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
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
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
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
contrary to the Word of God and their own Laws and Doctors I do not believe saith he that ever God will suffer long so great Tyranny against his Word and so violent Oppressions of Christians as they now use and that in the Name of Christ and his Holy Church Now it is come to that that whoever he be high or low poor or rich wise or foolish that speaketh against them and their vicious living he is either made a Traytor to your Grace or an Heretick against Holy Church as though they were Kings or Gods If there be any men that Preach Dispute or put forth in Writing not any thing touching them though it be never so blasphemous against God the Blood of Christ and his Holy Word they will not once be moved therewith But if any man speak against their Cloaked Hypocrisie or against any thing belonging to them by which their abominations are disclosed nothing can excuse but he must either to open shame or cruel death and that under the accusation of Treason But who is he that would be â— Traitor or maintain a Traitor against your Majesty Sure no man can do it without the great displeasure of the eternal God The Doctrine of the Gospel teacheth all obedience to Rulers and not Sedition and such as have preached the Word of God onely have never been the movers of disobedience or rebellion against Princes but they have been ready to suffer with all patience whatsoever Tyranny any Power would minister unto them giving all people example to do the same whereas the Papists exempt the Pope and Priests from being bound to obey Magistrates Yea as to the people they teach that the words requiring Subjection are a Counsel and not a Command and that the Popes Authority is sufficient to Dispense with all the Commandments of God Wherefore most gracious Prince I lowly and meerly desire your Majesty to Judge between the Bishops and me which of us is truest and faithfullest to God and to your Majesty The following Articles were some of Dr. Barnes his Position in his Sermon which the Bishops condemned for Heresie 1 If thou believe that thou art more bound to serve God to morrow which is Christmas day or on Easter day or on Whitsunday for any holiness that is in one day more than another thou art superstitious 2 Now dare no man preach the Truth and the very Gospel of God especially they that be feeble and fearful but I trust yea I pray to God that it may shortly come that false manifest errours may be plainly shewed c. 3 We make now adayes Martyrs I trust we shall have many more shortly for the Verity could never be preached plainly but persecution followed 6 I will never believe neither can I believe that one man may be by the Law of God a Bishop of two or three Cities yea of a whole Countrey for it is contrary to Saint Paul Tit. 1. who â—aith I have left thee behind to set in every City a Bishop 7 It cannot be proved by Scripture that â— man of the Church should have so great temporal possessions 8 Sure I am that they cannot by â—he Law of God have any Jurisdiction secular 9 They say they be the Successors of Christ and his Apostles but I can see them follow none but Judas for they bear the purse and have all the money To burn me or to destroy me saith he in his Defence of the Two and twentieth Article cannot so greatly profit them for when I am dead the Sun and the Moon and the Stars and the Elements yea and also Stones shall defend this Cause against them rather than the Verity should perish As for me I do promise them here by this present Writing and by the fidelity I owe to my Prince that if they will be bound to our noble Prince after the manner of his Law and after good conscience and right that they shall do me no violence nor wrong but discuss and dispute these Articles and all other that I have written after the holy Word of God and by Christs holy Scripture with me then will I as soon as I may know it present my self unto our most noble Prince to prove these things by Gods Word against you all He also writ unto King Henry the Eighth an excellent Treatise to prove from the Scriptures of Truth and out of the Writings of the Fathers thaâ— faith onely justifieth before God Prefacing it thus Now if your Grace do not take upon you to hear the Disputation of this Article out of the ground of holy Scripture my Lords the Bishops will condemn it before they read it as their manner is to do with all things that please them not and which they understand not and then cry they Heresie Heresie an Heretick an Heretick he ought noâ— to be heard c. He writ also several other Treatises as what the Church is what the Keys of the Church be and to whom they were given Against free-will thaâ— it is lawful for all men to read the holy Scriptures that mens constitutions which are not grounded in Scripture bind not the Conscience c. In which Treatise he tells us there be two manners of Powers a Temporal and a Spiritual Power The Temporal is committed to Magistrates in this Power the King is chief and full Ruler c. Unto this Power must we be obedient in all things that pertain to the ministration of this present life and of the Commonwealth not onely for avoiding of punishment but for conscience sake So that if this Power command any thing of Tyranny against right and law alwayes provided it repugne not against the Gospel nor destroy our Faith our Charity must needs suffer it Nevertheless if he command thee any thing against right or do thee any wrong if thou canst by any reasonable and quiet means without sedition insurrection or breaking of the common Peace save thy self or avoid his Tyranny thou mayest do it with good Conscience But in no wise mayest thou make any resistance with sword or with hand but obey except thou canst avoid as I have shewed thee But now it will be enquired if it please the King to condemn the New Testament in English and to command that none of his Subjects shall have it under displeasure whether they be bound to obey this Command or no To this he answers having shewed why the King should not lay any such Command on his Subjects If the King forbid the New Testament or any of Christs Sacraments or the preaching of the Word of God or any other thing that is against Christ under a temporal pain or under the pain of death men should first make faithful prayers to God and then intercede the King for a release of the Command If he will not do it they shall keep their Testament with all other Ordinances of Christ and let the King exercise his Tyranny if they cannot flee and in no wise under
my friends get ye hence The presence of God to whose goodness I commend my soul is abundantly sufficiently for me Colver Sheep we are for the slaughter said Francis Colver to his two Sons Ward pa. 163. massacred together with himself this is no new thing let us follow millions of Martyrs through temporal death unto eternal life Coo. Roger Câ—â— being asked by the Bishop of Norwich Fox Vol. 3419. whether he would not obey the Kings Laws answered As far as they agree with the Word of God I will obey them Whether they agree with the Word of God or no we are bound to obey them said the Bishop though the King were an Infidel Coo replyed If Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had so done Nebuchadnezzar had never confessed the Living God Constantine Being carried with other Martyrs in a Dung-Cart to the place of Execution Ward pa. 154. he spake thus Well yet are we a precious odour and a sweet savour to God in Christ Cornford John Cornford one of the last five that suffered Martyrdome in Queen Mary's dayes when the Sentence should have been passed Fox Vol. 3. pag. 893. and they should have been executed by the Papists being moved in Spirit with a vehement zeal for God in the name of them all pronounced Sentence of Excommunication against the Papists in these words In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the most mighty God and by the power of the holy Spirit and the authority of his holy and Apostolick Church We do hereby give into the hands of Satan to be destroyed the bodies of those Blasphemers and Hereticks that do maintain any errour against his most holy Word or do condemn his most holy Truth for Heresie to the maintenance of any false Church or seigned Religion so that by this thy just judgment against thy Adversaries thy true Religion may be known to thy great glory and our comfort to the edifying of all our Nation Lord Jesus So be it It is observable that within six dayes after this Excommunication Quen Mary died and the tyranny of all English Papists with her Conlogue Brethren and Sisters said Peter Conlogue of Breda at the Stake be you alwayes obedient to the Word of God and fear not those that can kill the body Fox Vol. 3. pag. 50. for on the soul they can have no power as for me I am now going to meet my glorious Spouse the Lord Jesus Christ Cranmer When Dr. Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury was Excommunicated he said Fox Vol. 3. pag. 92. From this your Judgement and Sentence I appeal to the just Judgement of God Almighty trusting to be present with him in Heaven for whose presence in the Altar I am thus condemned In his Letter to Mr. Wilkinson Pa. 677. The true Comforter in all distresses is onely God through his Son Jesus Christ Whosoever hath him hath Comfort enough although he were in a Wilderness all alone He that hath twenty thousand in his company if God be absent is in a miserable Wilderness In him is all comfort and without him is none Wherefore I beseech you seek your dwelling there where you may truly and rightly serve God dwell in him have him ever dwelling in you After he had recanted and was brought to Saint Mary's Church in Oxford where Dr. Cole after he had preached bitterly against him shewing why he was to be executed notwithstanding his Recantation prest him to evidence to the people his conversion to Popery Dr. Cranmer entreated the people to pray with him and for him that God would pardon his sins especially his Recantation After he had prayed he told them Pa. 669. It is a sad thing to see so many so much dote upon the love of this false World and be so careful of it and so careless of Gods love or the World to come therefore this shall be my first exhortation that you set not your minds overmuch upon this glozing World but upon God and the World to come to learn to know what this Lesson meaneth which St. John teacheth That the Love of this World is hatred against God Let rich men consider and weigh three Scriptures Luke 18. It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heavin 1 John 3. He that hath the substance of this world and seeth his Brother in necessity and shutteth up his mercy from him how can he say that he loveth God James 5.1 2. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you your riches are corrupted Another exhortion is That next under God you obey your King and Queen willingly gladly without murmuring or grudging They are Gods Ministers Whosoever resisteth them resisteth the Ordinance of God And now I come said he to the great thing that so much troubleth my Conscience more than any thing that ever I did or said in my whole life and that is the setting abroad a Writing contrary to the Truth which now here I renounce and refuse as things written with my hand contrary to the Truth which I thought in my heart and written for fear of death and to save my life if it might be And forasmuch as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall first be punished therefore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned At the Stake when the fire began to burn near him he stretching out his arm put his right hand into the flame which he held so stedfast that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched His eyes lifted up to Heaven he cried out even as long as he could speak O his unworthy hand His last words were the words of Stephen Lord Jesus receive my spirit Cromwel Thomas Lord Cromwel Earl of Essex Fox Vol. 2. pag. 529. the morning that he was executed having chearfully eaten his break-fast passing out of the Prison down the Hill in the Tower met the Lord Hungerford going to Execution for other matter and â—erceiving him to be heavy and doleful he willed him to be of good comfort for if you repent said he of what you have done there is mercy enough for you with the Lord who for Christs sake will forgive you and though the break-fast we are going to be sharp yet trusting in the mercy of the Lord we shall have a joyful dinner In his Prayer on the Seaffold O Lord Jesus Pa. 515. who art the onely health of all men living and the everlasting life of them which die in thee Being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed to thy mercy willingly now I leave this frail and wicked flesh in sure hope that thou will in better wise restore it to me again at the last day in the resurrection of the Just I see and acknowledge there is in my self no hope of salvation but all my considence hope and trust is in
was wonderfully preserved and was translated from that University after many miseries undergone both beyond Sea and in his own Land to another School namely to a more setled Discipline of affliction the Tower of London where as he remained a Patient in regard of the Persecution which he suffered so did he also the office of a Physician in prescribing to others Preparatives and Remedies in the like case To which end A. D. 1532. he employed his pen in writing those Treatises which now go under the name o◠〈◊〉 Pisces or the Book-Fish Concerning which the Author of the Preface thereunto observes See the preface to Vox Pisces or the Book-Fish that in some sort they ran the Fortune of the Author being held in captivity in the Sea and kept in Jonah's Prison the belly of a Fish being in danger there to be consumed as the Author was like to have perished in the Dungeon at Oxford by the noysome stinch of Fish The Wine therein offered saith the same Author is the purest juyce of a Grape of the Vine Christ-Jesus â—rod in the Wine-press of Persecution about an hundred years sinde It was found in the Maw of a Cod-fish in Cambridge Market 1626. and Printed 1627. Which being put in a Paper Vessel and formerly miscarrying by wrack in the transporting is now beyond expectation in a strange Living Vessel brought back again to Land no doubt to the end that it might after long lying hid in store be anew broached and dispersed abroad for the refreshing of many thirsty souls to whom it is like to taste not the worse but the better for the long lying in so salt a Cellar as is the bottom of the Sea wherein by all probability it hath been buried for many years Mr. Frith did not light his Candle at the Lamp of Mr. Calvin which then was not extant nor of great Luther who was then but in the beginning of his growth And yet saith the same Author How judicously is there shewn the use of the Cross among Christians to consist in the due preparation for it and constant patience under it How soundly are we taught that our Election and Justification are of Gods meer mercy and not for any thing foreseen in us That remission of sins is through Christ onely That no man can merit for others That true Believers do sin yet fall not away utterly from Christ As the Work commends the Author so the Author much more the Work When he wrote of the Cross he fought valiantly under the Cross he turned his words of patience into the perfect work of patience He had the like happiness to that of St. Paul to bring forth children unto Christ in his bands Whilst he was kept close Prisoner in the Tower by his Letters and Treatises he gained many souls to Christ and among others which is most observable he converted one Rastal to the Truth who had formerly dipped his Pen in Gall and wrote most bitterly against the Truth of the Gospel and against the Writings of this Prisoner of Christ then in bands for the Gospel Like a Swan he sang most sweetly before his death and foretold both particularly his own Martyrdome and the propagation of the Gospel through all England within twenty years after his death which accordingly came to pass in the Reign of King Edward He was as it were a Primrose in the new Spring of the Gospel And though he wrote in the twilight between the night of Popery and the day of Reformation yet God so enlightned him that his Treatise of the Sacrament was the Candle at which that great Torch Archbishop Cranmer was lighted as Mr. Fox reporteth That is the true Cross saith Mr. A Prep to the Cross pag. 7 8. Frith in his Treatise called A Preparation to the Cross which God doth lay upon us For the Word of God to suffer all scorns mocks lyes and persecutions and not to fear the most cruel yea even the most shameful death That we may be prepared to bear the true Cross Pag. 13. we must consider that no calamity falleth on us by fortune or chance but by the counsel and appointment of God Pag. 16. See also c. 13. of the Prep l. 1. as witnesseth the holy Scripture It is undoubtedly no small comsort to be assured that the Cross is of God and that we are chastened of God and not of the Devil or of any wicked man who utterly can have no power upon us not so much as to move one hair of our head beside the will of the Lord. But it is not enough to consider that we are afflicted through the counsel and will of God A Prepar pa. 27 28. but must moreover mark the cause and intent of his godly will for reason judgeth that we are punished to the end to be hurt or destroyed c. but we must forsake Reason and cleave to the Word of God which teacheth that we suffer affliction to our health and salvation for afflictions are not signs of wrath displeasure but of grace favour This is no small comfort to them that bear the Cross Pag. 33. that they are not punished of the Lord to their hurt or destruction but to their health and salvation that their afflictions poverty c. are not signs of Gods wrath but instruments by which God is glorified When God doth afflict his people for their sins he doth not therefore afflict them Pag. 40. that by their afflictions they should satisfie for their sins for the passion and suffering of Jesus Christ is the ransome and expiation of our sins but that by affliction he may bring sinners to repentance When a Christian seeth himself forsaken of all men Pag. 41 42 43. he must pray and not cease to pray but pray in faith mistrusting nothing Psal 49. God calleth Invocation or crying on him in trouble a Sacrifice the true â—nd most acceptable honour So likewise he â—alleth the Hope whereby we tarry his help in afâ—liction Sacrifice Psal 4. Sacrifice you the sacrifice of Juâ—tice and hope ye in the Lord q. d. that Hope is 〈◊〉 Sacrifice whereby we yield justice to God that â—seeing he hath so promised he will pluck us out â—nd deliver us Pag. 59 60 c. for so much as he is righteous and â—ue Of patience to God-ward springeth forth patience toward men for when the heart is at peace with God it tarrieth help of him and utterly setteth aside lust to revenge Our reason is therefore troubled vexed in persecution Pag. 66 67 c. because it thinketh that we are afflicted because God either hateth us or doth not regard us neither will help us These false opinions God plucketh from us and teacheth us that we are afflicted not because he hateth us but because he will either amend us or when we be amended continue us so And that in our affliction he will help us and
those things which are but vanity If God hath opened the eyes of thy mind saith the Mirrour it self and have given thee Spirit Wâ—sdome through the knowledge of his Word See the glass to know thy self p. 13. 14 c. boast not thy self of it but rather fear and tremble for a chargeable Office is committed unto theâ— which if thou fulfil it is like to cost thee thy life at one time or other with much trouble and persecution but if thou fulfill it not then shall thâ— Office be thy Damnation For St. Paul saith Wâ— is to me if I preach not And by the Prophet Ezekiâ— God saith If I say unto the wicked that he shall die tâ— death and thou shew him not of it the wicked shall 〈◊〉 in his iniquity but I shall require his blood at thy hand But peradventure our Divines would expound these Texts onely of them that are sent and have cure of souls Whereunto I answer That every man that hath the light of Gods Word revealed unto him is sent wheresoever he seeth necessity 〈◊〉 hath the cure of his Neighbours soul e. g. If God hath given me my sight and I perceive a blind man going in the way which is ready for lack of fight to fall into a pit wherein he would likely perish I am bound by Gods Command to guide him till he be past that jeopardy or else if he perish therein his blood shall be required at my hands Thus if I perceive my Neighbour like to perish for lack of Christs Doctrine then am I bound to instruct him with the knowledge God hath given me or else his blood shall be required at my hand Peradventure they will say that there is already one appointed to watch the Pit c. and therefore I am discharged and need take no thought Whereunto I answer I would be glad that so it were notwithstanding if I perceive that the Watchmen be asleep or run to the Alehouse c. and through his negligence espy my Neighbour in danger of the Pit then am I nevertheless bound to lead him from it I think that God hath sent me at that time to save that soul from perishing and the Law of God and Nature that bindeth me thereunto which chargeth me to love my Neighbour as my self Hag. 1. to do unto him as I would be done unto If God hath given thee riches c. thou art yet the very owner of them but God is the Owner who saith by the Prophet Gold is mine and silver is mine and he hath for a season made thee a Steward of them to see whether thou wilt be faithful in the distribution of them according to his Commands Our spiritual Possessionaries are double Thieves and Murtherers as concerning the body besides their murthering of the soul for lack of Gods Word which they will neither preach or suffer any other to do it purely but persecute them and put them unto most cruel death First they are Thieves and Murtherers because they distribute not what they have from charitable Forefathers to the intent it should have been ministred unto the Poor but upon Horses Coaches c. gorgeous apparel and delicate fare c. Thus they defraud the Poor of their bread and so are Thieves and because this bread is their life they are Murtherers also Besides they are Thieves and Murtherers for withdrawing their perfect Members from labour whereby they might minister unto their Neighbours necessities I speak of as many as are not occupied about preaching Gods Word Besides these and many other Treatises he wrote also several choice Letters whilest he was Prisoner in the Tower In his Letter to the faithful Followers of Christs Gospel See his Works pag. 81 82. he thus expresseth himself It cannot be express'd Dearly Beloved in the Lord what joy and comfort it is to my heart to perceive how the Word of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you so that I find no small number walking in the wayes of the Lord according as he gave us Commandment willing that we should love each other as he loved us Now have I experience of the saith which is in you and can testifieâ— that it is without simulation that ye love not iâ— word and tongue onely but in deed and truth What can be more trial of a faithful heart than tâ— adventure not onely to aid and succour by the means of other which without danger may not be admitted unto us but also personally to visit the Poor oppressed and see that nothing be lacking unto them but that they have both ghostly comfort and bodily sustenance notwithstanding the strait inhibition and terrible meancing of these worldly Rulers even ready to abide the extreamest jeopardies that Tyrants can imagine This is an evidence that you have prepared your selves to the Cross of Christ according to the Counsel of the Wise man which saith My Son when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord prepare thy self unto tribulation This is an evidence that you have cast up your accounts and have wherewith to finish the Tower which ye have begun to build and I doubt not but he that hath begun this work in you shall for his Glory accomplish the same even unto the coming of the Lord which shall give unto every man according to his deeds And albeit God of his secret Judgements for a time keep the rod from some of them that ensue his steps yet let them surely reckon upon it for there is no doubt but all which will live devoutly in Christ must suffer persecution for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth and chasteneth every child that he receiveth If ye be not under correction of which we are all partakers then are ye bastards and not children Nevertheless we may not suppose that our most loving Father should do that because he rejoyceth in our blood or punishment but he doth it for our singular profit that we may be partakers of Holiness and that the remnants of sin which through the frailty of our Members rebel against the Spirit and Will causing our works to go unperfectly forward and may some deal be suppressed least they should subdue us and reign over us Of these things God had given me the speculation before and now it hath pleased him to put in ure and practise upon me I ever thought yea and do think that to walk after Gods Word would cost me my life at one time or another and although the Kings Grace should take me into his Favour and not suffer the bloody Edomites to have their pleasures upon me yet will I not think that I am escaped but that God hath onely deserred it for a season to the intent that I should work somewhat that he hath appointed me to do and so to use me to his Glory And I beseech all the faithful followers of the Lord to arm themselves with the same supposition marking themselves with the sign of the Cross not
of sound doctrine he began with a loud voice to recite the Psalm which begins thus O Lord my Rock be not thou silent to me c. Psa 28. He changed not his countenance upon the Scaffold though they had gagged him there because he comforted and freely exhorted one of his Sisterâ— to be constant When the time was come that those which should be burned were brought to the place of Execution they were every one commanded to recite the Articles of their belief which they willingly did but when they came to the Article I believe the holy Catholick Church they were bid to add the word Romanâ— but they were silent Then did the Monks and Friers importune Gonzalve's Sisters c. to repeat the word Romane who answered They would if they might hear Gonzalve pronounce it He being ungagged the first word he spake was That they should be of good courage and not to add one word more than what they had recited Grange The Bishop of Arres telling Mr. Foâ— Vol. 3. Cout p. 39. Peragrine delâ— Grange that he was sorry to see him in that condition in Prison Sir said he as for the base estate in which you now see me God hath so comforted me therein with his grace that I do without any great difficulty patiently suffer what he hath pleased to lay upon me yea I praise and bless his Name that he hath ballanced the weight of my afflictions according to the strength which he hath given me so as I sink not under the burden for as my sufferings in Christ abound he causeth his consolations by Christ to abound in me also It is usual said the Bishop with such as you are to glory in this kind of speech 2 Cor. 1.3 for as soon as any afflictions do befall you you by and by stile them the sufferings of Christ and if any of you be put to death than it is for Gods truth but when things are laid to the touchstone the matter is nothing so nor so Sir said Mr. Grange if your meaning be of such as have died for the Doctrine for which I am bound with this Chain and thus settered with Irons I doubt not but they have given such a reason of their Faith that whosoever shall read their Answers and weigh the same without partiality must needs judge as we do And for my own part I am ready to make it good 1 Tim. 6.3 Deut. 12.32 That the Doctrine I now hold and teach is according to godliness taken out of the pure Fountains of the holy Scriptures without adding thereto diminishing or varying any way therefrom We read said the Bishop that in all times men have been wont to shelter themselves under the title of Gods Word even the old Hereticks c. I am not ignorant hereof said Mr. Grange in regard that Satan knows how to transform himself into an Angel of light thereby to establish his delusions causing darkness to be taken for light But the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth hath in such wise discovered his juglings that none are deluded thereby but those who at noon day close their eyes that they may not behold the light Do you think said the Bishop that the Holy Ghost hath given you such an illumination that the truth should onely be revealed to you and to none other God forbid Sir said Mr. Grange I should have any such thought I am not of the mind of those Dreamers who brag of their having particular Revelations of the Holy Spirit but I speak of an ordinary and general Revelation such as is taught us out of the Bible c. I am neither Calvinist nor Papist I am a Christian and what I hold concerning Religion is taken out of Christs Doctrine who is the onely Doctor of his Church What Calvin hath taught conformable to the Word of God I am of the same mind with him And whereas you call your Religion the Old Religion and ours the New iâ— troubles me not at all since the Father of Lieâ— hath long since forged the same to disgrace the Truth c. In his dispute with the Bishop concerning the Real Presence See pa. 39 40 41 42. c. We may see what holy boldness mixed with meekness the Lord had endued this holy Servant of his with When the Provost gave him and Monsieur de Brez of whom before notice that they should die that day they magnified God for his goodness and gave the Provost thanks for the good news which he had brought them Monsieur la Grange going to the rest of the Prisoners Pag. 43. said I am this day to die for the Truth and then the heavenly in heritance is prepared for me My name is written in the Book of Life Phil. 4.3 Rom. 11.29 never to be blotted out because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance He called for a Brush to brush his Hat Cloak causing his Shoes to be blacked for now said he I am bidden to the marriage of the Lamb where I am to feast with him for ever and ever Being askt Whether he meant to suffer with those Shackles on his heels I would I might said he yea and that they would bury them with me too that they might manifest the inhumanity of my adverfaries He told his friends he felt such joy of the Holy Ghost in his heart that he could not with tongue express adding that God shewed him a thousand times more favour by taking him after this manner out of this transitory life than if he had let him die in his bed by sickness for now I shall die said he enjoying the benefit of all the powers of my soul praying the Lord to have mercy on me Monsieur la Grange and de Brez were sentenced to be hang'd for administring the Lords Supper against an express charge by the King given them to the contrary When la Grange was upon the Ladder he protested with a loud voice that he died onely for preaching to the people the pure truth of God taking Heaven and Earth to witness the same with him Gratwick Mr. Stephen Gratwick Fox Vol. 3. pag. 790. seeing the Bishops that sate upon to laugh said unto them Why do ye laugh Are ye confederate together for my blood and therein triumph You have more cause to look weightily upon the matter for I stand here before you upon life and death But you declare your selves what you are You are lapped in Lambs apparel but you are bent to have my blood Seeing you will have my blood Pa. 792. let me say a little more for my self On Sunday last you preached this Truth If any man think himself Religious and bridleth not his tongue the same mans Religion is vain And yet in the mean time you seduced your tongue to slander us poor Prisoners there present in Iron bands burdening us with the names of Arrians Herodians Anabaptists Sacramentarians Pelagians And
hangeth upon him that made thee who can as he please either twine it harder to last the longer or untwine it again to break the sooner Dost thou not then remember the saying of David Psa 104. When thou takest away thy Spirit O Lord from men they die and are turned again to their dust but when thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made and thou shalt renew the face of the earth Mat. 10. Remember the saying of Christ in his Gospel Whosoever seeketh to save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Again Whosoever loveth Father or Mother above me is not meet for me He that will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his Cross and follow me What Cross the Cross of infamy and shame of misery and poverty of affliction and persecution for his Names sake Let the oft falling of these Heavenly Showres pierce thy stony heart Let the two edged sword of Gods holy Word sheer asunder the sinews of worldly respects even to the marrow of the carnal heart that thou mayest once again forsake thy self and embrace Christ and like as good subjects will not refuse to hazard all in the defence of their earthly and temporal Governour so fly not like a white-liver'd Milk-sop from the standing wherein thy chief Captain Christ hath set thee in array of this life Psal 16. Fight manfully come life come death the Quarrel is Gods and undoubtedly the Victory is ours But thou wilt say I will not break unity what not the unity of Satan and his members not the unity of darkness not the agreement of Antichrist and his adherents Tully saith of Amity Amicitia non est nisi inter bonos But mark my Friends yea Friend if thou beest not Gods enemy there is no unity but where Christ knitteth the knot among such as he is The agreement of all men is not an unity but a conspiracy Thou hast heard some threatnings against those that love themselves above Christ and against those that deny him for love of life saith he not He that denies me before men Mat. 10. I will deny him before my Father in Heaven And to the same effect writeth Paul It is impossible that they which were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God if they fall away c. should be renewed again by repentance Heb. 10. And again If we shall willingly sin after we have received the knowledge of his Truth there is no oblation left for sin but the terrible expectation of judgement and fire which shall devour the adversaries Thus Paul writeth and this thou readest and dost thou not quake and tremble Well if these terrible thundring threatnings cannot stir thee to cleave unto Christ and forsake the world yet let the sweet consolation and promises of the Scriptures let the example of Christ and his Apostles holy Martyrs and Confessours incourage thee to take faster hold of Christ Hearken what he saith Mat. 5. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you for my sake Rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you Hear what Isaiah saith Fear not tho curse of men Isa 51. be not afraid of their blasphemies for worms and moths shall eat them up like cloath and wooll but my righteousness shall endure for ever and my saving health from generation to generation What art thou then saith he that fearest a mortal man the child of man which fadeth away like the flower and forgetteth the Lord that made thee that spread out the Heauens and laid the foundation of the earth I am the Lord thy God that maketh the sea to rage and be still whose Name is the Lord of Hosts I shall put my Word in thy mouth and defend thee with the turning of the hand Christ also saith unto his Disciples They shall accuse you Luke 12. Mat. 13. and bring you before Princes and Rulers for my Names sake and some of you they shall persecute and kill but fear you not and care you not what you shall say for it is the Spirit of your Father that speaketh within you even the hairs of your head are all numbred Pag. 35. Lay up treasures for your selves where no thief cometh nor moth corrupteth Fear not them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Mat. 10. John 15. but fear him that hath power to destroy both soul and body If ye were not of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Let these and such like consolations taken out of Scriptures strengthen you to God-ward Let not the examples of holy men women go out of your mind as Daniel and the rest of the Prophets of the three children c. Return return again into Christs war and as becometh a faithful warriour Eph. 6. put on that armour that St. Paul teacheth to be most necessary for a Christian man And above all things take unto you the shield of Faith and be you provoked by Christs own example to withstand the Devil to forsake the world to become a true and faithful member of his mystical Body who spared not his own Body for our sins Throw down your self with the fear of his threatned vengeance for this so great hainous offence of Apostacy and comfort your self on the other hand with the mercy blood and promise of him who is ready to turn unto you whensoever you turn unto him Disdain not to come again with the lost Son seeing you have so wandred with him Be not ashamed to turn again with him from the swill of Strangers to the delicate of your most benigne and loving Father acknowledging that you have sinned both against Heaven and against Earth Against Heaven by staining the glorious Name of God and causing his most sincere and pure Word to be evil spoken of through you Against Earth by offending so many of your weak Brethren to whom you have been a stumbling block through your sudden slâ—ding Be not ashamed to weep bitterly with Peter to wash away the filth and mire of your offensive fall to say with the Publican Luke 18. Lord be merciful to me a sinner Remember the horrible History of Julian of old and the lamentable case of Spira of late whose case methinks should be so green in your remembrance that being a thing of our time you should fear the like inconvenience seeing you are fallen into the like offence Last of all let the lively remembrance of the last Day be alwayes before your eyes remembring the terrour that at that time shall befall the Runagates Fugitives from Christ who setting more by
In English thus If God pretect me malice cannot end me If not all I can do will not defend me After dark night I hope for light H. Haggar He was persecuted for saying A. 1520. Fox Vol. â— pag. 44. that There should be a battel of Priests and all the Priests should be slain and that the Priests should a while rule but they should all be destroyed for making of false gods That the men of the Church should be put down and the false gods that they make and after that they should know more and then should be a merry world Hale When Thomas Hale was taken by an Alderman of Bristow and another he said unto them Fox Vol. 3. pag. 892. You have sought my blood these two years and now much good do it you He was bâ—rned A. 1557. for saying The Sacrament of the Altar is an Idol Hall Nichalas Hall in his Answer to the first Article against him granted himself a Christian man Fox Vol. 3. pag. 38â— and acknowledged the determinations of the holy Church i. e. of the Congregation or Body of Christ but denied to call the Catholick and Apostolick Church his Mother because he found not this Word Mother in the Scripture To the second he said That whereas before he held the Sacrament to be but onely a token or remembrance of Christ's death now he said that There is neither token nor remembrance because it is now misused and clean turned from Christs institution c. Hallewin Harman When Cornelius Hallewin of Antwerp had received a sharp Letter Fox Vol. 3. Cont. p. 7. sent him from the Minister of the Flemish Church upon the occasion of a recantation spread and falsly fathered upon Cornelius the blood gushed out of his nose he spread abroad his arms and made pitiful out-cries What to deny the Truth said he God forlid O that the faithful should conceive so hardly of me Good God thou knowest I am innocent nor have I this way offended When he was condemned to die the Margrave offered him that he should die a more easie kind of death if he would give ear to the Priests which he had brought to him to Prison No Sir said he God forbid I should do such a thing Do ye with my body what ye will As they bound him and Harman of Amsterdam Harman wâ—lled the Margrave to take heed what he did for said he this will not go for payment in Gods sight in bereaving us thus of our Lives I wish you therefore to repent before it be too late You cannot long continue this tyrannous course for the Lord will shortly avenge it A Cross being offered them and a promise that they should be beheaded and not burnt if they would take it into their hands they said They would not give the least sign that might be of betraying the Truth and that it was all one to them what death they were put to so they died in and for the Lord. The punishment they said could last but for a while â—ut the glory to come was eternal At the Stake Cornelius fell on his knees praying God to forgive his enemies who had sinned through ignorance When the Margrave of Antwerp offered Hallewin and Harmar mitigation of torments upon abjuration Ward pag. 157. We are resolved said they these momentary afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed Hallingdale Articles against John Hallingdale Fox Vol. 3. pag. 856. 3 That during the reign of King Edward he did depart from his former Faith and Religion and so doth continue and determineth so to do as he saith to his life's end 4 That he hath divers times said That the Faith Religion and Ecclesiastical Service received observed and used now in this Realm is not good but against Gods command c. And that he will not in any wise conform himself to the same but speak and think against it during his natural life 5 That he absenteth himself continually from his Parish Church c. 6 That he will not have his Child by his will as he saith confirmed by the Bishop Unto all which Articles he made this answer that he confessed all and every part to be true He told Bonner that the blood of the Prophets Revel 18 and of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth was found in the Babylonical Church which is the Church where the Pope is head Because I will not come to your Babylonical Church therefore you go about to condemn me Being demanded whether he would recant he answered That he would continue and persist in his Opinions to the death When the Sentence was read He openly thanked God that he never came into the Church since the abomination came into it Hallywell When William Hallynell and the twelve more that were burnt in one Fire at Stratford the Boâ— near London were condemned Fox Vol. 3. pag. 708. and carried down thither to be burnt they were divided into two parts in two several Chambers Thereupon the Sheriffe came to the one part and told them That the other had recanted and their lives therefore should be saved willing and exhorting them to do the like and not to cast away themselves unto whom they answered That their Faith was not built on man but on Christ crucified Then the Sheriffe went to the other part and said the like to them but they answered as their Brethren had done before That their Faith was not built on man but on Christ and his Word Hamelin Mr. Philibert Hamelin of Tournay Fox Vol. 3. Cont. p. 5. refusing offers of escape out of Prison said I esteem it altogether unbeseeming for a man that is called to preach Gods Word unto others to run away and to break Prison for fear of danger but rather to maintain the Truth taught even in the midst of the flaming fire After Sentence of death was past upon him he eat his meat as joyfully as though he had been in no danger speaking to them of the happiness of eternal life evidencing that A good conscience is a continual feast When he was apprehended Fox Vol. 2 pag. 151. there was apprehended with him his Host whom he thought he had converted but afterward he renounced Christ and his Word Whereupon he said unto him O unhappy and more than miserable Is it possible for you to be so foolish as for the saving of a few dayes which you have to live by the course of nature so tostart away and deny the Truth Know you therefore that although you have by your foolishness avoided the corporal fire yet your life shall be never the longer for you shall die before me and God shall not give you the grace that it shall be for his Cause and you shall be an example to all Apostates Immediately after as he was going out of the Prison he was slain by two Gentlemen that had a quarrel with him whereof when
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
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
also by him written De Sacerdotum Monachorum carnaliuns abominatione speaking Prophetically of the reformation of the Church he hath these words Moreover hereupon note and mark by the way that the Church of God cannot be reduced to its former dignity or be reformed before all things first be made new The truth whereof is plain by the Temple of Solomon As my mind now giveth me I believe that there shall arise a new people formed after the new man which is created after God of the which people new Clerks and Priests shall come and be taken which all shall hate covetousness and the glory of this life hastening to an heavenly conversation All these things shall come to pass and be brought by little and little in order of times dispensed of God for the same purpose and this God doth and will do for his own goodness and mercy and for the riches of his great longanimity and patience giving time and space of repentance to them that have long lain in their sins to amend and flie from the face of the Lords fury whilest in the mean time the carnal people carnal Priests successively shall fall away and be consumed as with the moth c. In another Letter You know how I have detested the avarice and inordinate life of the Clergy wherefore through the grace of God I suffer now persecution which shortly shall be consummate in me neither do I fear to have my heart poured out for the Name of Christ Jesus If you shall be called to any Cure in the Countrey let the honour of God and the salvation of souls move you thereunto and not the having of the living or Commodities thereof See that you be a Builder of your Spiritual House being gentle to the poor and humble of mind and waste not your goods in great fare I fear if you do not amend your life ceasing from your costly and superfluous apparel lest you shall be grievously chastised as I also wretched man shall be punish'd which have used the like being seduced by custome and evil men and worldly glory whereby I have been wounded against God with the spirit of pride And because you have notably known both my preaching and outward conversation even from my youth I have no need to write many things to you but to desire you for the mercy of Jesus Christ that you do not follow me in any such levity and lightness which you have seen in me You know how before my Priesthood which grieveth me now I have delighted oftentimes to play at Chess and have neglected my time and have unhappily provoked both my self and others to anger by that Play Wherefore besides other my innumerable faults for this I desire you to invocate the mercy of the Lord that he will pardon me This Letter to this Minister was not to be opened by him before he was srue of Mr. Hus his death In a Treatise De Sacerdotum c. Fox Vol. 3. pag. 381. before mentioned he hath these words In writing these things and what else I have written before nothing else hath moved me hereunto but onely 〈◊〉 love of our Lord Jesus crucified whose prints anâ— stripes according to the measure of my weakneâ— and vileness I covet to bear in my self beseechinâ— him to give me grace that I never seek to gloâ— in my self or in any thing else but onely in 〈◊〉 Cross and in the inestimable ignominy of 〈◊〉 Passion I do not therefore doubt but these thing will like all such as unfeignedly love the Loâ— Christ crucified and will not mislike not a little all such as be of Antichrist durst not have so written unless the Lord Jesus Christ crucified by hâ— inward motion had so commanded me Hyperius Ward 's Living Speeches c. pag. 155 O what a difference is there said Martin Hâ— perius betwixt this and eternal fire Who woâ—â— shun this to leap into that FINIS