PRO REGE MEO PROSPERIS ET ADVERSIS William Hopkinson Certain most godly fruitful and comfortable letters of such true Saintes and holy Martyrs of God as in the late bloodye persecution here within this Realme gaue their lyues for the defence of Christes holy gospel written in the tyme of theyr affliction and cruell imprysonment Though they suffer payne amonge men yet is their hopefull of immortalitie Sap. 3. Jmprinted at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martines 1564. Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis For thy sake are we put to death euery day Psal 44. And are coūted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Roma 8. How long O Lorde Psalm 13. Behold I come shortlye Apoc. 22. Oh come Lorde Iesu Apoc. 22. He will come and nottary Abac. 2. Myles Couerdale vnto the Christian Reader moste hartelye wysheth the continuall encrease of heauenlye taste and spirituall swetnesse in the same assured saluation which commeth onely through Iesus Christ THe more nigh that mens wordes workes approch vnto the most wholesome sayinges fruitful doings of the old auncient Saincts chosē childrē of god which loued not only to heare his word but also to liue therafter the more worthy are they to be estemed embraced followed And therfore as we heare read of many godly both mē wemen whose cōuersatiō in old time was beautifyed with syngular giftes of the holy ghost according as the Apostle describeth thē in the .xi. chap. to the Hebrues so haue we iust cause to reioyce that we haue bene familiar acquainted with some of those which walked in the trade of their fotesteppes For the which cause it doth vs good to read and heare not the lying legendes of fayned false counterfayted and popish canonized saincts neither the triflyng toyes forged fables of corrupted writers but such true holy approued histories monuments orations epistles letters as do set forth vnto vs the blessed behauiour of gods deare seruaūtes It doth vs good I say by such comfortable remēbraunce conceaued by their notable writinges to be conuersaunt with them at the least in spirite S. Hierome writing to one Nitia and hauyng occasion to speake of letters or epystles maketh mention of a certayne Authour named Turpilius whose woordes sayeth he are these a letter or epistle is the thyng alone that maketh men present which are absent For among those that are absent what is so presente as to heare and talke with those whom thou louest Also that noble Clarke Erasmus Roterodame cōmendyng the booke of the Epistles or letters which S. Augustine dyd write sayeth thus by some of Augustines bokes we may perceaue what maner of man he was being an infant in Christ By other some we may knowe what maner a one he was being a young man and what he was being an olde man But by thys onely booke meaning the booke of the Epistles or letters thou shalt knowe whole Augustyne altogether And why doth S. Hierome or Erasmus saye thus No doubt euen because that in such writynges as in a cleare glasse we maye see and beholde not onely what plentifull furniture and store of heauenly grace wisedome knowledge vnderstanding fayth loue hope zeale pacience mekenes obedience with the worthy fruites thereof almighty god had bestowed vpon the same his most deare children but also what a fatherlye care he euer hadde vnto them how his mightye hand defended them howe hys prouidence kept watch and warde ouer them howe hys louyng eye loked vnto them howe hys gracious eare heard their prayers how he was alwaye myndfull of them neuer forgat them neither fayled them nor forsoke them how the armes of his mercye were streytched oute to embrace them when soeuer they faythfullye tourned vnto hym howe valiaunte also and stronge in spirite howe ioyfull vnder the crosse howe quyet and cheerefull in trouble he made them what victorye of their enemyes what deliueraunce oute of bondes and captiuitie what health from sicknes what recouerye from plagues what plentye from scarcenesse to bee shorte what helpe at all nede and necessity he gaue and bestowed vpon them By such lyke mounmentes also and writynges it is manifest and playne how the same deare children of God in their time behaued themselues aswel towards hym as also towardes their frendes and foes yea what the verye thoughts of their hartes were when they prayed as their maner was incessantlye to doe when they confessed their sinnes complained vnto god when they gaue thankes when they were persecuted and troubled when they were by the hand of god visited when they felte not onelye the horrour of death the griefe of synne the burthen of gods displeasure by reason of the same but also the swete tast of hys great mercy eternal comfort through Iesus Christ in theyr conscience Of the which thinges lyke as we may euidently perceiue rich and plentiful experience in the heauēly treasurie of that most excellēt boke which we cōmonly cal Dauids Psalter so hath not god nowe in our days left hymselfe without witnesses yea no more then he dyd in other ages before vs but of his aboundante goodnes euen when the late persecutiō was most cruel and the enemies rage most extreme he hath raised vp such zelous men women as by the wonderful operation of hys holy spirit of weake were made so valeant strong in him aswel against all idolatry superstitiō false doctrine and corrupted religion as against their own old blemishes sinnes that they haue turned to flight and cōfounded the whole rable of suche malicious papists as were the persecutors and murtherers of them Wherby they that list not stil to be blind may plainlye behold and see not onely the terrible iudgementes of God ouer against the wicked but also his wonderful doinges mixt wit mercy in and towardes hys chosen vnto whom as vnto them that loue him he causeth al things to worke for the best So that with him by the heauēly light of stedfast faith they see lyfe euen in death with him euen in heauines sorrow they faile not of ioy comfort wyth hym euen in pouerty affliction and trouble they neither perish nor are forsaken How els could they be so patiēt so quiet of minde so cherefull and merye in aduersitie and straite captiuitie some beyng throwne into dungeons vgsome holes darke lothesome and stinking corners other some lying in fetters and chaynes and loaded wyth so many irons that they could scarcely styrre some tied in the stocks wyth their heeles vpwarde some hauyng their legges in the stockes their neckes chayned to the walle wyth gorgets of iron some both handes and legges in the stockes at once sometimes both hands in and both legges out sometimes the right hand with the left leg or the left hand with the right legge fastened in the stockes wyth manicles and fetters hauyng neither stoole nor stone to sitte on to ease their wofull bodies withall
therof wyll be so pitifull withoute spedye repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I woulde to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that fredome of conscience mighte begenen vnto them I write as god knoweth not of presumption but onlye lamentinge they re state whome I thought nowe in thys daungerous time should haue geuen bothe you and me comfortable instructions But alas in stede therof we haue perswasions to follow I lament me to rehearse it superstitions idolatrye yea that worste of all is they will seeke to proue it by the scripture The Lord for his mercy turne theyr hartes Amen Yours N. R. A letter which he wrote as his last farewell to al his true and faythefull frendes in God a little before he suffred with a sharpe admoniton by by the way to the papists the enemies of the truth AT the name of Iesus let euery kne bow both of thyngs in heauen and things in earth and thinges vnder the earth and let euerye tonge confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the father Amen As a man minding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commenly and naturally hath a desire to byd his frendes farewell before hys departure so likewise now I loking dayly when I shoulde be called for to departe hence from you O al ye my dearely beloued brethren and sisters in oure Sauioure Christe that dwel here in this world hauing a like mind towardes you all also blessed be God of this such time leasure whereof I right hartely thank his heauenly goodnes do byd you all my deare brethren and sisters I say in Christ that dwel vp on the earth after such manner as I can Farewell Farewel my deare Brother George Shypside whome I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louinge in all state and condicions and now in the time of my crosse ouer all other to me most frendly and steadfast that which liked me best ouer all other thinges in Gods cause euer harty Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am gladde to beare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse whiche is layed now blessed be God both on thy backe and mine in good parte Thanke thou GOD that hathe geuen thee a godly and a louing husband se thou honor him and obey hym according to Gods lawe Honour thy mother in lawe his mother and loue al those that perteyne vnto hym being ready to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy chyldren I doubte not of thy husbande but that he whyche hathe geuen hym a hearte to loue and feare God and in God them that pertayne vnto hym shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vnto thy children euen as yf they had bene gotten of hys owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Rydley of the Waltowne and you my gentle and louyng Syster Elizabeth whome besydes the naturall league of amitye your tender loue whiche you were sayde euer to beare towardes me aboue the reste of youre brethren dothe bynde me to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this youre louyng affection and to haue acquyted it wyth dedes and not wyth woordes alone Youre daughter Elizabeth I byd farewell whom I loue for the meeke and gentle Spiryte that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the syght of God Farewell my beloued Syster of Vnthancke wyth all youre chyldren my nephewes and nices Synce the departure of my Brother Hughe my mynde was to haue beene vnto them in the steade of theyr father but the Lorde god must and will be theyr father if they wil loue hym and feare him and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewell my welbeloued and worshipfull Cosyns maister Nicholas Ridley of Wyllimountswick and your wife and I thanke you for all youre kyndnesse shewed bothe to me and also to all youre owne kynsefolke and myne Good Cosyn as GOD hath sette you in that oure stocke and kyndred not for anye respecte of youre personne but of hys aboundaunte grace and goodnesse to bee as it were the Belweather to order and conducte the reaste and hathe also endued you wyth his manyfold gyftes of grace bothe heauenlye and worldlye aboue others so I praye you good Cosin as my truste and hope is in you continue and increase in the mayntenaunce of truthe honestye rightuousnesse and all true godlynesse and to the vttermost of your power to wythstande falsehode vntruthe vnryghteousnesse and all vngodlynesse whych is forbid and condempned by the word and lawes of God Farewel my yong Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was verye shorte wyth me my mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caughte in that little tyme a losse but I truste it shall bee recompenced as it shall please almighty god Farewell al my whole kyndred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lorde which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that accordyng to my hartes desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you and to haue brought wyth me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospell accordyng to the duetye of that office and ministerye wherevnto among you I was chosen named and appoincted by the mouth of that our late piereles Prince king Edwarde and so also denounced openly in hys court by his priuye counsayle I warne you all my welbeloued kynsfolke and countreymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thynke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my life and therfore I thanke my Lorde GOD hartely for it that it hath pleased hym to cal me of hys great mercye vnto this hyghe honour to suffer deathe wyllynglye for hys sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he called the holy Prophets hys dearly beloued Apostels and hys blessed chosē martyrs For knowe ye that I doubte no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to deathe are gods causes and the causes of the truthe then I doubte that the Gospell whyche Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christe or that Paules Epystles are the verye worde of GOD. And to haue a harte wyllyng to abyde and stande in gods cause in Christs quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O man it is an inestimable and an honourable gyft of GOD geuen onely to the true electes and dearely beloued children of GOD and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen For the holye Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause Sayncte Peter sayeth ◠Pet. 4 yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of Chryste that is in Christes cause and for hys truthes sake then are ye happye and blessed for the glorye of the Spirite of God resteth vppon you If for rebukes sake suffered in Chrystes name a man is pronounced by the mouthe of that holye Apostle blessed and happye howe muche more happye and blessed is he that hathe
flaming fyre quicke and aliue whosoeuer will goe aboute to bewray their falshed The kind of fight against these church robbers is also of an other sorte and kinde then is that whiche is agaynste the theues of the borders For there the true men go forth against theÌ„ with speare launce with bow and byl and al such kind of bodelye weapons as the true men haue but here as the enemyes be of an other nature so the watchmen of Christs flocke the warriours that fight in the Lordes warre muste be armed and fight with an other kinde of weapons and armour For here the enemies of God the souldiors of Anti-Christ although the battel is set forth against the churche by mortall men being flesh and bloud and neuerthelesse members of theyr father the deuil yet for that theyr graund maister is the power of darknesse theyr members are spirituall wickednes wicked spirites spirites of erroures of heresies of all deceate and vngodlines spirites of idolatry Ephe 6 superstition and hipocrisye which are called of S. Paule Principates powers Lordes of the world rulers of the darknesse of this world and spiritual subtilties concerning heaueÌ„ly things therfore our weapons must be fit and mete to fyght agaynst such not carnall nor bodely weapons as speare and launce but spiritual and heauenly we must fight agaynst such with the armor of God not entendinge to kill they re bodyes but their errours theyr false craft and heresies theyr idolatry superstitioÌ„ and hipocrisy Eph 6. and to saue as much as lieth in vs both theyr bodies and soules And therfore as S. Paule teacheth vs we fighte not against fleshe and bloude that is we fyght not with bodely weapon to kyll the man but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errours vice and to saue both body and soule Our weapons therfore are faythe hope charitye righteousnesse truthe pacience prayer vnto God and our sword wherwyth we smite our enemies we beate and batter and beare down all falshed is the word of God With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fyght euer hauinge our eye vpon our graunde Maister Duke and captayne Christe and then we recken our selues to triumphe and to winne the crown of euerlastinge blesse when enduringe in this battaile withoute anye shrinking or yelding to the enemies after the example of our graund Capitaine Christ our Mayster after the exaÌ„ple of his holy Prophetes Apostles and Martyrs when I say we are slayne in oure mortall bodyes of our enemies are most cruelly and without all mercy murdered down like a me any of shepe And the more cruel the more payneful the more vyle and spitefull is the kind of the death whereunto we be put the more glorious in God the more blessed and happye wee recken withoute all doubtes oure Martyrdome to be And thus much dere loeuers frends in god my country men kinsfolk I haue spoken for your comfort least of my deathe of whose life you loked peraduenture sometimes to haue had honestye pleasures and commodities ye myghte be abashed or thinke any euill whereas ye haue rather cause to reioyse if ye loue me indeede for that it hathe pleased God to call me to a greater honoure and dignitye than euer I did enioye before eyther in Rochester or in the Sea of London or euer shoulde haue had in the Sea of Durham whereunto I was last of all elected and named yea I count it greater honoure before God in deede to die in his cause whereof I nothynge doubte then is any earthlye or temporall promocion or honoure that canne be geuen to a man in thys worlde And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Goddes to be Chrystes quarell and of hys Gospell to bee the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God of all the inheritoures of the kingdome of Heauen who is he I saye that knoweth this assuredlye by Goddes woorde and the testimonye of hys owne conscience as I through the infinite goodnes of god not of my self but by hys grace acknowledge my self to do who is he I say that knoweth this both loueth fereth god in dede in truth loueth beleueth hys maister Christ and hys blessed gospel loueth his brotherhode the chosen children of god and also lusteth and longeth for euerlastinge life whoe is he I say againe that woulde not or can not fynde in his harte in thys cause to be content to dye The Lord forbid that any such shoulde be that shoulde forsake this grace of God I truste in my Lord God the God of mercies and the father of all comfort throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde that he whiche hathe put thys mynde will and affection by hys holye spirite in my harte to stande agaynste the face of the enemie in hys cause to chose rather the losse of all my worldly substaunce yea and of my life to then to denye hys knowne truthe that he well comfort me ayd me and strengthen me euermore euen vnto the ende and to the yelding vp of my spirite and soule into hys holye handes wherof I most hartely besech hys moste holye sacred Maiestye of hys infinyte goodnes and mercye throughe Iesus Christe our Lord. Amen Now that I haue taken my leaue of my countrey menne and kinsfolke and the Lorde doth lende me life and geueth me leysure I wyll bydde my other good friendes in God of other places also farewell And whome fyrste or before other then the Vniuersytye of Cambridge whereas I haue dwelte longer founde more faythfull and hartye frendes receyued more benefites the benefytes of my naturall parentes onlye excepted then euer I did euen in mine owne natyue countrey wherein I was borne Farewel therfore Cambrydge my louyng mother and tender nurse If I shoulde not acknowlege thy manyfold benefits yea if I shold not for thy benifits at the lest loue the agayn truly I were to be counted vngrate vnkind What benyfytes hadst thou euer that thou vsest to geue bestow vpon thy best beloued childreÌ„ that thou thoughtest to good for me Thou diddest bestowe on me all thy Schole degrees of thy common offyces the Chaplaynshyppe of the vniuersity the office of the Pâ—ortorship of a coÌ„mon reader and of thy priuate coÌ„modyties emolumeÌ„tes in colledges what was it that thou madest me not partner of Fyrst to be Scholer then Fellow and after my departure froÌ„ thee thou calledst me agayne to a Mastership of a right worshipful colledge I thanck thee my louing mother for all this thy kindnes and I pray God that his lawes the syncere Gospel of Christ may euer be truly taught faythfully learned in thee Farewell Pembroke hall of late mine own Colledge my cure my charge what case thou artin now God knoweth I know not well Thou wast euer named sithens I knewe thee which is nowe a .xxx. yeares agoe to be studious well learned and a greate
treasures are their hurded where theues cānot come to steale them there is your hart and therfore you can and wyll say as the philosopher sayd when he was robbed of al he had Omnia mea mecum porto I cary al wyth me If he an heathen toke hys ryches to be the worldes rather then hys howe muche more should we so do Therefore my deare brother accordyngly prepare your selfe as you haue done and do I hope Read the .2 of Ecclesiasticus how he counsaileth them that wyll serue god to prepare themselues to temptation Often set before your eyes the iudgement of Christ his commyng in the cloudes and the resurrection which is now our comfort especially in afflictions I wryte to you none otherwyse then I am persuaded I thanke god and purpose to go before you I knowe there is an eternall lyfe I hope to be pertaker of it through christ I know this is the way thether I meane by suffring I know yf we suffer wyth hym we shall raigne wyth hym I know that by the crosse he maketh vs lyke to Christ here that we mayghte be like to hym elsewhere therfore I wryte to you not wordes only And hereupon I am the more earnest as to admonish so to pray you to cleaue styl to the lord and hys true religion which you haue receiued and I for my part am sure that I haue preached vnto you For the confirmation wherof as I am in bondes so I trust in the goodnes of God and his power to geue my lyfe in and for the same that you and others might be certeyne and follow as god shal cal you and vouche you worthy Remember that die you must but whē as you know not so where and how it is vncertain to you Again al that you haue you must leaue behind you for nothing shall go with you but a good or an euil conscience Moreouer to whō you shal leaue your goods it is hyd from you for you may purpose but god wyll dyspose Therfore if god wyll haue you to dye or to lose your goodes for hys cause how much are you boūd then to blesse God sure you may be that you can not perish for of all wayes to heauen it is the most sure way Your goods God wil preserue so that your children shal find them although the wyckeh spoyle euerye peece of them for the rightuous mans seede I haue not sene saith Dauyd beg theyr bread but god wyll blesse them into a thousande generations the which thyng I pray god to remember towardes your chylderne for his name sake Amen Thus wyl I betake you to god and to his holy word which is able as to teache you whych way to serue god so to saue you if you beleue and loue it If I thought it myght do you any good I would send you a boke which Iames Bradshaw already hath to teach you how you shuld behaue your selues especially cōcerning the Masse I wrote it sithē my trouble Cōmend me to T. Riddleston although I feare me he haue defiled himselfe in this false seruice That boke I would wish he wuld read as you shal aduertise me I wil do in sending to him I shal pray god to illuminate his eies with his grace Commend me to Syr W. Charelton who I trust hath kept himselfe pure from idolatry god graunt he so continue Written in haste as it appeareth from the Counter in the Poultre By yours in Christ Iohn Bradford To hys godly frendes G. and N. encouragyng thē to prepare themselues to the crosse and patiētly to endure afflictions for god cause and hys hohys Gospell THe God of all mercies and the father of al consolations shew vnto you more and more the riches of his mercies in christ Iesus our lord and graunt you a liuely faith to apprehend and pul vnto your selues the same to your euerlastyng comfort Amen Because my mind will not let me rest to thinke vpon as it were to see sore stormes like to fal more felly thē any yet we haue felt I should rather say ye haue felt are lyke to feele if ye continew to confesse christianly as ye haue begunne I thought it my duety to admonish you that therefore ye shoulde not be dismayde nor thynke it any straunge thyng For vndoubtedly you cōfessyng Christ accordyng to the truth taught you yea receiued of you though trouble come the same shal be so farre frō hurting you that it shal profit you excedingly making you therby lyke to him which for your sakes suffered much greater sorrow then al men can sustain aswell that your sorrowes and afflictions whatsoeuer they be that shal come vnto you shuld be sāctified in his crosse that which he suffred as also that in him ye might haue both exāple how to order your selues in the crosse and how sone shortly and gloriously the ende of your crosse wil be Therfore I say be not dismayde in that the crosse cannot but conforme and make vs lyke vnto Christ not symply of it self but by gods spirit which maketh it hys chiefe meane therto fyrste in putting vs in mynde of our corruption receaued of Adam the cause of al care then by occasioning vs to remēber as well our priuye hydde sinnes as also our more manifest euils that we there throughe might be prouoked to repentāce asking of mercy the whiche vndoubtedly god wil geue vs for his christes sake therto also his holy sprite to sāctify vs if we aske the same Nowe this sprite will not cease more more both to mortify the old man with his desires also to renew repaire the new man dailye with augmētation encrease so that at the lengthe we shal be made so lyke to Christ that we cānot but be coupled vnto him I meane not by faith as now we be but euē in dede leauing here behind vs with Hely our cloke the flesh which one day god wil call quickē again to be like vnto the glorious immortal body of his son Iesus Christ out lord after the it hath suffred slepte as his hath done the afflictiōs time which god hath alredy apoīted My dere brethern and sisters this is most certaine that the afflictiōs and crosses which ye shal suffer god hath alredy apointed for you so that they are not in the power choise and wil of your his enemies If ye would fly thē ye cānot but will ye nil ye nedes muste ye haue them If ye wil not cary them in the loue of god ye shal cary them in his displeasure Therfore cast your care on him which careth for you hath coūted al the heares of your heads so that one shal not perish if that ye commit your selues to his ordering wher els your heads bodies yea soules too shal perishe if that ye with draw your selues as vnwilling to take his cup to drink of it not that I would haue you to thrust your selues hedlong rashly to
19 Say wyth the poore man I beleue Lord helpe my vnbelief Say with the Apostels Lord encrease oure fayth This myne owne hartes in the Lorde I wryte not that you shoulde lyue more securely and carnally doing as the Spiders doe whiche gather poyson where bees gather honye but that as the electe of god you mighte liue in all puritie godlines and peace which god encrease in vs all for his Christes sake Amen I pray you hartelie pray for vs that to the verie ende we may as I hope we shall goe lustelie and cherefullie whether soeuer our heauenly father shal bring and lead vs. His will whiche is alwaies good bee done in earthe as it is in heauen Amen Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Iohn Bradforde To my good Syster M. H. THe peace of God wyth encrease of fayth and feeling of his mercy to your cōfort in Christ the holy ghost worke in your hart now and for euer Amen As it is much to my comfort that God hath geuen you such a loue and zeale to hys truth so I exhort you my good Syster diligētly to labour as by cōtinual readyng and meditation of gods holy word so by earnest prayer and other godly exercises to maintayne and encrease the same that by the feelyng of gods gratious spirite workyng in you suche good fruites as wytnesses of your fayth you may growe in strength therof and certayntie of gods fauour and good wyl towardes you For aboue all thyngs of thys I woulde haue you to be moste assured that you are beloued of god that you are hys dere chylde and shall bee for euermore throughe Christe in whome you are by fayth and he in you Out of thys certeintie the cause wherof is gods owne goodnes grace and truth spryngeth true loue and louyng feare and obedience to god continually and in all thynges Where it is I meane thys fayth certaintie and persuasion of gods eternall goodnes to you in Christe there no synnes are imputed to you or layd to your charge to condēnation nor shal be though for correctiō sake now thē your heauenly father visit them fatherly or rather you for them Where it is not there is nothyng be it neuer so well done that pleaseth God Labour therfore for this certainty of faith through Christ Whēsoeuer you dout you heape sinne vpō sinne If Satan your cōsciēce or gods law do accuse you confesse your fault hide it not before the lord But whē they woulde inferre that because of your synne you are condemned you are cast away then aunswer them that it is but their office to accuse and witnes not to geue sentence iudge it onely apperteyneth to god to geue iudgement Paule sayth it is god that absolueth who then shall condemne vs God hymselfe promiseth before he demaund any thyng of vs that he is our Lord and our god and are not they happy which haue the lord for their god Is he god to any whose sinnes he remitteth not Through Christ he is our father and therfore we are commaunded so to call him and can there want any fatherly kyndnes in hym towardes vs which be hys children No verely Therfore be sure and wauer not of gods loue fauour towardes you in Christ The cause of hys loue is his owne goodnes and mercy this lasting for euer hys loue loseth for euer How can you then but be quiete happy Vse this geare to comforte the weake conscience and not to vnbridle the mighty affections of the fleshe or olde Adam which must haue other meate Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ An exhortation to the patient sufferyng of trouble and afflictions for Christes cause wrytten to all the vnfayned professours of the gospell thoroughout the realme of England at the beginning of hys imprisonmente and here placed as it came to our handes THe holy spirite of God whiche is the earnest and pledge of God geuen to hys people for theyr comfort and consolation be powred into our hartes by the mighty power merites of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ now and for euer Amen Because I perceiue plainly that to the euils fallen vpō vs which professe Christes gospell greater are most like to ensue and after them greater Gene. 15. Luke 9. Genes 19 tyl the measure of iniquity be vp heaped except we shrynke hauyng put our handes to the plough do loke back and so wyth Lothes wyfe and the Israelits desiryng to returne into Egipt fal into gods heauy displeasure vncurably al which god forbidde and because I am persuaded of you my derely beloued brethern and Systers throughe out the realme of Englande which haue professed vnfainedly the gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for vnto such do I wryte this epistle that as ye haue begonne to take parte wyth gods gospell and truth so throughe his grace ye will perseuer and goe on forwardes notwithstandyng the stormes risen and to arise I cannot but wryte something vnto you lustely to goe on forwardes in the way of the Lord and not to become faynte harted or fearefull Apoca. 25. whose place S. Iohn appointeth with the vnbeleuers murtherers and Idolaters in eternall perdicion but cherefully to take the Lordes cuppe and drynke of it afore it drawe towardes the dregges and bottom Psal 75 wherof at the length they shall drynke with the wycked to eternal destruction 1. pet 4 which wil not receiue it at the first with gods children with whome god beginneth hys iudgemente that as the wicked world reioyceth when they lament Iohn 16. so they may reioyce when the wycked world shall mourne and without ende fynde woe intollerable First therfore my dearely beloued in the Lord I besech you to consider Iohn 14 Psal 17 2. Cor. 4. Apoc. 12 Heb. 11 1. pet 2 Heb. 13 Psalm 119 Heb. 12 Mat. 28 Rom. 9 1. Ioh. 5 Apo. 13 Luke 6. EZech. 9. Math. 5. Esay 22 1. Cor. 15 that thoughe ye be in the worlde yet ye are not of the world Ye are not of them whiche looke for their porciō in this lyfe whose Captain is the god of this world euen Sathan who now ruffleth it apace as he were woode because his tyme on earthe is not long But ye are of them that loke for a Citye of gods owne blessing Ye are of them that know your selues to be here but pylgrimes and straūgers for here ye haue no dwellyng place Ye are of them whose porcion is the lorde and whiche haue their hope in heauen whose captayn is Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and gouernour of heauen and earth Vnto him is geuen all power yea he is god almighty with the father and the holy ghost prayse worthy for euer Ye are not of them which receyue the beastes marke which here reioyce laugh and haue their hartes ease ioye paradise and pleasure but ye are of them whiche haue receyued the Aungels marke yea Gods marke which here
them they harken vnto me and to no straungers and I geue them euerlastyng lyfe Iohn 10 for they shall not be loste nor no man shall plucke them out of my handes no nor yet this flatte ryng world wyth al his vayne pleasures nor any Tyranne wyth his great threates and stoute bragges can once moue them out of the way of eternall lyfe What consolation and coÌ„fort may we haue more pleasaunt and effectuous then this God is on our side and fighteth for vs he suffereth he smarteth is afflicted with vs. As the world can do nothing against his might Esay 4 neither in takyng away or diminishing of hys glory nor putting him from his celestial throne so can it not harme nor hurte any one of his chyldren without his good wyll Ephesi 5 for we are members of hys bodye out of his flesh and of his bones and as deare to him as the apple of his eye Let vs therfore with an earnest fayth set fast hold and sure feeling vpon the promises of God in the gospel and let vs not be sundred from the same by any teÌ„ptation tribulation or persecution Let vs consider the verity of god to be inuincible inuiolable and immutable promising and geuing vs his faythfull souldiours life eternall It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs it is his only benefite and of his only mere mercy vnto hym only must we render thaÌ„kes Let not therfore the vayne fantasies and dreames of meÌ„ the folish gauds and toyes of the world nor the crafty delusions of the deuil driue separate vs from our hope of the crown of righteousnes that is laid vppe in store for vs against the last day Oh that happy and mery last day I meane to the faythfull when Christ by hys couenaunt shall graunte and geue vnto them that ouercome and kepe hys wordes to the ende that they maye ascende and sit in seate with him as he hath ascended and sitteth on throne wyth hys father The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted shal then be wyth Christ glorified nowe in the butchers handes as shepe appointed to die 2. Timo. 2. then sitting at gods table wyth Christ in hys kyngdom as gods honourable and dere childerne where we shall haue for earthly pouerty heauenlye riches for hunger and thirst saturitye of the pleasaunt presence of the glory of God Psalm 16. for sorrowes troubles and colde irons celestial ioyes and the company of Aungels and for a bodely death lyfe eternall Oh happy soules oh precious death and euermore blessed righte deare in the eyes of god to you the spring of the Lord shall euer be florishyng Then as sayth Esay the redemed shall returne come againe into Sion praysing the Lord and eternall mercyes shal be ouer their heades they shall obtaine myrthe and solace sorrowe and woe shall be vtterly vanquished yea I am euen he sayeth the Lord that in all things geueth you euerlastyng consolation To whom with the Father and the holy ghost be glory and prayse for euer Amen Robert Samuell An other letter written to the Christian coÌ„gregation called the fayth of Robert Samuell The beliefe of the hart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Rom. 10. Feare not the curse of men be not afrayde of theyr blasphemies and reuilinges for wormes and mothes shall eate them vppe lyke cloth and woll but my ryghteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing healthe from generation to generation Esay 51. COnsidering with my self these perillous times 2. Timo. 3. perishing daies the vnconstant and miserable state of man the decay of our fayth the sinister reporte false slauÌ„der of gods most holy word these vrgent causes in coscience do constrayne me to confesse acknowledge my fayth and meanyng in Christes holy religion as S. Peter teacheth me saying 1. pet 3 be readye alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauing a good coÌ„science that wheÌ„ they backbite you as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuche as they haue falselye accused your good conuersation in Christe As touching my doctrine for that litle talent that god hath geuen me god I take to recorde mine own conscience mine auditorie knoweth that I neither in doctrine nor maners willinglye taughte any other thing then I receaued of the holy Patriarckes Prophets Christ hys Apostles For it were not only sinne but also the very part of a cursed miscreant to deny to belye or betray the innoceÌ„cie of that heaueÌ„ly doctrine or to be ashamed to coÌ„fesse staÌ„d to the defence of the same Mar. 8. seing the christ plaÌ„ted it with his most precious blood and all good men haue more estemed the true infallible word of god then al this transitorye worlde or their own mortal liues And I beleue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophets Christ hys Apostles to be sufficient absolutely perfect to enstruct teach me al the holy church of oure duties towards god the magistrates our neighbours Fyrst principally I do assuredly beleue wtout any douting that there is one deitie or diuine essence infinite substaÌ„ce which is both called is in dede god euerlasting vnbodely vnpartable vnmeasurable in power wisdome goodnesse the maker preseruer of al things as wel visible as inuisible yet there be three distinct persons al of one godhead or diuine being of al one power coequal coÌ„substantial coeternall the father the sonne the holy ghost I beleue in god the father almighty c. As touching god the father of heaueÌ„ I beleue as much as holy scripture teacheth me to beleue The father is the first person in trinitie Ephesi â— first cause of our saluation which hath blessed vs with al maner of blessings in heaueÌ„ly things by Christ which hath choseÌ„ vs before the fouÌ„dations of the worlde were layd that we should be holy without blame before him who hath predestinate vs ordeyned vs to be his childreÌ„ of adoption through Christ Iesu Act. 17. Psal 176. In him as it is sayd we liue we moue haue our being he nourisheth feedeth geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christ hys onely sonne oure lord I beleue that the word that is the sonne of god the second person in trinitie did take mans nature in the wombe of the most blessed virgin Mary Heb. 1. So that there be in hym .ii. natures a diuine nature an humaine nature in the vnitie of persoÌ„ inseperable conioyned knyt in one Christ truly god trulye maÌ„ the expresse perfect image of the inuisible god wherin the wil of god the father shineth apparantly wherin maÌ„ as it were in a glasse maye behold what he ought to do that maye please god the father Borne of the virgin Mary â—â—trulye
excluded for fayth wholy taketh place not flesh nor the carnal imaginatioÌ„s of our grosse fleshly and vnreuerent eatyng after the maner of our bodely foode which profiteth nothyng at all as Christ witnesseth Ioan. 6 but with a sorowfull wouÌ„ded conscience an hungrye and thirstie soule a pure faythful mynde do fullie embrace behold and feede loke vpon that most glorious body of Christe in heauen at the ryghte hand of god the father very God and very man which was crucifyed slaine his bloodshed for our sinnes there now making intercession offring geuing his holy body for me Rom. 8. Heb. 9 yea my body my raunsome my full pryce satisfaction my Christ and al that euer he hath and by thys spirituall and faythfull eating of thys liuely and heauenly bread I fele the most swete sappe tast of the fruites Roma 5. benefites vnspeakeable ioyes of Christes death passion fully disgested into the bowells of my soule For my minde is quieted froÌ„ al wordly aduersities tormoylinges and troubles my conscience is pacified froÌ„ sinne death hel daÌ„pnation my soule is ful hath euen enough wil no more for al things are but losse vyle phil 3 dunge and drosse vaine vanitie for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesu my Lord and Sauiour Thus nowe is Christes flesh my very meate in dede Iohn 6. Ephesi 5 Galat. 2. his bloode my verye drinke in dede I am become flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Now I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me yea I dwell in hym and he in me for through fayth in Christ and for Christes sake we are one that is of one consent mynd and felowship with the father the sonne and the holy ghost Ioan. 17. Thus am I assured and fully persuaded and on this rocke haue I builded by Gods grace my dwelling resting place for body and soule life and death And thus I commit my cause vnto Christ the righteous and iuste iudge who will an other day iudge these debates and controuersyes whom I humblye beseche to caste hys tender and merciful eies vpon the afflicted and ruinous churches and shortlye to reduce them into a godlye and perpetuall concorde Amen Thus doe I beleue and this is my fayth and my vnderstanding in Christe my Sauiour and his true and holy religion And this who so euer is ashamed to do Mar. 8. among this adoulterous and sinneful generation of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels Robert Samuell ⧠Letters of Maister Iohn Hullyer a true pastour and a faythfull minister in Gods Church who for the confyrmation of that doctrine which he had most faythfully professed and taught gaue hys bodye to bee burnte at Cambrige the .16 daye of Aprill Anno. 1556. A letter written to the Christian congregation exhorting them constantly and faythfully to abyde in the doctryne of the Lorde IT standeth nowe moste in hande O deare Christians all them that looke to be accounted to be of Christes flocke at that greate and terrible daye when a seperation shall be made of that sorte that shall bee receaued from the other which shall be refused faythfully in thys tyme of greate afflictions to heare oure Maister Chrisâ—es voyce the only true shepeheard of our soules which sayth Matth. 24. whosoeuer shal endure to the end shal be safe For eueÌ„ now is that great trouble in hand as here in England we may wel say that our Sauiour Christ spake of so long before which should followe the true and syncere preachyng of hys Gospell Therfore in thys tyme we muste needes eyther make that we be hys faythfull souldiours and continue in hys battell vnto the ende puttyng on the armour of GOD Ephesi 6. 1. Thess 5. the buckler of fayth the brest plate of loue the helmette of hope and saluation and the sworde of hys holy worde whiche we haue hearde plentifullye wyth all instance of supplication and prayer or elles if we do not worke and laboure wyth these we are Apostataes and false souldiours shrynkyng moste vnthankefullye from our gracious and soueraigne Lord and Captayne Christe and leanyng to Beliall For Luk. 14 as he sayth playnlye who soeuer beareth not his crosse and followe hym he can not be hys Dysciple And no man can serue .ii. Math. 6. Maisters for eyther he muste hate the one and loue the other or elles he shall leane to the one and despyse the other The which thinge the faythfull Prophette Helias signifyed 3. ReguÌ„ 18 when he came to the people and sayde whye halte ye betwene .ii. opinions If the Lorde be GOD follow hym or if Baall bee he then followe hym Nowe let vs not thynke but that the same was recorded in wryting for oure instruction whom the endes of the worlde are come vppon Roman 15 as the Apostle Sainct Paule sayeth what so euer thynges are written aforehande they are written for oure learnyng If Christe be that onely good and true shepeheard that gaue hys lyfe for vs then let vs that beare hys marke and haue our consciences sprinckled wyth hys bloode followe altogether for oure saluation hys heauenlye voyce and calling according to our profession and fyrste promyse But if we shall not so do certaynely say what we can although we beare the name of Christ yet we bee none of hys shepe in deede for he sayth very manifestlie my shepe heare my voyce and followe me Iohn 10 a straunger they wyll not followe but will flee from hym for they know not the voyce of a straunger Therefore let euerye man take good hede in these perillous dayes whereof we haue had so muche warnyng aforehand that he be not begyled by the goodly outwarde shewe and appearaunce as Eue was of our olde subtill ennemye whose crafte and wilinesse is so manifolde and diuerse and so full of close wyndings that if he can not bring hym directly and the plaine strayght way to consent to his suggestions then he wyll allure him and wynde hym in by some other false wayes as it were by a traine that he shall not perceaue it to deceaue hym with all and to steale from hym that goodly victorie of the vncorruptible and eternall crowne of glorie 2. Timot. 2. whiche no man elles can haue but he that fyghteth lawfullye as at thys presente daie if he can not induce hym throughlye as other doe to fauoure hys deuilyshe religion and of good will and free harte to helpe to vpholde the same yet he will enuegle hym to resort to his wicked and whorysh Scholehouse and at tht least wise to be coÌ„uersant and kepe company with his congregation there and to holde hys peace and say nothing whatsoeuer he thynke so that he be not a diligent souldiour and a good labourer on Christes syde to further hys kyngdome by that subtill
destitute of that vnspeakable comfort which he vseth to minister abundantly to his in the schole of the crosse He graunte that his name may be glorified in you whether it he by life or death as may be most to his honour and your euerlasting consolation Syr I thought it good to aduertise you partelye of our state in these parties We be here dispersed in diuers and seuerall places Certayne be at Tigurye good students of either vniuersity a number very well entreated of maister Bullinger of the other minysters and of the whole citye An other number of vs remayne at Argentine and take the commodity of maister Martyrs lessons who is a very notable father Maister Scory and certayne other with hym be in Frisland and haue an englishe church there but not very frequent The greatest number is at Frankeforde where I was at this preseÌ„t by occasioÌ„ a very fayre city the magistrates fauourable to our people with so many other coÌ„modities as exiles caÌ„ well loke for Here is also a church and now god be thanked well quieted by the prudency of maister Coxe and other whiche mette here for that purpose So that now we trust god hathe prouided for such as will flye forth of Babilon a restyng place where they may truly serue hym and heare the voice of their true pastour I suppose in one place and other dispersed there be wel nigh an hundreth studentes and ministers on this side the seas Such a lord is god to work dyuersly in his accordyng to his vnsercheable wisdom who knoweth best what is in man Cyprianus de lapsis Primus est victoriae titulus gentilium manibus apprehensum dominum confiteri Secundus ad gloriam gradus est cauta secessione subtractum domino reseruari Illa publica haec priuata confessio est Ille iudiceÌ„ seculi vincit hic contentus deo suo iudice conscientiaÌ„ puâ—aÌ„ cordis integritate custodit Isthic fortitudo promptior hic solicitudo securior Ille appropinquante hora sua iam maturus inuentus est hic fortasse dilatus est qui patrimonio derelicto idcirco secessit quia non erat negaturus confiteretur vtique si fuisset ipse detentus We haue also here certayn copies of your answeres in the disputatioÌ„ IteÌ„ Antoniana obiecta cum responsione The treatise in english against transubstantiatioÌ„ whych in tyme shal be translated into Latine It hath bene thought best not to printe them till we see what god will do with you bothe for incensyng of their malicious fury and also for restraining you and others from writing hereafter which should be a greater losse to the church of Christ than forbearing of these for a tyme. If I shal know your wil to be otherwise in it the same shal be folowed Thus much I thought good to let you vnderstaÌ„d coÌ„cerning these matters and coÌ„cerning the poore state of men here who most earnestly and incessantly do cry vnto god for the deliuery of his churche to behold the causes of the afflicted and to heare the grones of hys imprisoned knowyng that you who in this state haue more familiar accesse vnto god do not forget vs. God comfort you ayde you and assist you with his spirit and grace to coÌ„tinue his vnto thend to the glory of his name the edification of his church and the subuersion of Antichristes kyngdome Amen From Franckford the 6. of May. 1555. E. G. ¶ The aunswer of D. Rydley to the former letter BLessed be god our heauenly father which enclined your hart to haue such a desyre to write vnto me blessed be he againe which hath heard your request and hath brought your letters safe vnto my haÌ„ds and ouer al this I blesse him through our lord Iesus Christ for the great coÌ„fort I haue receiued by the same of the knowledge of your state and of other our dearly beloued brethren and couÌ„trey men in those parties beyonde the sea Dearly beloued brother Grindall I say to you all the rest of our brethren in Christ with you reioyce in the lord as ye loue me and the other my reuerend fathers and concaptiues which vndoubtedly are gloria Christi lamente not our state but I beseche you and them all to geue vnto our heauenly father for his endles mercies and vnspeakable benefites euen in the myddes of all our troubles geuen vnto vs most harty thankes For know ye that as the weight of his crosse hathe increased vppon vs so he hathe not nor doth not cease to multiply his mercies to strengtheÌ„ vs I trust yea by his grace I dout nothing but he will so do for Christ our masters sake eueÌ„ to th end To heare that you our other brethreÌ„ do find in your exile fauour grace with the magestrates ministers and citizens at Tigury at Frankforte and other where it doth greatly comfort I dare say al here that do in dede loue Christ and his true word I ensure you it warmed my hart to here you by chaunce to name some as Scory and Coxe c. Oh that it had come in your mynde to haue said somwhat also of Cheeke of Turner of Leauer of SampsoÌ„ of Chambers but I trust to god they be all well And syr seing you saye that there bee in those parties with you of students and ministers so good a number now therfore care you not for vs otherwyse then to wishe that gods glory may be set forth by vs. For whensoeuer god shall call vs home as we loke daily for none other but when it shall please god to saye Come ye blessed be God are enoughe through his aid to light and set vp again the lanterne of his word in England As coÌ„cernyng the copies ye say ye haue with you I wonder how euer they did wander and coulde fynd the way to come to you This disputatioÌ„ of his owne penning is in the boke of Martyrs My disputation excepte you haue that which I gathered my self after the disputatioÌ„ done I can not thynke ye haue it truely If ye haue that then ye haue there withall the whole maner after the which I was vsed in the disputation As for the treatise in english contra transubstantiationeÌ„ vix possuÌ„ adduci vt credam operoepretiuÌ„ fore vt in latinuÌ„ traÌ„sferatur CaeteruÌ„ quicquid sit nullo modo velim vt quicquaÌ„ quocunque modo meo nomine ederetur donec quid de nobis dnÌ„s coÌ„stituerit fieri vobis prius certo coÌ„stiterit thus much vnto your letters Now although I suppose ye knowe a good part of our state here for we are forth coÌ„ming eueÌ„ as wheÌ„ ye departed c you shal vnderstaÌ„d that I was in the tower about the space of ij monethes close prisoner after that had graunted to me without my labour the liberty of the tower so continued about half a yeare and then bicause I refused to allowe the masse with my presence I was shutte vppe in close pryson
be ashamed of that he suffreth as a christian in Christs cause for now is the time that iudgement and correctiō must begin at the house of god and if it begin first at vs what shal be the end of those thinke ye which beleue not the gospell And if the righteous shal be hardly saued the wicked and the sinner wher shal he appeare Wherfore they which are afflicted accordyng to the wil of god let them lay down and commit their soules to hym by wel doyng as to a trusty and faithful maker This as I said may not seme straunge to vs for we know that all the whole fraternity of christes congregatiō in this world is serued with the like by the same is made perfect For the feruēt loue that the apostles had vnto their maister Christe and for the great cōmodities increase of all godlines which they felt by theyr faith to ensue of afflictiōs in Christs cause thirdly for the heapes of heauenly ioyes which the same doe get vnto the godly which shal indure in heauen for euermore for these causes I say the apostles of theyr afflictions did ioy and reioiced in that they were had and accompted worthy to suffer cōtumelies and rebukes for christes name And Paule as he gloried in the grace and fauour of god whereunto he was brought and stode in by faith so he reioyced in his afflictions for the heauenly and spiritual profits which he numbreth to ryse vpon them yea he was so farre in loue with that that the carnal man lotheth so much 1. Cor. 2. that is with Christes crosse that he iudged himself to know nothing els but Christ crucified be wil glory he saith in nothyng elses but in Christes crosse yea he blesseth all those as the only true Israelits and elect people of god with peace and mercye which walketh after that rule and after none other O Lord what a wonderfull spirit was that that made Paule in setting forth of himself against the vanity of Satans Pseu dopostels and in hys clayme there that he in Christes cause dyd excel passe thē al 2. Cor. 11 what wonderful Spirit was that I say that made him to recken vp al his troubles his labors his beatīgs his whippings scourgings his shipwracks his daūgers and perils by water and by land his famyne hunger nakednes and cold with many moe and the daily care of all the congregations of Christ among whom euery mans paine did pearce his heart and euery mans griefe was greuous vnto him O Lord is this Paules Primacy wherof he thought so much good that he did excel other Is not this Paules saying vnto Timothy hys own scholler 2. Timo. 2 doth it not pertaine to whosoeuer will be Christes true souldiours beare thou saith he the afflictiōs like a good souldiour of Iesu Christ This is true if we die with him he meaneth Christ we shall liue with him if we suffer with him we shal raign with hym if we deny him he shall denye vs if we be faithlesse he remayneth faythefull he cannot denye himselfe Thys Paule woulde haue knowen to euerye body for there is none other waye to heauen 2. Tim. 3 but Christ and hys waye and all that wyll lyue godlye in Christe shall sayeth Sayncte Paule suffer persecution By thys way went to heauen the Patryarckes the Prophetes Christ our maister hys Apostels hys Martyrs al the godly since the beginnyng And as it hath ben of old that he which was born after the flesh Gal. 4 persecuteth hym whych was borne after the spirit for so it was in Isaackes tyme so sayd Saynt Paule it was in hys tyme also And whether it be so or no nowe lette the Spyrytuall man the selfe same man I meane that is indued wyth the Spirite of almighty God let hym bee Iudge Of the crosse of the Patryarckes as ye may read in their stories if ye reade the booke of Genesis ye shall perceyue Of other Saint Paule in few words comprehendeth much matter speakyng in a generalitie of the wonderful afflictions death and tormentes whiche the men of God in gods cause and for the truth sake willingly and gladly dyd suffer Heb. 11. After much perticuler rehersal of many he saith other wer racked and despised would not be deliuered that thei might obtayne a better resurrection Other againe were tryed with mockinges and scourgings and moreouer with bondes and imprisonment they were stoned hewen a sunder tempted fel and were slain vpon the edge of the sword some wandred to and fro in shepes pilches in goates pylches forsaken oppressed afflicted such godly mē as the world was vnworthy of wandryng in wildernes in mountains in caues and in dennes and all these were commended for their faith And yet they abide for vs the seruaunts of god for those theyr brethren which are to be slayn as they wer for the worde of gods sake that none be shut oute but that we may all go together to meete oure maister Christe in the ayre at his commyng and so to be in blisse with hym in body and in soule for euermore Therefore seyng we haue so muche occasion to suffer and to take afflictions for Christes names sake pacientlye so many commodities thereby so waightye causes so manye good examples so greate necessitye so sure promises of eternall life and heauenlye ioyes of hym that cannot lie Let vs throwe away whatsoeuer might let vs all burden of synne and all kynde of carnalitie and patiently and constantly let vs ronne for the beste game in thys race that is set before vs euer hauyng our eyes vpon Iesus Christ the ryngleader Heb. 12. capitain and perfiter of our fayth which for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse not passyng vpon the ignomy shame therof and is set now at the right hand of the throne of god Consider this that he suffred such strife of synners against hym selfe that ye shoulde not geue ouer nor fainte in your myndes As yet brethren we haue notwithstande vnto death fyghtyng against synne Let vs neuer forget deare brethren for Christes sake that fatherly exhortatiō of the wyse that speaketh vnto vs as vnto hys children the godly wisdome of god saying thus my sonne despise not the correction of the Lord nor fall not from hym when thou art rebuked of hym for whom the Lorde loueth hym doth he correcte and scourgeth euery childe whome he receyueth what chylde is he whome the father doth not chasten If ye be free from chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and no children Seyng then when as we haue had carnal parents which chastened vs we we reuerenced them shall not we much more be subiect vnto oure spirituall father that we myght lyue And they for a little tyme taught vs after theyr owne mynd but this father teacheth vs to our commoditye Heb. 12. to geue vnto vs hys holines Al chastisement for
that ye be no rebelles or rebellers for no cause but because with good conscience you can not obeye be pacient sufferers and the glorye and good spirite of God shall dwell vppon vs. I praye you remember vs your afflicted brethren beinge in the Lords bondes for the testimonie of Christ and abiding the gracious houre of oure deare and most mercyfull father The Lord for Christes sake geue vs merye hartes to drinke lustelye of hys swete cup which daily we grone and sigh for lamenting that the time is thus prolonged The Lord Iesus geue vs grace to be thankeful to abide paciently the prouidente houre of hys moste gracious good will Amen Amen From the Counter in the Poultrye Yours in Christ Iohn Bradford To my good frendes in the Lord Maister R. and hys wyfe MY dearly beloued I hartely cōmēd me vnto you in our common Christ whom I so cal not that I would make him as common things be that is nothing set by but because by him we are broughte into a cōmuniō that as with him so with his father as with his father so with al gods people if we be his people as I trust we are and therefore write I vnto you as one careful but not so much as I shold be for you as for them whose well doing comforteth me is profitable to me and whose euil doing maketh me heuie and woundeth me The dayes are come in the which we can not but declare what we be if we be in deede as we shoulde be as I truste we are that is if we be Christes Disciples I meane we can not now do as the worlde doth or saye as it sayeth but as Gods Churche doth and sayeth The worlde seeketh it self and speaketh therafter The Church of God seketh Christes glory and speaketh accordyngly The worldlinges followe the world the church children follow their Captain Christ and therfore as of the worlde they are not knowen to be as they bee so are they hated and if God permytte it are persecuted and slaine the which persecution is the true touchstone which trieth the true Church childrē from hypocrites as the wynde doth the wheate from the chaffe And of thys geare thys oure tyme and age setteth verye manye forth for example doctrine and feare whiche once were hartye and verye zelous and nowe are so colde that they smell nothyng of the spirite for they are not onely afearde to seeme to speake wyth a Churche childe but also ashamed and not onelye ashamed of them and so of that they professe but also frame and fashion them selues in all outwarde behauiour as in commyng to Church and hearyng Masse so as no man can accuse them for not allowyng it or not honourynge it as well as the papistes where in theyr hartes they disallowe it and knowe the same to be nought at the leaste they haue knowen it but haltynge oute of the waye maye perchaunce haue broughte them so farre that nowe they can not see the waye they are so farre and so longe gone astraye for the further and longer a man goeth wyde the harder shall it bee to recouer and see the waye and therefore the Apostle geueth warnyng thereof Hebrues 12. as doth Moses Deutrono 29. speakinge of men that blesse them selues inwardlye cursynge them selues Read both the Chapiters I praye you And marke the example of Maister Hales whiche after that he consented to seeme to allowe in outwarde facte that whiche he knewe once was euill was fearefullye lefte of GOD to oure admonition For albeit God hath not done thus to all that haue in deede done that he purposed to doe yet in thys example he teacheth vs howe fearefull a thyng it is to wound our conscience and doe any thynge ther agaynste to the offence of the Godly and comforte of the obstinate I wryte not thys as thereof to accuse you or eyther of you for as I can not lyghtlye bee persuaded of anye suche thynge of you so I am assured you hetherto Woulde not doe any suche thinge for I weene there bee yet no greate penaltie to punyshe you for not so doinge if thereof you shoulde haue bene accused For he that will doe a thynge vnforced I can not hope anye thinge of the same but that he will runne apace when he is forced But of thys enough to you which are to bee comforted and exhorted to continew in that purenes of religion whiche you haue as I thynke hetherto receaued and by your open conuersation protested Howbeit considering howe you haue heard and redde as muche as in manner can be spoken herein for the Scriptures whiche of them selues are moste perfect herein you haue red and red againe I thynke it good to exhorte you to vse earnest and hartye prayer as I truste you doe and then doubtles God will so write that you haue redde in your hartes as shall be both comfortable and profitable vnto you and others plentifullye Math. 7. You shall reioyce in the strayte waye whiche fewe fynde and fewer walke in but moste fewe continue therein to the ende Heb. 10 You shall suffer with ioye the direption of your goodes because the best part of youre substance is in heauen You will set before you the example of Christ the beginner and ender of your fayth Heb. 12. who suffred muche more then we can suffer that we shoulde not bee faynte harted You will reioyce and greatly Math. 5 Acte 4. because greate is your rewarde in heauen You will bee glad that GOD accompteth you worthye to suffer anye thynge for hys sake 2. Cor. 4. 2. Thess 1. You wil set before you the ende of thys your short crosse and the greate glorye whiche will ensue the same You wyll knowe that it is no small benefyte of God to suffer for hys sake Phi. 1. You will knowe that your sorrowynge shall bee tourned to ioying Iohn 14.16 Rom. 8 You wil knowe that as God doth make you nowe lyke to Christe in sufferyng so shall you bee in reygning if you be pertakers of affliction you shall bee also of glorye c. Summa you wil knowe that thys is the surest and sauest waye to heauen whiche is called the kyngdome of pacience Apocal. 1. But because I haue written a little treatyse hereof and of the harme of haltynge with the worlde in commyng to Masse I sende them both vnto you to peruse and reade them and then at youre leasure to rediliuer them to thys brynger or my man when I shall sende to you for the same In the meane season I shal as hartely as I can pray to God for you both my most deare mēbers in the lord What sayd I as hartely as I can God forgeue me for I doe nothyng so wel as I myght in that I flatter my selfe to much God lay it not to my charge In dede I haue most cause to pray nyghte and daye and to geue thankes night and day for you both The Lord
then to beleue thys If Sathan saye she beleueth not to aunswere not him but the Lord and to saye yea Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe and encrease my poore faythe whiche Sathan sayeth is no fayth make hym a lyer Lorde as alwayes he hath beene is and shall bee Vndoubtedlye sooner or later God will graciouslye here her groues and keepe all her teares in hys bottell yea wryte them in hys counting booke for he is a ryghteous God and hath no pleasure in the death of hys creature he loueth mercye he will retourne and shewe her his mercye he will caste all her sinnes and iniquities into the bottome of the sea and the longer that he taryeth as he doth it but to proue her so the more liberallye will he recompence her longe lookyng whiche no lesse pleaseth hym then it greueth nowe her outward Adam For the mortification whereof God vseth this crosse and therefore if she desire to beare the same doubtles God will make her able to beare it and in presumption of hys goodnesse and strengthe let her caste her selfe wholye vppon hym for he is faythfull and wyll assuredlye confyrme and bring to a happye ende that good whiche graciouslye he hath begonne in her The whiche thing I desyre hym to doe for hys owne glorye and names sake Amen Amen And nowe to the matter Confession auriculer as it was fyrst vsed and instituted whiche was by the way of a coūsel asking I take to be amonges those traditiōs which are indifferent that is neyther vnlawfull nor necessarilye binding vs excepte the offence of the weake could not be auoyded But to consider it as it is now vsed I write to you but as I thinke and what my minde is the whiche followe no further then good men by Gods woorde doe allowe it to consider it I saye as it is nowe vsed me thynkes it is plainelye vnlawfull and wicked and that for these causes Fyrste because they make it a seruice of God and a thynge whiche pleaseth God of it selfe I will not saye meritorious Thys brynger my brother can tell you at large howe greate an euill thys is Secondlye because they make it of necessitye so that he or shee that vseth it not is not taken for a good Christian Thyrdlye because it requireth of it selfe an impossibilitie that is the numbring and tellyng of all oure sinnes whiche no man perceaueth muche lesse can vtter Fourthlye because it establisheth and confyrmeth at the least alloweth praying to Sainctes precor Sanctam Mariam you muste saye or the prieste for you Fyfthly because it is verye iniurious to the libertye of the Gospell the whiche to affyrme in example and facte I take to bee a good worke and a deare in Gods sighte Sixtlye because as it is vsed it is a note yea a verye synowe of the popyshe Churche and therefore we shoulde be so farre from allowing the same that we shoulde thynke oure selues happye to lose anye thynge in bearyng witnesse there against Seuenthly because in stead of counsell thereat you shoulde receaue poyson or if you refuse it vnder Syr Iohns benedicite you shoulde no lesse there bee wounde in the bryers Eyghtlye because the ende and purpose why we goe thether is for the auoyding of the crosse that is for oure owne cause and not for Christes cause or for oure brethrens commoditye For in that they make it so necessarye a thyng and a worshipping of God it can not but be agaynste Christe and the freedome of hys Gospell and the same thing teacheth vs that it is agaynste the commoditie of oure brethren whiche eyther be weake eyther be stronge eyther be ignoraunt either be obstinate If they be weake by your resorting to it they bee made more weake If they bee strong you do what you can to infyrme their strengthe if they bee ignoraunte therein you helpe to keepe them by your facte If they be obstinate your resortyng to it can not but rocke them a slepe in their obstinate error of the necessitye of this rite and ceremonie These causes recited do shew you what I thinke in thys but my thinking muste no further binde you then a mannes thought should do except the same be grounded vpon gods word which bindeth in dede as I thinke they do I dout not but you waying these causes and especiallye .ii. of the fyrste and the laste if you pray to God for hys spirite to directe you and thereto aske the aduice of thys my good brother and other godly learned mē I doubte not I say but you shoulde bee guided to doe that whiche is beste in Gods syght althoughe in the syghte of the world perhappes you shoulde bee counted folyshe and precyse But be at a point with your selues as the Disciples of Christ whiche had forsaken themselues to followe not your wyll but Gods will as you daylye praye in the Lords prayer The crosse of Christ be willyng to carye leaste you carye the crosse of the worlde the fleshe or the deuill One of these .iiii. crosses you muste cary Three of them bryngeth to hell why the more part goe that way that leadeth to perdition and therfore the more parte goeth that way whiche is a broade way Only the fourth bryngeth to heauen but fewe goe that waye aswell because the waye is strayte as also because fewe walke in it Howbeit thoughe it be straite it is but shorte and the fewe are manye if you consider the godly as the Patriarkes Prophettes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Christ Iesus with all hys Gard traine Thinke not scorne to come after them which are gone before you and after them whiche nowe goe before you in whose number I trust I am appoynted to bee one and I beseche you pray for me that god woulde vouche me worthye that honour Our sinnes deserue plagues prison and the losse of al that euer we haue therfore if god remoue our sinnes out of syght and send vs prison or losse of goods and liuing for his names sake Oh how happye are we My deare hartes in the Lorde consider this geare and be assured that he whiche loseth any thyng for Christes sake the same in his posteritie shal finde it here and in heauen elswhere As for vnablenes to answeare for your fayth it shall be enough to will thē to dispute with your teachers Fayth stādeth not in disputing I thinke fewe if it came to disputing could defend the Godhead of Christ and many other articles I speake it for the simple sort Pray for me Lacke of paper maketh thys ende Commend me to my good brother Richard Bleacher and my good sister his wyfe I pray them to pray for me I trust by this bearer to heare how you doe Iohn Bradforde To certayne Godly men whom he exhorteth to bee patient vnder the crosse constant in the true doctrine which they had professed MY dearely beloued in the Lord as in hym I wyshe you well to fare so I praye God I and you maye continue in
brimstone stormye tempestes Whose Palace and home shall be hell fyre and darkenesse Whose cheare shall be weping and gnashing of teeth Whose song shal be woe woe woe from the which the lord of mercye deliuer vs. My dearely beloued I write not thys as one that thinketh not wel of you but as one that would you dyd wel and therfore to helpe you therto I write as I write Beseching God to open your eyes to see the daungers men be in that dissemble with God and man to the ende you doe not the lyke and also to open your eyes to see the hygh seruice you doe to God in aduenturing your selfe and that you haue for hys sake Oh that mens eyes were opened to see that the glorye of God resteth vppon them that suffer any thyng for his sake Oh that we considered that it is happinesse to suffer any thyng for Christes sake which haue deserued to suffer so much for our synnes iniquities Oh that our eyes were opened to see the great reward they shal haue in heauē which suffer the losse of any thing for Gods sake If we knewe the crosse to be as a purgation moste profitable to the soule as a purifying fyre to burne the drosse awaye of our dyrtinesse and synnes as an ouen to bake vs in to bee the Lordes breade as soope to make vs white as a stewe to mundifie and clense vs as Gods framehouse to make vs lyke to Christe here in sufferyng that we maye be so in reygning then should we not so muche care for thys little shorte sorrowe whiche the fleshe suffereth in it but rather in consideration of the excedyng endlesse ioye and comforte which wyl ensue we should runne fowards in our race after the example of oure Captayne Christ who comforte vs all in our distresse and geue vs the spirite of prayer therein to watche and pray that we be not led into temptation whiche God graunt to vs for euer Amen And thus muche I thoughte good to write to you at thys presente to declare my carefulnesse for the well doinge of you and all youre familye whom I commende with you into the handes and tuition of God oure Father So be it Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford An other letter to Maister George Eaton ALmyghtye God oure heauenlye father recompence aboundauntlye into youre bosome my dearelye-beloued here and eternallye the good whiche from hym by you I haue continuallye receaued sythen my comming into pryson Otherwyse can I neuer be able to requite your louing kindnesse here then by praying for you and after thys lyfe by witnessyng youre faythe declared to me by your fruites when we shal come appeare together before the throne of our sauiour Iesus Christ whether I thāke god I am euē now a going euer loking whē the officers wil come satisfie the precept of the Prelates wherof though I cā not cōplain because I haue iustly deserued an hundreth M. deathes at gods hands by reasō of my sines yet I may and must reioice because the Prelates do not persecute in me mine iniquities but Christ Iesus his veritie so that they persecute not me they hate not me but they persecute Christ they hate Christ And because they cā do him no hurt for he sitteth in heauē laugheth thē their deuises to scorne as one daye they shal feele therfore they turne their rage vpon his pore shepe as Herode their father did vpō the infantes Math. 2. Great cause therfore haue I to reioyce that my deare Sauiour Christ will vouchsafe amongest manye to choose me to bee a vessel of grace to suffer in me which haue deserued so often iustly to suffer for my sinnes that I might be most assured I shal be a vessell of honour in whom he wil be glorifyed Therfore my right dere brother in the lord reioice with me geue thanks for me and cease not to pray the god for his mercies sake woulde make perfect the good he hath begon in me And as for the doctrine which I haue professed preached I vnto you do confesse in writing as to the whole world I shortly shall by gods grace in suffering that it is the verye true doctrine of Iesus Christ of hys Church of hys Prophets Apostles al good men so that if an Aungel shoulde come from heauen and preache otherwyse the same were accursed Therefore wauer not deare hart in the Lord but bee confyrmed in it and as youre vocation requireth when God so wil confesse it though it be perillous so to do The ende shall euidenlye shewe an other manner of pleasure for so doing then tounge can tell Be diligence in prayer and watche therein Vse reuerente reading of Gods worde Set the shortnes of this time before your eies let not the eternitie that is to come depart out of your memorye Practyse in doing that you learne by reading hearing Decline frō euil pursue good Remember thē that be in bondes especially for the Lordes cause as members of your body and fellowe heyres of grace Forget not the afflictions of Sion and the oppression of Ierusalem and god our father shall geue you hys continuall blessing through Christe oure Lorde who guyde vs as hys deare children for euer Amen And thus I take my Vale and farewell wyth you deare brother for euer in thys present lyfe tyl we shal meete in eternall blisse whether our good God and father bring vs shortly Amen God blesse all your babes for euer Amen Oute of pryson thys .8 of Februarye Your afflicted brother for the Lordes cause Iohn Bradford A letter writen to hys Mother as a farewell when he thoughte he shoulde haue suffered shortlye after TThe Lord of lyfe and Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ blesse you and comfort you my good and deare Mother wyth hys heauenly comfort consolation grace and spirite nowe and for euer Amen If I thought that dayly yea almoste hourlye you dyd not crye vpon God the father throughe Iesus Christ that he woulde geue me hys blessing euen the blessing of his children then would I write more hereaboutes But for asmuch as herein I am certayne you are diligente and so I besech you good Mother to continue I thynke it good to write somethyng whereby thys your crying might bee furthered Furthered it wyll be if those thynges which hynder it bee taken away Among the which in that I thynke my imprisonmente is the greatest and chiefest I will there about spend thys letter and that brieflye leaste it myghte encrease the let as my good brother thys brynger can tell you You shall knowe therefore good Mother He meaneth the daūger of more streat imprisonment that might hereby folow that for my bodye thoughe it bee in an house oute of the whiche I can not come when I wyll yet in that I haue conformed my wyll to Gods wyll I finde herein lybertye enoughe I thanke God And for my lodging beddyng meate drinke Godlye