrist his Supposts Héere behold an inestimable iniury done to the dead of whom the memory ought to be blessed for euer to the liuing to Christ him self for whose treuth they haue shead their blud And if I had long abidden emprisonment honger darkenes and rough handeling that to conclude this frayle flesh ouerwhelmed with so many miseries had made the spirit to yelde stoupe to such persecution it might wel haue sauered of some humane fraylty to haue moued compassion thereof But I at the very first rumour of the slaughter resolued to saue this myserable lyfe to dissemble yea to renounce the treuth Trew it is that not long before my minde was something disquieted touching the personall succession of the Church In so much that I stode in doubte whether it were not a dangerous matter to depart frō the church of Rome in the which I founde this succession Neuerthelesse this is the trewth that as sone as I had intelligence of that which was bruted the feare of death the loue of this lyfe and commodities therof seruing their turne of this my trouble of mind caused me to yeld more force thervnto then the thing required Insomuch that I was cleane out of tast with that doctryne in generall which for al that I neither did nor could doubt of But I lost all will and inclination to confesse and maynteine the same And albeit that I had rather haue escaped out of the Realme as in déede I had prepared my selfe ther vnto thā to haue stayed ther any longer that of myne own méere disposition without any maner of cōpulsion I had neuer the affection to bend my selfe against the doctryne Yet notwithstanding I was vtterly discouraged to take in hande the defence of the same I rather tooke this resolution to doe what soeuer was offered me at the instant to cleare me of al suspectiō euery wher wher I shuld passe So the great and righteous Iudge did not fayle on his part to handle me thereafter For hauing ben so many yeares together taught by him the nature of the Gospell of his sonne which is called the word of the crosse it had ben my part to haue ben the more and more assured of my vocation and of the trewth of his Church because I sawe the crosse continew still and the persecutions to grow dayly more violent But perceyuing the affliction to excéede the measure that I would haue prescribed to GOD I fell to doubte not of the doctryne in it selfe but of the Church in the respect of the personall succession For this cause GOD did iustly deliuer me to the desyer of myne owne harte to committe a faulte not onely foule and detestable but also cleane sounding ageynst reason and mans iudgement that is to say to immagine I had some reason not to confesse a trewth whereof I was fully perswaded Others that fal by infirmity doe acknowledge that they doe ageynst that they ought to do in inpugning deniyng a knowen and vndoubted trewth but I toke it to be a pointe requisite in my self to speake ageynst mine owne conscience and ageinst the assured knowledge of mine owne harte Thus in the iudgement of God those that thinke them selues wyse are prooued fooles neither did god in this beginning suffer mée to scape awaye so lightly but sithens I would néedes dally with him thinking that I should be easely set at liberty he payed me the iust reward of my first leudnes and treachery punishing the former offense by later enormities as ye haue vnderstoode The first prancke of my deloyaulty was that I did shewe my selfe not a hyreling that doeth Abandon hys charge when hée séeth the Woulphe come but I was my selfe a Woulphe yea a rauening Woulphe scatering and dissipating mine own propre flock For I wrote immediatly to the principalls of that assembly where I had ben admonishing them to acknowledge follow the church of Rome I dyd the lyke to myne owne famyly which I had before instructed in the feare of God and my little children consecrated to Iesus Christ were by this meanes plonged in the popish filthy polutions to prostrate them selues before the Idole of Idoles Being thus foundred in this first quagmyre I ceased not to wade from euill to worsse and after I had betrayed myne owne flocke myne owne flesh and bones and the little young imps that God had geuen me no maruell if I played so lamentable parts towards others Neyther then did this false dealing of myne kéepe it selfe within these bounds For I was brought to Paris to be tyed as a carthorse to the Charet wher Sathan sate in triumph ageinst the mēbers of Iesu Christ bringing them after him conquered and captiues These two young princes buds of the flower de Luce royall vertuously and faythfully instructed in the doctrine of the trewth consecrated to the glory of God called to be nurces of the Church of whome she might one day hope for some comfort perfection wer by me diuerted from the trew reformed Church brought as touching their persōs to go to Masse and consequently to set vp ageyne restablish that cursed Idolatry within the places and lymits of their dominion seigneury To be short they were by me deliuered vp as it wer to the tyrannical clutches grypes of Antichrist to sweare obedience to him and to make war ageinst the children of god For although they had great occasions to shrink considering the murders that they sawe committed the practises that wer vsed to terrefy thē and although that the brute was already spread that they went to Masse yet had they continewed pure and constant vntil my arriuall Wherfore ther is no doubt but that my tongue trayterous vntrew to my God did more preuayle with them then all the threates dangers and horrible slaughters which they hard and sawe dayly before theyr eyes whereof also if they be now wholly changed with a willing mynde to persecute the Gospell which God forbid I am alas the principal cause If they do that which they do ageynst their will they may chiefly laye the faute in me for that payne and anguish of mynde wherewith they be tormented Touching this poynte be ye aduertysed ye that reade this to praye to GOD for those personages that it will please him to take pytie vpon them and when he séeth good to repayre that inestimable losse In the meane season I was not without remorse and trouble in my conscience séeinge the pytteous woorke that was a building whereof I was an instrument or rather seing the ruine and subuersion of the Churche where I my selfe gaue the greatest blowes to
ouerthrowe it And manye tymes there came to my memory a verse of a certeyn poet alleadged by Tertulian Vsque ad eòne morj miserum est I felt my selfe mooued with heauenly inspirations to mainteyn gods trewth I dyd after a sorte consider of the wounde that was made by my meanes some tymes the force of reason and trewth did pricke me forewarde to speake against the doctors of Sorbona in certeyne points but the same vanished away immediatly because that I had already passed furth to the chiefest difficultie hauing a vowed theirs for the trewe Church And certenly I remember that being often pressed with my selfe féeling a kinde of conuiction in that I dyd let passe so many false things ageinst the trewth at night I prayed to God that he would not suffer me to liue to the day folowing forséeing that the morrow after I should yet be driuen to consent and agrée to many things which I thought and knew to be false but this was not a well ordered prayer because I should rather haue craued his spirit of strength magnanimitie to susteyne and defende that which he had reuealed to me to be trewe referre to him the issue and falling out of the whole Neyther was I hard of him but was still abyding in the middest of the enemies of his poore afflicted Church being forced to heare the scoffes and iestes that they did spewe out laughing at the present affliction as dyd the Idâ—means when they reioysed at the destruction of Ierusalem Thus went I cleane depriued of all sens féeling to enure my selfe lyke a brute beast with this most mischeuous accursed hauÌ„t The murderers haue killed the bodies with their most cruel haÌ„d â–ª but in the meane tyme the soules are escaped and passed from trauel to rest But I haue ben a murderer of soules subuerting the fayth of many through my word and taking from their vnderstanding the iudgemeÌ„t knowledge of the euill which they went about to doe And besyde those that haue hard me speak with myne own propre mouth there are infinite others that may haue read that which I had sundry tymes written touching the same the copies wherof were spread all abroade amplyfied with prety gloses and additions wher I had not written playn enough to the contenting of the papists as I my self haue both séene and perceyued And those that haue not read them might therof be informed by others In such sort that I can not expresse nor coÌ„prehend how great a ruine and decay hath ensued of this my fal â–ª From al the which mishaps one only death had at one instant preserued me if I had abyden it after the example of so many poore shéepe of Iesus Christ layed furth to the slaughter without mercie Such a death had béen precious before God honorable for me and myne and of a good sauour to the congregation of the Lorde And yet for any thing that I haue done I shall not escape death which shall come at the houre and in the maner that God hath appoynted it after I haue lyued in ignomyny in the sight of all good men Wherfore when I consider all the circumstances I can hardlye pycke out an example to be ballanced with this acte of myne Sainct Peter did renounce Christ but it was in his first weaknesse before he was yet fortyfied whereas I ought to haue ben a leader and a captain considering how long I had ben called to the seruice of god Saint Peter at the instant withdrew him selfe and went out to wéepe as for me I was in a good way to haue continewed all my lyfe long in the botomlesse pitte of perdition Sainct Paule did persecute the Church of God but it was in ignoraunce and through an vnaduised zeale hauing not the fayth wheras I did put my helping hand to the réedifying of that which before I had pulled downe declaring my selfe a sinfull transgressour Iohn Marke left of his labour and the voyage that he hadde in hands for the which Sainct Paul did not thinke it reasonable that hée should be afterwarde employed Demas forsoke his vocation for the loue and desyre of this present worlde But none of these did for all that persecute the trewth as I haue done Touching the facte I finde but one comparable to my selfe and that is he that layed his head together with the sacryficers and tooke money of them to be traye and make sale of the innocent blud as he confessed himself Euen so did I acquainte my selfe with such kinde of people the very successors of the Pharyseyes sweare my selfe into the hands of the byshop and receyued the hyre of vntrewth as did Balaam with a promise of a yearely pension in time to come Briefly I sée my self paynted out in that which Sainct Peter sayeth that this man hath ben the leader of theÌ„ that haue taken Iesus who sayth hée was accompted in the numbre of vs and had receyued his parte of the administration of his word â–ª Sée here then my brethren on part of those enormities that I do note in mi reuolt I did not only giue occasioÌ„ to men to yelde to the infirmitie of the flesh but more then that I did fill the consciences of the well affectioned with scrupelous vexatioÌ„s of the weake with troublesome offences to make them fall neuer to ryse ageyne to the ypocrites I did serue for a maske and cloke to couer them selues in assisting to those things that they condemned to the open enemyes I gaue occasion to boast and glorify them selues in exercysing cruelty ageynst the members of Iesu Christ and to confirme theÌ„ selues in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they haue that they doe God good seâ—â—â—…ce that they aduaunce hys honor that they mayneteyne the trewe Church when they kill and murder the innocent I haue offended God almighty condemned the cause of his sonne Christ resisted the holy ghost made sorowful the Aungels of heaueÌ„ ben a stumbling block to the Church in earth boldened and hardened the wicked in their fury defiled my mouth with blasphemy which was before honored with preaching of the Gospel Sainct Cyprian excusing him self for that he had séemed to haue somewhat lightlye established Aurelius reader in the Church giueth a good reason that it was very méete séemely the the mouth which had confessed Christ in time of persecution should be employed to reade his word in the Church Contrariwise I by myne infidelity haue stopped mine own mouth that I might not hereafter speake in the holy assemblyes â–ª I beséech you brethren that euery one of you doe adde what yée can to this that I haue sayed which is not hard to doe in so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a case And all you that maye any wayes make mée vnderstand it spare me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pulle mee downe according to the desert of so haynous a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spurne at the féete that salte that hath lost his sauor see how iustly my candlestick is taken from his place Alas I
haue taken me for your fellow in the work of the Lord continew in that holy vocation wayting for the rewarde promised in that great day wherin those that haue instructed many to righteousnes shall shyne lyke stars God hath preserued the greatest part of you whole and sound so well that ye haue not ben at all apprehended or els ye haue gotten out of the enemyes handes without any thing done that might séeme vnworthy the conscience of a Christian man A fewe are fallen and bent ageynst the Gospell and I miserable wretch was the first in that small numbre I haue darkned and defaced the beuty and excellency of that heauenly doctrine that I had my selfe sometyme preached But ye know the assured foundation wheroÌ„ it is grounded Accursed be he that shall announce any coÌ„trary thing yea were he an Angell in heauen O ye happy and blessed of God that haue in your harts the testimony of an vnspotted conscience to haue walked in sincerity and playnnes blessed that shal heare at the later daye enter into the ioye of thy Lord thow good and faythfull seruant for that thou hast increased the talents committed to thée whereas I haue not onely buried in the earth the talent that I had but haue employed the same in making warre ageynst the trewth God graunt you the grace to coÌ„tinew and gyue a happy successe to your godly trauells Assist me with your prayers that the heauenly father may receyue me now that I returne to him after this horrible sliding and reuolt and pardon me my so grieuous enormity O Lord almighty and wholy wise how easy is it for thée to entrappe the crafty in their deceypte O how thy iudgements be iust and righteous Who knowest ech one of all our works And seest what we doe To good to pure to cleane of harte Thou shewest thy goodnes to To thy beloued and electe Thy loue thow doest reserue And thow doest vse the wicked men As wicked men deserue Euen so hast thou drawen out of the bottome of my hart that which was ther hyd not suffering that I should beguylé the world any lenger For hauing determined to abandoÌ„ my charge and to slipps thens couertly for certeyne doubts and difficulties that I had in my mynd to the end to continew as it were a neutre touching thy outward professioÌ„ thou hast iustly cast me of to myne owne sens By that meanes gyuing more force to myne owne illusions theÌ„ reuereÌ„ce to thy word I am fallen where I well deserued For in steade of being but a forsaker of the charge where thow haddest placed me I became a formall enemy reproouing and coÌ„demning it of the other syde being willing to authoryse and alowe the vocation of them that doe teache popish scysmes and errors thow diddest cause me to come so neare it that I was driuen to be better acquaynted with them then I desyred Such was the punishment that thou diddest cast vppon thy people in tymes past who when they wold not kéepe them selues pure froÌ„ idolatry after long sufferance thou diddest in the end deliuer theÌ„ vp into thy enemyes hand who brought them into Babilon where they were lothed with the fight of false Gods. But the same did serue this people to take these idoles in such disdayne and horror that they neuer fell into that faute ageyne after their returne into Ierusalem Euen so my GOD graunt me this grace that the displeasure grief that I haue of so greate a faute doe engendre in my soule such a hate and detestation of the euill that I haue committed that I may bestowe my whole lyfe in lamenting and bewayling the same crauing thy mercy to the end that thou mayest forgyue it me Thou hast brought me meruelous lowe punishing the pryde wherwith I was fully infected and the conceyte that I had of my self as thou art accustomed to take from him that hath nothing eueÌ„ that which he thinketh to haue To thée be all glory and to me confusion of face Notwithstandinge my God who hast put in my harte the affectioÌ„ to acknowledge the danger of the horrible and euerlasting perditioÌ„ where into I did throw my self hedlong restore me thy spirite that may comfort me and gyue me hope of mercy And in this tyme of extreame affliction graunt me the grace to follow the exaumple of thy seruaunt Moyses who chose rather to be afflicted with thy people then to enioye for a time the pleasures of sinne estéeming the reproch of Christ to be greater ryches then the treasors of Egypte Thy Church is at this day straungely oppressed and threatned with an vtter and perpetuall ruyne and destruction but by thy ayde and assistance I doe mind to accompany her and to drinke my parte of her afflictions praying thée to this ende O Lord to make me féele in what miserable estate they be that doe withdraw them selues towards the enemyes of thy trewth euen then when they thinke themselues most in thy fauour Strengthen maynteine this desyre in me to the end that if I be once more called to the profession of thy name I doe abandon my selfe in sacrifyce for that godly quarrell as I am bound Take compassion of thy poore and desolate Church and mollefy the strypes wherewithall at this day thou hast stroken her Appease thy wrath towards thy people for whom thy deare sonne hath shead his bloud and with thy spirite fortify those that are at this day vnder the Crosse for thy sacred trewth giuing them hope ageynst all hope and making them inuincible ageynst all the assaults and violent enforcements of thy aduersaryes Amen FINIS Cranmer The white Crâ—sse Heidelberg ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East for Lucas Harison and George Byshop