knowne only unto God, which knoweth who are his otherwise, no man should be ascertained of another mans salvation, or of his owne, but only through faith and hope. For it is written, (Eccles. 5.) No man knoweth whether he be worthie of hatred or love. It is also sensible, and may be demonstrate so far forth as it is sufficient to establish us in all things, that are to be beleeved and done. For I may truly say of the generall councell being congregate in the Holy Ghoft; Behold heere the catholike Church, denominating the whole by the most worthie part."

To the fifth article, he answered affirmatively in these words, Cum sint libri Laicorum, adorare oportet, at non imaginem, sed prototypon.

To the fixth article he answered, "that he did not beleeve that they are in heaven, being so taught by the Scriptures, and holy fathers of the church."

To the seventh article he said, "that it is not to be thought contrarie."

To the eighth article, whether a man may not observe the feasts and fasts of the church prescribed, he thought that there is no man, but he ought

to observe them."

To the ninth article he said, "that we are likewise bound as unto parents.

To the fourteenth article he answered thus: The fourteenth chapter of St. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians, mooveth me to beleeve, that it is best, that the people should have the Lords Prayer, and the Apostles Creed in English, so that their devotion might the more be furthered by the understanding thereof, and also that thereby they might be the more prompt and expert in the articles of their faith of the which it is to be feared, a great number are ignorant. Surely I have

heard

heard many say, that they never heard speake of the resurrection of the bodie, and being certified thereof, but they became much more apt and readie unto goodnesse, and more fearefull to do evill.'

To the fifteenth article he said, "he would wish that the Gospels and Epistles should be read in English. For I would (saith Paul, 1 Cor. 14.) rather have five words, &c. That the church might be edified, &c. And Chrysostome exhorteth his hearers to looke upon bookes, that they might the better commit unto memorie those things which they had heard. And Saint Bede did translate Saint Johns Gospell into English."

Touching the eighteenth article, for the translation of the Scripture into English, "concerning the whole, he did partly doubt. Notwithstanding, he wished that the Gospels and Epistles of the day might be read in English, that the people might be made the more apt to heare Sermons. But heere some will say, there might also be danger for errour. Whereunto he answered: But good and vigilant pastors might easilie helpe that matter, by adding the plaine interpretation of the fathers in the margents, in English, upon the darke and obscure. places, which would put away all doubts. O how great profit of soules should the vigilant pastors get thereby, which contrariwise through their slothfulnesse bring great ruine and decay!"

To the five and twentieth article, as touching pardons*, he said, "that as they be used, and have

As touching purdons.] There was no point from which Luther derived with greater success the eloquence with which he thundered against the Vatican, than that of the antichristian doctrine of pardons and indulgences, and the disgraceful traffic in the sale of them, so prevalent in his days. But that part of the history of the Reformation needs not to

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too long been, it were better that they should be restrained, than that they should be any longer used as they have been, to the injurie of Christs passion."

Touching

be enlarged upon in this place. Only it may be proper by a few domestic anecdotes and authorities to shew what progress the same pernicious doctrine and practice had made in this country.

In the latter end of the year 1500, being the year of jubilee, pope Alexander VI. sent a commissary into this kingdom, to distribute, as he called it, the heavenly grace, to all such as, prevented by any forcible impediment, could not be present at Rome to receive the benefit there. The articles contained in this bull, with the sums of money required of each person in proportion to his means, to intitle him to partake in the promised advantages, are given by Weever in the discourse prefixed to his Funeral Monuments, p. 158-162, edit. 1767. In Becon's Reliques of Rome, Works, Vol. III. fol. 205-207, and in Bp. Burnet's Hist. of the Reformation, Vol. II. p. 138–140, Records, may be found an account of the chief indulgeuces granted by different popes to those who shall say devoutly certain prayers therein specified. One of the most common pur-, poses for which they were made use of was the raising of money and other supplies for the building of monasteries, abbies, and churches. Of this it would be easy to produce. many examples. But we must confine ourselves within narrow limits. In the year 1112, previously to the erection of the abbey at Crowland, the abbot obtained of the archbishops and bishops of England an indulgence for remitting the third part of all penances injoined for sins committed, to every per- son who should help forward that good work: and with this indulgence he sent the monks abroad into all quarters to gather money, who returned after great success. On the day appointed for laying the foundation there was a very numerous appearance of nobles, prelates, and commons; and after mass and anthems sung, the abbot himself laid the first stone, and the nobles and others, according to their degrees and quality, couched their stones respectively, and laid upon them sums of money; others gave their deeds of lands, advowsons of churches, certain measures of wheat, or engaged to pay so many labourers, masons, carpenters, &c. till the work was finished. The common people and townships, for their parts, offered with a zealous devotion, some money, others certain

days

Touching the six and twentieth article, he said, "that it is not against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, to contend in the law, so it be done with charitie, if Saint Augustine, and the reverend father Marcus Marulus did not erre, which granted that libertie to the weake Christians: albeit that true Christians ought to give eare unto Saint Pauls

days of labour; some the building of whole pillars, others a certain extent of the walls, windows, &c. all striving to outvie each other. After this, the abbot in a solemn speech, commending their bounty, and granting to them and theirs all spiritual benefits in the church, and a participation in the merit of all the prayers, fastings, &c. gave his blessing to the assembly, and dismissed them, well satisfied with their work, to their respective homes. See Staveley's History of Churches in England, p. 57.

But these pardons were not always converted to purposes so beneficial; since by them, as Wickliffe assures us, many men were deceived, and "trusten to flee to heaven withouten pain, and therefore dreaden sin the less." Lewis's History, p. 139. They were often made the incentive to sanguinary wars, crusades, and idle pilgrimages. And in many ways, among private individuals, they encouraged the grossest errors and immoralities. "Yea it is well known that their pardons and other of theyr trompery hath bene bought and sold in Lombard-strete, and in other places, as thou wylt bye and sell an horse in Smith-field." Lamentation against the City of London. Signat. c. 8. A. D. 1548. "In times past (says bishop Grindal) men made preparations before death, but (God knoweth) farre out of square. Some redemed for money great plentye of indulgencies from Rone, and he that had the greatest plentie of them, to bee cast with him into his grave, when he was buried (whiche I myselfe have sene done) was counted the best prepared for death." Sermon at the Funeral Solemnity of the Emperor Ferdinand, preached in St. Paul's Cathedral, Oct. 3, 1564. Signat. D. 3. But perhaps no use was ever made of them which can be accounted more melancholy than the following. Proclamation was occasionally made at the burning of the martyrs, "that whosever did bring a faggot or a stake to the burning of a hereticke should have forty daies of pardon. Whereby it came to pass, that many ignorant people caused their children to beare billets and faggots to their burning." Fox's Acts, p. 897. See also Fox, p. 1105. and p. 1120.

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saying;

saying; Why do ye not rather suffer injurie? (1. Cor. 6.) And to Christ himselfe, which saith: He that would contend with thee in the law, and take away thy coate, give him thy cloke also."

Touching the eight and twentith, he answered, "that God is the author of the punishment only, but not of the offence, as Basilius Magnus teacheth in his Sermon upon these words of the Prophet, (Amos 3.): Non est malum in civitate quod non fecit dominus. And Saint Augustine in another place (as I remember) prayeth; That he be not led into that temptation, that he should beleeve God to be the author of sinne and wickednesse."

Heere insueth a briefe Summarie or Collection of certaine Depositions, deposed by the severall Witnesses aforenamed, upon certaine Interrogatories ministered unto them, for the Inquirie of Master Bilneyes Doctrine and Preaching.

"First it was deposed, that in his sermon in Christs church in Ipswich, he should preach and say, our Saviour Christ is our mediatour betweene us and the Father: what should we need then to seeke any Saint for remedie? Wherefore, it is great injurie to the blood of Christ, to make such petitions, and blasphemeth our Saviour.

That man is so unperfect of himselfe, that he can in no wise merit by his owne deeds.

Also, that the comming of Christ was long prophesied before, and desired by the Prophets. But John Baptist being more than a Prophet, did not only prophecie, but with his finger shewed him, saying: (John 9.) Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi. Then if this were the very Lambe which John did demonstrate, that taketh away the sins of the world, what injurie is it to our Saviour

VOL. II.

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Christ,