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Bishop Ferrar was one of the committee (according to bishop Burnet) nominated to compile the English liturgy He also signed the brief Confession of faith, in conjunction with other protestant bishops and martyrs imprisoned in London; which is composed in the following words :

First, We confess and believe all the canonical books of the Old Testament, and all the books of the New Testament, to be the very true word of God, and to be written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and are therefore to be heard accordingly, as the judge in • all controversies and matters of religion.

Secondly, We confess and believe, that the catholic. church, which is the spouse of Christ, as a most obedient and loving wife, doth embrace and follow the doctrine of these books in all matters of religion, and therefore is she to be heard accordingly: So that those who will < not hear this church, thus following and obeying the • word of her husband, we account as heretics and schismatics, according to this saying, If he will not hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen.

Thirdly, We believe and confess all the articles of • faith and doctrine set forth in the symbol of the apostles, ' which we commonly call the creed, and in the symbols of the council of Nice, kept A. D. 432; of Constantinople, A. D. 384; of Ephesus, kept A. D. 432; of Chalcedon, kept A. D. 454; of Toletum, the first and fourth. Also in the symbols of Athanasius, Irenæus, Tertullian, and ⚫ of Damasus, which was about the year of our Lord 376. We confess and believe, (we say,) the doctrine of the ' symbols

Probably the correction of the liturgy in the time of Henry the Eighth, about the year 1540. For as to the compofition of a new liturgy, in 1547, in the first year of Edward the Sixth, the committee appointed were, I. Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury; 2. Thomas Goodrich, bishop of Ely; 3. Henry Holbech, bishop of Lincoln; 4. George Day, bifhop of Chichester; 5. John Skip, bishop of Hereford; 6. Thomas Thirlby, bishop of Westminster; 7. Nicholas Ridley, bishop of Rochester; $. Dr William May, dean of St Paul's; 9. Dr John Taylor, dean of Lincoln; 10. Dr Simon Haynes, dean of Exeter; 11. Dr John Redmayne, mafter of Trinity College, Cambridge: 12. Dr Richard Cox, dean of Christchurch, Oxon; 13. Mr Thomas Robertson, archdeacon of Leicester. This Liturgy was revised in the first year of Q. Elizabeth, by 1. Dr Matthew Parker, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury; 2. Dr Richard Cox, afterwards bishop of Ely; 3. Dr May; 4. Dr Bill; 5. James Pilkington, afterwards bishop of Durham; 6. Sir Thomas Smith; 7. Mr David Whitehead; 8. Mr Edmund Grindall, afterwards bishop of London, and then archbishop of Canterbury; 9. Dr Edwin Sandys, bishop of Worcester; 10. and the learned Edward Guelt, afterwards a bishop. See Whately's Illuftration of the Common Prayer, p. 25. 4th edit.

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symbols, generally, and particularly; so that whosoever doth otherwise, we hold the same to err from the truth. Fourthly, We believe and confess, concerning justification, that as it cometh only from God's mercy through Christ, so it is perceived and had of none, who be of years of discretion, otherwise than by faith only : Which faith is not an opinion, but a certain persuasion wrought by the Holy Ghost in the mind and heart of man; where through, as the mind is illuminated, so the heart is supplied to submit itself to the will of God unfeignedly; and so sheweth forth an inherent righteous< ness, which is to be discerned in the article of justifi⚫cation from the righteousness which God endueth us withal in justifying us; although inseparably they go together. And this we do, not for curiosity, or contention sake; but for conscience sake, that it might be quiet; which it can never be, if we confound, without distinction, forgiveness of sin and Christ's justice im'puted to us, with regeneration and inherent righteousness. By this, we disallow the papistical doctrine of free-will, of works of supererogation, of merits, of the necessity of auricular confession, and satisfaction to God-ward.

Fifthly, We confess and believe, concerning the exterior service of God, that it ought to be according to the word of God. And therefore in the congregation, all things public ought to be done in such tongue as may be most to edify: And not in Latin, where the people understand not the same.

Sixthly, We confess and believe, that God only, through Jesus Christ, is to be prayed unto and called And therefore we disallow invocation or prayer to saints departed this life.

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Seventhly, We confess and believe, that as a man departeth this life, so shall he be judged in the last day generally; and in the mean season is entered, either into the state of the blessed for ever, or damned for ever: And therefore is either past all help, or else needeth no help of any in this life. By reason whereof we affirm purgatory, masses of Scala Cali, trentals, and such suffrages, as the popish church doth obtrude as necessary, to be the doctrine of antichrist.

Eighthly, We confess and believe the sacraments of Christ, which be Baptism and the Lord's Supper, that they ought to be ministered according to the institution of Christ, concerning the substantial parts of them: · And

And that they be no longer sacraments than they be had in use, and used to the end for which they were ⚫ instituted.

And here we plainly confess, that the mutilation of the Lord's Supper, the subtraction of one kind from the lay people, is antichristian. And so is the doctrine of transubstantiation of the sacramental bread and wine after the words of consecration, as they be called. Item, ⚫ the adoration of the sacrament with the honour due unto • God, the reservation and carrying about of the same.

Item, the mass to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick ⚫ and dead, or a work that pleaseth God. All these we ⚫ confess and believe to be antichrist's doctrine: As is the inhibition of marriage, as unlawful, to any state.

And we doubt not, by God's grace, but we shall be ⚫ able to prove all our confession here, to be most true by the verity of God's word, and consent of the catholic church; which followeth, and hath followed the governance of God's Spirit, and the judgment of his word. And this through the Lord's help we will do, ⚫ either in disputation by word before the queen's highness and her council, either before the parliament houses (of whom we doubt not to be indifferently heard), either with our pens, whensoever we shall be thereto, by them that have authority, required and <commanded.

In the mean season, as obedient subjects, we shall behave ourselves toward all that be in authority, and not cease to pray to God for them; that he would govern them all, generally and particularly, with the 'spirit of wisdom and grace. And so we heartily desire, and humbly pray all men to do, in no point consenting to any rebellion or sedition against our sovereign lady the queen's highness: But, where they cannot obey, but they must disobey God, there to submit themselves with all patience and humility, to suffer as the will and pleasure of the higher powers shall adjudge. The Lord. ' of mercy endue us all with the spirit of his truth, and grace of perseverance therein unto the end. Amen.' This remarkable confession was dated the eighth day of May, in the year 1554, and subscribed by

ROBERT FERRAR, late bishop of St David's.
ROWLAND TAYLOR, JOHN PHILPOT,

JOHN BRADFORD, LAURENCE SAUNDERS,

JOHN HOOPER, late bishop of Worcester and Gloucester,
EDWARD CROME, JOHN ROGErs,

EDMUND LAWRENCE,

And J. P.-J. M.

To

To which was annexed the following declaration :

To these things above said, do I, Miles Coverdale, late 'bishop of Exeter, consent and agree, with these mine af'flicted brethren, being prisoners. Mine own hand.

M. C.'

JOHN BRADFORD.

DIVINE grace works in the souls of the faithful, and particularly of faithful ministers, a great variety of gifts and qualifications, suited to the work and business in the world, which they are appointed to fulfil. Though, perhaps, it gives no new faculty to the animal nature; yet it certainly corrects and improves whatever is bad in it, according to the measure of the heavenly gift. And if it does not absolutely destroy perverse dispositions and wrong habits, it keeps them down and will not suffer them to triumph and prevail. Some have boldness of natural spirit, as Luther had, which will appear even in the life of grace, and carry the man the more strenuously onward in what he conceives to be his duty. Others have a softness and meekness of heart, which seem more calculated to conciliate friends and build up professors in the faith, than to war against the powers of darkness, or attack the strong holds of error. Both have their use, under the divine agency; and God makes use of both to accomplish his designs of salvation towards his people.

Of this last character was the subject of the present memoir. For the kindness and benevolence of his spirit, and for the circumspect purity of his life, he obtained the name of Holy John Bradford. His worst enemies could object nothing to his life and conversation; and they were obliged to give almost as poor an account of their fury against him, as the Jews had given before against his Saviour, That they had a law, and by their law he ought to die. They had indeed a power, but as to law, or the right use of that power, in slaying men like Bradford, we must examine ordinances very different from the word and will of God.

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From an

original Painting in the Possession of M. "Blyth.

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