The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Thomas Bilney
The Life of▪ Thomas Bilney, who dyed Anno Christi 1531.
THomas Bilney was born in England, His birth and education.and brought up at the University of Cambridge, where he profited exceedingly in all the Liberal Sciences, was chosen Fellow of Trinity Hall, and commenced Batchelor of both Laws; but, betaking himself to the study of Divinity,His zeal. he was wonderfully enflamed with the love of true Religion and godliness. He was requested to Preach at a poor Cure belonging to the Hall;Mr. Latimer converted by him. he converted many of his fellows to the knowledge of the Gospel, and amongst others, Hugh Latimer, who was Cross-keeper at Cambridge, and used to carry it before the Procession: Bilney afterwards forsaking the University,His zeal in preaching. went into many places Teaching and Preaching everywhere, and sharply reproving the pomp, pride, and insolency of the Clergy: whereupon Cardinal Wolsey caused him to be apprehended An. Chr. 1527.Popish malice His apprehension. and to be examined before him: and sundry Articles to be drawn up against him: Amongst which these were some▪ That in the Church of Willesdon he had exhorted the people to put away their gods of silver and gold,The Articles against him. and to leave offering to them, for that it was known that such things as they had offered to them were many times spent upon Whores and Stews: And that the Jews and Saracens would have been Christians long ago, had it not been for the Idolatry of Christians, and their offering to stocks and stones. That Christ is our only Mediator, and that therefore we should not seek to Saints. That man is so imperfect in himself that he cannot merit by his own deeds. That it was a great blasphemy to say, that to be buryed in Saint Francis Cowl would take away four parts of penance, seeing the blood of Christ taketh away the sins of the World. That it was great folly to go on Pilgrimage. That Miracles done at Walsingam, Canterbury, &c. were done by the Devil through Gods permission to blinde the poor people: That the Pope hath not the Keys that Peter had, except he follow Peter in his life. That for these 500 years there hath been no good Pope, and that of all since Christs time we read but of fifty that were good. Lastly,A Prophesie. that he had Prophesied that there would come others besides him that would Preach to the people the same Faith and manner of living that he did: which (said he) is the very true Gospel of Christ, and agreeable to the mindes of the holy Fathers, &c. For these and such like things, the Cardinal being himself busied in the affairs of the Kingdom, turned him over to Tonstal Bishop of London, who, after examination of witnesses against him, urged him to recant; but he stifly refused three several days, still saying, Fiat Justitia, & Judicium in nomine Domini; And Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus, exultemus & laetemur in ea. Then the Bishop after deliberation putting off his Cap,His condemnation. said, In nomine Patris, & Filii, & Spiritus Sancti, Amen, Exurgat Deus, & dissipentur inimici ejus; and so making a Cross on his Forehead and Breast, he said, I, by the consent and counsel of my Brethren here present, do pronounce and declare thee Thomas Bilney to be convict of heresie, and for the rest of the sentence we will take deliberation till to morrow. At which time the Bishops being again assembled, London asked him if he would yet return to the Unity of the Church, and revoke his Error? Mr. Bilney answered, that he would not be a slander to the Gospel, trusting that he was not separated from the Church, and that if multitude of witnesses might be credited, he could have thirty men of honest life of his part for one on the contrary brought in against him: The Bishop told him it was too late, they could admit no witness, and therefore exhorted him to abjure: This contest continued between the Bishops and him for divers days, they still urging and he refusing to recant: yet at last through humane frailty he told them that he was perswaded by Mr. Dancaster to abjure,His fall. and so reading his Abjuration, he subscribed it, and for penance was enjoyned to abide in Prison till he was released by the Cardinal,His penance. and that the next day he should go bare-headed before the Procession, carrying a Fagot on his shoulder, and so stand at Pauls Cross during all the Sermon.
In the time of his Imprisonment before this he wrote to Cuthbert Tonstall Bishop of London several Letters;His letter to Tonstal. and in one of them he compares the Priests and Fryars that accused him, to Jannes and Jambres, to Elymas, to D…metrius, to the Pythoniss, to Baalam, Cain, Ishmael, &c. Adding further, These are those Physitians upon whom the woman vexed twelve years with a Bloody Issue, spent all that she had, and found no help, but was still worse and worse, till at last she came to Christ, and was healed by him: Oh the mighty power of the Most High! which I also miserable sinner have often tasted and felt: whereas before I had spent all that I had upon these ignorant Physitians, so that I had little strength left in me, less money, and least wit and understanding: But at last I heard speak of Jesus, even then when the New Testament was translated by Erasmus, which when I understood to be eloquently done, I bought it,His first conversion. being allured thereto rather by the elegant Latine, then the Word of God (for at that time I knew not what it meant) and looking into it, by Gods special Providence I met with those words of the Apostle S. Paul, This is a true saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners, Whereof I am the chief. O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul! This one sentence, through Gods instruction and inward working,His inward joy. did so exhilarate my heart, which before was wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that immediately I found marvellous comfort and quietness in my soul, so that my bruised bones did leap for joy. After this the Scripture began to be more sweet unto me then the Hony and the Honycomb: whereby I learned that all my Travels,Without Faith nothing pleases God. Fastings, Watchings, Redemption of Masses and Pardons, without Faith in Christ, were but as S. Augustine cals them, an hasty and swift running out of the right way: and as the Fig-leaves which could not cover Adams nakedness. Neither could I ever obtain quietness and rest, or be eased of the sharp stings and bitings of my sin… till I was taught of God that Lesson, Joh. 3. 14, 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life: Assoon as (according to the measure of grace given unto me by God) I began to taste and rellish this heavenly Lesson, which none can teach but God only, I desired the Lord to encrease my Faith: and at last desired nothing more then that I being so comforted by him,His desire to convert others. might be enabled by his holy Spirit and Grace from above to teach the wicked his ways, which are all Mercy and Truth, that so sinners might be converted to him by me. I did with my whole power teach that all men should first acknowledge their sins, and condemn them, and afterwards hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is by Faith in Christ, &c. For these things I have been cryed out of, attached, and am now cast into Prison, though I exhorted all men not so to cleave to outward Ceremonies, as to be satisfied therewith, and so to loath and wax weary of Christ, &c. Yet at last through infirmity, rather then by conviction, he was drawn to abjure and submit himself, Anno Christi 1529.
After Mr. Bilneys Abjuration (which we mentioned before)The danger of Apostacy. he fell into such terrors of conscience, that he was near the point of utter despair, and returning to Cambridge, he continued under such terrors, that his friends were fain to be with him night and day, endeavoring to comfort him, but all in vain; this continued a whole year: he was in such anguish that nothing did him good, neither eating nor drinking, &c. yea he thought that all the Word of God was against him, and sounded his condemnation: But Anno Christi 1531. he began, through Gods mercy,Great comfort after great troubles. to feel some comfort, being resolved to lay down his life for that Truth which before he had renounced: whereupon, taking his leave of his friends, he went into Norfolk, preaching first in private to confirm the Brethren, afterwards in the fields, confessing his fact, and intreating all to beware by him, and never to trust to their fleshly friends in the cause of Religion: At Norwich he was apprehended, and by the Bishop cast into prison: whither Dr. Cole and Dr. Stoaks were sent to dispute with him;Prevalency of the truth. but Bilneys Doctrine, and good life so prevailed with Cole, that he was somewhat reclaimed, and brought to favor the Gospel.
Also whilst he was at Ipswich, His conference with a Fryar.there came one Fryar Brusierd to reason with him about those things which he had taught: at which time Mr. Bilney told him that the signs and lying wonders attributed by S. Paul to the Pope, were those wonders which were dayly wrought in the Church, not by the power of God, but by the illusions of Satan whereby he labors to draw men to put their Faith in our Lady and other Saints, and not in God alone, as we are commanded in the holy Scriptures: This free speech so incensed the Fryar that he spake thus to him; But that I believe and know, that God and all his Saints will take everlasting revenge upon thee,The Fryars rage against him. I would surely with these nails of mine be thy death for this horrible and enormous injury against the pretious blood of Christ. For whereas God saith, I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should convert and live: thou blasphemest him as though he should lay privy snares for us to betray us: which were it true, we might say with Hugo de Sancta victoria, If it be an Error, it is of thee, O God, that we are deceived; for these be confirmed with such signs and wonders which cannot be done but by thee alone: But I see you rest the Scriptures to a reprobate sense, so that I am scarce able to hold mine Eyes from tears, hearing these words from you; therefore farewel.
During his latter Imprisonment they used many means to have withdrawn him from his stedfastness,His constancy. which not prevailing, he was condemned to death.
The day before his Execution,His comfort before death. some friends finding him eating heartily, with much cheerfulness, and a quiet minde, said, that they were glad to see him at that time so heartily to refresh himself:An excellent speech. O, said he, I imitate those who having a …uinous house to dwel in, yet bestow cost as long as they may to hold it up: Discoursing further with them for their edification, some put him in minde of the heat of the fire, yet told him withal that the comforts of Gods Spirit should cool it to his everlasting refreshing:He puts his finger into the candle. His faith. whereupon he putting his finger into the flame of the candle (as also he did at divers other times) I feel (said he) by experience that fire is hot, yet I am perswaded by Gods holy Word, and by the experience of some spoken of in it, that in the flame they felt no heat, and in the fire no consumption: and I believe, that though the stubble of my body be wasted, yet my soul shall be purged thereby, and after short pain, will be joy unspeakable, alleaging that text Isai. 43. 1, 2.
The next morning, the Officers fetching him to Execution, a certain friend intreated him to be constant, and to take his death patiently:An excellent speech. to whom he said, I am sailing with the Marriner through a boisterous Sea, but shortly shall be in the Haven, &c. help me with your Prayers.
By the way as he went,His charity. he gave much Alms, and at the place of Execution he spake to the people confessing his Faith,His martyrdom. by rehearsing the Articles of the Creed: and afterwards prayed privately with earnest elevation of his Eyes and Hands to Heaven: Being tyed to the stake, the Fryars desired him to declare his charity to them, by assuring the people that they were not the causers of his death; for, said they, they think that we have procured it, and thereupon will withdraw their charitable alms from us: whereupon he said, I pray you good people be never the worse to these men for my sake, for they were not the Authors of my death.
The fire being kindled, the winde drove away the flame from him,His patience. so that he was the longer a burning, holding up his hands, crying sometimes Jesus, His death.sometimes Credo, and so at last yeelded up his spirit unto God, Anno Christi 1531.