Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2 — John Foxe

Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2 · John Foxe

¶An other treatise of B. Ridley, wherein is conteyned first a lamentation for the chaunge of Religion in England: then a comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospell, and the Romish religion, with wholesome instructions in the end to all christians, how to behaue themselues in time of tryall.

ALas, what misery is thy church brought vntounto (O lord) at this day?The state of the Church of England described & …. Where of late the worde of the Lord was truely preached, was read and heard in eueryevery towne, in eueryevery Church, in eueryevery village, yea and almost in eueryevery honest mans house: alas now it is exiled, and banished out of the whole realme. Of late who was not taken for a louer of Gods word, for a reader, for a ready hearer, & for a learner of the same? And now (alas) who dare beare any open countenaunce toward it, but such as are content in Christes cause, and for his wordes sake to stand to the daunger and losse of all that they hauehave?

Of late there was to be found, of eueryevery age of eueryevery degree and kinde of people, that gaue theyr diligēce to learne (as they could) out of Gods word, the articles of the christian fayth, the commaundementes of God, and the Lordes prayer. The babes and young children were taughte these thinges of theyr parentes, of theyr maisters, & weekly of theyr Curates in eueryevery church: & the aged folke, whiche had bene brought vp in blindnes, and in ignoraunce of those things, which eueryevery christian is boūd to know, whē otherwise they could not, yet they learned the same by oftē hearing theyr children, and seruantes repeating the same: but now (alas, and alas agayne) the false Prophets of Antichrist, which are past all shame, do openly preach in pulpittes vntounto the people of God, that the Catechisme is to be counted heresy: wherby theyr olde blindnes is brought home agayn: for the aged are afraid of the higher powers, and the youth is abashed and ashamed, euen of that which they hauehave learned, though it be Gods woord, and dare no more meddle.

Of late in eueryevery congregation throughout all Englād was made prayer and petition vntounto God, to be deliuered from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities: from al false doctrine and heresy: & now alas, Sathan hath perswaded England by his falshoode & craft, to reuoke her olde godly prayer, to recant the same & prouoke the fearefull wrath, and indignation of God vponupon her owne pate.

Of late by strayt lawes and ordinances, with the consent of the nobles and commonalty,The lamentable chāge of religion in the Church. Ieremy. 4. and full agreement, & counsel of the prelates and clergy, was banished hence the beast of Babilon, with lawes (I say) and with othes & all meanes that then could be deuised for so godly a purpose: but now (alas) all these lawes are troden vnderunder foote: the Nobles, the Commonalty, the Prelates and Cleargy are quite chaūged, and all those othes, though they were made in iudgement, iustice & truth, and the matter neuer so good, doth no more hold then a bond of Rushes, or of a Barley straw, nor publicke periurye no more feareth them, then a shadow vponupon the wall.

Of late it was agreed in Englande of all handes, according to Paules doctrine,1. Cor. 14. and Christes commaūdemēt (as Paule sayth playnly) that nothing ought to be done in the Church, in the publicke congregation, but in that toūg which the Congregation could vnderstand, that all might be edefied thereby, whether it were Common Prayer, Administration of the Sacramentes, or any other thing belonging to publicke Ministerye of Gods holy and wholesome word: but (alas) all is turned vpside downe, Paules doctrine is put apart: Christs commaundement is not regarded: For nothing is heard commonly in the Church, but in a straunge tongue, that the people doth nothing vnderstand.

Of late al men and women were taught after Christes doctrine,Ignorance a prayer. to pray in that toūg which they could vnderstād, that they might pray with hart, that whiche they shoulde speake with theyr toung: now (alas) the vnlearned people is brought in that blindnes again, to think that they pray, when they speak with theyr toung, they can not tell what, nor wherof: theyr hart is nothing mindefull at all, for that it can vnderstand neuer a whit therof.

Of late the Lordes Supper was duely ministred and taught to be made common,Abuse …n the Lordes S…pper. to all that were true Christians, with thankesgeuing, and setting foorth of the Lordes death & passion, vntill his returning agayne, to iudge both quicke and dead: but now (alas) the Lordes table is quite ouerthrowne, and that whiche ought to be common to all godly, is made priuate to a fewe vngodlye, without any kind of thankesgeuing, or any setting foorth of the Lordes death at all, that the people is able to vnderstand.

Of late all that were endued with the light,The Sacrament turned out of his right vse & kind. and grace of vnderstanding of Gods holy misteries, did blesse God, which had brought them out of that horrible blindnes and ignorance, wherby in times past being seduced by sathans subtleties, they beleued that the Sacrament was not the Sacrament, but the thing it self wherof it is a Sacramēt: that the creature was the Creator, and that the thing whiche hath neither life nor sense (alas suche was the horryble blindenesse) was the Lord himselfe, which made the eye to see,Idolatry in worshipping the creature for the creator. and hath geuen all senses and vnderstandinge vntounto man: but now (alas) Englande is returned agayne lyke a Dogge to her owne vomitte and spuing, and is in worsse case thē euer she was: For it had bene better neuer to hauehave knowne the trueth, then to forsake the truth once receiued and knowne: and now, not onelyonly that light is turned into darcknesse, and Gods grace is receiued in vayne, but also lawes of death are made by high Courte of Parliament, maysterfully to mainteine by sword, fire, and al kind of violence, that haynous Idolatry wherein that adoration is geuen vntounto the liuelesse and dumbe creature, which is only due vntounto the euerliuing God: yea, they say they can, and do make of bread both manne and GOD, by theyr transubstantiation, O wicked mention, and Sathans owne broode.

Of late was the Lordes cuppe at his Table distributed, according to his owne cōmaundement,The cuppe debarred from the ministration of the Lordes supper. by his expresse wordes in his Gospell, as well to the Laity as to the clergy, which order Christes Churche obserued so many hundreth yeares after (as all the auncient Ecclesiasticall writers doe testify) without contradiction of any one of them, that can be shewed vntounto this day: but now (alas) not only the Lords commaundement is broken, his cup is denied to his seruauntes, to whom he commaunded it shoulde be distributed, but also with the same is set vp a new blasphemous kinde of sacrifice to satisfye and paye the price of sinnes, both of the dead and of the quicke, to the great & intollerable contumely of Christ our sauior his death & passion, which was and is the one only sufficient, and euerlasting auayleable sacrifice satisfactorye, for all the Electes of God, from Adam the first, to the last that shall be borne in the end of the world.

Of late the commaundement of God:Blasphemous sacrifice for sinne. Deuter. 5. Thou shalte not make to thy selfe any grauen Image, nor any similitude, or likenes of any thing in heauen aboue, or in earth beneath, or in the water vnderunder the earth, thou shalte not bowe downe to them nor worship them: This commaundement of God (I say) was grauen almost eueryevery where in Churches, was learned of eueryevery body both young & olde: whereupon Images that prouoked the simple, and ignorant people vntounto Idolatrie (as the wise man sayth) were taken out of the Churches,Idolatry is stockes and stones. & straightly forbidden that none shoulde any where, eyther bow downe to them, or worshippe them: but now (alas) Gods holy word is blotted, and rased out of Churches, & stockes and stones are set vp in the place thereof, God cō maundeth his word so to be ordered, that it might be had in continual remēbraunce at all times, and in eueryevery place: and on the other side he forbadde Images and Idols, so to be either made, or set in any place, where any should bowe or worship them: but now (alas) that which God cōmaū ded, is not passed vponupon, and that which he forbiddeth, is maysterfully maynteined by falshoode and craft, and wickedly vpholden.

Of late all ministers that were admitted to the publick office, and ministery of Gods holy woorde, in theyr admission made a solemne profession before the Congregation, that they should teach the people nothing, as doctrine necessarye to atteyne eternall saluation, but that whiche is Gods owne holy woorde, or maye be thereof grounded without any doubt: whereby vanished and melted away of themselues many vaine, yea wicked traditions of man, as waxe before the fire: but now at one brunt they are reuiued, and are in full hope also to returne agayne, in as great strength as euer they hauehave bene. And howe can any man looke for any other thing, but when you hauehave receyued the head, you must also receiue the whole body withal, or els how can the head abide? The head, vnderunder Sathā, of al mischiefe is Antichrist, & his brood, & the same is he whiche is the Babilonicall Beast. The beast is he, whereupon the Whore sitteth. The whore is that City, sayeth Iohn in playne woordes, whiche hath Empyre ouer the kinges of the earth. This Whore hath a golden cuppe of abhominations in her hande, whereof shee maketh to drinke the kinges of the earth, & of the wine of this harlot hath all nations dronke, yea, and kings of the earth hauehave line by this Whore & Marchauntes of the earth, by vertue of her pleasaunt marchaundise hauehave bene made rich.

Now what Citie is there in all the whole worlde, that when Iohn wrote,The whore of Babilon, with her cup of abominations, expounded. Apoc. 17. ruled ouer the kinges of the earth: or what Citty can be read of in any time, that of the Cittye it selfe, chalenged the Empyre ouer the kinges of the earth, but onelyonly the City of Rome, and that since the vsurpation of that Sea hath growne to her full strength? And is it not read, that the olde and auncient writers vnderstand, Peters former Epistle to be writtē at Rome, and it to be called of him in the same Epistle in playne termes, Babilon? by the abhominations therof, I vnderstand all the whole trade of the Romish religion, vnderunder the name and title of Christ which is contrary to the onelyonly rule of all true religion, that is Gods worde. What worde of God hath that Deuillish drabbe, for the maintenaunce of her manifolde abhominations, and to set to sell such marchaundise, wher with (alas the madnesse of man) the wicked Harlot hath bewitched almost the whole wold? Did not Peter the very true Apostle of Christ, of whom this stincking Strumpet beareth her selfe so highe, but falselye and without all iust cause) did not he, I say, geue all the world warning of her pelfe and trash, of her false Doctours and Apostles (for this Whore and Beast will be called Dominus Apostolicus, who so euer say nay) after this maner in his latter Epistle? There was among the people in times past false Prophetes, 2. Peter. 2.as shall bee there amonge you in time to come false Teachers, which shall priuily bring in pestilent sectes, euen denying the Lord which hath bought them, and redemed them, procuring to themselues swift damnation, and many shall folow their damnable wayes, by whom the way of truth shall be rayled vponupon, & through couetousnesse by counterfait tales or sermons, they shal (sayth Peter) make marcdaundise vponupon you &c. And doeth not Iohn likewise in his Reuelation, after he hath reckoned vp a great rablement of this whores misticall marchaundise,The misticall marchaundise of the Babilonicall strumpet. at the last (as though he would knitte vp all in plaine wordes, without any miste at all, setting out the whoores marchaundise) reckon vp among the rest, and concludeth saying, Et animas hominū: that is to say, and the soules of mē to? Wherupō I pray you els rose this true prouerb in Latine: omnia Romae venalia: All thinges for money are sette to sale at Rome?All thinges at Rome for money. was not that a worthye commendation of Christes Uicare in earth that was written of our holy father, one of the Alexanders a Bishoppe of Rome, thus I weene in Latin.

Veneit Alexander cruces, altaria, Christum,

Vendere iure potest, emerat ille prius.

☞These two verses in latin, I hauehave read thus of one translated into English rime.

Alexander our holy father the Pope of Rome,

Verses agaynst Pope Alexāder.selleth for money both right and dome:

And all kind of holines the holy father doth not sticke,

to set to sell, ready money for to get.

And eke Christ himselfe he dare be bolde,

to chop and chaunge for siluer and gold:

And why should any thinke this to be sore,

For what doth he sell, but that he bought before?

I graunt these verses to be light gere, and the verse is but rude, but (alas) suche conditions were more wicked & leud then any wit could expresse. If these had bene but the faultes of one or a few in number, they had bene lesse pernicious, and might hauehave bene taken for personall crimes, not to be imputed vntounto that Sea: but now (alas) the matter is more then euident to all that hauehave godly vnderstanding, that these crimes be grounded vponupon lawes, be established by custome, and set forth by all kinde of wicked doctrine, falshood and craft, and therfore now are not to be estemed for any one mans or a few mens personall crimes, but are now by lawes, custome and doctrine incorporated into that wicked Sea, and maketh in deede the body of the Beast whereupon the abhominable whore doth sit.

But you would knowe which be those Marchaundise which I sayd this whore setteth forth to sell, for the whiche all her false Prophets with all theyr iuggelinges and crafty gloses cannot bring one iote of Gods worde. Surely, surely,Abominations, and wicked abuses of the Sea of Rome declared. they be not onelyonly all these abhominatiōs which are come into the Church of Englande alreadye (whereof I hauehave spoken somewhat before) but also an innumerable rablement of abhominations and wicked abuses whyche now must nedes folow: as popish pardons, pilgrimages, romishe purgatory, romish masses, Placebo & Derige, with trentals and Scala coeli, dispensations and immunities frō all godly discipline lawes and good order, pluralities, vnions, and tot quottes, with a thousande moe. Nowe shall come in the flattering friers, and the false pardoners and play theyr olde pranckes and knauery as they were wont to do. Now you shall hauehave (but of the Sea of Rome onelyonly, and that for mony) canonizing of such Sayntes as hauehave stand stout in the popes cause, shrining of reliques, & from any kinde of wickednes (if you will pay well for it) cleare absolution a poena & culpa, with thousandes of yeares, yea at eueryevery poore Bishops hand and suffragan, ye shall hauehave halowing of Churches, Chappels, aulters, superaulters, chalices, and of all the whole housholde stuffe and adornamēt which shalbe vsed in y^e church after the Romish guise, for all these thinges must be estemed of such high price, that they may not be done but by a consecrate bishop onelyonly. O Lorde, all these thinges are suche, as thy Apostles neuer knew. As for coniuring (they call it halowing, but it is cō iuring in deede) of water and salt, of christening of belles and such like thinges, what neede I to speake? for euerye priest that can but read, hath power (they say) not onelyonly to do that, but also hath suche power ouer Christes body, as to make both God and man once at the least eueryevery daye, of a wafer cake.

After the rehearsall of the said abhominations, and remembraunce of a number of many moe, which (the Lorde knoweth) irketh me to thinke vponupon, and were to longe to describe: when I consider on the other side y^e eternall word of God that abideth for euer, and the vndefiled law of the Lord which turneth the soule from all wickednes and geueth wisedome vntounto y^e innocent babes, I meane that milk that is without all guile, as Peter doth call it,The true word of God & the office of the same declared. that good word of God, that word of trueth whiche must be grauen within the hart and then is able to saue mens soules, that wholesome seede, not mortall but immortall of the eternal and euerliuing God, wherby the man is borne a new, and made the childe of God, that seed of God, wherby the man of God so being borne can not sinne, as Iohn sayeth (hee meaneth so long as that seede doth abide in him) that holy scripture which hath not bene deuised by the wit of man, but taught from heauen by the inspiratiō of the holy ghost which is profitable to teache, to reprooue, to correct, to instruct and geue order in all righteousnesse that the man of God may be whole & sound, ready to performe eueryevery good worke: when (I say) I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth vsus truely our bounden duety towardes our Lorde God in euerye poynt, what his blessed will and pleasure is, what his infinite great goodnes and mercy is, what he hath done for vsus, how he hath geuē hys owne onelyonly dearely beloued sonne to death for our saluation and by him hath sent vsus the Reuelation of his blessed will and pleasure, what his eternall word willeth vsus both to beleue and also to doe, and hath for the same purpose inspired the holy Apostles with the holy ghost & sent them abroad into all the world, and also made them & other disciples of Christ inspired by the same spirite, to write & leaue behinde them the same thinges that they taught (which as they did proceed of the spirit of trueth, so by the confession of all them that euer were endued with the spirite of God, were sufficient to the obteining of eternall saluation:) and likewise when I consider that al that man doth professe in his regeneration when he is receiued into the holy catholicke church of Christ, and is now to be accoūted for one of the liuely mēbers of Christes owne body, all that is groū ded vponupon Gods holy word, and standeth in the profession of that fayth, & obedience of those commaundements whiche are all conteined and comprised in Gods holy word: & furthermore when I consider whom our Sauiour Christ pronoūceth in his gospell to be blessed, and to whom Moses geueth his benedictiōs in the law, what wayes y^e law, the Prophets, the Psalmes, and all holy Scriptures both newe and olde doth declare to be the wayes of the Lorde, what is good for man to obteine and abide in Gods fauor, which is that fayth that iustifieth before God, and what is that charity that doth passe and excell all, whiche be y^e properties of heauenly wisedome, and whiche is that vndefiled religion, that is allowed of GOD, which thinges Christ himself called the weighty matters of the law, what thing is that which is onelyonly auayleable in Christ, & what knowledge is that, that Paule esteemed so much, that he counted himself onelyonly to know, what shall be y^e maner of y^e extreme iudgement of the latter day, who shall iudge & by what he shall iudge, & what shall be required at our handes at that fearefull day, howe all thinges must be tried by the fire, and that that onelyonly shal stand for euer which Christes wordes shall allow, which shalbe the iudge of all flesh to geue sentēce vponupon all flesh and eueryevery liuing soule either of eternall damnation or of euerlasting saluation, from which sentence there shall be no place to appeale, no witte shal serue to delude, nor no power to withstand or reuoke: when (I say) I consider all these thinges, and conferre to the same agayne and agayne, all those wayes wherein standeth the substaunce of the romishe religion (wherof I spake before) it may be euident and easy to perceaue, that these two wayes, these two religions, the one of Christ, y^e other of the Romishe sea, in these latter dayes, be as farre distaunt the one from the other, as light and darckenes, good and euill,Note here that these Scriptures were written by M. … in the Mar…e…t, but were not in the copy which we …llowed. righteousnes and vnrighteousnes, Christ and Beliall. He that is hard of beliefe, let him note and weigh well with himselfe the places of holy Scriptures, which be appoynted in the margent, wherupon this talk is grounded, & by Gods grace he may receyue some light. And vntounto the contemner I hauehave nothing now to say, but to rehearse the saying of the Prophet Esay, which Paule spake to the Iewes in the end of the Actes of the Apostles. After he hadde expounded vntounto them the trueth of Gods word, and declared vntounto them Chryst, out of the Lawe of Moses and the Prophetes, from morning to night all the day long, he sayd vntounto them that would not beleue: Well (sayd he) spake the holy Ghost vntounto our fathers, saying: go vntounto this people and tell them: ye shall heare with your eares, and not vnderstande, Act. …0.and seeing, you shall behold, and not see the thing, for the hart of this people is waxed grosse and dulle, and wyth their eares they are hard of hearing, and they hauehave shut together their eyes, that they shoulde not see, nor heare with theyr eares, nor vnderstand with their hartes, that they might returne, and I should heale them, sayth the Lord God.

All as Englande, alas y^t this heauy plague of GOD shoulde fall vponupon thee. Alas my dearely beloued country, what thing is it now that may doe thee good: Undoubtedly thy plague is so great, that it is vtterly vncurable, but by the bottomlesse mercy, and infinite power of almightye God. Alas my deare country, what hast thou done, that thus hast prouoked the wrath of God, and caused him to poure out his vengeaunce vppon thee, for thine owne desertes? Canst thou be content to heare thy faults told thee? Alas thou hast heard ofte, and wouldest neuer amende. England, thy faultes of all degrees and sortes of men, of Magistrates, of the ministers, and of the common people, were neuer more playnely tolde, since thou barest that name, then thou diddest heare them of late, euen before the Magistrates in king Edwardes dayes, but thou heardest them onelyonly, and diddest amend neuer a whitte. For euen of thy greatest Magistrates, some (the kinges highnesse then, that innocente, that godly harted & pereles young Christian Prince excepted) euermore vnkindely and vngently, agaynst those that went about most busely, and most wholesomely to cure their sore backes, spurned pryuely, and woulde not spare to speake euill of them, euen vntounto the Prince himselfe, and yet woulde they towardes the same preachers, outwardly beare a ioly countenance, and a fayre face.

I hauehave heard that Cranmer and an other, whome I will not name,Cranmer and Ridley … in the Duke o… S…mersets c…use. Cranmer repugning agaynst the spoyle of the Church goodes. were both in high displeasure, the one for shewing his conscience secretly, but playnly and fullye in the Duke of Somersettes cause, and bothe of late, but specially Cranmer for repugning, as they might against the late spoyle of the Churche goodes, taken away onelyonly by commaundement of the higher powers, wythout any lawe, or order of iustice, and without anye request of consent of them, to whome they did belong. As for Latimer, Leuer, Bradforde, and Knoxe, their tongues were so sharpe, they ripped in so deepe in theyr galled backes, to hauehave purged them (no doubte) of that filthy matter, that was festred in theyr hartes, of insaciable couetousnesse, of filthy carnalitie, and voluptuousnesse, of intollerable ambition and pride,Latimer. Bradford. Leuer. Knoxe. of vngodly lothsomnes, to heare poore mens causes, and to heare Gods word, that these men of all other, these Magistrates then could neuer abide. Other there were, very godly men, and well learned, that went aboute by the wholesome plasters of Gods worde, how be it after a more softe maner of handling the matter, but (alas) all sped in like. For all that could be done of all handes, theyr disease did not minishe, but dayly dyd encrease, which (no doubte) is no small occasion in that state, of the heauy plague of God, that is poured vppon Englande at thys daye. As for the common sorte of other inferiour Magistrates, as Iudges of the lawes, Iustices of peace, Sergeantes, common lawyers, it may be truely said of them, as of the most part of the Clergy, of Curates, Uicares, Parsones, Prebendaryes, Doctours of the law, Archdeacons, Deanes, yea, and I may say, of Byshoppes also,The corrupt … of … K. Edwardes tyme. I feare me, for the moste parte, although I doubte not but GOD had and hath euer, whome hee in eueryevery state knew, and knoweth to be hys, but for the most part (I say) they were neuer perswaded in theyr hartes, but from the teethe forwarde, and for the kinges sake, in the trueth of Gods word, and yet all these did dissemble, and bare a copy of a countenaunce, as if they hath bene sound within.

And this dissimulation Sathan knew well inoughe, and therefore desired, and hath euer gone about, that the highe Magistrates by anye manner of meanes, myght bee deceaued in matters of religion, for then hee beyng of councell with the dissimulation in the worldlye, knewe well enough that he should bring to passe, and rule al euen after his owne will.

Hipocrisie and dissimulation sainct Hierome doth call well a double wickednesse,Hipocrisie a double euill. for neyther it loueth the trueth (whiche is one great euill) and also falsely it pretendeth to deceiue the simple for an other thing. This hipocrisie and dissimulation w^t God in matters of Religion (no doubte) hath wholy also prouoked the anger of God. And as for the common people, although there were manye good, where they were well and dilligently taught, yet (God knoweth) a great number receaued Gods true word, and high benefites with vnthankfull harts. For it was great pity, and a lamentable thing to hauehave seene in many places the people so lothsomly, and so vnreligiouslye to come to the holy Communion, and to receaue it accordingly, and to the common prayers, and other Diuine seruice, which were according to the true vayne of Gods holye word, in all poyntes so godly, and wholesomely set foorth, in comparison of that blynde zeale, and vndiscreete deuotion, whiche they had afore tymes to those things, wherof they vnderstoode neuer one whi…, nor could be edified by them any thing at all.

And agayne, as for almes deedes, which are taughte in Gods word (whereby we are certain that God is pleased with them,The slackenes that was in that tyme to good workes. and dothe and will require suche at oure handes, whiche are a part of true religion, as Sayncte Iames sayth, and suche as he sayth himselfe, hee setteth more by, then by sacrifice, as to prouide for the fatherlesse infantes and orphanes, for the lame, aged, and impotent poore needye folke, and to make publicke prouision that the pouerty that might labour, shoulde hauehave wherwith to labour vppon, and so be kept from shameful beggerry & stealing in these works: I say how wayward wer many, in comparison (I meane) of that great prodigality whereby in times past they spared not to spend vponupon flattering Fryers, false Pardoners, painting and gilting of stockes and stones, to be set vp and honored in Churches, playnely agaynst Gods worde. And yet because no place is to be defrauded of theyr iust commendation, London, I must confesse, for such godly workes in sir Rich. Dobs knight, then Lorde Maior hys yeare, began maruelous well: the Lord graunt the same may so likewise perseuer continue, yea, and encrease to the comforte and reliefe of the needy and helpelesse, that was so godly begunne, Amen.

All these thinges doe minister matter of more mournyng, and bewayling the miserable state that nowe is:Gods pla… vponupon England iustly deserue… ▪ for by this it may be perceaued, how England hath deserued this iust plague of God. And also it is greatly to be feared that those good thinges, what soeuer they were that had theyr beginning in the tyme when Gods woorde was so freely preached, nowe with the exile and banishemente of the same, will depart agayne.

But to returne agayne to the consideration of thys miserable state of Christes Churche in Englande, and to leaue farther and more exquisite searchyng of the causes thereof, vntounto Gods secrete and vnsearchable iudgements let vsus see what is best now to be done for Chrystes little flocke. This is one maxime and principle in Chrystes law. He that denyeth Christ before men, hym shall Chryst deny afore hys father, and all hys Aungels of heauen. And therefore eueryevery one that looketh to hauehave by Chryst our sauiour euerlasting lyfe, let him prepare hymselfe so, that he deny not hys mayster Chryst or els he is but a cast away, and a wretche, how soeuer he be counted, or taken here in the world.

Now then seing the doctrine of Antichrist is returned agayne into this Realme,He exhortet… … constant confe… sion of Christ Punishment of heretiques … gentle in the olde tyme, and how it was vsed. and the higher powers (alas) are so deceaued, and bewitched, that they are perswaded it to be truthe, and Christes true doctrine to be error and heresie, and the olde lawes of Antichriste are allowed to returne with the power of theyr father agayne: what can be hereafter looked for by reason, to the man of God, and true christian abiding in this realme, but extreame vyolence of death, or els to denye his mayster. I graunt the hartes of Princes are in Gods handes, and whether soeeuer he will, he can make them to bowe: and also that christian princes in olde tyme, vsed a more gentle kinde of punishment, euen to them whiche were heretickes in deede as degradation, and deposition out of theyr roumes and offices, exile and vanishment out of theyr domynions and countryes, and also (as it is read) the true Bishoppes of Christes Church, were sometime intercessors for the heretickes vntounto Princes, that they would not kill them, as is read of S. Augustine. But as yet Antichristes kingdome was not so erected at that time, nor is nowe accustomed so to order them, that will not fall downe and worship y^e beast and his Image, but (euen as al the world knoweth) after the same maner that both Iohn & Daniell hath prophesied before, that is by violence of death: and Daniell declareth farther, that the kinde of death accustomablye should be by sword, fire, and imprisonment. Therefore if thou, O man of God, doest purpose to abide in this realm prepare and arme thy selfe to dye: for both by Antichristes accustomable lawes, and these prophecies, there is no appearaunce, or likelihood of any other thing, except y^u wilt deny thy mayster Christ, which is the losse at the last, both of body and soule vntounto euerlasting death. Therefore my good brother or sister in Christ, whatsoeuer thou bee, to thee that canst,Counsell geuen in these dayes of persecution, what to doe. and mayst so doe, that counsayle that I thinke is the best safegard for thee, both for thy body, and most suretie for thy soules healthe, is that whiche I shall shew thee hereafter. But first I warne thee to vnderstand me, to speake to hym or her, which be not in captiuitie, or called already for to confesse Christ, but are at libertye abroade.

My councell (I say) therefore is this, to flye from the plague, and to get the hence. I consider not onelyonly the subtleties of Sathan, and how hee is able to deceiue by hys false perswasions (if it were possible) euen the chosen of GOD, and also the great frayltie, whiche is oftentymes more in a man, then he doth know in himselfe, whiche in the tyme of temptation, then will vtter it selfe, I doe not onelyonly consider these thinges (I saye) but that our mayster Christ, whose life was, and is a perfecte rule of the Chrystian mans life, that hee himselfe auoyded oftentimes the furie, and madnes of the Iewes, by departing from the country or place.

Paule likewise, when hee was sought in Damasco, and the gates of the citty were layd in wayt for him, was conueighed by night, being let downe in a basket, out at a windowe ouer the wall: and Helias the Prophet fledde the persecution of wicked Iesabell: and Chryste our sauiour sayth in the Gospell:Such as remayned out of captiuitye counsayled to voyde the realme. When they persecute you in one citie, flie vntounto an other: and so did many good, great learned, & vertuous men of God, which were great and stout chā pions neuerthelesse, and stoute confessors, and mayntayners of Christ and his truth, in due time and place. Of suche was the great Clarke Athanasius. But this is so playn… to be lawfull by Gods worde, and examples of holy men, y^t I neede not to stand in it. Hauing this for my ground, I say to thee O man of God, this seemeth to me to be the most sure way for thy sauegard, to depart and fly farre from the plague, and that swiftly also: for truely: before God,The abominatiō of desolation, set vp in England. I thinke that the abhomination that Daniel Prophesied of so long before, is nowe set vpp in the holye place. For all Antichristes doctrine, lawes, rites and relygion, contrary to Christ, and to the true seruing and worshipping of God, I vnderstand to be that abhomination: Therfore now is the time in England, for those wordes of Christ, Tunc, inquit, qui in Iudea sunt fugiant ad montes. Thē (sayth he) marke this Christes [then] for truely I am perswaded, and I trust by the spirite of God, that this [then] is commaunded: Then (sayth Christ) they that be in Iewry, let them flye into the mountaynes, and he that is on the house top, let hym not come downe to take away any thing out of his house and he that is abroad in the fielde, let hym not retourne to take hys clothes. Woe be to the great bellied women, and to them that geue sucke, but pray (sayth Christ) that youre flight be not in Winter nor on the Sabboth day.

These wordes of Christe are misticall, and therefore hauehave neede of interpretation. I vnderstand all those to be in Iewry spiritually,Christ cōmaundeth to flye to the mountaynes. which truely confesse one true liuing God, and the whole truth of his word, after the doctryne of the Gospell of Christ. Such are they whom Christ here biddeth, in the time of the raigne of Antichristes abhomynations, to flye vntounto the mountaynes: whiche signifieth places of safegard, & all such thinges which are able to defēd from the plague. That he biddeth hym that is in the house top, not to come downe, and hym that is in the field, not to returne to take with hym his clothes, hee meaneth that they shoulde speede them to get them away betyme, leaste in theyr tarying, and trifling about worldly prouision, they be trapped in the snare ere euer they be aware, and caught by the backe, and for gain of small worldly things, endanger and cast themseues into great perilles of more waighty matters. And where he sayth: woe be to the great bellied woman, and to them that geue suck: women great with child and nigh to their lying downe, and to be brought to bed, are not able to trauell: nor also those women, whiche are brought to bed, and now geueth their babes suck. By these therefore Christ spiritually vnderstandeth all suche to be in extreame daunger, whiche this worde [woe] signifieth: all suche (I say) as are so letted by any maner of meanes, that they no wayes be able to …lye from the plague. And where Christ sayth, pray you that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the sabboth day, in winter the common course of the yeare teacheth vsus, that the wayes be foule, & therfore it is a hard thing, then to take a farre iourney for many incommodities, and daungers of the wayes in y^e tyme of the yeare: and on the Sabboth day it was not lawful to iourney, but a little way. Now Christ therefore meaning that wee should hauehave neede, both to speede oure iourney quickly, which cannot be done in Winter, for the incommodities of the wayes, and also to go farre, which cannot be done on the Sabboth day: he biddeth vsus therefore pray that our flight be not in winter, nor on the Sabboth day: that is, to pray that wee may flye in tyme, and also farre enough from the daunger of the plague. Now, the causes why we shoulde flye, followeth in the same place of saynct Mathewes Gospell, whiche I now passe ouer: thou maist read them there.

And in the xviii. chapter of the Reuelation, the angell is sayd to hauehave cryed mightely with a loud voyce:Apoc. 18. Flye my people out of Babilon, least you be infected with her faultes, & so be made partners of her plagues for her offences and sinnes are …rowne so great, that they swel and are come vntounto the heauens: …aynely the tyme doth approche, and the Lordes day is at hand. Heare (I beseeche you) also holy Paule, that bessed Apostle: He playnely forbiddeth vsus, ducere iugum cum incredulis, that is, to ioyne or couple our selues with the vnfaythfull, 2. Cor. 6.for what fellowship can there be (sayth hee) of righteousnes with vnrighteousnes, what companie hath lighte with darckenesse, or what agreement hath Christ with Beliall, or what part can the faythfull hauehave with the vnfaythfull, or how doth the temple of God agree with Images or Idols, for you are the temple of the liuing God: as God hath sayd, I will walke and dwell in them, I will be their God, and they shall be my people, wherefore depart from amongst them and get you from them (sayth y^e Lord) and touche no vncleane thing: and I will receaue you, & bee to you in the stead of youre father, and you shalbe vntounto me as my sonnes and daughters, sayth the almighty Lord.

This councell to depart the realme, I doe not maruel if it do seeme to diuers (euen of them I meane that beare fauour to Godward) diuersly.Counsell to depart the realme. Many (I trust) y^t bee learned shall thinke the councell good. Other there be peraduenture, that will thinke it rather a thinge to be more tollerable, and that it may be in deede by Gods worde lawfully done, rather then to bee counsayled to bee done, for they will peraduenture say, we shoulde counsell a man alwayes to doe that, whiche is best of all, and of moste perfection: but boldly in Christes cause to spend a mans lyfe, is best of all, and of moste perfection, and to flye it maye seeme to smell of cowardnes. In many thinges, that whiche is best for one at some tymes, is not best for all at all tymes, and it is not most perfection,Doubtes whether to flye or to tarry debated. nor meete for a childe to couet to run, before he can goe. I will not make here a discourse in this matter, what might here be obiected, and what might bee aunswered agayne: I leaue that to the wittie, and eloquent men of the world.

This is my minde, whiche I woulde thou shouldest know, O man of God, as I woulde wishe, and I do pray to almighty God it may be, that eueryevery true Christian, either brother or sister (after they be called, and brought into the wrestling place, to striue in Christes cause for the best game, that is, to confesse the truth of the Gospell, and of the Christian fayth, in hope of euerlasting life) shoulde not shrink, nor relent one inch, or giuegive back, what soeuer shal befall, but stande to theyr tackle and sticke by it euen vntounto death, as they wil Christ shall sticke by them at the latter day: so likewise I dare not wishe nor councell any, either brother or sister of theyr owne swinge, to starte vp into the stage, or to cast themselues eyther before, or farther in daunger then tyme and neede shall require: for vndoubtedly when God seeth hys tyme, and his pleasure is, that his glory shall be set forth, and his Churche edified by thy death and confession,Presumptuous prouocation & rash running into daunger forbidden. Euseb. Eccle. lib. 4. cap. 15. meanes shal be found by hys fatherly vniuersall prouidence, that thou without thyne owne presumptuous prouocation, shalt be lawfully called, to do thy feate, and to playe thy part. The miserable ende that one Quintus came vntounto, may be a warning, and a feareful example for all men, to beware of presumption, and rashnesse in suche thinges (as Eusebius writeth in Eccle. historia) for euermore.

But a thyrd sorte of men there be, whiche also wyll be counted fauourers of Gods worde, and are (I feare) in number farre moe, and worse to be perswaded to y^t which is y^• godly meane. I meane of such as wil peraduenture say or thinke, that my former councell, which was to slye the infection of the Antichristian doctrine, by departing out of the Realme, is more then needeth, and other waies and meanes may be found, both to abide, and also to be cleare out of daunger of the foresayde plague. If that coulde be found, both to abide, and also to be cleare out of daunger of the foresaid plague. If that could be found in deed truely agreable to Gods word, I woulde be as glad to heare it (God is my witnesse) as who is the other. Yes peraduenture will some say. Thus it may be. Thou mayst keep thy selfe,… thy fayth, and thy religion close to thy selfe, and inwardly and priuately worship God in spirite & trueth, and outwardly see thou be no open medler, nor talker, nor transgressour of common order: so mayst thou be suffered in the common wealth and yet vse thy religiō without offence of thy conscience. In other countryes somewhere this peraduenture might be vsed, but in Englande what shall be, God wot, but it was neuer yet, so farre as euer I hauehave knowne or heard. And also how can it be, but eyther thou must transgresse the common order, and the Romishe lawes and customes, whiche hauehave bene vsed in England, in the times past of Popery, and now (it is certayne) they retourne agayne: I say, thou mayst eyther be a breaker of these rites, lawes, and customes, and so bewraye thy selfe, or els if thou be in deede a man of GOD, thou shalt offend thy conscience, for in obseruing of them, thou shalt be compelled to breake Gods law, which is the rule of conscience to the man of God. For how canst thou resort eueryevery holy day to the Churche, and beare a face to worship the creature for the creatour, as thou must doe, & peraduenture confesse it too w^t thy mouth, and to sprinckle thy selfe with thy coniured water?

Thou must bee contributour also to the charges of all their popery, as of books of Antichristes seruice, of lights of the roode lofte, of the sepulchre, for settyng vp & paynting of Images (nay in deede of Idolles) and thou muste beare a face to worship them also, or els thou must be had by the backe. Thou must serue the turne, to geue the holye loues (as they call it) whiche is nothinge els but a verye mockery of the Lordes holy table. Thou must be a contributor to the charges of all the disgised apparell, that y^e popishe sacrificing Priest, like vntounto Aaron, must playe hys part in. Yea when the pardoner goeth about, or the flattering Fryer to begge for the mayntenaunce of superstition except thou doe as thy neighbours doe, looke not long to liue in rest. If anye of thy housholde dye, if thou wilt not pay money for ringing, and singing, for Requiem Masses, Dirige, and commendations, and such like trumpery of y^e Antichristian religion, thinkest thou that thou shalt bee reckened for a catholicke man, or for amicus Caesaris? A hū dred thinges moe may be reckened, and many of more weight, and of more euident superstition and Idolatrye, then some of these which I hauehave nowe rehearsed,… dwelling in …ngland … a good …, eyther with out daunger of consciēce o… perill of lyfe. whyche God knoweth be ill enough: but these are enoughe to declare, and to set before thyne eyes, the thing that I intend that is, if thou abyde and wilt dwell in Englande, thou must eyther doe these, and many other moe contrarye to Gods worde, whiche forbiddeth not onelyonly the thing whiche is euill, but also sayth: Ab omni specie mali abstinete vos, abstayne from all thinges that hauehave anye appearaunce of euill: or els if thou wilt not doe them, howe thou canst liue in England in rest safe from the stake, truly I cannot tell.

But peraduenture (as a man is readye to finde, and inuent some coloure to cloke hys conscience, to doe that thing that hys harte desireth) thou wilt say, though at any time I shalbe forced, to doe any of these thinges and suche like, yet will I hauehave no confidence in them, but outwardly with my body, I will keepe myne hart vntounto God, and will not doe that of mine owne minde willingly neyther but to auoyd an other inconuenience: I trust therfore god will holde me excused, for he shall hauehave my hart, what can I doe more?

O my frend, beware for Gods sake and know that the subtleties of Sathan are deepe. Hee that is not able by Gods word to perceiue them, is heauily laden. Pray therfore with Dauid: Lord let me not hauehave a mynde to inuente excuses for to cloke my sinne,I… …ent no excuses to c…o…e sinne. examine my deare frend, these thy wyly wayes with the worde of God, and if they do agree, thou maist vse them: if not, know, though they may seeme neuer so fine and goodly, yet in deede they be of Sathans broode. Gods worde is certayne, that forbiddeth to worship the creature for the creatour, for that is haynous Idolatry, and agaynst the first commaundemēt of God,Confession of …. and it is also agaynst the seconde commandement of the first table to bow downe, or to doe worship vntounto any Images of God, or of anye other thinge: And Gods word, requireth not onelyonly the beliefe of the hart, but also y^e confession of the mouthe: and to beare part of the charges, to the mayntenance of thinges vngodly, what is that,must goe with belief of … ▪ but in thy so doing, a consent to the thing done? Now consensenters and the doers, Gods worde accounteth to be gilty bothe. And it is not lawfull by S. Paules doctrine whiche was inspired hym by the spirite of God, to do ill that thereof the thing, which is good may come.

Thy hart (thou sayst) GOD shall hauehave, and yet wilt suffer thy body to doe the thinge that God dothe abhorre. Beware O man, take heede what thou sayest. Man may be deceaued, but no man may deceiue God, for he is called and is truely foreign, that is to saye, the searcher of the hart. Now, to geue God thy heart, is to geue hym thy whole heart, to louelove him, to dread him, and to trust in him aboue all other thinges. He that hath my commaundementes (sayth Christ) and obserueth and keepeth them, it is he that loueth me: and to dread God aboue all other, is rather willingly to incurre the daunger and perill of all fearful thinges, then wittingly to doe that thing which is contrarye to his blessed will and commaundement: and to truste in hym aboue all thinges, is assuredly to trust to his promise of his reward, and of his tuition, and of hys goodnes and mercy,To trust in God what it is. and to preferre that aboue all thinges in the world seeme they neuer so strong, so wise, or so good. Now, how canst thou say truely, that God hathe thy heart after thys maner of sorte (which is to hauehave thy heart in deede) when thy deedes do declare farre an other thing? Thy bodye, O man is Gods, and all the partes therof, euen as thy soule is: hee made them both, and Christe with hys bloude redeemed them both, and is Lord of both, for he hath bought them both dearely, and darest thou suffer any parte of eyther of them to do seruice to Sathan? Surely in so doyng, thou committest sacriledge and doest robbe God, thou defilest the liuely temple of the liuing God if thou suffer thy body to doe Sathan seruice. Do you not know (sayth saynct Paule) that your body is a liuely temple of God? 1. Corin 3▪ 2. Cor. 6.And may a man then take and vse any part thereof but in the seruice of God? No surely, it is not lawfull so to do for the man of God, neyther with hand, tongue, nor foote, nor any parte of the whole body.

Doth not Paule commaund to the Romaynes,Rom. …. which pertayneth to eueryevery christian soule: As you hauehave in times past (sayth he) geuen your members to doe seruice vntounto vncleannes and wickednes, from one wickednes to an other: so nowe geue youre members to doe seruice vntounto righteousnes, that you may be sanctified. And I pray thee good brother, what doest thou thinke is to beare the marke of the beast in the forehead, and in the hand that saynct Iohn speaketh of? I knowe wee ought warely to speake of Gods misteryes whiche he shewed by the spirite of prophesying to his seruaunt Iohn, yet to red them with reuerence, and to praye for the same so muche as God knoweth is necessarye for oure tyme to knowe, I thynke it necessarye and good.To beare the beastes marke… what it is. Apoc. 13.14.10. Wherefore, what I suppose is to beare the Beasts marke, I will tell thee, and committe the iudgement of mine interpretation, as in all other thinges, to the spirituall man. I suppose he beareth the Beast of Babilons marke in hys forehead, whiche is not ashamed of the Beastes wayes, but will professe them openly to set foorth his mayster the beast Abaddon. And likewise he beareth his marke in hys hand, that wil, and doth practise the workes of the beast w^t hys power & hand. And likewise I wil not let to tel thee, what I thinke to be signed in the forehead for the seruaunt of God, whereof Iohn also speaketh, reckoning vp many thousands so to hauehave bene signed of eueryevery tribe, I suppose he is signed in the forehead, for the seruaunte of God whome GOD hath appoynted of his infinite goodnes, and hath geuen him grace and strength, stoughtly to confesse hym, & his truth before the worlde. And to hauehave grace and strength to confesse Christe, and the doctrine of the crosse, and to lament and mourne for the abhominations of Antichrist, I suppose is to be signed w^t Tau, whereof Ezechiell the Prophet doth speake. Thus I suppose these Prophesies are spiritually to be vnderstanded: and to looke for other corporall markes, to be seene in mennes foreheads, or in their handes, is nothing els but to looke that there shoulde come some brute beast out of Babilon, or some Elephant, Leopard, Lyon, or Camell, or some other such monstrous Beast with x. hornes, that should do all the wonderfull thinges spoken in Iohn: and yet of a Beast speaketh Iohn, but I vnderstand hym so to be called, not for that he shall be anye suche brute Beast, but for that he is, and shall bee the chylde of perdition,The literall taking of the Scripture▪ … the Iewes …. whiche for hys crueltie and beastlye manners, is well called a Beast.

The carnall Iewes knew there was a promise made, that Helias should come before Christe the Messias, the annoynted of God, to prepare hys wayes: they knew also there was a promise of Messias, that he shoulde come, and be a king, and raygne in the house of Dauid for euermore, but they vnderstoode al so grossely, and so carnally, that they neyther knewe Helias, nor Messias when they came, for they looked for Helias to come down from heauen in his own person, and for Messias to come & raigne in worldly pompe, power, riches and glorye, when as the prophesies of both wer spiritually to hauehave bene vnderstā ded: of Helias that he shoulde come not in persone, but in spirite, that is, one whiche shoulde be indued with the spirite, and giftes of grace of Helias, whiche was in deede Iohn Baptist, as Christ hymselfe did declare to his Apostles. And of Messias raygne, all the Prophetes were to be vnderstanded of the raygne of hys spirituall kingdome ouer the house of Iacob, and the true Israelites for euermore. And so by that their grosse, and carnall vnderstandyng, they mistooke both Helias, and the true Messias, and when they came, knew neither of them both. So likewise I feare me (nay it is certayne) the world that wanteth the light of the spirite of God (for the worlde is not able to receaue hym,The Popes marked men. sayth Iohn) neither dothe, nor shall know the beast, nor his markes, though he rage cruellye and liue neuer so beastly, and though his marked men be in number like y^e sand of the sea. The Lord therfore vouchsafe to open the eyes of the blinde, with the light of grace, that they may see and perceaue, and vnderstād the words of God, after the minde of his spirite, Amen.

Here remayneth two obiections, whiche may seeme wayghty, and the whiche may peraduenture moue many not to follow the former councel. The former reason is, A man will say, O sir it is no small matter ye speake of, to depart from a mans owne natiue countrey, into a strange realme.Carnall obiections aunswered. Many men hauehave so great lettes, as how it is possible that they can, or may do so? Some hauehave landes & possessions, whiche they cannot carry with them: some hauehave father, mother, wife, children, and kinsfolke, from whome to depart is as hard a thing (and all one almost) as to suffer death, and to go to a straunge country, that thou knowest not, neyther the maner of the people, nor how thou mayst away either with the people, or with y^e country. Or what a hard thing it is to liue amonge a straunge people, whose tongue thou doest not vnderstand. &c.

I graunt here thou mayst heape a number of worldly incommodities, which are surely very like to ensue the departure out of a mans owne natiue country, I meane out of the whole realme, into a straunge land: but what of all these, and a thousand moe of the lyke sorte? I will sette vntounto them one saying of our sauiour Christ, whiche vntounto the faythfull childe of God, and to the true christian, is able to counteruayle all these, yea and to way them downe. Christe oure sauioure sayth in Luke: If any come to me, and do not hate hys father and mother (hee meaneth, and wyll not in his cause forsake his father and mother) hys wyfe, children and brethren, yea and hys lyfe too, hee cannot bee my disciple: and whosoeuer doth not beare hys crosse and come after me, he cannot be my disciple. And in the same place he declareth by the two parables, one of a builder, and the other of a king that is a warriour, that eueryevery man that wil not in Christes cause, forsake all that euer he hath, hee can not be his Disciple. Look the places who will: the matter is so playnely set forth, that no gloses, nor cloking of conscience to the manne of God, can serue to the contrarye. Many places there be for the same purpose, for the imbrasing of Christes crosse, when Christ and his cause layeth it vponupon our backe: but this is so playne that I neede here to rehearse no more.

This latter reason and obiection whereof I spake before, is of more force, and includeth a necessitie, which after the common saying,An other worldly obiection aunswered. hath no lawe, and therefore it is more hard to shape for it a good aunswere. This may bee obiected of some: alas sir I graunt al these thinges do greue me and because I vnderstand they doe not agree with Gods worde, whiche is the rule of my conscience, I loth eyther to looke on them, or to heare them. But sir (alas) I am an impotent man, an aged man, a sicke man, a lame man, or I hauehave so many small infantes and a lame wife, which all liueth by my labour, and by my prouision: if I leaue them they shall sterue, and I am not able to cary them with me, suche is my state. Alas sir, what shal I do? And these causes may chaunce to some men of God, whereby eyther it shalbe for them vtterly impossible to departe the country or els in departing, they shalbe inforced to forsake suche in extreme necessities, of whom both God and nature hathe committed vntounto them the care.

Alas what councel is here to be geuen? O lamentable state. O sorrowfull hart that neyther can depart, and with out extreame daunger and perill, is not able to tarye still. And these are they whom our Sauiour Christe sawe before should be, and called them in his prophesie of the latter time, great bellyed or trauelling women, and women that geue after they bee brought to bed, their small babes suck. The state of such are not able to flye the infection of y^e pestiferous plague of Antichristes abhominations, Christ lamenting, and not cursing, sayth: Wo be to the great bellyed and trauelling woman, and women that geue sucke in those dayes. For these alas my hart mourneth the more, the lesse I am able to geue any comfortable councell: but this: that alwayes, as they looke for euerlasting lyfe, they abide still in the confession of his truth, what soeuer shall befall, and for the rest to put theyr trust now wholly in God, whiche is able to saue them agaynst al apparance, and commonly in extremities, when all worldly comfort fayleth,A lesson … trust to the Lord, who is alwayes a helpe in extremitye of neede. and the danger is at highest, thē vntounto his he is wont, after his accustomed mercy, to be most ready for to put his helping hand. Daniel, God suffered to be caste into the Denne of Lyons, and the three children into the hote burning furnace, and yet he saued them all. Paule was plucked out of the mouthe of the Lyon (as he sayth of hymselfe) and in Asia he was brought in suche trouble, that he looked for no other thing, but for present death, and yet hee that rayseth the dead to lyfe agayne, did bring him out of all hys troubles, & taught him & all other that be in troubles for christes cause, not to trust to thēselues, but in almighty God.

Of Gods gracious ayde in extreeme perilles toward them that put theyr truste in hym, all Scripture is full bothe olde and new. What daungers were y^e Patriarcks ofte… brought vntounto, as Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, but of all other Ioseph, and how mercifully were they deliuered agayne?Examples of Gods ready helpe in extreme perils. In what perilles was Moises when he was fayne to flye for the sauegard of hys life? And when was he sent agayne to deliuer the Israelites from the seruyle bondage? Not before they were brought into extreme misery. And when did the Lorde mightely deliuer his people from Pharao hys sword? Not before they were broughte into such straightes, that they were so compassed on eueryevery side (the mayne sea on the one side, and the maine hoste on y^e other) that they could looke for none other (yea what did they els in deede looke for?) but eyther to hauehave bene drowned in the sea or els to hauehave fallen on y^e edge of Pharao his sword. These iudges whiche wrought most wonderfull thinges in the deliuerye of the people, were euer geuen when the people was brought to most misery before as Othoniel, Aioth, Saugar, Gedeon, Iephthe, Samson. And so was Saull indued with strength and boldnes frō aboue, agaynst the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalechites for the defence of y^e people of God. Dauid lykewise felt Gods helpe most sensibly euer in his extreme persecutions. What shall I speake of the Prophetes of GOD, whome God suffered so oft to be broughte into extreame perilles, and so mightely deliuered them agayne: as Hel… as, Ieremy, Daniell, Micheas, and Ionas, and many other, whome it were but to long to rehearse and set out at large? And did the Lord vse his seruauntes otherwise in y^e new lawe after Christes incarnation? Read the Actes of the Apostles, and you shall see no. Were not the Apostles cast into Prison, and brought out by the mightye hande of God? Dyd not the Aungell deliuer Peter out of the strōg prison, and bryng hym out by the yron gates of the Cittie and set hym free? And when, I pray you? Euen the same night before Herod appoynted to hauehave broughte him to iudgement for to hauehave slayne hym, as he had a little before killed Iames the brother of Iohn. Paule and Silas, whē after they had bene sore scourged, and wer put into the inner prison, and there were layde fast in the stockes, I pray you what appearaunce was there that the Magistrates should be glad to come the next daye themselues to them, to desire them to be content and to depart in peace. Who prouided for Paule, that hee shoulde bee safely conducted out of all daunger, and brought to Felix the Emperoures Deputie, when as both the hygh Priestes, the Phariseis, and rulers of the Iewes had conspired to require iudgement of death agaynst hym, he being fast in prison, and also more then xl. men had sworne eche one to an other,Examples of gods deliuerance. Actes. 23. that they would neuer eate nor drynke vntill they hadde slayne Paule? A thing wonderfull, that no reason could hauehave inuēted, or man could hauehave looked for: God prouided Paule hys owne sisters sonne a younge man, that disapoynted that conspiracie, and all theyr former coniuration. The maner how the thing came to passe, thou mayst read in the xxiii. of the Actes. I will not be tedious vntounto thee here with the rehearsall thereof.

Nowe, to descend from the Apostles to the Martyrs that followed next in Christes Churche, and in them likewise to declare how gracious oure good God euer hathe bene to worke wonderfully with them which in his cause hauehave bene in extreme perilles, it were matter enoughe to write a longe booke. I will here name but one manne and one woman, that is, Athanasius the greate clarke and godly man stoutely standing in Christes cause against the Arrians, and that holy woman Blandina, standinge so constantly in all extreme paynes, in the simple confession of Christe. If thou wilt hauehave examples of moe, looke and thou shalt hauehave both these and a C. moe in Ecclesiastica historia of Eusebius, and in Tripartita historia.

But for al these examples both of holy scripture, and of other historyes, I feare me the weake man of God incombred with the fraylty and infirmitie of the fleshe, wil hauehave now and then such thoughtes and quawmes (as they call them) to run ouer hys hart, and to thinke thus: All these thinges which are rehearsed out of the scripture, I beleue to be true, and of the rest truely I do thinke well, & can beleue thē also to be true: but all these we must needes graūt were speciall miracles of God, which nowe in our dayes are ceased we see, and to require them at Gods handes, were it not to tempt God.

Welbeloued brother, I graunt such were great wonderfull workes of God,… and wee hauehave not seene many of such myracles in our tyme, eyther for that our sight is not cleare (for truely God worketh with hys, his parte in all tymes) or els because we hauehave not the lyke faythe of them for whose cause God wrought suche thinges, or because, after y^t he had set forth the truth of his doctrine by such miracles then sufficiently, the time of so many myracles to bee done was expired withall. Which of these is the most speciall cause of all other, or whether there be any other, God knoweth: I leaue that to God. But knowe thou this my welbeloued in God, that Gods hand is as strong as euer it was, he may do what his gracious pleasure is, & hee is as good and gracious as euer he was. Man changeth as the garment doth, but God our heauenly father is euen the same now that he was, and shalbe for euermore.

The world without doubt (this I do beleue, and therfore I say) draweth towardes an end, and in al ages God hath had hys owne maner, after hys secrete and vnsearchable wisedome, to vse hys electe, sometimes to delyuer them and to keepe them safe, and sometymes to suffer thē to drinke of Christes cuppe, that is, to feele the smart, and to feele of the whip. And though the fleshe smarteth at the one, and feeleth ease in the other, is gladde of the one, and sore vexed in the other: yet the Lorde is all one, towardes them in both, and loueth them no lesse when hee suffereth thē to be beaten, yea & to be put to bodily deathe, then when he worketh wonders for theyr marueilous deliuery. Nay rather he doth more for them, whē in anguish of y^e torments he standeth by them & strengthneth them in theyr fayth, to suffer in y^e confession of the truth & his fayth, the bitter panges of death, then when he openeth y^e prison dore and letteth them go lose:… for here hee doth but respite thē to an other time, & leaueth thē in daunger to fall in like perill again: & there he maketh them perfite, to be without danger, paine, or perill after y^t for euermore. But this hys louelove towards thē, howsoeuer the worlde doth iudge of it, is al one, both when he deliuereth & when he suffereth thē to be put to death. He loued as well Peter and Paul, whē after they had (according to hys blessed will, pleasure and prouidence, finished their courses, and done theyr seruices appoynted them by hym here in preaching of his Gospel) the one was beheaded, and the other was hanged or crucified of the cruell tyraunt Nero (as the Ecclesiasticall hystory sayth) as when hee sent the Aungell to bringe Peter out of prison, and for Paules deliuery he made all y^e dores of the prison to flye wide open, and the foundation of the same like an earthquake to tremble and shake.

Thinkest thou (O thou man of God) that Chryst our sauiour had lesse affection to the first martyr Stephen, because he suffered his enemies euen at the first conflicte to stone him to death? No surely, nor Iames Iohns brother which was one of the three that Paule calleth Primates or Principals amongst the Apostles of Christ. Hee loued him neuer a whit the worse thē he did the other, although he suffered Herode the tyrauntes sword to cut of his head. Nay, doth not Danyell say speaking of the cruelty of Antichristes time:… 11. Et docti in populo docebunt plurimos, & ruent in gladio & in flamma, & in captiuitate, & rapina dierum. &c. Et de eruditis ruent vt conflentur & eligantur, & dealbentur. &c. That is, and the learned (hee meaneth truely learned in Gods lawe) shall teache many, and shall fall vppon the sworde, and in the flame, (that is, shall bee burned in the flaming fire) and in captiuitie (that is, shall bee in prison, and be spoyled and robbed of theyr goodes for a longe season.D…n Ibid.) And after a little in the same place of Daniell it followeth: and of the learned there be, whiche shall fall or be ouerthrowne, that they may be knowne, tryed, chosen, & made white: he meaneth, be burnished & scoured a new, picked and chosen, and made fresh and lustye. If that then was foreseene for to be done to the godly learned, and for so gracious causes, let eueryevery one to whom any such thing by the will of God doth chaunce, be mery in God, and reioyce, for it is to Gods glory, and to his owne euerlasting wealth. Wherefore well is he that euer he was borne, for whom thus graciously God hath prouided, hauing grace of God, and strength of the holy Ghost so stand steadfastly in the height of the storme. Happy is he that euer hee was borne, whome God his heauenly Father hath vouchsafed to appoynt to glorifie him, and to edifie hys Churche by the effusion of hys bloud.

To dye in Christes cause is an high honour, to y^t whiche no man certaynly shall or can aspire, but to whō God vouchsafeth that dignitie:Martyrdome an high honour. For no man is allowed to presume for to take vntounto hym selfe any office of honour, but he which is thereunto called of God. Therfore Ioh. saith well speaking of them, which hauehave obtayned the victorye by the bloud of the Lambe, and by the worde of hys testimony, that they loued not theyr liues, euen vntounto death. And our sauiour Christ sayth: He that shall lose his life for my cause shall finde it.Apocalip. 11▪ And this manner of speach pertayneth not to one kinde of Christians, (as the worldly dothe wickedly dreame) but all that doe truelye pertayne vntounto Christ. For when Christe had called vntounto hym the multytude together with hys Disciples, he said vntounto thē (mark that he sayde not this to the Disciples and Apostles onelyonly, but he sayd it to al) who soeuer wil follow me, let him forsake or deny hymselfe, and take vp his crosse and followe me: for who soeuer will saue his lyfe, shall lose it (he meaneth who soeuer will, to saue hys life, both forsake or leaue hym and his truth) and whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my cause, and the Gospels sake, shall saue it: For what shall it profite man if he shall winne the whole world and lose his owne soule? hys owne lyfe? or what shall a manne geue to recompence that losse of his owne lyfe, and of hys own soule:Math. 16. Who soeuer shalbe ashamed of me & my words (that is to confesse me and my Gospell) before this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of hys Father,Marke. 8. with the holy Aungels. Know thou O man of God, that all thinges are ordayned for thy behoufe, and to the furtheraunce of thee, towardes thy saluation. All thinges (saith Paule) worketh with the good to goodnes, euen the enemies of God, & such kind of punishmentes whereby they goe about to destroy them, shall be forced by Gods power might, & fatherly prouidence, for to do them seruice.

It is not as the wicked thinketh, that pouerty, aduersitie, sickenes, tribulation, yea paynfull death of the godly be tokens that God doth not louelove them: but euen cleane the contrary, as all the whole course of scripture doth euidently declare, for then he would neuer hauehave suffered hys most dearly beloued the Patriarkes to hauehave had such troubles, his Prophetes, his Apostles, his martyrs and chiefe Champions and mayntayners of hys truth and Gospell, so cruelly of the wicked to hauehave bene murdered and slayn. Of the which some were racked (as the Apostle sayth) and woulde not be deliuered,Heb. 1… ▪ that they might receaue a better resurrection. Some were tryed by mockinges & scourginges, yea moreouer by bondes and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were hewen and cut a sunder, they were tempted, they were slayne with the sword, they wandered vp and down in sheepes skinnes and Gotes skinnes, beyng forsaken, afflicted and tormented: such men as y^e world was not worthy to hauehave, wādring in wildernes, in moū taynes, in Dennes and Caues of the earth. All these were approued by the testimony of fayth, and receaued not the promise, because God did prouide better for vsus, that without vsus they should not be consummated. They tary nowe for vsus vndoubtedly, longing for the day: but they are commaunded to hauehave pacience yet (saith the Lord a litle while, vntill the number of theyr fellow seruauntes bee fulfilled, and of theyr brethren whiche are yet to be slayne, as they were.

Now (thou O man of God) for our Lordes sake, let vsus not for the louelove of thys lyfe, tary then to long, and bee occasion of delay of that glorious consummation, in hope and expectation wherof the departed in the Lord, and the whiche also the liuing endued with Gods spirite, ought so earnestly to desire and to grone for with al the creatures of God. Let vsus all with Iohn the seruaunt of God, cry in our harts vntounto our sauiour Christ: Veni Domine Iesu, come Lorde Iesu come. For then when Christ which is our life,Apoc. 2…. shall be made manifest and appeare in glorye, then shall the Children of God appeare what they be, euen like vntounto Christ: for this oure weake body shall bee transfigured and made like vntounto Christes glorious body, and that by y^e power wherby he is able to subdue vntounto himselfe al thinges. Then, that which is now corruptible, shall be made incorruptible: that nowe is vile, shall then bee made glorious, that is now weake, shal rise then mighty and strong that is grosse and carnall shall be made fine and spirituall for then we shal see and hauehave the vnspeakable ioy and fru…tion of the glorious maiestie of our Lord euen as he is.

Who or what then shall let vsus to ieoparde, to ieopard? yea, to spende this lyfe whiche wee hauehave here, in Christes cause? in our Lorde God his cause? O thou therefore man of God, thou y^• art loden, & so letted like vntounto a great bellied woman, that thou canst not flie the plague, yet if thou lust after suche things as I hauehave spoken of, stand fast what soeuer shall befall, in thy maysters cause: and take this thy letting to flye,… without Gods …oresight. for a calling of God to fight in thy mayster Christ his cause. Of this be thou certaine, they can do nothing vntounto thee, whiche thy father is not aware of, or hath not foreseene before: they can do no more thē it shal please hym to suffer them to do for the furtheraunce of his glory edifying of his Church, and thine owne saluation. Let thē then do what they shall, seeing to thee (O man of God) all thinges shall be forced to serue, and to worke with thee vntounto the best before God. O be not afrayd and remember the end.

All this whiche I hauehave spoken for the comforte of the lamentable case of the man whome Christ callethe greate bellied woman, I meane to bee spoken of likewyse to the captiue and prisoner in Gods cause: for suche I counte to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight vnderunder the banner of the crosse of Chryste, and as it were souldiours allowed and taken vp for the Lordes warres, to do their Lorde and mayster good and honourable seruice, and to sticke to him, as men of trusty seruice in hys cause, euen vntounto death, and to thinke their lyfe lost in his cause, is to win it in eternal glory for euermore.

Therfore, now to conclude and to make an end of thys treatise, I say vntounto all that louelove God our heauenly father that louelove Christ Iesus our redeemer and sauioure: y^t louelove to follow the wayes of the holy Ghost whiche is our comforter and sanctifier of all: vntounto al that louelove Christs spouse and bodye, the true catholicke Churche of Christe, yea that louelove lyfe and theyr owne soules health: I say vntounto al these hearken my deare breathren and sisters, all you that be of God, of all sortes, ages, dignities, or degrees: hearken to the word of our sauiour Iesus Christ spoken to his Apostles, and meant to all his in S. Mathewes Gospel: Feare not them whiche kill the body, for they cannot kil y^e soule: but feare hym more which may destroy and cast both body and soule into hell fire, Are not two small sparrowes sold for a mite, and one of them shall not fall or light vponupon the ground without your father? All the heares of your head be numbed.Math. 10. Feare them not, you are muche more worthe then are the litle sparrowes▪ EueryEvery one that confesseth me before men, him shal I likewise confesse before my Father which is in heauen. But who soeuer shall deny me before men, I shall deny him likewise before my father which is in heauen.

The Lord graunt vsus therfore of his heauenlye grace and strengthe, that here wee maye so confesse him in thys world amongst this adulterous and sinneful generation, that he may confesse vsus agayne at the latter day before hys father whiche is in heauē, to his glory and our euerlasting comfort, ioy and saluation.

To our heauenly Father, to our sauiour and redemer Iesus Christ, and to the holy Ghost, be all glory and honour now and for euer. Amen.

Thus with the deathe and martyrdome of these two learned Pastorsr and constant souldiours of Christ, mayster Latimer, and B. Ridley, you hauehave dyuers of theyr letters and other writinges of theirs expressed, with y^e Farewels also of B. Ridley, wherein he tooke hys leaue of the world, taking hys iourny to the kingdome of heauen. Diuers and sondry other treatises of his remayne also in my hand both in Latine and English, to be remembred, by y^e leaue of the Lorde in time and place conuenient.

Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 14 · Letter 4