Marginalia1555. Septembertitude and greatnesse of our owne sinnes, whiche Christ daily and hourely pardoneth and forgeueth vs, and then we shall, as Saint Peter affirmeth,Marginalia1. Peter 4. be ready to couer and hide the offences of our brethren, bee they neuer so many. And because Gods woorde teacheth vs, not onely the true maner of praying, but also what we ought to do or not doe in the whole discourse and practise of this lyfe, what pleaseth or displeaseth GOD, and that, as CHRIST sayth, MarginaliaIohn. 12.The word of GOD that he hath spoken shall iudge in the last day: let your Prayer be to this ende specially, that GOD of his great mercy would open and reuele more and more dayly to your hart the true sense, knowledge, and vnderstandyng of his most holy word, and geue you grace in your liuyng to expresse the fruites therof.

And for as much as it is, as the holy Ghost calleth it, Marginalia1. Cor. 1.the word of affliction, that is, it is seldome without hatred, persecutiō, perill, daūger of losse of life and goodes, and what soeuer seemeth pleasaunt in this world, as experience teacheth you in this tyme: call vppon GOD continually for his assistaunce alwayes, as Christ teacheth, castyng your accomptes what it is like to cost you, endeuoryng your selfe, thorough the helpe of the holy Ghost, by continuaunce of Prayer, to lay your foundation so sure, that no storme or tempest shalbe able to ouerthrow or cast it downe: remembring alwayes (as Christ saithMarginaliaLuke. 17. Example of Lots wyfe.) Lothes wife, that is, to beware of lookyng backe to that thyng that displeaseth God. And because nothyng displeaseth GOD so much as Idolatry, that is, false worshyppyng of GOD, otherwise then his worde commaundeth: looke not backe (I say) nor turne not your face to their idolatrous and blasphemous Massing, manifestly agaynst the worde, practise, and example of Christ: as it is most manifest to all that haue any tast of the true vnderstandyng of Gods woorde, that MarginaliaNothing vsed in Q. Maries tyme profitable to edification.there remaineth nothyng in the Churche of England at this present, profitable or edifying to the Church and cōgregation of the Lord, all thynges beyng done in an vnknowen toung, contrary to the expresse commaundement of the holy Ghost.

MarginaliaThe first note prouing the church of the Papistes not to be the true Church.They obiect that they be the Church, and therfore they must be beleued. My aunswere was, the Church of God knoweth and reknowledgeth no other head but Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, whom ye haue refused, and chosen the man of sinne, þ^e sonne of perdition, enemy to Christ, the deuils deputy and lieftenaunt the Pope.

Marginalia2. Note.Christes Church heareth, teacheth, and is ruled by his word, as hee sayth: MarginaliaIohn. 10.My sheepe heare my voyce. If you abyde in me, and my worde in you, you bee my Disciples. Their Church repelleth Gods word, and forceth all men to follow their traditions.

Christes Church dare not adde or diminishe, alter or chaunge his blessed Testament: but they be not afrayde to take away all that Christ instituted, and go a whoryng (as the Scripture sayth) with their own inuentions, Marginalia3. Note. Actes 7.Et lætari super operibus manuum suarum. i.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Acts, 7. 41.

Foxe text Latin

Et laetari super operibus manuum suarum.

Foxe text translation

To glory and reioyce in the workes of their owne handes.

Actual text of Acts, 7. 41. (Vulgate)

et laetabantur in operibus manuum suarum

[Note the slight differences between the Foxe text and the Vulgate, probably to accommodate the syntax of Foxe's narrative.]

Marginalia4. Note to know the church.The Church of Christ is, hath bene, and shall be in all ages vnder the Crosse, persecuted, molested and afflicted, the world euer hatyng thē, because they be not of the world. But these presecute, murther, slay and kill such as professe the true doctrine of Christ, be they in learnyng, liuyng, conuersation and other vertues neuer so excellent.

Marginalia5. Note.Christ and his Churche reserued the triall of their doctrine to the word of God, and gaue the people leaue to iudge thereof by the same worde: MarginaliaIohn 5Search the Scriptures: But this Churche taketh away the word from the people, and suffereth neither learned nor vnlearned to examine or proue their doctrine by the word of God.

Marginalia6. Note to know the church.The true Churche of God laboureth by all meanes to resist and withstand the lustes desires, and motions of the world, the flesh, and the deuill. These for the most part, geue themselues to all voluptuousnes, and secretly commit such thyngs, which (as S. Paule saythMarginaliaEphes. 5.) it is shame to speake of.

By these and such lyke manifest probations they do declare them selues to be none of the Church of Christ, but rather of the Sinagoge of Sathan. MarginaliaCompare the procedinges and doinges of the Popes church with the true members of Christes church, and you shall see what they are.It shall be good for you oftentymes to conferre and compare their proceedynges and doyngs, with the practise of those whom the worde of God doth teache to haue bene true members of the Churche of God, and it shall worke in you both knowledge, erudition, and boldnes to withstand with sufferyng, their doynges. I likened them thereore to Nemrod,MarginaliaThe church of the valiant Papistes compared to Nemrod, and why? whō the Scripture calleth a mighty Hunter or a stout Chāpion, tellyng them that that which they could not haue by þ^e word, they would haue by the sword, & be the Church whether men will or no, and called them with good conscience, as Christ called their forefathers, the children of the deuill: and as their father the deuill is a lyer and murtherer, so MarginaliaThe Popes church standeth all in lying and murdering.their kyngdome and Church (as they call it) standeth by lying and murtheryng.

Haue no fellowshyp with them therfore, my deare wife,

nor with their doctrine and traditions, lest you be partaker of their sinnes: for whom is reserued a heauy damnation, without speedy repentaunce. Beware of such as shall aduertise you somthing to beare with the worlde as they doe, for a season. There is no dallying wyth Gods matters: It is a fearefull thing (as S. Paule saith) to fall into the handes of God. Remember the Prophet Helias: Marginalia3. Reg. 18.why halt you on both sides? Remember what Christ sayth: MarginaliaLuke. 9.he that putteth his handes to the plough and looketh backe, is not worthy of me. And seyng God hath hetherto allowed you as a good Soldiour in the forward, play not the coward, neyther draw backe to the rereward. MarginaliaThe Popes Church vnder pains of damnation is to be auoyded.S. Iohn numbreth among them that shall dwell in the fiery lake, such as bee fearefull in Gods cause.MarginaliaApoca. 2.Set before your eyes alwayes the examples of such as haue behaued them selues boldly in Gods cause: as Steuen, Peter, Paule, Daniell, the three children, the wydowes sonnes, and in your dayes, Anne Askewe, Laurence Saunders, Iohn Bradford, with many other faythfull witnesses of Christ. Be not afraid in nothyng, sayth S. Paule,Marginalia
Phil. 1.
He exhorteth to be bould in Christ. of the aduersaries of Christes doctrine: the whiche is to them the cause of perdition, but to you of euerlasting saluation. Christ commaundeth the same, saying: Feare them not. Let vs not follow the example of him which asked time first to take leaue of his frendes. If we so do, we shall finde few of them that will encourage vs to goe forward in our busines, please it God neuer so much. We reade not þ^t Iames and Iohn, Andrew and Simon, when they were called, put of the time tyll they had knowen their fathers and friendes pleasure, but the scripture sayth: They forsoke all, and by & by followed Christ. ChristMarginaliaMath. 13. lykened þ^e kyngdome of God to a precious pearle, þ^e which whosoeuer findeth, selleth all that hee hath for to buy it. Yea, whosoeuer hath but a litle tast or glimering how precious a treasure the kingdome of heauen is, will gladly forgo both life and goodes for the obteyning of it. But the most part nowe a dayes be lyke to MarginaliaWorldly christians resembled to æsopes Cocke.Esopes Cocke, which when he had found a precious stone wished rather to haue found a barely corne. So ignorant be they howe precious a iewell the woorde of God is, that they choose rather the thinges of thys world, which being compared to it, be lesse in value then a barely corne.

If I would haue geuen place to worldly reasons, these myght haue moued me: MarginaliaWorldly alurementes and motions of drawing backe, by Gods grace withstanded.First the forgoyng of you and my children: the consideration of the state of my children beyng yet tender of age and young, apt and inclinable to vertue & learnyng, and so hauyng the more neede of my assistance, beyng not altogether destitute of giftes to helpe them with all: possessions aboue the common sort of men: because I was neuer called to be a Preacher or Minister: and (because of my sickenes) feare of death in imprisonment before I should come to my aunswere, and so my death to bee vnprofitable.

But these and such lyke, I thanke my heauenly father (which of his infinite mercy inspired me w^t his holy Ghost, for his sonnes sake my onely Sauiour and redeemer) preuailed not in me: but when I had by the wonderfull permission of God, fallen into their handes, at the first sight of the Shriffe, nature a little abashed: MarginaliaExperience of the Lords assistance in confirming his seruaunts.yet ere euer I came to the prison, by the working of God and through his goodnes feare departed. I sayd to the Shiriffe at hys commyng vnto mee: What matter haue you Master Sheriffe to charge me withall? He aunswered: you shall know when you come before the Maisters: and so taking me with him, I looked to haue ben brought before the Masters, and to haue heard what they could haue burdened me withall: but contrary to my expectation, MarginaliaM. Glouer committed to the Iayle, before any cause was declared.I was committed foorthwith to the Iaile not beyng called to my aunswere, litle iustice being shewed therin. But the lesse iustice a man findeth at theyr hands, þ^e more consolation in conscience shall he finde from God: for whosoeuer is of the world, the world will loue him.

After I came into prison, and had reposed my selfe there a while, MarginaliaGods mighty consolation vpon Rob. Glouer in prison.I wept for ioy and gladnes my belly full, musing much of the great mercies of God, and (as it were) saying to my selfe after this sort: O Lord who am I, on whome thou shouldest bestowe thus thy great mercy, to be numbred among the Saintes that suffer for thy Gospels sake? And so beholding and consideryng on the one side my imperfection, vnablenes, sinfull misery, and vnworthynes, and on the other side the greatnes of Gods mercy, to be called to so high promotion, MarginaliaM. Glouer weepeth for ioye in prison.I was, as it were, amazed and ouercome for a while with ioy and gladnes, concludyng thus with my selfe in my hart: O Lord thou shewest power in weaknes, wisedome in foolishnes, mercy in sinfulnes: who shall let thee to choose where and whom thou wilt( As I haue zelously loued the confession of thy word, so euer thought I my self to be most vnworthy to bee partaker of the affliction for the same.

Not long after, came vnto me M. W. Brasbrige, M. C. Phinees,  

Commentary     Close

This is 'Catherine Phinehas' in Rerum, p. 529 and 'Katherin Phines' in the1563 edition. In the Letters of the Martyrs, this is arbitrarily changed to 'Maister C. Phinehas', apparently because Bull felt that it was inappropriate for a woman to be advising Glover on what he should do. (For other examples of Bull rewriting letters so that female figures appeared as males see Thomas S. Freeman, '"The Good Ministrye of Godlye and Vertuouse Women": The Elizabethan Martyrologists and the Female Supporters of the Marian Martyrs,' Journal of British Studies 39 [2000], pp. 8-33). Foxe followed Bull's emendation: it was 'M. C. Phinehas' in the 1570 edition and all subsequent editions.

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Nicholas Hopkins in Rerum, p. 529 and 1563. In the Letters of the Martyrs and in the second, third and fourth editions of the Acts and Monuments, the name Nicholas is replaced with the initial 'N'.