my asking him a question respecting my poor brother now in glory. How think you was he saved, by works of righteousness which he had done? No, but " according to his mercy he saved him, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed on him abundantly through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Sovereign grace arrested him in his mad career; the compassionate Shepherd of Israel left the ninety and nine, and sought his lost sheep and brought him to his fold.

THE FATHERS OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH.

LIFE OF JOHN ROGERS.

JOHN ROGERS was brought up in the university of Cambridge, where he profitably travailed in good learning, and at the length was chosen and called by the merchants to be their chaplain at Antwerp in Brabant. He served them to their good contentation many years. It chanced him there to fall in company with that worthy servant and martyr of God, William Tindal, and with Miles Coverdale, which both, for the hatred they bare to Popish superstitions and idolatry, and love to true religion, had forsaken their native country. In conferring with them in the Scriptures he came to great knowledge in the Gospel of God, insomuch that he cast off the heavy yoke of Popery, perceiving it to be impure and filthy idolatry; and joined himself with them two in that most painful and profitable labour of trans.

lating the Bible into the English tongue, which is intitled, The translation of Thomas Matthew. He, knowing by the Scriptures that unlawful vows may lawfully be broken, and that matrimony is both ho nest and honourable amongst all men, joined himself in lawful matrimony; and so went to Wittenburg in Saxony, where he with much soberness of living did not only greatly increase in all good and godly learning, but also so much profited in the knowledge of the Dutch tongue that the charge of a congregation was orderly committed to his cure.

In which ministry he diligently and faithfully served many years, until such time it pleased God, by the faithful travail of his chosen and dear servant King Edward the Sixth, utterly to banish all Popery out of England, and to revive true religion, setting God's Gospel at liberty. He then being orderly called, having both a conscience and a ready good will to help forward the work of the Lord in his native country, left such honest and certain conditions as he had in Saxony, and came into England to preach the Gospel, without certainty of any condition. In which office, after he had a space diligently and faithfully travailed, Nicholas Ridley, then Bishop of London, gave him a prebend in the cathedral church of St. Paul; and the Dean and Chapter chose him to be the reader of the divinity lecture there, wherein he diligently travailed, until such time as Queen Mary, obtaining the crown, banished the Gospel and true religion, and brought in the Antichrist of Rome with his idolatry and superstition.

After the Queen was come to the tower of London, he, being orderly called thereunto, made a

godly and vehement sermon at Paul's cross, confirming such true doctrine as he and others had there taught in King Edward's days, exhorting the people constantly to remain in the same, and to beware of all pestilent Popery, idolatry, and superstition. The council, being then overmatched with Popish and bloody bishops, called him to account for his sermon. To whom he made a stout, witty, and godly answer, and yet in such sort handled himself that at that time he was clearly dismissed. But after that proclamaQueen to prohibit true

tion was set forth by the preaching, he was called again before the council; for the bishops thirsted after his blood. The council quarrelled with him concerning his doctrine, and in conclusion commanded him as prisoner to keep his own house, and so he did: although by flying he might easily have escaped their cruel hands, and many things there were which might have moved him thereunto. He did see the recovery of religion at that present time seemed to be desperate; he knew he could not want a living in Germany, and he could not forget his wife and ten children, and wished to seek means to succour them. set apart, after he was called to answer in Christ's cause he would not depart from the realm, but stoutly stood in defence of the same, and for the trial of that truth was content to hazard his life.

But, all these things

Thus he remainded in his own house as a prisoner a long time, till at the length, through the uncharitable procurement of Bonner, Bishop of London, (who could not abide such honest neighbours to dwell by him,) he was removed from his own house to the prison called Newgate, where he was lodged among thieves

and murderers for a great space; during which time what business he had with the adversaries of Christ all is not known; neither yet is there any certainty of his examinations further than he himself did leave in writing, which God would not to be lost, but to remain for a perpetual testimony in the cause of God's truth, as here followeth recorded and testified by his own writing.

The Examination and Answer of JOHN ROGERS, made to the Lord Chancellor, and to the rest of the Council, the 22nd of January, Anno 1555: penned by himself.

The Lord Chancellor. First, the lord Chancellor said unto me thus: " 'Sir, ye have heard of the state of the realm in which it standeth now."

Rogers. No, my Lord, I have been kept in close prison, and except there have been some general things said at the table, when I was at dinner or supper, I have heard nothing; and there have I heard nothing whereupon any special thing might be grounded.

Lord Chancellor. Then said the Lord Chancellor, "General things, general things," mockingly; ye have heard of my Lord Cardinal's coming, and that the Parliament hath received his blessing, not one resisting unto it but one man which did speak against it. Such an unity, and such a miracle, hath not been seen. And all they, of which there are eight score in one house, said one that was by, (whose name I know not) have with one assent and consent received pardon of their offences, for the schism that

we had in England, in refusing the holy father of Rome to be head of the catholic church. How say ye, are ye content to unite, and knit yourself to the faith of the catholic church with us in the state in which it is now in England: will ye do that?

Rogers. The catholic church I never did nor will dissent from.

Lord Chancellor. Stay; but I speak of the state of the catholic church in that wise in which we stand now in England, having received the Pope to be supreme head.

Rogers. I know no other head but Christ of his catholic church, neither will I acknowledge the bishop of Rome to have any more authority than any other bishop hath by the word of God, and by the doctrine of the old and pure catholic church 400 years after Christ.

Lord Chancellor. Why didst thou then acknowledge King Henry the Eighth to be supreme head of the church, if Christ be the only head?

Rogers. I never granted him to have any supremacy in spiritual things, as are the forgiveness of sins, giving of the Holy Ghost, and authority to be a judge over the word of God.

Lord Chancellor. Yea, said he, if thou hadst said so in the days of Tonstal, Bishop of Durham (and they nodded the head at me with laughter), thou hadst not been alive now.

Rogers. Which thing I denied, and would have told how he was said and meant to be supreme head. But they looked and laughed one upon another, and made such a business that I was constrained to let it pass. There lieth also no great weight thereupon: for