Witness of John Penry, Testimonial
I IOHN PENRY DOO HEARE AS I SHALL ANSWERE BEFORE THE LORD MY GOD IN that great day of Iudgement ſet downe ſumarily the Whole truth and nothing but the truth which I hold and profeſſe at this hower eyther in regard of my faith towards my God and Dread Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth unto whome only of all the potentas In the world I owe all reuerente, dutie and ſubmiſſion in the Lord.
FIrſt / becauſe my allegeance vntounto her Majeſties: is cheifly called In queſtion / that I am not at this day / nor yet euer was in all my life eyther guilty or priuie in any purpoſe / conſultation or intent of any ſedition againſt or diſturbance of her Majeſties Royall ſtate ād peaceable government. And if I were priuie vntounto any ſuch godleſe wicked and vndutifull actions or purpoſes as might any ways impayre or diſquiet the peaceaeble ſtate of my native prince and countrie I would reveale diſcloſe / and withſtand the ſame to the vtmoſt of my power in all perſons both foraigne and domeſticall of what proſſeſſion or religion ſoever they be.
Her ſupreance authorite within her realmes and dominiōs I acknowledge to be ſuch over all perſons in all cauſes / as no perſon eyther ciuill or eccleſiaſtical / may exempt himſelfe or his cauſe from the power and cenſure of her lawes and ſword. I doe alſo acknowledge that her Majeſtie hath full authorite from the Lord by hir Royall power to eſtabliſhe and enact all lawes both eccleſiaſticall and ciuill among hir ſubiectes: In the making whereof the Lord requireth that hir ecleſiaſticall be warented by his writtē word / wich expreſſely conteyneth whatſoever belongeth to his worſhip: & her ciuill to be gronded vponupon the rules of common iuſtice and equitie / the wich boundes are ſo farr from diminiſhing from the authoritie of kings and princes / as they are the onelyonly inexpugnable waies therof. This ſoueraigne prerogatiue authority of her hignes I am moſt willingly reddy to deffend and maintaine / againſt all the eſtates / perſons / and creatures vnderunder heaven to the loſſe of my life tēne touſandes tymes if it ſhould be neefull. And I take the lorde to record that / that day to my knowlege hath not paſſed over my head I ā ſure ſince the firſt that the lord vnderunder her gratious raigne broght me to the knowledge of the truth / wherein I have not or doe not pray for the bleſſings of my God both outoward & inward to be powred with afull horne vpō hir right excellēt Maieſties Throne Regimēt & dominions for ever & ever: And that he would eyther cōuert / or ſpedily overthrowe In his wrath all his and hir ennaemies with their entrepriſes whether they be home or foraigne Herof I cal the ſearcher of hartes as In wittnes of truth againſt my owne ſoule if eyther I di…ſſēble / or forge in the premiſes. Secondly touching my faith / I doe beleve with my hart and cōfeſſ▪ with my tongue that ther is no God but the true God only which that written word reacheth to be one in ſubſtance and three in perſon / the father / the ſōne / and the holy goſt three diſtinct perſons of one and the ſelfe ſame ſubſtance. This moſt high God who alſo is my God in Chriſt Ieſus I veleeve to be the creator / preſeruer maintainner ſoueraigne Lord and ſupreame commander of all creatures In heavē and in earth men and Angels both good and bad. I doe beleeve that nothing doth or can comme to … / but by the fore anointed and determinate wil / purpoſe / … onelyonly by grace the ſufferings and reghteouſnes of Chriſt Ieſus apprehended by true faith.
Chriſt Ieſus In regard of his natures I beleve to be God & man / even God alone bleſſed for ever more: And in reſpect of his offices to be the onelyonly king / Prieſt And Prophet of his Church / the which offices he ſo fully accōp…iſſhed In the dayes of us fleſh by the manifeſting of the wholle will of his father thorough his preaching & teaching the full redemption of his Chu…ch / by his death and reſurr…ction: and rec…aving full abſolute power in heaven and in earth from his father / in ſuch ſorte as he is not to reteine a ſucceſſor in any of theſe his offices / but is conſecrated alone to them all for euer more.
True faith / I beleeve to be the perſuaſion of the harte where by the ſoule is truly aſſured of remiſſion of ſinnes and Imputation of righteo…ſnes thorough Chriſt.
This true faith belōgeth onelyonly to Gods elect / and hath perſeuerance vntounto the end▪ with this true faith alſo / is vnſeparably ioined (as the frut thereof) a dying vntounto ſinne: and a living vntounto righteouſnes in ſuch ſorte as the mēbers of Chriſt have a continuall battel in them againſt ſinne. the wich by the power of Chriſts death is ſo wounded and in ſome meaſure decayeth more and more in them / vntil at l…ngth it ſhall be vtterly conſumed whē the bodies and ſoules be ſeparated / and not b…fore.
By the quickninge power of Chriſt / (I do beeleeue) that his here vpō earth are drawne more and more to like his bleſſed will and to practiſe the ſame / yea to give their liues rather then to diſhonor their God in the will and voluntary deniall of his truth / and the breach of his lawes and wil / in any point revealed vntounto them.
His revealed will I beleeve to be perfet…y conteined in the written word of the ould and newe teſtament given by the holy ghoſt for Inſtruction and cōfort of his pore church as longe as the ſame is a pilgrime here vponupon the earth.
This Church I beleeve to be a companie of thoſe whom the word calleth ſaints which do not onelyonly profeſſe in word that they knowe God / but alſo are ſubiect vntounto his lawes and ordinance in deede: with this Church I do beleev… that the Lord God of is meere fauour hath entred into couenant that he will be their God / & they ſhalbe his people the ſeales of this his convenant are only two / Baptiſme and the Lord ſupper.
The Church here vponupon earth / I do beleeve not to be perfect / although in regard of the order wich the Lord hath appointed for the ſame it be moſt abſolute / but to have manie blemiſhes and wātes in it / yet I aſſuredly beleeve that all th… true mēders thereof ſhall at the day of judgement receive their perfect conſumation by Ieſus Chriſt and be crowned in him with eternall glory of his meere grace / end not for anie merit of theirs.
Thorough the mercies of my God / and therefore I am wilingly content to vndergoe my trouble in this life for his name ſake / who be glorified of my ſoule and body and of his ſaintes for ever more. Amen.
I deteſt all hereſies / ſectes ſchimes / and errours wether newe or ould by whom ſoeuer they have bē inuēted as puritiniſme / donatiſm… Anabatiſterie Libertiniſme Brouniſme & all the dreames and dotages of the familie of one but eſpecially all popery that moſt dredfull religion of Antichriſt: the great ennemie of the Lord Ieſus & the moſt peſtilent aduerſarie of all the thrones of kings and princes. So that I abhorre frō my ſoule that whole body ād eueryevery part of that Romiſh religion called the ſonne of perdition by the Spirit of God / becauſe the Lord hath determined vterly to cōſume it by his appearinge in the brightnes of his goſpell before his ſecond cominge.
I deteſt that proud ſuperiority of this mā of ſinne whereby as the Apoſtle ſpake he hath exalted him ſelfe in his members and power to beare rule over the truth and mēbers of Chriſtevē over all that is caled holy: wholy oppoſeth himſelfe as moſt blodie aduerſary a gainſt all truths and ſeruants of the Lord which wil not ſuffer him with his ſard infernall power toreigne over them inſtead of Chriſt in his bleſſed ordinances.
I deteſt in regard of theyr offices (I ſpeake not of the meanes perſones touching the Lords election) the head of that body the Pope his curſed triple crowne / his vſurped Iuridiction of eyther of both ſwords.
I det…ſt the limbes of that body / their ſpirituall powre / as Cardinals / Archbiſhop a Lord biſhops / Sufraganes / Abbots / Fryors / Deanes / Archdeacons / Commiſſaries / Chancelers / Officials / Munkfryers / Cannons / prebend Prieſts.
I deteſt theyr invented maners of calling / wherby they are placed in their curſed offices / theyr deviſed workes wherin they are jmployed by reaſon of theyr offices / as the falſe doctrines and falſe worſhip of that kingdome with the livings and maintenances wherby they are maintayned in their offices. And foraſmuch as the members of Chriſt cannot have anie communion or fellowſhipe with anie of thoſe curſed jnuentions in ſo much as they can have no lawfull vſe or ſpirituall communion of / or with anie of theſe offices / callings / workes and maintenances / in ſo much as they cannot lawfullie be ſubiect vntounto anie parte of the eccleſiaſticall power of theſe offices: Therfore it is that I dare not participat… in theſe aſſemblies over which anie of theſe officers b…are rule / or eccleſiaſticallie jntermedle with the holy things of God / and where anie of theſe deviſed callings and non els / workes and maintenances are to be found: for I am forbidden to have anie communion with theſe vnfructfull workes of darknes though it be vponupon pr…tēce of mining the truth and ſacraments of Chriſt / vponupon payne of everlaſting formente day and night for evermore.
Ad if I may not be ſubiect to the ceremonies of Moſes / as Circonciſion wich were ſometymes the Lords owne ſacred ordinances: how dare I or any other creature be in bondage vntounto thoſe inuētions of Antichriſt the greate enemy of the Lord Ieſus / whereof neyther the ſaincts of God can / neyther yet could have any ſanctified vſe.
The truth of doctrine touching the trinitie and touching the natures and offices of Chriſt / Iuſtifying faith / Sacraments / externaly eſtabliſhed by her Maieſtie / profeſſed by her ſelfe / there H. H. & ſuch as have knowledge in the aſſēblies of this lād: I acknowledge frō my hart to be ſuch as if I mainteined not the vnitie & held not the cōmuniō of the ſame doctrine with thē in thoſe points I could not poſſibly be ſaved / for out of that communiō of the true profeſſion which her Mieſtye hath eſtabliſhed in theſe and the like rules / there is no hop of ſaluation: but to joine not with ſtanding with the publicke worſhip of theſe aſſemblies of the land / I dare not for the ſame reaſons.
I more over willingly confeſſe that both of the teachers & alſo of the profeſſors within theſe aſſemblyes of the land / have ſo imbraced this truth doctrine eſtabliſhed and profeſſed in this land / that the Lord in his infinite goodnes hath graunted thē the fauor to ſhew out / wherein regard of Gods election I proteſt before men and Angels that I iudge thē members of the body whereof the ſonne of God Ieſus Chriſt is the head / onelyonly herein the Lord be merciful vntounto thē as vntounto my ſelfe in regard of my ſinnes / that they are not ordered in that outward order which Chriſt Ieſus left in his Church but inſtead thereof are firſt ſubiect vntounto thoſe forenamed offices / ſecōdly / have cōmuniō with ther falſe maner of callings vntounto their offices: Thirdlie participate with a great parte of theyr deviſed workes wherin theſe officers are imployed: fourthlie with the falſe maintenance and livings fiftlie are mingled with the knowne profane / ignorant and diſordered perſons which are joint members with them in their aſſemblies.
This is the ſomme of my faith / and allegeance to my God and my Prince / here is the ſōme of the wholle difference which is betweene me and the clergy of this land / and the ſomme of the whole cauſe for the which I and divers other of my poore brethren are judged to be ſchiſmatikes / felons / heretikes: If this may come to the Royall hands of my ſouueraygne and to the veiwe of theyr H. H. they will be ſoone induced that neyther I nor any other that hold the ſame with me deſerve the ſhortning of our dayes by her Maieſties ſword for theſe things
And here is all that euer wee hold. As towching that error / concerning the repeating of the Lords prayēr / wherewith wee are charged / far be it even far be it that wee ſhould deny the ſame or anie the like ſcripture / to be an holy forine of prayer which conteyneth not only an e…quiſite paterne of doctrine which a Chriſtian ſoule may not onlie lawfully ſay / but alſo with great comfort have the vſe of the ſame: In deed wee rather hold it for a doctrine then prayer / the abuſe in the often repeating of it / wee condemne and this I am ſure was the judgement in this point of thoſe holy ſervants of God who nowe reſt from their labors. The good which this land getreth outwardite by theſe falſe offices afornamed and the livings belonging vntounto them is / the traytors (as Ieſuiſtes and Seminary Prieſts are drawen by that hope they have of poſſeſſing this Babiloniſh gould / to become the vnnaturall betrayers of theyr naturall Prince and Contrye into the hands of ſtrangers: wheras if theſe offices and livings were by publique authority once removed and converted to her Maieſtyes vſe / the Pope would have no occaſion to ſend over theſe locaſtes / they would be no baytes to alluer them hether and the home Papiſtes would be vtterly voyde of hope to ſee their expected day / ſo that the maintayning of theſe offices and livings / theyr deviſed workes and callings would fall: with them is ioyned that there is no ſmall danger of her Maieſticall perſō and the whole ſtate of this land / I doe point but at the inconueniences which in conſcience towards her Maieſtye and my contrie / I am bond to ſhew / they that are wiſer will thinke of the cauſe with ſeriouſnes / and would not I hope thinke me worthie to be ſmitten for this ſhewing the danger.
Whatſoeuer I hold in theſe points controverted I hold the ſame of meere conſcience towards God / of that meere deſtetation which in conſcience I am boud to have of all the invētions of men or Angels in religiō / and of that care which I ought to have of the ſalvation and ſafegarde of her Maieſtie whome the Lord preſerve for ever more and of my contrie. I have for my warrant not onlie the written word which is ſufficient / but alſo in the points of greateſt moment / the doctrine of the Church of Englād eſtabliſhed by her Maieſtie and theyr Honors togeather with the writtings / teſtimonies and blood of the famous ſervants and Martyrs of Chriſt viz. M. whickleff. M. Brute. M. Aſhly. M. Parvy. M. Charch and many other holy witneſſes of the Lord in former tymes M. Tindall M. Lambert. M. Latymer. M. Bale the famous ſervantes of God in this later age togeather with the witneſſes of the reformed Churches at this day / in the points I ſay of ſpeciall waight / my ſoule is ſo evinced by the word of God in all them as I am ready to give my lyfe by the ayde of my God for the truth of this teſtimony and the teſtimonies of the fornamed ſervants of God and holy Churches of Chriſt: yet if any mā can ſee by the written word of God that I erre in any thing / I will moſt willingly reforme my iudgement / crave pardon erneſthe for any overſight: yea and be moſt willing to ſuffer due puniſhement for my temeritie: But if on the other ſide I teſtify nothing but verity in theſe points I am vndoubtedlie perſuaded of: I moſt humblie crave that the percing edge of that ſword may not in heat be turned againſt me and my brethren which was never profeſſedlie violent againſt the open and ſworne enemies of their native Prince and contrie.
Death / I thanke God I feare not in this cauſe eſpeciallie / for I know that the ſting of death is taken away and that they are bleſſed which die in the Lord for witneſſing againſt the former corruptions Reu. 14.9.13. Life I deſyre not if I be guiltie of ſedition / of defaming and diſturbing the quiet ſtate of her Maieſtie peceable governement.
Laſtlie / I moſt humblie and earneſtlie beſeech theyr Honors and worſhips in whoſe handes this writting of myne ſhall come to conſider that it is to no purpoſe that her Maieſtyes ſubjects ſhovld beſtow their tyme in learning in ſtudie and meditation of th… word, in reading the writtings and doings of learned men and of the holy martirs whic… have ben in former ages, eſpecially the writings publiſhed by her Majeſties auctoritie, they may not without danger proffeſſe and hold thoſe truths as which they learne out of th… and that in ſuch ſorte as they are able to conuince all the world that will ſtand againſt th… by noe other weapons then by the word of God. I beſeech them alſo to conſider what a lamentable cauſe it is that wee may hold fellowſhip with the Romiſh Church in the inuē tions thereof without al danger & canot without extreme peril be permited in Iudgmēt & practiſe to diſſent from the ſame where it ſwerueth from the true waye, & as they find the things to be of eſpeciall moment in religion, I beſeech them in the bowels of Ieſu… Chriſt to be a meanes vntounto her Majeſtie & their H. Hs. that my cauſe may be waighed in even balance, impriſonments, Indightments arainmēts yea death it ſelfe are no meete weapons to conuince the conſcience grounded vponupon the word of God & accompanyed with ſo manie wittneſſes of his famous ſeruants & Churches.
The Lord bleſſe hir right excellent Majeſtie my moſt gracious ſoveraigne bleſſe their H. Hs this whole land & all his ſaincts even for his great names ſake. Amen.
Subſcribed with heart & hand by me Iohn penry now in ſtraight bonds for the former teſtimonie of Chriſts truth.