The spirit of the martyrs revived in a brief compendious collection of the most remarkable passages and living testimonies of the true church, seed of God, and faithful martyrs in all ages: contained in several ecclesiastical histories & chronological accounts of the succession of the true church from the creation, the times of the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

The Substance of another Examination of Robert Smith, be∣fore the said Bishop.

Upon Saturday, at Eight of the Clock, I was brought to his Cham∣ber again, and there by him examined, as followeth.

Bonner,

Thou Robert Smith sayst, that there is no Catholick Church here on Earth.

Smith,

You have heard me both speak the contrary, and you have written it as a Witness of the same.

Bonner,

Yea, but I must ask thee this question how sayst thou?

Smith,

Must you of necessity begin with a Lye; it maketh mani∣fest that you determine to end with the same; but there shall no Lyars enter the Kingdom of God; nevertheless, if you will be an∣swemed, ask mine Articles that were written yesterday, and they shall tell you, that I have confessed a Church of God, as well in Earth, as in Heaven, and yet all one Church, and one mans Members, even Christ Jesus.

Bonner,

Well, what sayest thou to Auricular confession, is it not neces∣sary to be used in Christs Church; and wilt thou not be shriven of the Priest?

Smith,

It is not needful to be used in Christs Church, as I answer∣ed yesterday; but if it be needful for your Church, it is to pick mens purses, and such pick-purse matters is all the whole rabble of your Ceremonies; for all is but money matters that ye maintain.

Bonner,

How art thou able to prove that Confession is a Pickpurse matter, Art thou not ashamed so to say?

Smith,

I speak by experience, for I have both heard and seen the fruits of the same; for first we see it hath been a bewrayer of Kings

secrets, and the secrets of other mens Consciences, who being deli∣vered, and glad to be discharged of their sins have given to Priest great sums of money to absolve them, and sing Masses for their Souls health; and began to tell him an Example of a Gentleman in Norfolk, who being bound in Conscience, through the perswasion of the Priest gave away a great part of what he had; the which thing when his Brother heard, he went to London, and declaring it to the Council, how that by subtilty the Priest had robbed his Wife and Children, he recovered a great part again, to the value of two or three hundred pounds; as I was relating this, the Bishop saw it savoured not to his purpose, but began to revile me, and said; By the Mass, if the Queens Majesty were of his mind, I should not come to talk before any man, but should be put into a Sack, and a Dog tyed unto the same, and so should be thrown into the Water.

Smith,

To which I answered again, saying, I know you speak by practice, as much as by speculation; for both you, and your predecessors have sought all means possible to Kill Christ secretly, Witness M. Hunn, whom your predecessors caused to be thrust in at the Nose with hot burning needles, and then to be hanged, and said he hanged himself; and also a good Brother of yours, a Bishop of your profession, having in his Prison an Innocent man, whom because he saw he was not able by the Scriptures to be overcome, he made him privily to be Snarled, and his Flesh to be torn, and p••••kt away with a pair of Pinsors, and bringing him before the People said the rats had eaten him: Thus according to your Oath is all your dealing, and hath been, and as you taking upon you the Office do not wit••out Oaths open your Mouths, no more do you without Murther maintain your Traditions

Bonner,

Ah you are a Generation of Lyars there is not one true Word that cometh out of your Mouthes.

Smith,

Yes, my Lord, have said that Jesus Christ is dead for my sins, and risen for my Justification, and this is no Lye.

Bonner,

How sayst thou Smith, to the seven Sacraments, believest thou not that they be Gods order, that is to say the Sacrament of &c.

Smith,

As for the Sacrament of the Altar, and all your Sacra∣ments, they may well serve your Church, but Gods Church hath nothing to do with them; neither have I any thing to do with them, nor you to examine me of them.

Bonner,

Why is Gods order changed in Baptism, in what point do we dif∣fer from the Word of God?

Smith,

First in Hallowing your Water, in Conjuring the same, in Baptizing Children, with Annointing, and Spitting in their Mouths, mingled with Salt, and with many other lewd Cere∣monies of which not one point is able to be proved in Gods order.

Bonner,

By the Mass, this is the most unshamfaced Heretick that ever I heard speak.

Smith,

Well sworn, my Lord, you keep a good Watch.

Bonner,

Well, Mr. Controler, you catch me at my Words, but I well Watch thee as well, I warrent thee.

John Mordant being by, said, By my Troth my Lord, I never heard the like in all my life; but I pray you, my Lord, mark well his answer for Baptism, he disalloweth therein holy Oyntment, Salt, and such other laudable Ceremonies, which no Christian man will deny.

Smith,

That is a shameful Blasphemy against Christ, so to use any mingle-mangle in your Baptism.

Bonner,

I believe, I tell thee, that if they die before they are Baptized they are damned.

Smith,

You shall never be saved by that belief; but I pray you, my Lord, shew me, are we saved by Water or by Christ?

Bonner,

By both.

Smith,

Then the Water died for our Sins, and so must you say, that the Water hath life, and it being our Servant, and created for us is our Saviour?

Bonner,

Why, how understandest thou these Scriptures, except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God? And again, suffer, saith our Saviour, these Children to come unto me, if thou wilt not suffer them to be Baptized, after the laudable order, thou lettest them to come unto Christ.

Smith,

Where you alleadge, except a man be born, &c. And will thereby prove the Water to save. The Apostle asked the Cala∣thians, whether they received the Spirit by the deeds of the Law or by the Preaching of faith? And where you say, I let the Children from coming unto Christ, it is manifest by our Saviours Words, that you let them to come, that will not suffer them to come, with∣out the necessity of Water, for he saith suffer them to come unto me, and not unto Water; and it is not, saith St. Peter, the washing away of the filth of the Flesh, but in a good Conscience converteth unto God; and to prove that the Water only bringeth not the holy Ghost, it is written that Simon received Water, and would have received the holy Ghost for Money; and many received the holy Ghost before Baptism, and to Judge Children damned that be not Baptized, it is Wicked.

Mordant

By our Lady, Sir, but I believe that if my Child dye without Water he is damned.

Bonner,

Yea, and so do I, and all Catholick men, good Master Mordant.

Smith,

Well, my Lord, such Catholick, such Salvation.

Bonner,

Well, Sir, what say you to the Sacrament of Orders.

Smith,

You may call it the Sacrament of Misorders, for all orders are appointed of God, but as for your Shaving, Anointing, Crea∣sing, Poling and Rounding, there are no such things appointed in Gods Book, and therefore I have nothing to do to believe your orders; and as for you, my Lord, if you had grace, or intelligence, you would not so dis-figure your self as you do.

Bonner,

Sayst thou so now, by my Troth, and I will go shave my self to anger thee; withall, desiring me before he went to answer to these Articles.

Bonner,

What say you to the holy Bread and holy Water, to the Sacra∣ment of Anointing, and to all the rest of such Ceremonies of the Church?

Smith,

I say they be Baubles for Fools to play withall, and not for the Children of God to exercise themselves in, and therefore they may go among the refuse.

Then went away M. Mordent, and my Lord went to shaving, leaving there certain Doctors, as he called them, to assay what they could do, of whom I was baited half an hour; of whom I asked this question, where were all you in the dayes of King Edward, that you spake not that which you speak now?

Doctor,

We were in England.

Smith,

Yes, but then you had the Faces of men, but now you have put on Lyons Faces again; you shew your selves as full of ma∣lice as may be, for you have for every time a visor; yea, and if ano∣ther King Edward should arise, ye would then say down with the Pope, for he is Antichrist, and so are his Angels.

Then they reviled me, and had me away, but brought me before them again, and one of them asked me, if I disallowed con∣fession.

Smith,

To whom I answerd, look in my Articles and they will show you what I allow.

Doctor,

In your Articles you confess that you allow not auricular Con∣fession.

Smith,

I allow it not, because the Word alloweth it not, nor com∣mandeth it not.

Doctor,

Why, it is written, thou shalt not hide thy Sins and Of∣fences.

Smith,

No, I do not, when I confess them to Almighty God.

Doctor,

Why you cannot say that you can hide them from God, and there∣fore your must understand the words are spoken to be uttered to them that do not know them.

Smith,

You have made a good answer, then must the Priest confess himself to me, as I to him, for I know his faults and secrcets no more then he knows mine; and David said, I will confess my Sins unto thee, Lord: And after some more words passed between me and the Doctors, came in the Bishop from shaving, and asked me, How I liked him?

Smith,

Forsooth, you are even as wise as you were before you were shaven.

Bonner,

Well, How standeth it, Master Doctors, have you done any good?

Doctor,

No, by my Troth, my Lord, we can do no good.

Smith,

Then it is fulfilled which is written, How can an evil Tr•••• bring forth good Fruit?

Bonner,

Nay, naughty fellow, I set these Gentlemen to bring thee home to Christ.

Smith,

Such Gentlemen, such Christs, and as truly as they have that Name from Christ, so truly do they teach Christ.

Bonner,

Well, wilt thou neither hear them nor me.

Smith,

Yes I am compelled to hear you, but you cannot compel me to follow you.

Bonner.

Well, thou shalt be burnt at a Stake in Smithfield, if thou wilt not turn.

Smith,

And you shall burn in Hell, if you repent not. But, my Lord, to put you out of doubt, because I am weary, I will strain Curtesie with you; I perceive you will not with your Doctors come unto me, and I am not determined to come unto you, by Gods Grace, for I have hardned my Face against you, as hard as Brass. Then after many railing sentences, I was sent away: And thus have I left the Truth of my Answers in writing, being thereunto de∣sired by my Friends, that you may see how the Lord hath, accor∣ding to his promise, given me a Mouth and Wisdom to an∣swer in his Cause, for which I am condemned and my Cause not heard.