Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A09295
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I Iohn Penry, doo heare as I shall answere before the Lord my God in that great day of iudgement set downe sumarily the whole truth and nothing but the truth which I hold and professe at this hower eyther in regard of my faith towards my God and dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth unto whome only of all the potentas in the world I owe all reuerente, dutie and submission in the Lord.
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Penry, John, 1559-1593.
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1593
(1593)
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STC 19608; ESTC S100448
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9,959
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10
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her Maiestie whome the Lord preserve for ever more and of my contrie I have for my warrant not onlie the written word which is sufficient but also in the points of greatest moment the doctrine of the Church of EnglaÌ„d established by her Maiestie and theyr Honors togeather with the writtings testimonies and blood of the famous servants and Martyrs of Christ viz. M. whickleff M. Brute M. Ashly M. Parvy M. Charch and many other holy witnesses of the Lord in former tymes M. Tindall M. Lambert M. Latymer M. Bale the famous servantes of God in this later age togeather with the witnesses of the reformed Churches at this day in the points I say of speciall waight my soule is so evinced by the word of God in all them as I am ready to give my lyfe by the ayde of my God for the truth of this testimony and the testimonies of the fornamed servants of God and holy Churches of Christ yet if any maÌ„ can see by the written word of God that I erre in any thing I will most willingly reforme my iudgement crave pardon ernesthe for any oversight yea and be most willing to suffer due punishement for my temeritie But if on the other side I testify nothing but verity in these points I am vndoubtedlie persuaded of I most humblie crave that the percing edge of that sword may not in heat be turned against me and my brethren which was never professedlie violent against the open and sworne enemies of their native Prince and contrie Death I thanke God I feare not in this cause especiallie for I know that the sting of death is taken away and that they are blessed which die in the Lord for witnessing against the former corruptions Reu. 14.9.13 Life I desyre not if I be guiltie of sedition of defaming and disturbing the quiet state of her Maiestie peceable governement Lastlie I most humblie and earnestlie beseech theyr Honors and worships in whose handes this writting of myne shall come to consider that it is to no purpose that her Maiestyes subjects shovld bestow their tyme in learning in studie and meditation of thâ—â— word in reading the writtings and doings of learned men and of the holy martirs whicâ— have ben in former ages especially the writings published by her Majesties auctoritie they may not without danger proffesse and hold those truths as which they learne out of thâ—â— and that in such sorte as they are able to conuince all the world that will stand against thâ—â— by noe other weapons then by the word of God I beseech them also to consider what a lamentable cause it is that wee may hold fellowship with the Romish Church in the inueÌ„tions thereof without al danger canot without extreme peril be permited in IudgmeÌ„t practise to dissent from the same where it swerueth from the true waye as they find the things to be of especiall moment in religion I beseech them in the bowels of Iesuâ— Christ to be a meanes vnto her Majestie their H. Hs. that my cause may be waighed in even balance imprisonments Indightments arainmeÌ„ts yea death it selfe are no meete weapons to conuince the conscience grounded vpon the word of God accompanyed with so manie wittnesses of his famous seruants Churches The Lord blesse hir right excellent Majestie my most gracious soveraigne blesse their H. Hs this whole land all his saincts even for his great names sake Amen Subscribed with heart hand by me Iohn penry now in straight bonds for the former testimonie of Christs truth TO THE DISTRESSED FAITHFVLL CONGREGATION OF CHRIST IN LONDON AND ALL THE Members thereof wither in bondes or at liberty these be delivered My beloved brethren M. F. Iohnson M. D. M S M. S. M. G. I. M. I M. H. M. B. M. S. R. B. M R. M K N. B. M. B. I. M N P. W. C. P A. my brethren M. I. C. W. B. A. P. M. MM. E C. C D. G. M. A B. With the rest of you both men women as if particularly I named you all which stand members of this poore afflicted congregation whether at libertie or in bondes Iesus Christ that great king Prince of the kings of the earth blesse you comfort you with his invincible spirit that you may be able to beare and over come these great trials which you are yet and I with you if I live to vndergoe for his names sake in this testimonie BELOVED let vs thinke out lot and portioÌ„ more then blessed that novve are vouchsaffed the favor not onelie to know to professe but also to suffer for the sinceritie of the Gospell let vs remember that great is our reward in heaven if wee endure vnto the end I testifie vnto you for mine one part as I shal answere before Iesus Christ his elect Angels that I never saw anie truth more cleare vndoubted then this witnesse wherin wee stand 1 against false offices 2 the callings 3 the workes 4. the maintenance left retayned in this land by and from Poperie 5. against the obedience wich spiritually eyther in soule or in body is yealded the comunion that is had with these inventions of darknes 6 the mingling of all sorts in these assemblies 7. the worship done but scant in one of the three partes of the commission given by our sauiour Scant done I say in one of the three partes of the coÌ„mission by the best teachers of this laÌ„d And I thanke my God I am not only ready to be bound banished but eveÌ„ to die in this cause by his streÌ„gth yea my brethreÌ„ I greatly loÌ„g in regard of my self to be disolued and to liue in the blessed kingdome of heaven with Iesus 〈…〉 Christ and his Angels with Adam Henoch Noah Abraham Moses Iobe Dauid Ieremie Daniel Paule the great Apostle of the Gentiles and with the rest of the holy saints both men and women with the glorious kinges Prophets and martyrs and wittnesses of Iesus Christ that have bine from the begining of the world particulerly with my twoe deare brethren master Henry Barrowe master Iohn Greenwoode which have last of all yealded their bloud for this precious testimonie CoÌ„fessing vnto you my btethren and sisters that if I might liue vppon this earth the days of Methushelach twyse tould and that in noe lesse comforte then Peter Iames and Iohn were in the mount and after this life might be sure of the knigdoÌ„e of heaveÌ„ that yet to gayne al this I durst not goe froÌ„ the former testimony Wher fore my brethren I beseech you be of like minde herein with me I doubt not but you have the same precious faith with me are pertakers also of farte more glorious comfort then my barren and sinfull soule cane be striue for me with me that the Lord our God may make me and vs all able to ende our course with ioy and patience Striue also that he may staye his blessed hand if it
be his good pleasure and not make any farther breach in his Church by the taking awaye of any more of vs as yet to the discouraging of the weake and the lifting vp of the horne of our aduersaries I would indeed if it be his good pleasure liue yet with you to helpe you to beare that greueous and hard yoake which yet ye are like to sustaine eyther here or in a strange land And my good brethren seing banishement with losse of goodes is likely to betyde you all preparcy our selues for this hard entreatie and reioyce that you are made worthy for CHRIST cause to suffer and beare al these things And I beseech you in the bowels of Iesus Christ that none of you in this case loke vppon his perticular estate but regard the generall state of the Church of God that the same may goe and be kept together whethersoeuer it shal please God to send you Oh the blessinge wil be great that shall ensue this care whereas if you goe euery man to prouid for his owne house and to loke for his owne familie First neglecting pore Sion the Lord will sett his face against you and scatter you from the one end of heaven to the other neyther shall you finde a resting place for the soles of your feet or a blesing vppon any thing you take in hād The Lord my brethren and sisters hath not forgotten to be gracious vnto Sion you shall yet finde dayes of peace and of rest if you continew faith full This Stampeing treading of vs vnder his feete this subuerting of our cause and right in iudgement is done by him to the end that we shoul search and trie our wayes and repent vs of our carelessnes profannes and rebellion in his sight but he wil yet maintaine the cause of our soules and redeeme our liues if we returne to him yea he wil be with vs in fire water wil not forsakevs if our harts be only and especially of the building of Sion whethersoeuer we goe Let not those of you then that either haue stocks in your hādes or some likly trades to liue by dispose of your selues where it may be most commodious for your outward estate and in the meane tyme suffer the poore ones that have no such meanes eyther to beare the whole worke vpon their weake shoulders or to ende their daies in sorowe and morning for want of outward and inward cōforts in the land of strangers for the Lord wil be an auenger of all such dealings But cousult with the whole Church yea with the brethten of other places how the church may be kept togeather and built whethersoeuer they go let not the poore and the freendlesse be forced to stay behinde heere and to breake a good conscience for want of your support and kindnesse vnto them that they may go with you and here I humbly beseech you not in anie outward regard as I shall answer before my God that you would take my pore and desolate widowe and my messe of fatherlesse and freindlesse orphaines with you into exile whether soeuer you goe and you shall fynde I doubt not that the blessed promesses of my God made vnto me and myne will accompanie them even the whole Church for their fakes for this also is the Lords promise vnto the holy seede as you shall not need much to demaunde what they shal eate or wherwith they shal be clothed and in shorte time I doubt not but they wil be found helpfull not burthensome to the Church only I beseech you 〈◊〉 I and where they must be enforced to goe againe vnto Egypte and my God wil blesse you euen with a ioyfull retourne vnto your owne country for it there are of you whoe I doubt not wil be carefull of the performance of the will of your deade brother in this poynt whoe may yet liue to shew this kindenesse vnto youres I wil say noe more Be kinde louinge and tender harted the one of you towardes the other laboure every way to encrease love and to shew the duties of love one of you towardes an other by visitinge comfortinge and releeuing one the other euen for the reproach of the heathen that are round about vs as the Lord saith Be watching in prayer especially remember those of out brethren that are especiallye endaungered perticulerly those our twoe brethren M. Studley and Robert Boule whome our God hath strengthned now to stand in the forefront of the battell I feare me that our carelesnes was over great to sue vnto our God for the liues of these towe so notable lights of his Church who nowe rest with him and that he tooke them away for many respects seeming good to his wisdome soe also that we might learne to be more carefull in prayer in all such causes pray for them then my brethren and for our brother M. Fran Iohns and for me who am likely to end my dayes eyther with them or before them that our God may spare vs vnto his church if it be his God pleasure or giue vs exceding faythfullnes and be euery way comfortable vnto the sister and wife of the dead I meane vnto my beloued M. Barrowe and M. Greenwoode whome I most hartly salute and desire much to be comforted in theyr God whoe by his blessinges from aboue wil counteruayle vnto them the want of soe notable a broher and husband I would wish you earnestly to write yea to send if you may to comforte the brethren in the west and North countreys that they faint not in these troubles and that alsoe you may have of theyr aduise and they of youres what to doe in these desolate times and if you thinke it any thing for theyr further comfort and direction send them conuenientlie a copy of this my letter and of the declaration of my faith and alegiance wishinge them before whomsoever they be called that theyr owne mouthes be not had a witnesse against them in any thnge yea I would wish you and them to be together if you may whethersoeuer you shal be banished and to this purpose to bethinke you before hand where to be yea to send some whoe may be meet to prepare you some resting place be al of you assured that he whoe is your god in England wil be your God in any land vnder the whole heaven for the earth and the fulnes thereof are his and blessed are they that for his cause are bereaued of any parte of the same Finally my brethren the eternall God blesse you and youres that I may meete with you all vnto my comfort in the blessed kingdome of heauen Thus haujng from my harte and with teares performed it may be my last duetje towardes you in this life I salute you all in the Lorde both men and womē even those whoe I have not named as hartelie as those whose names I haue mentioned for all your names I knowe not And remember to stand steedfast and faithfull in Iesus Christ as you haue receiued him vnto your immortality And he conferme and establish you to the ende for the praise of his glory Amen The 24 the of the 4 moneth Aprill 1593. Your louinge brother in the patience and sufferinges of the gospell Iohn Penry a wittnesse of Christ in this life and a pertaker of the glory that shal be reuealed