Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 6 – Account 7
The Martyrdome of Rob. Samuel, Preacher, suffering for the true defence of Christes Gospell.
MAister Foster Iustice, dwelling at Cobdock in the Countie of Suffolke,Mayster Foster Iustice persecutor of Christes people. and a little from Ipswiche, being in continuall hatred against the truthe and the professours of the same, did not onelyonly not cease day nor nighte to studie howe to bring those in thrall and captiuity, that were honest and godly inclined to religion, but also what soeuer they were that once came in hys clawes, they easily escaped not without clogge of conscience, or els losse of life: so greedy was he of bloude. Among many whom he had troubled, there was one Samuel in king Edwardes dayes,Robert Samuell in K. Edwardes dayes a godly Preacher. a very godly and righte faithfull preacher of Gods woorde, who for his valiante and constante behauiour in his sermons, seemeth worthy of high admiration. He was minister at Barfolde in Suffolke, where he taught faithfully & fruitfully that flocke which the Lord had committed to hys charge, so long as the time woulde suffer hym to doe hys duetie.
Robert Samuell remoued from the ministery.At the laste being remooued from the Ministerie, and put from hys Benefice (as manye other good Pastoures were beside) when hee coulde not auoide the raging violence of the time, yet woulde he not geue ouer his care that he had for hys flocke, but woulde teache them priuilye and by stealth, when he coulde not openly be suffered so to doe. At what time order was taken by the Queene, to be published by the Commissioners, that all Priestes whiche had married in kinge Edwardes dayes, putting theyr wiues from them,Robert Samuell woulde not consent to the wicked decree of Q. Mary to put away his wyfe. should be compelled to returne againe to theyr chastitie and single life. This Decree woulde not Samuel stande vntounto, for that hee knewe it to be manifestly wicked & abhominable, but determining with himselfe that Gods lawes were not to be broken for mannes traditions, kept hys wife still at Ipswiche, and gaue his diligence in the meane time to the instructing of other whyche were about him, as occasion serued. At laste maister Foster hauing intelligence heereof, beinge a greate doer in those quarters, foreslacked no time nor diligence, but eftsoones sendeth out his espialles abroade, laying hard waite for Samuel, that if he came home to his wife at anye time, they myghte apprehend him, and carie him to prison.
In conclusion, when suche as shoulde betraye hym, espied him at home with his wife, they bringing woorde to the Officer, came immediately flocking about hys house, and besette it wyth a great companie,Robert Samuell apprehended in his house by night. and so tooke hym in the nyght season, because they durste not doe it in the daye time, for feare of trouble and tumult, althoughe good Samuell did nothing withstand them at all, but mekely yeelded himselfe into their clouches of his owne accord. When they had thus caughte hym,Robert Samuell put in Ipswich Gayle. they put hym into Ipswiche Gaile, where he passed his time meekely among his godly brethren, so long as hee was permitted to continue there. How…eit not long after, being taken from thence, he was carryed (through malice of the wicked sorte) to Norwiche, where the sayde bishop Doctour Hopton,Robert Samuell remoued to Norwich. (whether he or Doctour Dunnings his Chauncelloure) full like vnmercifull Prelates exercised greate crueltie againste hym, as in deede they were men in that time of persecution, as had not their matches for straitnes and cruell tormenting the bodies of the Saintes among all the rest beside, and specially through the procuring of Dunnings. For althoughe the other were sharpe enough in their generatiō: yet could they be satisfied with imprisonment and death, and would goe no further. Neyther did I euer yet heare of anye besides these,The cruelty of Dunninges the bloudy Chauncellour. which so farre exceeded all bounds of pitie and compassion in tormenting their pore brethren as this Bishoppe did: in suche sorte that many of them hee peruerted and broughte quite from the truthe, and some from theyr wittes also.
The B. therefore, or els his Chancellor, thinking that he mighte as easily preuaile with Samuel, as he had done wt other before, kept him in a very straite prison at his first comming, where he was chained bolte vpright to a greate post, in such sort, that standing only on tiptoe, he was faine to stay vp the whole paise or waight of his bodye thereby. And to make amends for the cruelty or paine that he suffered, they added a farre more greuous torment, keping him without meate and drinke,… whereby he was vnmercifully vexed through hunger and thirst: sauing that he had eueryevery day allowed 2. or 3. mouthfuls of bread, and 3. sponefuls of water, to the ende rather that he might be reserued to farther torment, then that they woulde preserue hys lyfe. O worthy constancie of the Martyr. O pitilesse hearts of papists, worthy to be complained of, and to be accused before God and nature.… O the wōderfull strength of Christ in his members? Whose stomacke, though it had ben made of Adamant stone, would not hauehave relented at these intollerable vexations, and extreme paines aboue nature? How oftentimes would he hauehave drūken his owne water, but hys body was so dried vp wyth this long emptinesse, that he was not able to make one drop of water?
At the laste when he was brought foorth to be burned, which was but a trifle in comparison of those paynes that he had passed, certaine there were that hearde hym declare what straunge things had happened vntounto hym during the time of his imprisonment: to wit, that after he had bene famished or pined with hunger two or three daies together, he then fell into a sleepe, as it were one halfe in a slumber, at which time one clad all in white, seemed to stande before hym, which ministred comfort vntounto him by these wordes: Samuel, Samuel, be of good cheare, and take a good heart vntounto thee. For after this day shalt thou neuer be either hungry or thirsty: Which thing came euen to passe accordingly: for speedily after he was burned, and from that time till he should suffer, he fealt neither hunger nor thirst. And this declared he, to the ende (as he sayde) that all men might beholde the wonderfull workes of God. Many moe like matters concerning the great comforte he had of Christe in his afflictions, he could vtter (he sayde) besides this, but that shamefastnes and modestie would not suffer him to vtter it. And yet if it had pleased God,… I would he had bene lesse modest in that behalfe, that the louelove and care that Christe hathe of his, might hauehave the more appeared therby vntounto vsus by such present argumentes, for the more plentifull comfort of the godly, though there be sufficient testimonies of the same in the holy scriptures already.
No lesse memorable it is, and woorthy also to be noted concerning the 3. ladders which he tolde to diuers he sawe in his sleepe,An other memorable … of Samuell in prison. set vp toward heauen: of the which there was one somewhat longer then the rest, but yet at length they became one, ioyning (as it were) all three together. Thys was a forewarning reuealed vntounto him, declaring vndoutedly the martyrdome, first of him selfe, and then the death of two honest women, which were brought foorth & suffered in the same towne anone after.
As this godly martyr was going to ye fire, there came a certaine maide to him,… which tooke him aboute the necke and kissed him, who being marked by them that were present, was sought for the next day after, to be had to prisone and burned, as the very party her self informed me: Howbeit, as God of his goodnes wold hauehave it, she escaped their fiery handes, keeping her selfe secreate in the towne a good while after. But as this maide, called Rose Nattingham, was marueilously preserued by the prouidence of God: so there were other two honest women did fall into the rage and furie of that time.Two godly … the … Brue… wyfe, the other a … w…fe apprehended. The one was a Bruers wyfe, the other was a Shoomakers wife, but both together nowe espoused to a newe husband Christ.
With these two was thys maid aforesaid very familiar and wel acquainted, who on a time geuing counsail to the one of them, that shee shoulde conuey her selfe away while she had time and space, seeing she could not away with the Quenes vniust procedings, had thys answer at her hands againe: I know well, sayth shee, that it is lawfull enough to flee away,… which remedy you may vse, if you list. But my case standeth otherwise. I am tied to an husbande, and hauehave besides a sorte of yong children at home: and then I know not how my husband, being a carnall man, wil take my departure from him: therefore I am mineded for the louelove of Christ and his truthe, to stande to the extremitie of the matter.
And so the next daye after Samuel suffered, these two godly wiues, the one called Anne Potten, the other called Ioane Trunchfielde, the wife of Michael Trunchfielde, Shomaker of Ipswich, were apprehended and had bothe into prison together.… Which as they were both by sexe and nature somewhat tender: so were they at first lesse able to endure the straitnesse of the prisone, and especially the Brewers wife was cast into marueilous great agonies and troubles of minde thereby. But Christ beholding ye weake infirmitie of hys seruaunt, did not faile to helpe her when
The cruel burning of Robert Samuel, Martyr.
The Martyrdōe of Rob Samuell burned at Ipswich. An. 1555 August. 31.shee was in thys necessitie. So at the lengthe they bothe suffered after Samuel.The Lord Iesus a ready helper in tyme of weakenes. Anno 1556. Februarie 19. as shalbe by the Lordes grace declared heereafter. And these (no doubt) were those two Ladders, which being ioyned with the thirde, Samuel sawe stretched vp into heauen. Thys blessed Samuel the seruant of Christ, suffred the 31. of August. Anno 1555.
The report goeth amōg some that were there present, and saw him burne, that his body in burning did shine as bright & white as new tried siluer in the eyes of them that stoode by: as I am infourmed by some which were there, and did beholde the sight.
Letters of Robert Samuel, Preacher.
A letter or exhortation to the pacient suffering of afflictions for Christes cause.
A Man knoweth not hys time, but as the fishe is taken with the Angle,Eccle. 9. and as the birdes are caught with the snare: euen so are men caughte and taken in the perillous time when it commeth vppon them. The time commeth:Eccle. 4. the day draweth neare. Ezechiel 7. Better it were to dye, (as the Preacher sayeth) then to liue and see the miserable workes which are done vnderunder the Sunne: suche sodaine and straūge mutations, such wofull, hainous, and lamentable diuisions so fast approcheth, and none or verye fewe thorowly repenteth. Alas for this sinfull nation, a people of great iniquity & sede of vngratiousnes, corrupting their wayes. They hauehave forsaken the Lord,Esay. 4. they hauehave prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger, & are gon backward. Who now liueth not in such securitie and rest,Complaynt agaynst England and that not vndeserued, as though all dā gers were cleane ouerpast? Who now blindeth and buffeteth not Christe, with seest me, and seest me not? Yea, who liueth not nowe in suche felicitie, worldlye pleasures and ioyes, wholy seeking the world, prouiding & craftily shifting for the earthly clod & all carnal appetites, as thoughe sinne were cleane forgotten, ouerthrowne, and deuoured? Like hoggish Gergesites nowe are we more afraide and ashamed of Christe oure Messias, fearing the losse of oure filthy pigges, I meane our transitory goods,Math. 8. English people rightly resembled to the Gergesites. Marke. 5. Rom. 10. Aboundance of goodes is a thing perilous. Gene. 19. and disquieting of our sinfull and mortall bodies in this short, vncertaine and miserable life, then of a Legion of Deuils, seducing and driuing vsus from hearing, reading, and beleeuing Christ Gods eternal sonne, and his holy worde, the power to saue our soules: vntounto vanities, lies and fables, and to this bewitching world.
Oh perilous aboundance of goods, too much saturity of meates, wealth, and quietnes, which destroied wyth so many soules, those goodly cities Sodom & Gomorre. Ieroboam, so long as he was but a pore man, not yet aduanced to his dignity, liued in ye lawes of God without reprehension: but broughte once to wealth & prosperous estate, hee became a wicked and moste shamefull Idolater. And what made the couetous yong mā so loth to folow Christ, when he was bidden to forsake but worldly wealth which hee then enioyed?Anno 1555. September. Woe be vntounto these false elusions of the world, baites of perdition, hookes of the deuil, which hauehave so shamef…lly deceiued and seduced full many frō the right path vntounto the Lorde,Math. 19. into the high waies of confusion and perpetuall perdition.
We might nowe woorthily (deare Christians) lament & bewaile our heauie state, miserable cōdition, and sorowfull chaunce: yea, I say, we might well accuse our selues, and wt Iob cursse these oure troublous,Iob. 3. Esay. 10 God hath alwayes a remnant, whom he pullysheth with hard aduersaryes. 1. Cor. 4. Two men in one, God abhorreth. wicked, and bloudy last dayes of thys worlde, were it not that wee both see and beleeue, and finde in Gods sacred booke, that a remnaunt God hath in all ages reserued, I meane the faithful, as many as hauehave bene from the beginning of the worlde, exercised, whetted, and pullished with diuers afflictions, troubles and tossings, cast and dashed againste all pearils and dangers, as the very drosse and outcastes of the earth, and yet wil in no wise halte betweene God and Baall: for God verily abhorreth two men in one: he can not awaye with them that are betweene both, but casteth them away as a filthy vomite. Christe will not parte spoyle wyth his mortall enemie the deuil: he wil hauehave all or lose all: he will not permit the deuill to hauehave the seruice of the body, and he to stand contented with the heart and minde: but he will be glorified both in your bodies and in your spirites, Apoc. … ▪which are hys, as S. Paule sayth. 1. Cor. 6. For he hath made all, boughte all, and dearely paide for all, as S. Peter sayeth: With his owne immaculate body hath he cleane discharged youre bodyes from sinne, 1. Pet. 1.death and hell, and with his most precious bloud paid your ransome and full price once for all and for euer.
Nowe what harme, I pray you, or what losse sustaine you by this? Why are you, O vaine men, more afraide of Iesus your gentle saueour, & his gospell of saluation, then of a legion of cruell deuils, going about wt false delusions, vtterly to destroy you both bodies & soules?No true quietnes in Sathans seruice. Thynke you to be more sure then vnderunder your captaine Christ? Doe you promise your selues to be more quiet in Sathans seruice, then in Christes religion? esteme you more these transitory and pernitious pleasures, then God and all his heauenly treasures?The miserable madnes of worldly men lamented. 2 C…r 4. Iohn. 1…. Transitory pleasures of this lyfe not to be passed vponupon. Oh palpable darknes, horrible madnes, & wilful blindnes, wtout comparison, too much to be suffred any longer. We see, and wil not see: we know & wil not know: yea, we smarte and will not feele, and that our owne conscience well knoweth. Oh miserable and brainlesse soules, which would for foolish pleasures & slipperye wealth, loose the royall kingdome and permanent ioyes of God, wyth the euerlasting glory which he hath prepared for them that truely louelove hym, and renounce the world. The children of the world liue in pleasure and wealth, and the deuill, who is their God and prince of this world, kepeth their wealth which is proper vntounto them, and letteth them enioy it. But let vsus which be of Christe, seeke and enquire for heauenly things, which by Gods promise and mercy in Christ, shall be peculiar vntounto vsus. Let (I say) the Crecians, Epicures, and such other beastly Belials and carnall people, passe for things that be pleasant for the body, and doe appertaine to this transitorie life:Psalm. 58. Luke. 16. Yet shall they once (as the kingly Prophet sayth) runne about the Citie of God, to and froe howling like dogges, desiring one scrappe of the ioyes of Gods elect, but all too late, as the rich glutton did.
Let vsus therfore passe for those things that doe pertaine to the spirite,Colos. 3. Heb. 13. Iohn. 7. and be celestiall, We must be here (sayth Paule) not as inhabitours and home dwellers, but as straungers: not as straungers onelyonly, but after the minde of Paule, as painful souldiers appoynted of our gouernour to fight against the gouernour of darkenesse of this worlde, against spirituall craftinesse in heauenly things. The time is come: we must too it: the iudgement must begin first at the house of God. Began they not first with the greene and sappie tree? and what followed then on the dry braunches? Ieremie speaking in the persone of God,Ephes. 5. 1. Pet 4. Luke. 14 sayeth: In the Citie wherein my name is inuocate, will I begin to punish: but as for you, (meaning the wicked) you shall be as innocentes and not once touched: for the dregges of Gods wrath, the bottome of all sorrowes, are reserued vntounto them in the ende: but Gods houshold shall drinke the flower of the cup of hys mercye. And therfore let vsus say wt Ezechias:2. Para 3. Play the men & shrinke not: let vsus comfort our selues, for the Lorde is with vsus our helper, and fighteth for vsus. The Lord is (sayth he) with you when you be with him, and when you seeke him he will be found of you: and againe, when you forsake him, he will forsake you.
Wherfore we ought not to be dismaid or discourage our selues, but rather to be of good comforte: not to be sad but merry: not sorrowful, but ioyfull, in that God of his goodnesse will vouchsafe to take vsus as his beloued children, to subdue our sinful lustes, our wretched flesh and bloud vntounto his glory, the promoting of his holy word, and edifying of his church. What if the earthly house of this our habitation (Paule meaning the body) be destroyed?2. Cor. 5. We know assuredly we shall hauehave a buildinge of God not made wyth handes, but euerlasting in heauen,Ioyes layd vp in Christ to mans sense inestimable. with such ioyes as faith taketh not, hope toucheth not, nor charitye apprehendeth not. They passe all desires and wishes. Gotten they maye be by Christ, esteemed they can not be. Wherefore the more affliction and persecution the woorde of God bringeth, the more felicitye and greater ioy abideth in heauen. But the worldly peace, idle ease, wealthy pleasure, and this present and pleasant transitory life and felicity, which the vngodly foolishly imagine to procure vntounto themselues by persecuting, and thrusting away the gospel, shall turne vntounto theyr owne trouble, & at last vntounto horrible destruction & mutations of realmes and countries,Samuell prophesieth of the destruction of the persecut…rs. 1. Rev. 25. … and after this life (if they repent not) vntounto their perpetuall infelicitie, perdition, and damnation. For they had rather with Nabal and his temporal pleasures descend to the deuil, then with pore Christ and his bodely troubles, ascend vntounto the kingdom of God his father. But an vnwise man (sayeth the Psalmist) compr… hendeth them not, neither doth the folish vnderstand them, … these bloudy persecutors grow vp & florish like the flower and grasse in the field. But vntounto this end do they so florish, that they might be cut downe & caste into the fire for euer. For, as Iob sayth: Their ioy lasteth but the twinkling of an eie, and death shall lie gnawing vponupon them, as doth the flock… vppon the pasture: yea the cruell worme, late repentaunce (as S. Marke sayeth) shall lie gnawing, tormenting, and accusing their wretched conscience for euermore.
Let vsus therfore (good Christians) be constant in obeying God rather then men. For although they slay our sinful bodies (yea rather our deadly enemies) for Gods veritie: yet they can not do it,The bloud of Gods Martyrs preacheth with more fruite then did their mouthes. but by Gods sufferance and good will, to his praise and honour, and to our eternall ioye and felicitie. For our bloud shed for the Gospel, shall preache it wyth more fruite and greater furtheraunce, then did oure mouthes, liues and wrytings: as did the bloude of Abell, Steuen, wyth many other moe. What though they laughe Christ & his worde to scorne, which sit in the chaire of peruerse pestilent scorners? To whome as to the wise Gentiles of the world, the Gospel of Christ is but foolishnes, as it was to the Iewes a sclaunder and a stumblinge stone, whereat they now being fallen, hauehave prouoked the wrath and vengeance of God vponupon them.
These are the dayes of vengeaunce (sayeth Luke) that all thinges wrytten may be fulfilled.Luke. 1. God long looketh for repentance, and we waxe worse and worse. And surely it shall be no lesse then a huge storme of euils that shal come vpō vsus, because that a long and a cursed obstinate maliciousnes of vsus, hath gone before, crying in the eares of the Lorde God of hostes, who so many times and so many wayes hauehave bene prouoked with the vnspeakeable richesse of his goodnesse, his pacience, and long suffering, to amendement, and hauehave neuerthelesse contemned the same, and proceeded forward to worse and worse, prouoking and stirring the presence of Gods maiestie vntounto anger.
Now therfore sayth God by the mouth of his prophet: I wil come vponupon thee, and I will send my wrath vponupon thee: Esay. 3.vponupon thee (I say) O Englande, and punish thee according to thy wayes, and rewarde thee after all thyne abhominations.Wickednes of England declared. Esay. 3. Thou hast kindled the fire of Gods wrath, and hast stirred vp the coales. For thou waste once lightned, and hadst tasted of the heauenly gifte, and wast become partaker of the holy ghost, & haddest tasted of the good word of God: Yea, it is yet in thy mouth, sayth the Prophet. Alas O Englād, thou knewest thy Lorde and maisters wil, but diddest nothing thereafter:England worthely rebuked. Thou must therefore (sayeth hee) suffer many stripes, and many sharpe strokes, and walke on in the glittering and hot flame of thine owne fire, and in ye coles that thou hast kindled. This commeth to thee from my hande, saith the Lorde: namely: That thou shalt sleepe in sorrowe, yea euen so thou shalt. The plain truth telleth the tale, the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God, and the ordinarie course of his plagues from the beginning confirmeth the same. The ioy of our heart (sayeth Ieremie) is gone,Ieremy. 5. He bewayleth the state of England. oure glory is fallē away, our mery singing is turned into mourning, the garland of our head is fallen, Alas and weale away that euer we sinned so sore: Wo worth all abhominations and wickednesse: wo woorth cloked hypocrisie: woe worth our carnall liberty: wo worth our most cursed idolatrie. For because of these things, sayth the Lorde, ye shall perish with sword, hunger, and pestilence.
Wherfore, let all the wicked enemies of Christe, and all ye vnbeleuers, look to be tormented and vexed with al hellish furies, and cleane wythout hope at Gods accompting day, which know not God in Christ to be their very righteousnesse, their life, their onelyonly saluation & alone sauiour, nor beleeue not in him. They must, sayth S. Iohn, needes abide and pearish wyth their sinnes in death and in eternall damnation. But we be the children of Saintes, as the elder Toby did aunswer, and looke for an other life, which God shall geue to all them which chaunge not theyr faith, nor shrinke not from him. Reioyce therefore ye Christian afflicted brethren, for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty,Iohn. …. … to the a…flicted …. which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louing father, and if we abide fast in Christ, and turn not away like weathercocks, surely we shall liue for euer, Christ affirmeth the same, saying:Math. 10. …. 10. My sheepe heare my voyce, I knowe them, they hearken vntounto me and to no straungers, and I geue them euerlasting life, for they shall not be lost, nor no manne shall plucke them oute of my handes: no nor yet this flattering world with all his vaine pleasures, nor any tyranne with his great threates & stout bragges can once mooue them oute of the way of eternall life.Christ himselfe suffereth in his members …. Esay. 5. What consolation and cōfort may we hauehave more pleasant and effectuous then thys (God is on our side, & fighteth for vsus: he suffereth, he smarteth, and is afflicted wyth vsus. As the world can doe nothing against his might, neyther in taking away, or diminishing of his glory, nor putting him from his celestiall throne: so can it not harme nor hurte any one of hys children without his good will. For we are members of his body, oute of hys fleshe and of hys bones,Ephe. 5. and as deare to him as the apple of his eye.
Let vsus therefore with an earnest faith, set fast hold and sure feeling vponupon the promises of God in the gospell, & let vsus not be sundred from the same by any temptation, tribulation, or persecution. Let vsus consider the verity of God to be inuinsible,Gods prom…se is immutable. inuiolable & immutable, Promising and geuing vsus his faithfull souldiours life eternal. It is he onelyonly that hath deserued it for vsus: it is his onelyonly benefite, & of his only mere mercy, & vntounto him only must we render thāks. Let not therefore the vaine fantasies and dreames of men, the foolish gauds and toyes of the world, nor the crafty delusions of the deuil, driue and separate vsus from our hope of the crowne of righteousnes, that is layd vp in store for vsus against the last day. Oh that happy and merry last day, I meane to the faithfull,O mery last day. when Christ by his couenaunt shall graunt and geue vntounto them that ouercome and keepe hys woordes to the ende, that they may ascend and sitte in seate with him, as he hath ascended & sitteth on throne with hys father. The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted,…. Tim. 2. Christes Saintes be here in Butchers hands. Psal. 16. shall then be with Christ glorified: now in ye butchers hands as shepe apoynted to die, then sitting at Gods table with Christ in his kingdom, as Gods honorable and deare children: where we shall hauehave for earthly pouertie, heauenly riches, for hūger and thirst, saturitie of the pleasant presence of the glory of God, for sorrowes, troubles, and colde yrons, celestiall ioyes, and the company of aungels, and for a bodely death, life eternal. Oh happy soules, Oh precious death and euer more blessed: right dear in the eyes of God,Precious is the death of Go…s Saintes. to you the spring of the Lord shal euer be florishing. Then (as sayth Esay:) the redeemed shal returne and come againe into Sion, praising the Lorde, and eternall mercies shalbe ouer their heads: they shall obtaine mirth and solace: sorrowe and woe shalbe vtterly vanquished: yea I am he, sayeth the Lord, that in all things geueth you euerlasting consolation. To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, be glory and praise for euer. Amen.
Robert Samuel.
An other letter wrytten to the Christian congregation, by Robert Samuel, wherein he declareth the confession of his faith.
The beliefe of the hert iustifieth, and the knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe. Rom. 10.
Feare not the curse of mē, be not afraid of their blasphemies and reuilings, for wormes and mothes shal eat them vp like cloth and woolle, but my righteousnesse shall endure for euer, and my sauing health from generation to generation Esay 51.
2. Tim. …. An other letter of … 3.COnsidering with my selfe these pearillous times, pearishing daies▪ and the vnconstante and miserable state of man, the decay of our faith, the sinister reporte and false sclaunder of Gods most holy word, these vrgent causes in conscience do constraine me to confesse and acknowledge my faith and meaning in Christes holy Religion, as S. Peter teacheth me, saying: be readye alwayes to geue an aunswere to euerye man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekenes and feare, hauing a good conscience, that when they backbite you as euill doers▪ they may be ashamed, for asmuche as they hauehave falsly accused your good conuersation in Christ.
As touching my doctrine, for that little talent that God hath geuen mee, God I take to recorde, mine owne conscience and mine auditorie knoweth, that I neither in doctrine nor maners, willingly taughte any other thinge then I receiued of the holye Patriarckes, Prophetes, Christe and hys Apostles. For it were not onelyonly sinne, but also the verye parte of a cursed miscreant, to denye, to be lye, or betraye the innocencye of that heauenlye doctrine, or to bee ashamed to confesse and stande to the defence of the same, seeing that Christe planted it with hys moste precious bloude: and all good menne hauehave more esteemed the true and infallible woorde of GOD, then all thys transitorye worlde, or their owne mortall liues.Marke. 8. And I beleeue this doctrine of the Patriarkes, Prophetes, Christe and his Apostles to be sufficient and absolutely perfecte to instructe and teache mee, and all the holy Church, of our dueties towardes God, the Magistrates, and our neighbours
Firste, and principallye I do assuredly beleeue wythout any doubting, that there is one Deitie or Diuine essence, and infinite substaunce. which is both called, and is in dede God euerlasting, vnbodilye, vnpartible, vnmeasurable in power, wisedome, and goodnesse, the maker and preseruer of all thinges,One God. as well visible as inuisible: and yet there be three distincte persones, all of one Godheade or Diuine beynge, and all of one power, coequall, consubstantiall, coeternell, the Father, the Sonne, and the holye Ghoste.
I beleeue in God the Father Almightie &c.Three persons▪ As touching God the Father of heauen, I beleeue as muche as holye Scripture teacheth mee to beleeue. The Father is the firste persone in Trinitie, first cause of our saluation, which hathe blessed vsus with all maner of blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christe: whych hathe chosen vsus before the foundations of the worlde were layde, that wee shoulde be holye and wythout blame before hym: who hath predestinate vsus and ordained vsus to bee his childrenne of adoption,Ephes. 1. thorough Christe Iesu. In hym, as it is sayde, we liue, wee mooue and hauehave oure being: he nourisheth, feedeth, and geueth meate to eueryevery creature.
And in Iesus Christe his onelyonly sonne our Lorde.Actes 17. Psalm. 176. I beleue that the woorde, that is the Sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie, did take mannes nature in the wombe of the blessed Virgine Marie: So that there be in hym two natures, a Diuine nature, and an humaine nature, in the vnitie of parson inseparable,The 2. Article. conioyned and knitte in one Christe, truely God and truely man, the expresse and perfecte Image of the inuisible God,Heb. 1. wherin the will of God the Father shineth apparantly, and wherein man, as it were in a glasse, may beholde what he ought to doe, that he maye please God the Father.
Borne of the Virgine Marie: truelye sufferinge his Passion, crucified, deade and buryed, to the entent to bring vsus againe into fauoure wyth God the Father almightie, and to be a sacrifice, hoste and oblation, not onelyonly for originall sinne, but also for all actuall sinnes of the whole generation of mankinde. For all the woorkes, merites, deseruings, doinges,No merites of saluation but onelyonly in Christ. Esay. 48.43. Gene. 1.22. Esay 53. Actes. 10. Math. 8. and obedience of man towards God, althoughe they be done by the spirite of God, in the grace of God, yet being thus done, be of no validitie, worthine, nor merite before God, except God for his mercy and grace, accoumpte them woorthye for the woorthinesse and merytes of Christ Iesus.
The same Christ went downe to the helles, and truely rose againe the thirde day, and ascended into the heauēs, that he might there stil raigne and hauehave dominion ouer all creatures: and from thence shall come. &c.
I beleue in the holy Ghost, coequall with God the Father and the Sonne, and proceeding from them bothe: by whose vertue, strength and operation, the true Catholicke Church, which is the Communion and societie of Saintes, is guided in all truthe & veritie, & kept frō al errors & fals doctrine, the deuill, & all power of sinne. Which Church is sanctified and halowed with the precious bloude, and spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christe:The Catholick Church is the communion of Saintes. whiche hathe also her signe and mark, that she heareth and foloweth the voice of her only and true pastour Christ, and no strangers. This church also is the house of God, the congregation of the liuing God, the piller of truth, the liuely body of Christe, a Church both in name and in deede.
I beleue the remission of sinnes, by the only meanes and merites of Christes death & passion:Iohn. 10.8. Galath. 1. 1. Tim. 3. who made vntounto vsus of God that onelyonly sacrifice and oblation offered once for all and for euer, for all them that be sanctified.
I beleue the resurrection of the body, whereby in the last day al men shal rise again from death, the soules ioyned againe to the bodies, the good to euerlasting life,Remission of sinnes onelyonly by the merites of Christ apprehended by fayth. the wicked to euerlasting pain and punishmēt. And nothing may more certainly stablish & confirme our faith, that we shall rise againe immortal both in body & soule, thē the resurrection of Christ our Sauiour, and first fruites of the deade. Nowe that Christe our head is risen, we beynge hys body and members, must follow our head. Death, hell, and sinne, cannot sunder nor plucke vsus from him. For as the Sonne can not be deuided nor sundred from the Father, nor the holy Ghost frō them bothe, no more maye wee beinge the faithfull members of Christ, be separated from Christ. And for a confirmation of our resurrection,Confirmation of our resurrection. Iohn. 10. Iohn 1· Phil. 3. Christ would be seene after his resurrection in hys most glorious body, his woundes being handled and felte, speaking and teaching, eating and drinking▪ &c. Wee looke (sayeth S. Paul) for Iesus Christ our Sauiour, which shall trāsfigure our vile bodies, & conform them to his glorious body by the same power and vertue, wherwith he is able to subdue all things: euen like as the graine of wheate sowen in the grounde, is first putrified and brought as into a thing of noughte, yet after that it springeth vp freshly with a more goodly colour, forme and beautie then it had before The body is sowne in corruption,Iohn. 12. 1. Cor. 15. and riseth in incorruption: it is sowen in dishonour, and riseth in honour.
Thus I verely know, and assuredly beleue the resurrection of oure bodies,Iohn. 5. and to hauehave life eternall by Christ, and for Christes sake. Verely, verely, I say vntounto you (sayth Christ,) he that heareth my woorde, and beleeueth on him that sent me, hath euerlasting life,Rom 10. …. 13. and shall not come into damnation, but is escaped frō death to life. It is Christe that died once for oure sinnes, and is risen againe, neuer more to die: it is he that swallowed vp death, & hath cast it vnderunder his feete for euer. What now can death do vntounto vsus? Verelye nothing els,The …ing of death pluckt out. but for a little time separate oure precious soules from oure wretched bodies, that diuine substaunce from a masse of sinne, that eternall life from a body of death, and so send our soules oute of this miserable, wretched and sorrowfull lyfe, combred with all calamities, vntounto that moste blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall.
Hi… confession touching the Sa…ramentes.As concerning the holy and reuerende Sacraments of Christes Churche, which be in number two, the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the Supper of the Lord, I beleeue them to be as S. Paul calleth them, confirmations or seales of Gods promises, whiche hauehave added to them a promise of grace,Sacramentes are confirmations of Go…s grace and acceptation. …he Sacrament o… Baptisme. and therfore they are called visible signes of inuisible grace.
The Sacrament of Baptisme is a marke of Christes Church, a seale and confirmation of our acception into the grace & fauour of God for Christes sake. For his innocencie, his righteousnesse, his holinesse, his iustice, is ours, geuen vsus of God, and our sinnes and vnrighteousnesse, by his obedience and abasing of him selfe to the death of the crosse, are his, whereof Baptisme is the signe, seale, and confirmation.
Baptisme is also a signe of repentaunce, to testifie that we be borne to the waues of pearils, and chaunges of life, to the intent that we should die continually as lōg as we liue from sinne, and rise againe like new men vntounto righteousnesse. Rom. 6.
The other Sacrament which is the supper and holy Maundie of our Sauiour Christ,The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper. whereby the church of Christ is knowen, I beleeue to be a remembraunce of Christes death and passion, a seale and confirmation of his moste precious bodye geuen vntounto death, euen to the vile death of the crosse, wherewith wee are redeemed and deliuered from sinne, death, hell, and damnation, It is a visible woorde, because it worketh the same thing in the eyes, which the worde worketh in the eares. For like as the worde is a meane to the eares, whereby the holy Ghost mooueth the heart to beleue, Romanes 10. so this sacrament is a meane to the eyes, whereby the holy Ghost moueth the hart to beleue:Gods word to … Gods word to the eye. it preacheth peace betweene God and man: it exhorteth to mutuall louelove and all godly life, and teacheth to contemne the world for the life to come, when as Christ shall appeare, which now is in heauen, and no where els as concerning his humane body.Actes. 1.3.
Yet do I beleeue assuredly that his very body is present in his moste holy Supper at the contemplation of oure spirituall eyes,Christes body present in the Sacrament to our spirituall eyes. and so verely eaten with the mouth of our faith. For as soone as I heare these most comfortable and heauenly woordes spoken and pronoūced by the mouth of the Minister. This is my body which is geuen for you, when I heare (I say) this heauenly harmonie of Gods vnfallible promises and truthe: I looke not vppon, neyther doe I beholde breade and wine: for I take and beleue the wordes simply and plainly,How the body of Christ is spiritually to be …. Rom. 8. Heb. 9. euen as Christe spake them. For hearing these wordes, my senses be rapt and vtterly excluded: for faith wholely taketh place, and not flesh nor the carnall imaginations of our grosse, fleshly, and vnreuerent eating after the maner of our bodily foode whiche profiteth nothinge at all, as Christe witnesseth, Iohn 6 but with a sorrowfull and wounded conscience, an hungry and thirsty soule, a pure and faithfull mind do fully embrace, beholde and feede, and looke vppon that most glorious body of Christ in heauen, at the right hande of God the father, very God and very man, which was crucified and slaine, and his bloud shed for our sinnes, there nowe making intercession, offering and geuing his holy body for me,Rom 5. for my body, for my raunsome, for my full price and satisfaction, who is my Christ and all that euer hee hath: and by this spirituall and faithfull eating of this liuelye and heauenlye breade,Phil. 3. I feele the moste sweete s…ppe and taste of the fruites, benefites, and vnspeakeable ioyes of Christes deathe and passion fullye disgested into the bowelles of my soule. For my minde is quieted from all worldly aduersities, tormoylinges, and trouble: my conscience is pacified from sinne, deathe, hell, and damnation: my soule is full, and hathe euen enough, and will no more: for all things are but losse, vile dounge and drosse, vayne vanitie, for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesu my Lord and Sauiour.
Thus nowe is Christes flesh my very meate in deede, and hys bloud my very drinke in deede,Iohn. 6. & I am become flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Nowe I liue, yet not I, but Christe liueth in me:Ephe. 5. Gala. 2 yea I dwell in him, and he in mee: for thorough faithe in Christe, and for Christes sake we are one, that is, of one consente, minde▪ and fellowshippe with the Father, the Sonne and the hol Ghost. Iohn 17. Thus am I assured and fullye perswaded, and on this rocke hauehave I builded by Gods grace, my dwelling and resting place for body and soule, life and death. And thus I commit my cause vntounto Christe the righteous and iust iudge, who will an other day iudge these debates and controuersies: whome I humbly beseeche to cast his tender and mercifull eyes vppon the afflicted and ruinous Churches, and shortly to reduce them into a godly and perpetuall concorde. Amen.
Thus do I beleeue, and this is my faith and my vnderstanding in Christ my Sauiour, and his true and holy religion. And thys whosoeuer is ashamed to doe among this adulterous and sinnefull generation, of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed,Marke. …. when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels.
Robert Samuel.
William Allen, Martyr.
NExt after the suffering of Robert Samuel,W. Allen, Martyr. aboute the beginning of September, was burned William Allen in Walsingam, labouring man, seruaunte sometime to Iohn Houghton of Somerton. He being broughte before the Bishop, and asked the cause why he was imprisoned: aunsweared, that he was put in prison, because he woulde not followe the Crosse, saying that he woulde neuer go on Procession.
Then being willed by the Bishoppe to returne againe to the Catholicke Churche, he aunsweared, that he would turne to the Catholicke Churche, but not to the Romishe Church, and said, that if he saw the King and Quene,The Martyrdome of W. Allen at Walsinghā. Anno. 1555. September. and all other folowe the crosse, or kneele downe to the crosse, he would not. For the which, sentence of condemnation was geuē against him, the 12. of August, and he burned at Walsingham about the beginning of September, who declared suche constancie at hys Martyrdome, and hadde suche credite wyth the Iustices, by reason of hys vprighte and well tried conuersation among them, that he was suffered to goe vntied to hys suffering, & there being fastened with a chaine, stoode quietly without shrinking, vntill he dyed.