Ridley. Christ, who is the most loving spouse of his espouse the Church, who also gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it unto himself, did give unto it abundantly all things which are necessary to salvation. But yet so, that the Church should declare itself obedient unto him in all things, and keep itself within the bounds, of his commandments, and further, not to seek any thing which he teacheth not as necessary unto salvation. Now further, for determination of all controversies in Christ's religion, Christ himself hath left unto the church not only Moses and the prophets, whom he willeth his church in all doubts to go unto, and ask counsel but also the Gospels, and the rest of the body of the New Testament, in the which whatsoever is heard of Moses and the prophets, and whatsoever is necessary to be known unto salvation, is revealed and opened. So that now we have no need to say, Who shall climb up into heaven, or who shall go down into the depth, to tell us what is needful to be done? Christ hath done both, and hath commended unto us the word of faith, which also is abundantly declared unto us in his word written. so that hereafter, if we walk earnestly in this way, to the searching out of the truth, it is not to be doubted, but through the certain benefit of Christ's Spirit. which he hath promised unto his, we may find it, and obtain everlasting life. Should men ask counsel of the dead for the living, saith Isaiah, then let them go, rather to the law, and to the testimony, etc. Christ sendeth them that be desirous to know the truth, unto the Scriptures, saying, Search the Scriptures, I remember a thing, a like thing well spoken of Jerome. Ignorance of the Scriptures is the mother and cause of all errors. And in another place, as I remember, in the same author, the knowledge of the Scriptures is the food of everlasting life. But now, methinketh I enter into a very broad sea, in that I begin to show, either out of the Scriptures themselves, or out of the ancient writers, how much the Holy Scripture is a force to teach the truth of religion, of our religion. But this is that I am now about, that Christ would have the Church, His spouse, in all doubts, to ask counsel. at the word of his father written, and faithfully left, and commended unto it, in both testaments, the old and new. Neither do we read, that Christ in any place hath laid so great a burden upon the members of his spouse, that he hath commanded them to go to the universal church. Whatsoever things are written, saith Paul, are written for our learning. And it is true that Christ gave unto his church some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, to the edifying of the saints, till we come all to the unity of the faith, etc., but that all men should meet together out of all parts of the world, to determine of the articles of our faith. I neither find it commanded of Christ, nor written in the word of God. Latimer. There is diversity betooks things pertaining to God or faith, and politic and civil matters. For in the first, we must stand only to the Scriptures, which are able to make us all perfect and instructed unto salvation, if they be well understood. And they offer themselves to be well understood only to them which have good wills, and give themselves to study and prayer. Neither are there any men less apt to understand them than the prudent and wise men of the world. But in the other, that is, in civil or politic matters, oftentimes the magistrates do tolerate a less evil, for avoiding of a greater, as they which have this saying often their mouths, better an inconvenience than a mischief. And it is the property of a wise man, saith one, to dissemble many things, and he that cannot dissemble cannot rule. In which sayings they berate themselves, that they do not earnestly weigh what is just, what is not. Wherefore, forasmuch as man's laws, if it be but in this respect only, that they are devised by men, are not able to bring any thing to perfection, but are enforced of necessity to suffer many things out of square, and are compelled sometimes to wink at the worst things, seeing they know not how to maintain the common peace and quiet otherwise, they do ordain, that the more part shall take place. You know what these kinds of speeches mean. I speak after the manner of men. You walk after the manner of men. All men are liars, and that of St. Augustine. If ye live after man's reason, ye do not live after the will of God. Antonian. If ye say that councils have sometimes erred, or may err, how then should we believe that the Catholic Church? How then should we believe the Catholic Church? For the councils are gathered by the authority of the Catholic Church. Ridley. From may be to be indeed is no good argument, but from being to may be no man doubteth but it is a most sure argument. But now that councils have some time erred, it is manifest. How many councils were there in the east part of the world, which condemned the Nicene Council? And all those which would not forsake the same, they called by a slanderous name, as they thought Homousians, were not Athanasius, Chrysostom, Cyril, Eustathius, men very well learned, and of godly life, banished and condemned as famous heretics, and that by wicked councils? How many things are there in the canons and constitutions of the councils, which the papists themselves do much dislike? But here, peradventure, one man will say unto me, We will grant you this in provincial councils, or councils of some one nation, that they may sometimes err, forasmuch as they do not represent the universal Church. But it is not to be believed, that the general and full councils have erred at any time, Here, if I had my books of the councils, or rather such notes as I have gathered out of those books, I could bring something which would serve for this purpose. But now, seeing I have them not, I will recite one place only out of St. Augustine, which, in my judgment, may suffice in the matter instead of many. Who knoweth not, saith he, that the Holy Scripture is so set before us that it is not lawful to doubt of it, and that the letters of bishops may be reproved by other men's words, and by councils, and that the councils themselves, which are gathered by provinces and countries, do give place to the authority of the general and full councils, and that the former and general councils are amended by the latter, when by some experience of things, either that which was shut up is opened, or that which was hid is known. Thus much out of Augustine, but I will plead with our Antonian upon matter confessed, here with us. when papistry reigned, I pray you, how doth that book, which was called the Bishop's Book, made in the time of King Henry VIII. , whereof the Bishop of Winchester is thought to be either the first father or chief gatherer, how doth it, I say, sharply reprove the Florentine Council, in which was decreed the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, and that with the consent of the Emperor of Constantinople, and of the Grecians? so that in those days our learned ancient fathers and bishops of England did not stick to affirm that a general council might err. But methinketh I hear another man despising all that I have brought forth, and saying, This which you have called councils are not worthy to be called councils, but rather assemblies and conventions of heretics. I pray you, sir, why do you judge them worthy of so slanderous a name? Because, saith he, they decreed things heretical, contrary to true godliness and sound doctrine, and against the faith of Christian religion. The cause is weighty, for the which they ought of right so to be called. But if it be so, that all counsels ought to be despised, which decree any thing contrary to sound doctrine, and the true word, which is according to godliness, forasmuch as the mass, such as we had here of late, is openly against the word of God, forsooth it must follow of necessity, that all such councils, as have approved such masses, ought of right to be, fled and despised, and conventicles and assemblies of men that stray from the truth. Another man allegeth unto me the authority of the bishop of Rome. without which neither can call the council, saith he, belawfully gathered, neither being gathered, determine any thing concerning religion. But this objection is only grounded upon the ambitious and shameless maintenance of the Romish tyranny, and usurped dominion over the clergy, which tyranny we Englishmen long ago, by the consent of the whole realm, have expulsed and abjured, and how rightly we have done it, a little book set forth, de utrache protestate, that is, of both the powers, doth clearly show. I grant that the Romish ambition hath gone about to challenge itself, to itself, and to usurp such a privilege of old time, but the council of Carthage, in the year of our lord 457, did openly withstand it, and also the council at Milevis, in the which St. Augustine was present, did prohibit any appellations to be made to bishops beyond the sea. ANTONIAN. St. Augustine saith, The good men are not to be forsaken for the evil, but the evil are to be borne withal for the good. Ye will not say, I trow, that in our congregations all be evil. RIDLEY. I speak nothing of the goodness or evilness of your congregations, but I fight in Christ's quarrel against the mass, which doth utterly take away and overthrow the ordinance of Christ. Let that be taken quite away, and then the partition of the wall that made the strife shall be broken down. Now to the place of St. Augustine, for bearing with the evil for good sake. There ought to be added other words. which the same writer hath expressedly in other places, that is, if those evil men do cast abroad no seeds of false doctrine, nor lead others to destruction by their example. ANTONIAN. It is perilous to attempt any new thing in the church, which lacketh example of good men. How much more perilous is it to commit any act, unto the which the example of the prophets of Christ and of the apostles is contrary. But unto this your fact, in abstaining from the church by reason of the mass, the example of the prophets, of Christ, and of the apostles, is clean contrary, therefore, etc. The first part of the argument is evident, and the second part I prove thus. In the times of the prophets, of Christ, and his apostles, all things were most corrupt. The people were miserably given to superstition, the priests despised the law of God, And yet, notwithstanding, we read not that the prophets made any schisms or divisions, and Christ himself haunted the temple, and taught in the temple of the Jews. Peter and John went up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer. Paul, after the reading of the law, being desired to say something to the people, did not refuse to do it. Yea, further, no man can show that either the prophets or Christ and his apostles did refuse to pray together with others, or to sacrifice, or to be partakers of the sacrament of Moses' law. Ridley. I grant the former part of your argument, and to the second part I say, that although it contain many true things, as of the corrupt state in the times of the prophets of Christ, and the apostles, and of the temple being haunted of Christ and his apostles, yet notwithstanding, the second part of your argument is not sufficiently proved, for ye ought to have proved, that either the prophets, either Christ, or his apostles, did in the temple communicate with the people in any kind of worshipping which is forbidden by the law of God, or repugnant to the word of God. But that can nowhere be showed, and as for the church, I am not angry with it, and I never refuse to go to it, and to pray with the people, to hear the word of God, and to do all other things whatsoever may agree with the word of God. St. Augustine, speaking of the ceremonies of the Jews, I suppose in the Epistle ad Genuarium, although he grant they previously oppressed That people, both for the number and the bondage of the same, yet he called them burdens of the law, which were delivered unto them in the word of God, not presumptions of men, which notwithstanding, if they were not contrary to God's word, might be after a sort be born withal. But now, seeing they are contrary to those things which are in the word of God written, whether they ought to be born of any Christian or no, let him judge which is spiritual, which feareth God more than man, and loveth everlasting life more than this short and transitory life, to that which was said, that my faith lacketh example of the godly fathers that have gone before. The contrary is most evident in the history of Tobit, of whom it is said, that when all other went to the golden calves which Jeroboam the king of Israel had made, he himself fled all their companies, and got him to Jerusalem, unto the temple of the Lord, and there worshipped the Lord God of Israel. Did not the man of God threaten grievous plagues, both upon the priests of Bethel, and to the altar which Jeroboam had there made after his own fantasy? which plagues King Josias, the true minister of God, did execute at the time appointed. And where do we read that the prophets of the apostles did agree with the people in their idolatry, when the people went to whoring with their hill altars? For what cause, I pray you, did the prophets rebuke the people so much as for their false worshipping of God after their own minds, and not after God's word? For what was so much as that was, wherefore the false prophets ceased not to malign the true prophets of God? Therefore they beat them, they banished them, etc. How else, I pray you, can you understand that St. Paul allegeth when he said, What concord hath Christ with Belial? Either, What part hath the believer with the infidel? Or, How agreeth the temple of God with images? For ye are the temple of the living God, as God himself hath said. I will dwell among them, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, come out from among them, and separate yourselves from them, saith the Lord, and touch an unclean thing. So I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, that ye may be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Judith, that holy woman, would not suffer herself to be defiled with the meats of the wicked. All the saints of God, which truly feared God, when they have been provoked to do any thing which they knew to be contrary to God's laws, have chosen to die, rather than to forsake the laws of their God. Wherefore the Maccabees put themselves in danger of death for the defence of the law. Yea, and at length died manfully in the defence of the same. If we do praise, saith St. Augustine, the Maccabees, and that with great admiration, because they did stoutly stand even unto death, for the laws of their country, how much more ought we suffer all things for our baptism. for the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, etc. But the supper of the Lord, such a one, I mean, as Christ commandeth us to celebrate, the Mass utterly abolisheth, and corrupteth most shamefully. LATIMER. Who am I that I should add any thing to this which you have so well spoken? Nay, I rather think that you have vouchsafed to minister so plentiful armour to me, being otherwise altogether unarmed, saving that he cannot be left destitute of help, which rightly trusteth in the help of God. I only learn to die in reading of the New Testament, and am ever now and then praying unto my God, that he will be a helper unto me in time of need. ANTONIAN. Seeing you are so obstinately set against the Mass, that you affirm, because it is done in a tongue not understood of the people, and for other causes, I cannot tell what, therefore it is not the true sacrament ordained of Christ, I begin to suspect you, that you think not catholically of baptism also. Is our baptism, which we do use in a tongue unknown to the people, the true baptism of Christ, or no? If it be, then doth not the strange tongue hurt the mass? If it be not the baptism of Christ, tell me, how are you baptized? Or whether will ye, as the Anabaptists do, that all which were baptized in Latin should be baptized again in the English tongue? Although I would wish baptism to be given in the vulgar tongue, for the people's sake which are present, that they may better understand their own profession, and also be more able to teach their children the same, yet notwithstanding there is not like necessity of the vulgar tongue in baptism, as in the Lord's Supper. Baptism is given to children, who by reason of their age are not able to understand what is spoken to them, what tongue soever it be. The Lord's Supper is, and ought to be given to them that are waxen. Moreover, in baptism, which is accustomed to be given to children in the Latin tongue, and the substantial points, as a man would say, which Christ commanded to be done, are observed. And therefore I judge that the baptism to be a perfect and true baptism, and that it is not only needful, but also lawful for any man so christened, to be christened again. But yet notwithstanding, they ought to be taught, the catechism of the Christian faith, when they shall come to years of discretion. Which catechism, whosoever despiseth, or will not desirously embrace, but willingly learn, in my judgment, he playeth not the part of a Christian man. But in the popish mass are wanting certain substantials, that is to say, things commanded by the word of God to be observed in the administration of the Lord's supper, of the which there is sufficient declaration made before. LATIMER. Where you say, I would wish, surely I would wish that you had spoken more vehemently, and to have said, it is of necessity that all things in the congregation should be done in the vulgar tongue, for the edifying and comfort of them that are present, notwithstanding that the child itself is sufficiently baptised in the Latin tongue. ANTONIAN. Forasmuch as I perceive you are so stiffly, I will not say obstinately, bent, and so wedded to your opinion, that no gentle exhortations, no wholesome counsels, nor other kind of means, can call you home to a better mind. There remaineth that which, in like cases, was wont to be the only remedy against stiff-necked and stubborn persons. That is, you must be hampered by the laws, and compelled either to obey, whether you will or no, or else to suffer that which a rebel of the laws ought to suffer. Do you not know that whosoever refuseth to obey the laws of the realm, he bereath himself to be an enemy to his country? Do you not know that this is the readiest way to stir up sedition and civil war? It is better that you should bear your own sin, than that through the example of your breach of the common laws, of the common quiet should be disturbed. How can you say you will be the Queen's true subject, when you do openly profess that you will not keep her laws? OH HEAVENLY FATHER, THE FATHER OF ALL WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, AND TRUE STRENGTH, I BESEECH THEE, FOR THY ONLY SON, OUR SAVIOUR, CHRIST'S SAKE, LOOK MERCIFULLY UPON ME, WRETCHED CREATURE, AND SEND THINE HOLY SPIRIT INTO MY BREAST, THAT NOT ONLY I MAY UNDERSTAND, ACCORDING TO THY WISDOM, HOW THIS PESTILENT AND DEADLY DART IS TO BE BORN OFF, AND WITH WHAT ANSWER IS TO BE BEATEN BACK, BUT ALSO WHEN I MUST JOIN TO FIGHT IN THE FIELD FOR THE GLORY OF THY NAME. that then I, being strengthened with the defence of thy right hand, may manfully stand in the confession of thy faith, and of thy truth, and continue in the same unto the end of my life, through the same our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Now to the objection. I grant it to be reasonable that he, which by words and gentleness cannot be made to yield to that which is right and good, should be bridled by the straight correction of the laws. He that will not be subject to God's word must be punished by the laws. It is true that it is commonly said, He that will not obey the gospel must be tamed and taught by the rigour of the law. But these things ought to take place against him which refuseth to do that is right and adjust according to true godliness, not against him which cannot quietly bear superstitions and the overthrow of Christ's institutions. But doth hate and detest from his heart such kind of proceedings, and that for the glory of the name of God. To that which ye say, a transgressor of the common laws bereath himself to be an enemy of his country, surely a man ought to look unto the nature of the laws, what manner of laws they be which are broken. For a faithful Christian ought not to think alike of all manner of laws, but that saying ought only truly to be understood of such laws as be not contrary to God's word. Otherwise, whosoever loveth their country in truth, that is to say, in God, they will always judge, if at any time the laws of God and man be then contrary to the other, and that a man ought rather to obey God than man. And they that think otherwise, and pretend a love to their country forasmuch, as they make their country to fight as it were against God, in whom consisteth the only stay of their country, surely I do think, that such are to be judged most deadly enemies, and traitors to their country. For they that fight against God, which is the safety of their country, what do they else but go about to bring upon their country a present ruin and destruction? But they that do so are worthy to be judged enemies to their country, and betrayers of the realm, therefore, etc. But this is the readiest way, ye say, to stir up sedition, to trouble the quiet of the commonwealth. Therefore are these things to be repressed. in time by force of laws. Behold, Satan doth not cease to practise his old guiles and accustomed subtleties. He hath ever this dart in a readiness to hurl against his adversaries, to accuse them of sedition, that he may bring them, if he can, in danger of the higher powers. For so hath he by his ministers, always charged the prophets of God. Ahab said unto Elias, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? The false prophets also complained to their princes of Jeremy, that his words were seditious, and not to be suffered. Did not the scribes and Pharisees falsely accuse Christ a seditious person, and one that spake against Caesar? Did they not, at the last cry, if you let this man go, ye are not Caesar's friend? The orator, Tertullus, how doth he accuse Paul before Felix, the high deputy? We have found this man, saith he, a pestilent fellow, and a stirrer of sedition, unto all the Jews in the whole world, etc. But I pray you, were these men, as they were called, seditious persons? Christ, Paul, and the prophets? God forbid. But they were of false men, falsely accused. And wherefore, I pray you, but because they reproved before the people their guiles, superstition, and deceits, and when the others could not bear it, and would gladly have taken them out of the way, they accused them as seditious persons and troublers of the commonwealth, that being by this means made hateful to the people and princes, they might the more easily be snatched up to be tormented and put to death. But how far they were from all sedition, their whole doctrine, life, and conversation do well declare, for that which was objected last of all, that he cannot be a faithful subject to his prince, which professeth openly that he will not observe the laws which the prince hath made, here I would wish that I might have an indifferent judge, and one that feareth God, to whose judgment in this cause I promise I will stand. I answer, therefore, a man ought to obey his prince, but in the Lord, and never against the Lord. For he that knowingly obeyeth his prince against God, doth not a duty to the prince, but is a deceiver of the prince, and a helper unto him to work his own destruction. He is also unjust, which giveth not the prince what is the prince's, and to God what is God's. Here cometh to my remembrance that notable saying of Valentinian, the emperor, for choosing the bishop of Milan. Set him, saith he, in the bishop's seat, to whom, if we, as man, do offend at any time, we may submit ourselves. Polycarp, the most constant martyr, when he stood before the chief rulers, and was commanded to blaspheme Christ, and to swear by the fortune of Caesar, etc., he answered with a mild spirit, We are taught, saith he, to give honour unto princes. and those powers which be of God, but such honour as is not contrary to God's religion. Hitherunto, you see, good father, how I have, in words, only made, as it were, a flourish before the fight, which I shortly look after, and how I have begun to prepare certain kinds of weapons to fight against the adversaries of Christ, and to muse with myself how the darts of the old enemy may be borne off, and after what sort I may smite him again with the sword of the spirit. I learn also hereby to be in ewer with armour, and to assay how I can go armed. In Tyndale, where I was born, not far from the Scottish borders, I had known my countrymen to watch night and day in their harness, such as they had, that is, in their jacks, and their spears in their hand. You call them northern gads. especially when they had any privy warnings of the coming of the Scots, and so doing, although at every such bickerings some of them spent their lives, yet by such means, like pretty men, they defended their country, and those that so died, I think that before God they died in a good quarrel, and their offspring and progeny, all the country loved them the better for their father's sake. and in the quarrel of Christ our Saviour, in the defence of his own divine ordinances, by the which he giveth unto us life and immortality, yea, in the quarrel of faith and Christian religion, wherein resteth our everlasting salvation, shall we not watch? shall we not go always armed, ever looking when our adversary, which like a roaring lion, seeketh whom he may devour, shall come upon us by reason of our slothfulness? Yea, and woe be unto us, if he can oppress us unawares, which undoubtedly he will do, if he find us sleeping. Let us awake, therefore, for if the good man of the house knew at what hour the thief should come, he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be broken up. Let us awake, therefore, I say, let us not suffer our house to be broken up. Resist the devil, saith St. James, and he will fly from you. Let us, therefore, resist him manfully, and taking the cross upon our shoulders, let us follow our Captain Christ, who by his own blood hath dedicated and hallowed the way which leadeth unto the Father. that is, to the light which no man can attain, the fountain of the everlasting joys. Let us follow, I say, whether he calleth and allureth us, that after these afflictions, which last but for a moment, whereby he trieth our faith, as gold by the fire, we may everlastingly reign and triumph with him in the glory of the Father, and that through the same our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Good father, forasmuch as I have determined with myself to pour forth these my cogitations into your bosom, hear me, thinketh, I see you suddenly lifting up your head toward heaven, after your manner, and then looking upon me with your prophetical countenance, and speaking unto me with these or like words. Trust not, my son, I beseech you vouchsafe me the honour of this name, for in so doing I shall think myself both honoured and beloved of you. Trust not, I say, my son, to these word-weapons, for the kingdom of God is not in words but in power. And remember always the words of the Lord. Do not imagine aforehand what and how you will speak. For it shall be given you, even in that same hour, what you shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. I pray you therefore, father, pray for me, that I may cast my whole care upon him, and trust upon him in all perils. For I know, and am surely persuaded, that whatsoever I can imagine or think aforehand, it is nothing except he assist me with his spirit, when the time is. I beseech you therefore, father, pray for me, that such a complete harness of the spirit, such boldness of mind, may be given unto me, that I may, out of a true faith, say with David, I will not trust in my bow. and it is not my sword that shall save me. For he hath no pleasure in the strength of a horse, etc. But the Lord's delight is in them that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy. I beseech you, pray, pray, that I may enter this fight only in the name of God, and that when all is passed, I, through his gracious aid, being not overcome, may remain and stand fast in him. till that day of the Lord, in the which to them that obtain the victory shall be given the lively manna to eat, and a triumphant crown for evermore. Now, Father, I pray you help me to buckle on this gear a little better, for you know the deepness of Satan, being an old soldier, and you have collared with him, or now. that hath ever aided you so well, I suppose he may well hold you at the bay. But truly he will not be so willing, I think, to join with you, as with us younglings. Sir, I beseech you, let your servant read this, my babbling unto you, and now and then, as it shall seem unto you best, let your pen run on my book. Spare not to blot my paper. I give you good leave. Sir, I have caused my man not only to read your armour unto me, but also to write it out, for it is not only no-bear armour, but also well-buckled armour. I see not how it could be better. I thank you even from the bottom of my heart for it, and my prayer shall you not lack, trusting that you do the like for me, for indeed there is the help, etc. Many things make confusion in memory, and if I were as well learned as St. Paul, I would not bestow much amongst them, further than to gall them, and spur gall too. And where occasion was given, and matter came to mind, for the law shall be their chute-anchor, stay, and refuge. Therefore there is no remedy, namely now, when they have the master-bowl in their hand, and rule the roost, but patience. Better it is to suffer what cruelly they will put upon us, than to incur God's high indignation. Wherefore, good my lord, be of good cheer in the Lord, with due consideration what he requireth of you, and what he doth promise you. Our common enemy shall do no more than God will permit him. God is faithful, which will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, etc. Be at a point what ye will stand unto, stick unto that, and let them both say and do what they list. They can but kill the body, which otherwise is of itself mortal. Neither yet shall they do that when they list, but when God will suffer them, when the hour appointed is come, to use many words with them it shall be but in vain, now that they have a bloody and deadly law prepared for them. But it is very requisite that you give a reasonable account of your faith, if they will quietly hear you, else ye know in a wicked place of judgment a man may keep silence, after the example of Christ. Let them not deceive you with their sophistical sophisms and fallacies. You know that false things may have more appearance of truth than things that be most true. Therefore Paul giveth us a watchword. Let no man deceive you with likeness of speech. Neither is it requisite that with the contentious ye should follow strife of words, which tend to no edification, but to the subversion of the hearers, and the vain bragging and ostentation of the adversaries. Fear of death doth most persuade a great number. Be well aware of that argument, for that persuaded Chaxton, as many men thought. After that he had once made a good profession openly before the judgment seat. The flesh is weak, but the willingness of the spirit shall refresh the weakness of the flesh. The number of the criers under the altar must needs be fulfilled, if we be segregated thereunto, happy be we. That is the greatest promotion that God giveth in this world, to be such Philippians to whom it is given, not only to believe, but also to suffer, etc. But who is able to do these things? Surely, let all our ability, all our sufficiency, is of God. He requireth and promiseth. Let us declare our obedience to his will, when it shall be requisite in the time of trouble, yea, in the midst of the fire. When that number is fulfilled, which I will I wean shall be shortly. Then have at the Papists, when they shall say, Peace, all things are safe, when Christ shall come to keep his great Parliament, to the redress of all things that be amiss. But he shall not come as the Papists feign him, to hide himself, and to play bo-peep, as it were, under a piece of bread. But he shall come gloriously, to the terror and fear of all Papists, but to the great consolation and comfort of all that will here suffer for him. Comfort yourselves one another with these words. Lo, sir, here I have blotted your paper vainly, and played the fool egregiously, but so I thought better than not to do your request at this time. Pardon me, and pray for me. Pray for me, I say, pray for me, I say, for I am sometimes so fearful that I would creep into a mouse-hole. Sometimes God doth visit me again with his comfort. So he cometh and goeth to teach me to feel and to know mine infirmity, to the intent to give thanks to him that is worthy, lest I should rob him of his due, as many do, and almost all the world. Fare ye well. What credence is to be given to Papists, it may appear by their racking, writhing, ringing, and monstrously injuring of God's holy scripture, as appeareth in the Pope's law. But I dwell here now in a school of obliviousness. Fare you well once again, and be you steadfast and unmovable in the Lord. Paul loved Timothy marvellously well, notwithstanding he saith unto him, Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. and again, harden thyself to suffer afflictions. Be painful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life, saith the Lord. The Letters of the Reverend Bishop and Martyr, Nicholas Ridley. A letter sent from Bishop Ridley and his prison fellows, unto Master Bradford and his prison fellows, in the King's Bench in Southwark, Anno 1554. Well beloved in Christ our Savior, we all with one heart wish to you, with all those that love God in deed and truth, grace and health, and especially to our dearly beloved companions which are in Christ's cause, and the cause both of their brethren and of their own salvation, to put their neck willingly under the yoke of Christ's cross. How joyful it was to us all to hear the report of Dr. Taylor and of his godly confession, etc. I ensure you it is hard for me to express Blessed be God, which was and is the giver of that, and of all godly strength and stomach in the time of adversity. As for the rumours that have or do go abroad, either are relenting or massing, we trust that they which know God, and their duty towards their brethren in Christ, will not be too light of credence. For it is not the slanderer's evil tongue, but a man's own evil deed, that can, with God, defile a man. And therefore, with God's grace, you shall never have cause to do otherwise. than you say you do, that is, not to doubt, but that we will by God's grace continue, etc. Like rumour as ye have heard of our coming to London, hath been here spread of the coming of certain learned men, prisoners, hither from London, but as yet we know no certainty whether of these rumours is or shall be more true. Know you that we have you in our daily remembrance, and wish you and all the rest of our Forsaid companions well in Christ. It should do us much comfort, if we might have knowledge of the state of the rest of our most dearly beloved, which in this troublesome time do stand in Christ's cause, and in the defence of the truth thereof. Somewhat we have heard of Master Hooper's matter, but of the rest never a deal. We long to hear of Father Crome. Dr. Sands, Master Saunders, Varon, Beacon, Rogers, etc. We are in good health, thanks be to God, and yet the manner of our entreating doth change, as sour ale doth in summer. It is reported to us, of our keepers, that the university beareth us heavily. A coal chanced to fall in the night out of the chimney, and burn a hole in the floor, and no more harm was done, the bailiff's servant sitting by the fire. Another night there chanced, as Master Bailiff's told us, a drunken fellow to multiply words, and for the same he was set in Boccardo. Upon these things, as is reported, there is risen a rumour in the town and country about, that we should have broken the prison with such violence as that, if Master Bailiff had not played the pretty men. we should have made escape. We had out of our prison a wall that we might have walked upon, and our servants had liberty to go abroad in the town or fields, but now both they and we are restrained of both. My lord of Worcester passed by through Oxford, but he did not visit us. The same day began our restraints to be more, and the book of communion was taken from us by the bailiffs at the mayor's commandment, as the bailiffs did report to us. No man is licensed to come unto us, afore they might, that would see us upon the wall, but that is so grudged at, and so evil reported, that we are now restrained, etc. Sir, blessed be God, with all our evil reports, grudges, and restraints, we are merry in God. All our cure and care is, and shall be, by God's grace, to please and serve Him, of whom we look and hope. After these temporal and momentary miseries, to have eternal joy and perpetual felicity with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Peter and Paul, and all the heavenly company of the angels in heaven. through Jesus Christ our Lord. As yet there was never learned man, nor any scholar, or other, that visited us since we came into Boccardo, which now in Oxford may be called a college of quandums. For, as ye know, we will be no fewer than three, and, dare say, every one well contented with his portion, which I do reckon to be our heavenly Father's fatherly good and gracious gift. Thus fare you well. We shall, with God's grace, one day meet together, and be merry. The day assuredly approacheth apace. The Lord grant that it may shortly come. For before that day come, I fear me the world will wax worse and worse. But then all our enemies shall be overthrown, and trodden underfoot. Righteousness and truth then shall have the victory, and bear the bell away. Whereof the Lord grant us to be partners, and all that loveth truly the truth. We all pray you, as ye can, to cause all our commendations to be made unto all such as ye know did visit us in you, when we were in the Tower, with their friendly remembrances and benefits. Mistress Wilkinson and Mistress Warcup have not forgotten us, but ever since we came to Bocardo with their charitable and friendly benevolence have comforted us, not that else we did lack, for God be blessed whoever hitherto hath provided sufficiently for us. But that is a great comfort and an occasion for us to bless God when we see that he maketh them so friendly to tender us, whom some of us were never familiarly acquainted with all. Yours in Christ, Nicholas Ridley. A letter of Ridley, sent to a cousin of his. God's Holy Spirit be with you now and ever. Amen. When I call to remembrance, beloved cousin, the state of those that for fear of trouble, either for loss of goods, will do in the sight of the world those things that they know are contrary to the will of God, I can do no less but lament their case, being assured the end thereof will be so pitiful without speedy repentance, that I tremble in fear to have it in remembrance. I would to God it lay upon some earthly burden, so that freedom of conscience might be given unto them. I wrote, as God knoweth, not of presumption, but only lamenting the state of those, whom I thought now in this dangerous time should have given both of you and me comfortable instruction. But alas, instead thereof, we have persuasions to follow, I lament to rehearse it, superstitious idolatry. Yea, and that worst of all is, they will seek to prove it by the Scripture. The Lord for his mercy turn their hearts. Amen. Commend me, etc. Yours, Nicholas Ridley. A worthy letter of Ridley to Master Bradford. Brother Bradford, I wish you and your company in Christ, yea, and all the holy brotherhood that now with you in diverse prisons suffereth and beareth patiently Christ's cross, for the maintenance of his gospel, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Sir, considering the state of this chivalry and warfare, wherein I doubt not but we will be set to fight under Christ's banner, and his cross, against our ghostly enemy the devil, and the old serpent Satan, methinks I perceive two things to be his most perilous and most dangerous engines, which he hath to impugn Christ's verity, his gospel, and his faith, and the same two also to be the most massy posts and most mighty pillars, whereby he maintaineth and upholdeth this satanical synagogue. These two, sir, are they in my judgment, the one, his false doctrine and idolatrical use of the Lord's supper, and the other, the wicked and abominable usurpation of the primacy of the sea of Rome. By these two Satan seemeth to me principally to maintain and uphold his kingdom. By these two he driveth down mightily, alas, I fear me, the third part of the stars in heaven. rotten post he had so painted over with such a pretense and colour of religion, of unity in Christ's Church, of the Catholic faith, and such like, that the wily serpent is able to deceive, if it were possible, even the elect of God. Wherefore, John saith, not without great cause, if any know not Satan's subtleties, and the profundities thereof, I will wish him no other burden to be laden with all. Sir, because these be his principal and main posts, whereupon standeth all his falsehood, craft, and treachery, therefore, according to the poorer power that God hath given me, I have bended mine artillery to shoot it the same. I know it to be but little, God knoweth, that I can do, and of my shot I know they pass not. Yet I will not, God willing, cease to do the best that I can, to shake those cankered and rotten posts. The Lord grant me good success to the glory of his name and the furtherance of Christ's gospel. I have now already, I thank God, for this present time spent a good part of my power in these scribblings, whereof this bearer shall give you knowledge. Good brother, Bradford, let the wicked surmise and say what they list. Know you for a certainty by God's grace, without all doubt, that in Christ's gospel cause, against and upon the aforesaid, God's enemies, I am fully determined to live and die. Farewell, dear brother, and I beseech you, and all the rest of our brethren, to have good remembrances, good remembrance of the condemned heretics, as they call them, of Oxford, in your prayers. The bearer shall certify you of our state. Farewell, and the Lord. From Boccardo. Yours in Christ, Nicholas Ridley. Another letter of Ridley unto Master Bradford, and other his prison fellows, and O. 1555. Dearly beloved, I wish you grace, mercy, and peace. According to your mind, I have run over all your papers, and what I have done, which is but small, therein may appear. In two places I have put in two loose leaves. I had much ado to read that was written in your great leaves, and I weaned somewhere, I have altered some words, because I could not read perfectly that which was written. Sir, what shall best be done with these things, now you must consider. For if they come in sight at this time, undoubtedly they must to the fire with their father. And as for any safeguard that your custody can be unto them, I am sure you look not for it. For as you have been partner of the work, so I am sure you look for none other, but to have and receive like wages, and to drink of the same cup. Blessed be God that hath given you liberty in the mean season, that you may use your pen to his glory, and the comfort, as I hear say, of many. I bless God daily in you, and all your whole company, to whom I beseech you commend me heartily. Now I love my countrymen indeed and in truth. I mean Dr. Taylor, not for my earthly country's sake, but for our Heavenly Father's sake, and for Christ's sake, whom I heard say, he did so stoutly in time of peril confess, and yet also for our country's sake, and for all our mother's sake. But I mean for the kingdom of heaven, and of the heavenly Jerusalem, and because of the Spirit which bringeth forth in him, in you, and in your company, such blessed fruits of boldness in the Lord's cause of patience and constancy. The Lord which hath begun this work in you all, perform and perfect this his own deed, until his own day come. Amen. As yet I perceive ye have not been bated, and the cause thereof God knoweth, which will let them do no more to his, than is his pleased will and pleasure to suffer them to do for his own glory, and to the profit of them which are truly his. For the Father, which doth guide them that be in Christ to Christ, is more mighty than all they, and no man is able to pull them out of the Father's hands. except, I say, it please our Father, it please our Master Christ, to suffer them, they shall not stir one hair of your heads. My brother Punt, the bearer hereof, and Master Hooper's letters, would that we should say what we think good concerning your mind, that is, not to answer, except ye might have somewhat indifferent judges. We are, as ye know, separated, and one of us cannot in anything consult with another, and much straight-watching of the bailiffs is about us, that there be no privy conference amongst us, and yet, as we hear, the scholars bear us more heavily than the townsmen. A wonderful thing, among so many, never yet scholar offered any of us, so far as I know, any manner of favour, either for or in Christ's cause. Now as concerning your demand of our counsel, for my part I do not mislike that which I have perceived ye are minded to do. for I look for none other. But if ye answer afore the same commissioners that we did, ye shall be served and handled as we were, though ye were as well learned as ever was, either Peter or Paul. And yet further, I think, that occasion afterwards may be given you, and the consideration of the profit of your auditory may perchance move you to do otherwise. Finally, determinately to say what shall be best, I am not able. but I trust he, whose cause ye have in hand, shall put you in mind to do that which shall be most for his glory, the profit of his flock, and your own salvation. This letter must be common to you and Master Hooper, in whom and in his prison fellow, good Father Crome, I bless God, even from the bottom of my heart, for I doubt not But they both do, to our Master Christ, true, acceptable, and honourable service, and profitable to his flock, the one with his pen, and the other with his fatherly example of patience and constancy, and all manner of true godliness. But what shall I need to say to you? Let this be common among you, brethren, among whom, I dare say, it is with you, as it is with us, to whom all things here are common, meat, money, and whatsoever one of us hath, that can or may do another good. Although, I said, the bailiffs and our hostess straightly watch us, that we have no conference or intelligence of any thing abroad. Yet hath God provided for every one of us, instead of our servants, faithful fellows, which will be content to hear and see, and to do for us whatsoever they can. It is God's work surely. Blessed be God for his unspeakable goodness. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. Amen. As far as London is from Oxford, yet thence we have received of late both meat, money, and shirts, not only from such as as are of our acquaintance, but of some, whom this bearer can tell, with whom I never, to my knowledge, any acquaintance. I know for whose sake they do it. To him, therefore, be all honour, glory, and due thanks. And yet, I pray, you do so much as to show them that we have perceived their benevolence, and, God be blessed, have plenty of all such things. This I desire you to do, for I know they be of Master Hooper's, and your familiar acquaintance. Master Latimer was crazed, but I hear now, thanks be to God, that he amendeth again. Nicholas Ridley. Another letter of Ridley unto Master Bradford. O dear brother, seeing the time is now come, wherein it pleaseth the Heavenly Father, for Christ our Saviour's sake, to call upon you, and to bid you to come, Happy are you, that ever you were born, thus to be found awake at the Lord's calling. Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been trusty in small matters, we shall set thee over great things, and thou shalt enter into the joy of thy Lord. O dear brother, what meaneth this, that you are sent into your own native country? The wisdom and policy of the world may mean what they will, but I trust God will so order the matter finally by his fatherly providence. that some great occasion of God's gracious goodness shall be plenteously poured abroad amongst his our dear brethren in that country, by this your martyrdom, where the martyrs for Christ's sake shed their blood and lost their lives. O what wondrous thing hath Christ afterward wrought to his glory, in confirmation of their doctrine! If it be not the place that sanctifieth the man, but the holy man doth by Christ sanctifieth the place. Brother Bradford, then, happy and holy, shall be that place wherein thou shalt suffer, and which shall be with thy ashes in Christ's cause sprinkled over withal. All thy country may rejoice of thee that it ever brought forth such a one, which would render his life again in his cause, of whom he had received it. Brother Bradford, so long as I shall understand thou art in thy journey, by God's grace I shall call upon our heavenly Father, for Christ's sake, to set thee safely home, and then, good brother, speak you, and pray for the remnant which are to suffer for Christ's sake. According to that thou then shalt know more clearly. We do look now every day when we shall be called on. Blessed be God! I wean I am the weakest many ways of our company, and yet I thank our Lord God and Heavenly Father by Christ, that since I heard of our dear brother Roger's departing, and stout confession of Christ and his truth even unto the death, My heart, blessed be God, so rejoiced of it, that since that time, I say, I never felt any lumpish heaviness in my heart, as I grant I have felt sometimes before. O good brother, blessed be God in thee, and blessed be the time that ever I knew thee. Farewell, farewell. Your brother in Christ, Nicholas Ridley. Brother, farewell. To the brethren remaining in captivity of the flesh, and dispersed abroad in sundry prisons, but knit together, in unity of spirit and holy religion, in the bowels of the Lord Jesus. Grace, peace, and mercy be multiplied among you. What worthy thanks can we render unto the Lord for you, my brethren? Namely, for the great consolation, which through you we have received in the Lord. Who, notwithstanding the rage of Satan that goeth about, by all manner of subtle means, to beguile the world. and also busily laboureth to restore, and set up his kingdom again, that of late began to decay, and fall to ruin. Ye remain yet still unmovable, as men surely grounded upon a strong rock. And now, albeit that Satan by his soldiers and wicked ministers, daily, as we hear, draweth numbers unto him, So that it is said of him, that he plucketh even the very stars out of heaven, whilst he driveth into some men the fear of death and loss of all their goods, and showeth and offereth to others the pleasant baits of the world, namely riches, wealth, and all kinds of delights and pleasures, fair houses, great revenues, fat benefices, and what not, and all to the intent that they should fall down and worship not the Lord, but the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil. that great beast and his image, and should be enticed to commit fornication with the strumpet of Babylon, together with the kings of the earth, and with the lesser beasts, and with the false prophets, and so to rejoice, and be pleasant with her, and to be drunken with the wine of her fornication. Yet blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath given unto you a manly courage. and hath so strengthened you in the inward man, by the power of his spirit, that you can condemn as well all the terrors, as also the vain flatterings and allurements of the world, esteeming them as vanities, mere trifles and things of naught, who hath also wrought, planted, and surely established in your hearts, so steadfast a faith and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, joined with such constancy, that by no engines of antichrist Be they never so terrible or plausible, ye will suffer any other Jesus, or any other Christ, to be forced upon you. Besides him, who the apostles have spoken of before, the apostles have preached, the holy martyrs of God have confessed and testified, with the effusion of their blood. In this faith stand ye fast, my brethren, and suffer not yourselves to be brought under the yoke of bondage and superstition any more. For ye know, brethren, how that our Saviour warned us beforehand. that such should come as would point unto the world another Christ, and would set him out with so many false miracles, and with such deceivable and subtle practices, that even the very elect, if it were possible, should thereby be deceived. But such strong delusion to come did our Saviour give warning of before. But continue ye faithful and constant, be of good comfort, and remember that our grand Captain hath overcome the world. For he that is in us is stronger than he that is in the world, and the Lord promiseth unto us that for the elect's sake the days of wickedness shall be shortened. In the mean season abide ye, and endure with patience, as ye have begun. Endure, I say, and reserve yourselves under better times. As one of the heathen poets said, Cease not to show yourselves valiant soldiers of the Lord, and help to maintain the travailing faith of the gospel. Ye have need of patience, and after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promises. For yet a very little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. And the just shall live by faith, but if any withdraw himself, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, saith the Lord. But we are not they which do withdraw ourselves unto damnation, but believe unto the salvation of the soul. Let us not suffer these words of Christ to fall out of our hearts by any manner of terrors or threatenings of the world. Fear not them which kill the body, the rest ye know, for I write not unto you as to men which are ignorant of the truth, but which know the truth, and to this end only, that we agreeing together in one faith, may take comfort one of another, and be the more confirmed and strengthened thereby. We never had a better or more just cause, either to condemn our life, or shed our blood, we cannot take in hand the defence of a more certain, clear, and manifest truth, for it is not any ceremony for the which we contend, but it toucheth the very substance of our whole religion, yea, even Christ himself. Shall we, either can we, receive and acknowledge any other Christ instead of him? who is alone the everlasting Son of the everlasting Father, and is the brightness of the glory and lively image of the substance of our Father, in whom only dwelleth corporally the fullness of the Godhead, who is the only Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let such wickedness, my brethren, let such horrible wickedness be far from us, for although there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be many gods and many lords, yet unto us there is but one God, which is the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him, but every man hath not knowledge. This is life eternal, saith St. John, that they know thee to be the only true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. If any therefore would force upon us any other God besides him, whom Paul and the apostles have taught, let us not hear him, but let us flee from him, and hold him accursed. Brethren, ye are not ignorant of the deep and profound subtleties of Satan, for he will not cease to range about you, seeking by all means possible whom he may devour. But play ye the men, and be of good comfort in the Lord. And albeit your enemies and the adversaries of the truth, armed with all worldly force and power that may be, do set upon you, yet be ye not faint-hearted and shrink, not therefore, but trust unto your Captain Christ, trust unto the Spirit of truth, and trust to the truth of your cause, which as it may by the malice of Satan be darkened, so can it never be clean put out. For we have, high praise be given to God therefore, most plainly, evidently, and clearly on our side, all the prophets, all the apostles, and undoubtedly all the ancient ecclesiastical writers which have written, until of late years past. Still Waters Revival Books is now located at PuritanDownloads.com. It's your worldwide, online Reformation home for the very best in free and discounted classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, MP3s, and videos. 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