These engines are called Skeuingtons giues the forme maner wherof you shall see in the boke of Martyrs Fol. 1651. some standing in most painful engines of iron with their bodies doubled some whypped scourged beateÌ„ with roddes buffeted with fistes some hauing their handes burned with a caÌ„del to trie their patience or force theÌ„ to relente some hunger pyned most miserably famished Al these torments many moe eueÌ„ such as cruel Phalaris could not deuise worse If these vnmerciful monsters had the reward of their tiranny that Phalarts had yet shuld they not haue so muche as they haue iustly deserued wer practised by the papists the stout sturdy souldiours of Satan thus delityng in variety of tiranny and torments vpon the Saints of god as it is ful wel too well knowen as many can testify which are yet aliue and haue felte some smart therof Yea furthermore so extremely were these deare seruantes of god delt withal that although they were moste desirous by their pen and writing to edify their brethren other poore lambes of Christ one to comfort an other in him yet were they so narowly watched and straitly kepte from al necessary helpes as paper inke bokes such lyke that great maruail it is how they could be able to write any one of these or other so excellent worthy letters For so hardly were they vsed as I said afore for the most part that they could not end their letters begon Notwithstandyng al this cruel dealyng they wrote verye manye worthy and fruitfull letters moe wherof sundry are mentioned in this boke which shall God willing be published hereafter if they in whose handes they remaine wil bring them to light sometime for lacke of ease being so fettered with chaines otherwise handled as you haue heard sometime for lacke of light when they could neither see to write wel nor to reade their letters again somtyme through the hasty coÌ„ming in of the kepers or officers who left no corner nor bedstraw vnsearched yea somtime they were put to so hard shiftes that lyke as for lacke of pennes they were fayne to write with the lead of the windowes so for want of inke they toke their own blood as yet it remaineth to be sene and yet somtime they were faine to teare rent what they had writteÌ„ at the hasty coÌ„ming in of the officers Thus thus vnkindly thus churlishly thus cruelly vnnaturally were eueÌ„ they entreated handled whose most notable godly writings are here set forth in thys booke For the which such other monumeÌ„ts great cause haue we to praise god which he himself hath preserued broughte to light no dout by his siÌ„guler great prouideÌ„ce that herby we beiÌ„g taught to haue his mighty mercy merciful working the more in reuereÌ„t thaÌ„kful regard might not onely consider what heaueÌ„ly streÌ„gth rich possessioÌ„ of coÌ„stant faythe of ardent zeale of quiet patience of peace ioy in the holy ghost he vseth to arme theÌ„ that can find in their harts to abhor al vngodlines both of doctrine life but also to ioine with theÌ„ our selues in such sort that loking to Iesus our captain abiding the crosse despising the shame as they did for the ioy that was set before theÌ„ may with much quietnes of a good conscieÌ„ce end this our short course to his glory to the edifyeng of his church to the coÌ„fusion of Satan to the hinderaunce of al false doctrine to our own eternal coÌ„fort in the same our lord alone Sauiour Iesus Christ To whoÌ„ wyth the father and the holy ghost be all honour al glory al thankes and all praise world without ende Amen Faultes escaped in the pryntyng Leafe Line Faultes Corrected 3 22 I do I do know 19 1 Ridley Cranmer 19 30 Resilcat Rescilcat 20 34 proucratorum procuratorum 26 3 tanta constantia tantaque constantia 26 8 Annunciaueriâ—t Annunciauerunt 26 22 pufillum pusillum 26 34 Religioni Religionis 32 15 Sat egistis Sategistis 32 25 qÌ„ pij erant qui pij crant 33 23 equae aeque 44 14 omium omnium 44 36 Cromerum Cromeum 44 21 per manebit permanebit 45 6 veritati veritatis 49 16 felowes coÌ„captiues fellowes concaptiues 51 33 Gloria Christ Gloria Christi 53 5 before Ea. before Easter 56 11 Commedo Commendo 70 1 haue haue done 72 2 Consilij Concilij 78 4 in the se in the second 90 21 loeuers louers 92 37 after the Christes after Christes 96 30 truth it is truth is 192 7 pupose purpose 214 20 worlynges worldlinges 223 1 Saunders Philpot 249 28 Godtto God to 251 30 me from from me 297 15 thy vengeaunce gods vengeance 363 37 god gods 394 10 fayre farre 394 12 woulh would 427 9 loseth lasteth 429 9 inage Image 476 5 myne owne for myne owne 591 38 wholes holes 567 1 R. Smith I. Careles Certayne godly and fruitfull letters of D. Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury who first being imprisoned in the Tower of London and afterward in Oxford was there cruelly burnt for the true testimony of Christes gospel in the yeare of our Lorde 1556. the 16. daye of Februarye Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Caunterbury to Quene Mary MOst lamentably mourning moning himself vnto your highnes Thomas CraÌ„mer although vnworthy either to write or speake vnto your highnes yet hauing no persoÌ„ that I know to be mediatour for me and knowing your pitifull eares ready to heare al pitiful complaintes and seing so many before to haue felte your aboundaunt clemency in like case He desired to be released of his offence for consentyng vnto kyng Edwardes wyll and so he was but after was accused of heresy which he best liked for then he knewe hys cause was christes am now constrained most lamentably and with most penitent and sorowfull heart to aske mercy and pardon for my haynous folly and offence in consenting and folowyng the TestameÌ„t and last will of our late soueraigne Lord king Edward the syxt your graces brother which will god knoweth God he knoweth I neuer liked nor neuer any thing greued me so much that your graces brother did and if by any meanes it had bene in me to haue letted the makyng of that will I would haue done it and what I said therin as well to his counsell as to himselfe diuers of your Maiesties counsell can report but none so wel as the Marques of NorthhaÌ„pton and the Lord Darcy then Lord Chamberlayne to the kynges Maiesty which two were present at the communication betwene the Kynges Maiestye and me I desired to talke with the kings maiesty alone but I could not be suffered and so I fayled of my purpose for yf I might haue commoned with the king alone at good leasure my trust was that I shuld haue altered hym from that purpose but they being present my labour was in vayne Then when I could not disswade him from
remembrance and wish you and all the rest of our foresayde companions well in Christ It should do vs much comfort if we might haue knowledge of the state of the rest of our most dearely beloued which in this troublesome time doe stande in Christes cause and in the defence of the truth therof We are in good health thankes be to God yet the manner of our entreting doth chaung as soure ale doth in sōmer It is reported to vs of our kepers that the vniuersity beareth vs heauely A cole chaunced to fal in the night out of the chimney burnt a hole in the floore no more harme was done the balifes seruants sitting by the fyer An other night there chaunced a drunken fellow to multiply wordes and for the same he was set in Bocardo Vpon these thinges as is reported there is risē a rumor in the towne countrey about that we would haue brokē the prisō with such violēce as if the balifes had not plaid the prety men we should haue made a scape We had out of our prisō a wal that we might haue walked vpon and our seruants had liberty to go abroad in the towne or fieldes but now both they and we are restrayned of both The bishop of Worceter passed by vs through Oxford but he did not visit vs. The same day beganne our restraint to be more and the boke of the communion was taken from vs by the balifes at the Mayors commaundemēt No man is licenced to come vnto vs afore they might that woulde see vs vpon the wal but that is so grudgod at and so euel reported that we are now restrayned c. Sir blessed be God with all oure euell reportes grudginges and restrayntes we are mery in God and all our eare is and shal be by gods grace to please serue him of whome we loke and hope after this temporall and momentany miseries to haue eternall ioy and perpetuall felicity with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Peter and Paule and al the blessed company of the aungels in heauen through Iesus Christ our lord As yet there was neuer lerned man or any scholer or other that visited vs since we came into Bocardo Bocardo is a stinking and filthy prison for drunkards whores and harlottes and the vilest sort of people which now in Oxford may be called a colledge of quondās for as you know we be no fewer here thē thre and I dare say euery one well contented with his portion whiche I doe recken to be our heauenly fathers gracious fatherly good gift Thus fare you wel We shal with gods grace one day mete together be mery the daye assuredly approcheth apace the lord graūt that it may shortly come for before that day come I feare me the world wyl waxe worse worse but thē al our enemies shal be ouerthrown troden vnder foote righteousnes truth then shall haue the victory and beare the bell away wherof the lord graunte vs to be partners all that sincerely loue the truth We al pray you as you can to cause al our commēdations to be made to all such as you know did visit vs you when we were in the tower with theyr frendly remēbrances benefites Mistres Wilkinson mistres Warcup haue not forgottē vs but euen since we came into Bocardo with theyr charitable frēdly beneuolence haue cōforted vs Not that els we lacke for god be blessed which euer hetherto hath prouided sufficiently for vs but it is a great cōfort an occasion for vs to blesse god when we se that he maketh them so frendly to tender vs whom some of vs were neuer familierly acquaynted withall Yours in Christ N. R. To maister Bradford DEarely beloued I wysh you grace mercy peace According to your mind I haue run ouer all your papers and what I haue done which is but smal therin may appeare Sir what shall beste be done with these thinges This was a treatise of the communiō with other thinges which M. Bradforde sent to hym to peruse to geue his iudgement therof now you must consider for if they come in sight at this time vndoubtedly they must to the fier with theyr father and as for any safegarde that your custody can be vnto them I am sure you loke not for it for as you haue bene partner of the worke so I am sure you loke for none other but to haue and receaue like wages and to drinke of the same cuppe Blessed be god that hath geuen you libertye in the meane ceason that you may vse your pen to his glory to the comfort as I heare say of manye I blesse god dayly in you and all your whole companye to whome I beseche you to commend me hartly Now I loue my countreyman in deede and in truth I meane D. Taylor not now for my earthly countreis sake but for oure heauenly fathers sake whome I heard say he did so stoutly in time of perill confesse and yet also now for our countreis sake and for all our mothers sake but I meane of the kingdome of heauen and of heauenly hierusalem and bicause of the sprite which bringeth in hym in you and in your cōpany such blessed fruites of boldnes in the lords cause of pacience and constācy The Lord which hath begon this worke in you al performe and perfite this his own dede vntill his own day come Amen As yet I perceiue you haue not beene baited the cause therof God knoweth which wil let them do no more to his then is his pleased will and good pleasure to suffer them to do for his own glory and to the profit of them which be trulye his for the father whiche dothe guide thē that be christs to Christe is more mighty than all they and no man is able to pulle thē out of the fathers hands except I say it please our father it please our maister Christe to suffer them they shal not be able to sturre one heare of your heades My brother P. the bearer hereof would that we shoulde say what we thynke good concerninge your mynde that is not for to aunswere excepte ye myghte haue somewhat indifferent iudges We are as ye know separated one of vs can not in any thing consult with an other and muche straite watching of the baylifes is about vs that there be no priuy conference amongest vs. And yet as we heare the scholers beare vs more heauelye then the townsemen A wonderful thing among so many neuer yet scholer offred to any of vs so farre as I know any manner of fauor either for or in Christes cause Now as concerning your demaunde of our counsell for my part I do not mislike that which I perceiue ye are minded to do for I loke for none other but if ye aunswere before the same commissioners that we did ye shal be serued handled as we were though ye were as wel lerned as euer was either Peter
or Paule And yet further I think that occasion afterward may be geuen you and the consideration of the profite of your auditory may perchaūce moue you to doe otherwise Finallye determinately to saye what shal be beste I am not able but I truste he whose cause ye haue in hand shal put you in minde to do that which shal be most for hys glory the profite of his flocke and your owne saluation This letter must be common to you M. Hoper in whome and in hys prison fellowe good father Crome I blesse god euen from the bottome of my harte for I doubte not but they both doe to our mayster Christe true acceptable and honorable seruice and profitable to his flocke the one with hys penne and the other wyth hys fatherlye example of patience and constancye and all manner of true godlynes But what shall I nede to say to you let this be common amonge your brethren among whome I dare say it is with you as it is with vs to whome all thinges here are common meate money and what soeuer one of vs hath that can or may doe an other good Althoughe I sayde the baylifes our hostes straitly watch vs that we haue no conference or intelligence of any thynge abroade yet hath God prouided for euery one of vs in the stede of our seruants faythful fellowes which wil be content to heare and see and to do for vs what so euer they can it is Gods worke surely blessed be God for his vnspeakeable goodnes The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the loue of God and the communion of the holy goste be with you all Amen Amen As farre as London is from Oxford yet thence we haue receaued of late both meate money and shyrtes not onlye from such as are of our acquayntance but of some whom this bearer can tell with whome I had neuer to my knowledge any acquaintance I knowe for whose sake they do it to hym therfore be all honoure glorye and due thankes And yet I pray you do so much as to shew them that we haue receiued theyr beneuolence and god be blessed haue plentye of all such things This I desire you to do for I know they be of maister Hopers and your familier acquayntaunce Mayster Latimer was crased but I heare nowe thankes be to God that he amendeth agayne Yours in Christ N. R. To maister Bradford BRother Bradford I wish you and your companye in Christ yea al the holy brotherhode that nowe wyth you in diuerse prisonnes suffreth and beareth paciently Christs crosse for the mayntenance of his gospell grace mercy and peace from god the father and frō our Lord Iesus Christe Syr consideringe the state of this chiualrie and warfare wherein I doubte not but we be set to fight vnder Christes banner and his crosse against oure gostly enemy the deuill and the old serpent Satā me think I perceaue two thinges to be his most perilous and moste daungerous engines which he hath to impugne christs verity his gospel his faith and the same two also to be the most massye postes and most mighty pillers wherby he mainteyneth and vpholdeth his Satanical sinagoge These two sir are they in my iudgement the one his false doctrine and idolatry call vse of the Lords supper and the other the wicked and abhominable vsurpation of the primacye of the sea of Rome By these two Satan semeth to me principally to manteine and vphold his kingdom by these two he driueth down mightely alas I feare me Apo. 8. the third part of the starrs in heauen These two poysonfull rotten postes he hathe so painted ouer with such a pretence and colour of religion of vnitye in Christes church of the catholike fayth and suche like that the wily serpēt is hable to deceaue if it were possible euen the elect of god Wherfore Iohn sayd not wtout great cause Apoc. ij if any know not Satans subtilties and the doungeons thereof I will wishe him no other burden to be laden withal Sir because these be his principal and maine postes whervppon standeth all his falshode craft and trecherye therfore according to the pore power that God hath giuen me I haue bended mine artillary to shoote at the same I know it to be but little God knoweth that I can do and of my shote I know they passe not Yet wyll I not God willing cease to do the best that I can to shake those cankered and rotten postes The Lord graunt me good successe to the glory of hys name and the furtheraunce of Christes gospell I haue now alredy I thanke god for this present time spent a good part of my powder in these scryblyngs wherof thys bearer shall geue you knowledge Good brother Bradforde let the wicked surmise and saye what they liste know you for a certeynty by gods grace without al doubt that in Christes gospelles cause against and vpon the foresayd gods enemyes I am fully determined to liue and die Fare well deare brother and I beseche you and all the reste of our brethern to haue good remembrāce of the condemned heretikes as they call them of Oxforde in your prayers The bearer shall certifye you of our state Fare well in the Lorde From Bocardo Yours in Christ N.R. To maister Bradford DEarelye beloued brother blessed be God oure heauenlye father for hys manifolde and innumerable mercies towardes vs and blessed mighte he be that hath spared vs thus long together that eche one of vs maye blesse his mercye and clemencye in other vnto this daye aboue the expectation and hope of any worldlye appearance Where as you wryte of he outragious rule that Sathan our gostly enemy beareth abrode in the worlde wherbye he stirreth and rayseth so pestilente and heynous heresies as some to deny the blessed trinity some the diuinity of our sauiour Christ some the diuinity of the holy gost some the baptisme of infants some original sinne and to be infected with the errors of the pelagiās to rebaptise those that haue ben baptised with Christes baptisme alredy alas syr this doth declare this time and these dayes to be wicked in dede But what can we looke for els of Sathan here and of his ministers but to do the worste that they can so farre forth as god shal or wil suffer them And now me thincke he is lesse to be merueled at at this tyme if he bestirre him by al manner of meanes that the truth in deede doe take no place For he seeth now blessed be God that some goe aboute in deede and in truth not trifeling but with the losse of all that they are able to loose in thys worlde goodes landes name fame and life also to setforth Goddes woorde and hys truth and by Goddes grace shall do and abide in the same vnto the ende now therfore it is time to be stirre him I trowe And as for the diuersitye of erroures what careth he thoughe one be neuer so contrarye to
be geueÌ„ vnto god our father for hys excedynge greate mercye towardes me through Iesus Christ our lord But perchaunce ye wil say vnto me what is the cause for the which you are coÌ„demned we heare say that you deny al prefeÌ„ce of Christ in his holy supper so make it a bare signe common bread nothing els My derely beloued what is said of me wil be I cannot tel It is told me that M. Pendleton is gone down to preach with you not as he hath recaÌ„ted for ye al know how he hath preached contrary to that he was wont to preach afore I came amongs you but to recaÌ„t that which he hath recaÌ„ted How he wil speake of me report before I come wheÌ„ I am come when I am burned I much passe not for he the is so vncertain wil speake so ofteÌ„ against him selfe I cannot thinke he wil speake wel of me except it make for his purpose profit But of this enough In dede the chiefe thing which I am condemned for as an heretyke is because I deny the sacrament of the altar whiche is not christes supper but a plaine peruertyng of it beyng vsed as the papists now vse it to be a real natural corporall presence of christes body blood vnder the formes accidents of bread and wine that is because I deny transubstantiatioÌ„ which is the derling of the deuil and doughter and heyre to Antichrists religion wherby the Masse is mainteyned christes supper peruerted his sacrifice crosse imperfected hys priesthode destroyed the ministery taken away repentance repelled and al true godlines abandoned In the supper of our lord or sacrament of christes body and blood I confesse beleue that there is a true very presence of whole Christe god man to the faith of the receauer but not of the staÌ„der by or loker on as there is a very true presence of breade and wine to the senses of him that is pertaker therof This faith this doctrine which coÌ„fenteth with the word of god with the true testimony of christes Churche whiche the popyshe church doth persecute will I not forsake and therefore am I coÌ„demned as an heretike shal be burned But my derely beloutd this truth which I haue taught ye haue receyued I beleued do beleue and therin geue my life I hope in god shall neuer be burned bound nor ouercome but shal tryumphe haue victory and be at liberty manger the heade of all gods aduersaries For there is no counsell against the lord nor no deuise of man can be hable to defeate the verity in any other then in such as be children of vnbeliefe which haue no loue to the truth and therefore are geuen vp to beleue lies From which plague the lorde of mercies delyuer you and all this realme my deare hartes in the Lorde I humblye beeseche hys mercye Amen And to the ende ye myght be delyuered from thys plague ryght deare to me in the Lorde I shall for my farewell wyth you for euer in thys presente lyfe hartely desyre you all in the bowels and bloode of oure moste mercifull Sauioure Iesus Christ to attende vnto these thynges whiche nowe I shall shortlye wryte vnto you out of the Holy scriptures of the Lorde Ye know an he â—aye plague or rather plagues of God is fallen vpon vs in takyng away our good kyng gods true religion Gods true prophetes and ministers c. and setting ouer vs suche as seeke not the Lorde after knowledge whose endeuoures GOD prospereth wonderfullyâ— to the triall of manye that hys people maye bothe better knowe themselues and be knowen Nowe the cause hereof is oure iniquities and greuous synnes We did not know the tyme of our visitation we were vnthankefull vnto god we contemned the gospell and carnally abused it to serue our hypocrisie our vayne glory our viciousnes auarice ydlenes security c. Longe did the lord lynger tary to haue shewed mercye vppon vs but we were euer the longer the worse Therfore most iustly hathe God dealt with vs and dealeth with vs. Yea yet we may see that his iustice is tempered with much mercy wherto let vs attribute that we are not vtterly consumed for if the lord should deale with vs after oure deserts alas how could we abide it In his anger therfore seyng he doth remember hys mercy vndeserued yea vndesyred on our behalfe let vs take occasion the more spedelye to go out to mete him not with force and armes for we are not so able to withstand hym much lesse to preuaile against hym but to beseche hym to be mercifull vnto vs and according to his waÌ„ted mercy to deale with vs. Let vs arise with Dauyd and say Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. Enter not into iudgement oh Lorde with thy seruant for in thy sight no flesh liuyng shall be iustifyed Let vs send ambassadors wyth the Centurion and say Lord we are not worthy to come our selues vnto thee speake the worde and we shal haue peace Let vs peniteÌ„tly with the Publicane loke down on the earth knocke our hard hartes to burst them and cry out oh god be merciful vnto vs wretched synners Let vs with the lost sonne returne and say O father we haue synned against heauen and earth before thee we are vnworthy to be called thy children Let vs I say do on this sort that is hartely repente vs of our former euill lyfe and vnthankefull gospelling past conuert turne to god with our whole hartes hopyng in hys great mercy through Christ and hartelye calling vppon his holye name and then vndoubtedly we shall fynde and feele otherwyse then yet we fele both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly we shal fele peace of conscience betwene god and vs which peace passeth al vnderstaÌ„dyng outwardly we shall feele much mitigation of these miseries yf not an outward taking of theÌ„ away Therfore my derely beloued in the lorde I your poorest brother now departyng to the Lord for my vale in aeternum for this present lyfe pray you beseche you and euen from the very bottome of my hart for al the mercies of god in Christ shewed vnto you most earnestly begge and craue of you out of prison as often out of your pulpittes I haue done that ye will repente you leaue your wycked and euil lyfe be sory for your offences and turne to the lorde whose armes are wyde open to receiue and embrace you whose stretched out hande to strike to death stayeth that he might shewe mercy vpon you for he is the lord of mercy and god of all comfort he wyll not the death of a synner but rather that he should returne conuert and amend he hath no pleasure in the destruction of men hys long suffryng draweth to repentaunce before the tyme of vengeaunce and the daye of wrathe which is at hande doth come Now is the axe layed to the roote of the tree vtterlye to
heritike but not of others theÌ„ of heretykes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the priestes but God wil that al they shal not be able to withstand you No body will doe so but you only In dede no matter for fewe enter into the narow gate whiche bryngeth to saluation How be it you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and others my brothers and systers to goe with you therein but if they will not I youre sonne in GOD I trust shal not leaue you an inche but goe before you praye that I maye and geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffetyng for it is for youre sakes to confyrme the truth I haue taughte Howe soeuer you doe beware thys letter come not abroade but into Father Traues hys handes for if it should be knowen that I haue penne and Inke in the pryson then wold it be worse with me Therfore to your selues kepe thys letter commending me to God and his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his gospel church sake Out of the Tower of London the .6 day of October 1553. My name I wryte not for causes you know it well enough lyke the letter neuer the worse Commende me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. How soeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is in no point eyther in hand or tong rebell but rather if they commaund that which with good conscience you can not obey lay your head on the block and suffer what soeuer they shal do or say By pacience possesse your soules To my very frende in the Lorde Doctor Hyll Phisition THe God of mercy and father of al comfort at this preseÌ„t and for euer engraffe in your hart the sense of his mercy in Christ and the continuance of his consolatioÌ„ which can not but enable you to cary with ioy what soeuer crosse he shall lay vpon you Amen Hetherto I coulde haue no such libertie as to write vnto you as I thinke you know but now in that through gods prouidence I haue no such restraint I can not but somthing write aswell to purge me of the suspition of vnthankfulnes towardes you as allso to signifie my carefulnes for you in these perilous dayes least you should waxe colde in Gods cause which god forbid or suffer the light of the Lorde once kindled in your hart to be quenched and so become as you were before after the example of the world and of many others which would haue bene accompted otherwise in our daies and yet stil beguile them selues still woulde be so accompted althoughe by their outwarde life they declare the contrarye in that they thinke it enough to keepe the harte pure notwithstanding that the outwarde man doth currye fauoure In which doing as they denye God to bee Ielous and therfore requireth he the whole man as well bodye as soule being both create as to immortalitie and societie with hym so redeemed by the bloude of Iesus Christ and nowe sanctifyed by the holy spirite to bee the temple of God and member of hys Sonne as I say by their partyng stake to geue God the harte and the world the body they deny god to be Ielous for els they would geue him both as the wife will do to her husband whether he be Ielous or no if she be honest so they play the dissemblers with the church of God by their facte offending the godlye whome either they prouoke to fal with them or make more careles conscienceles yf they be fallen and occasioning the wicked and obstinate to triumphe against god and the more vehemently to prosecute their malice against such as wil not defyle themselues in body or soule with the Romishe ragges now reuiued emonges vs. Because of this I meane lest you my dere Maister brother in the lord shuld do as many of our gospellers or rather gospell spillers doe for feare of man Esay 2 whose breath is in his nostrelles and hash power but of the body not fearing the Lorde whiche hathe power both of soule and body and that not onely temporally but also eternally I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you aswell because duty deserueth it for manye benefites I haue receiued of God by your handes for the which he reward you for I cannot as also because charitye and loue compelleth me not that I thinke you haue any neede for as I maye rather learne of you so I doubte not but you haue hetherto kepte your selfe vpright from halting but that I might both quiet my conscience callyng vpon me hereabout and signify vnto you by some thyng my carefulnes for your soule as painfullye and often you haue done for my body Therfore I pray you call to mynde that there bee but two maisters two kyndes of people two wayes and two mansion places The maisters be Christ and Satan the people be seruitures to either of these the wayes be straite and wyde the mansions be heauen and hell Agayne consider that this worlde is the place of trial of gods people and the deuils seruauntes for as the one will followe his maister whatsoeuer cometh of it so will the other For a tyme it is harde to discerne who perteyneth to god and who to the deuill as in the calme and peace who is a good shipman and wariour who is not But as when the storme aryseth the expert mariner is knowne as in warre the good souldiour is seene so in affliction and the crosse easelye gods children are knowen froÌ„ Sathans seruants â—or then as the good seruant will folow his maister so wyll the godly followe their Capitayne come what come wyll where as the wycked and hyyocrites will bidde adew and desyre lesse of Christes acquaintaunce For whiche cause the crosse is called a probation and triall bicause it tryeth who wyll goe wyth GOD and who wyll forsake hym As nowe in Englande we see howe smal a companye Chryste hathe in comparison of Sathans souldiours Lette no man deceyue hymselfe for he that gathereth not with Christe scattereth abroade No man can serue two maisters the Lorde abhorreth double hartes the luke warme that is suche as are bothe whote and colde he spitteth out of his mouthe None that halte on both knees doth god take for hys seruaunts The way of Christe is the strayte waye and so strayte that as fewe fynde it and fewe walke in it so no man can halte in it but nedes muste goe vpryghte for as the straitenesse wyll suffer no reelyng to thys syde or that syde so yf anye man halte he is lyke to fal of the brydge into the pit of eternal perdition Stryue therfore good maister Doctor nowe you haue founde it to enter into it and if you should be called or pulled backe looke not on this side or that side or behynd you as Lothes wyfe dyd but strayght forewardes on the ende which set
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
and encouraged them to kepe the high way sic currere vti tandem acciperent premium The Lord be his comfort wherof I doe not doubte and I thanke God hartely that euer I was acquaynted wyth hym and that euer I had suche a one in my house Protomartyr is the first Martyr whome he so called because he was the first that suffred here in those bloudy dayes And yet agayne I blesse God in our deare brother and of thys tyme protomartyr Rogers that he was also one of my callinge to be a prebendarye preacher of London And nowe because Grindall is gone The Lord I doubt not hath and koweth wherein he will bestowe him I truste to God it shall please him of his goodnes to strengthen me to make vp the trynytye out of Paules churche to suffer for Christ whome God the father hath annoynted the holye spirite doth beare witnes vnto Paule and al the Apostles preached Thus fare you well I had no paper I was constrayned thus to write To Augustine Berneher BRother Austine I thanke you for your manifolde kindenesse This almes was sent him by the Ladye Katherin Duches of Suffolk to who he wrote againe a worthy letter which is lâ—st and many other writen botâ— to her others I haue receiued my Ladies graces almes sixe Royalles syxe shillinges and eyghte pence I haue written a letter here vnto her grace but I haue made no mention therof wherfore I desire you to render to her grace harty thankes Blessed be God as for my selfe I wante nothyng but my Ladies almes commeth happilye to relieue my poore brothers necessity whome you know they haue cast and kepe in prison as I suppose you know the cause why Farewell brother Austine take good heede I pray you let my brothers case make your the more wary Read my letter to my ladies grace I would maistres WilkinsoÌ„ maystres Warcup had a copy of it for althoughe the letter is directed to my ladies grace alone yet the mater therof pertaineth indiffereÌ„tly to her grace and to all good women which loue God and his worde in deede and truth Yours in Christ N. R. ¶ To Maistres Glouer a woman zelous and harty in the cause and furtherance of Gods gospell MAistres glouer I wysh you grace peace and although I am not acquainted with you yet neuertheles hearing that your husbaÌ„d master Glouer is in prison for gods wordes sake and also that you are a womaÌ„ harty in gods cause and thirdly that old father Latimer is your vncle or nere cosin whoÌ„ I do thinke the lord hath placed to be his standerd bearer in our age and country agaynst his mortal foe Antichrist I was thus bold to write vnto you in goddes behalf to do accordinge to the report which I here of you that is that you be hartye in Goddes cause and hartye to youre mayster Christ in furdering of hys cause and settinge fourth his souldiours to hys warres to the vttermost of your power Let no carnality nor worldly regard of any thinge set you to declare your trew hart which you are said to beare to your mayster christ aboue all other thinges Be harty nowe also to your husbande and declare your selfe to loue him in God as the true faythfull christiaÌ„ womaÌ„ vnto her husbaÌ„d is bound to do Now seing your husbaÌ„d which is set by gods ordinaÌ„ce to be your head is redy to suffer abide in aduersity by his masters cause to cleaue to his head christ see like wise that you do your dutye accordyngly and cleaue vnto him your hed suffre with him that you maye furder his cause His cause nowe I vnderstande to be Chrystes cause and therefore beware good syster in Chryste that in no wyse ye hynder it Loue so hys bodye and the case and wealthe thereof as youre loue maye further hym to the wynnynge bothe of bodye and soule vnto euerlastynge lyfe And thys loue shall bothe God allowe your husbande shall haue iuste cause to reioyce thereof and all the godlye to commend you therefore and to number you for the same amonge the godlye and holye women of God To youre husbande I haue written more And thus fare you well nowe good deare Sister in our sauioure Christ I was the bolder to write vnto you for that I vnderstoode my dearely beloued brother Austyne whome I call Faustus shouldbe the carier a manne whome I thynke God hathe appoynted to doe much pleasure for hys preste seruauntes to hys warres Yours in Christ N.R. To a frend that came to visite hym in prison but could not speake wyth hym WElbeloued I thancke you hartelye for youre manyfolde kyndnes but the Lorde shal I trust acquite you youre meede Thoughe Sathan rage the Lorde is stronge inough to brydle hym and to put an iron chayne ouer hys nose when it shal please hym In the meane tyme they that are the Lordes wyll flee vnto hym assuredly he wyl not forsake them that seke vnto hym in verye deede and in truthe Thys bearer my manne is trustye you maye sende your token by hym Let Nycolas keepe styll the shyrtes The Lorde rewarde that Ladye VViatte whyche for hys sake hathe thus remembred me I doe not knowe her personne What canne I rendre to maystres Wylkynson for all her benefytes Nothyng surelye but to desyre the Lorde to acquite her with hys heauenlye grace If you tarye I shall haue more to saye to you peraduenture hereafter Nowe Vale in Domino charissime Yours in Christ N. R. ¶ The manner of D. Ridleyes handlinge in the Scholes at Oxford and of the impudent spite full cruel dealing of the papistes which he set before his disputation by way of a preface and is not vnfitte here to be placed among the letters translated out of his lattin copy into englysh I Neuer yet in all my life sawe or hearde anye thing done or handled more vaynelye or tumultuously then the disputation which was had with me of late in the scholes at Oxford And surelye I coulde neuer haue thoughte that it had bene possible to haue found anye within this realme beyng of any knowlege learning and auncient degree of schole so brasen faced and so shameles as to behaue themselues so vainly and so like stage plaiers as they did in that disputation The Sorbonical clamours which at Paris when popery most reigned I in times paste haue sene might be worthely thought in comparison of this Thrasonicall and glorious ostentation to haue had muche modesty Howbeit it was not to be wondred at for that they which should there haue bene Moderatoures and rulers of others and whiche should haue geuen a good example in woorde grauitye c. 1. Tim. 4. as Paule teacheth gaue worst example of all and did as it were blowe the trompet to other to rayle rage roare and cry out By reason wherof good christian reader it is manifest that they neuer sought for any truth but only for
the grace to suffer death also Wherfore al ye that be my true louers frends reioice and reioyce with me agayne and render wyth me hartye thankes to God oure heauenly father that for hys sonnes sake my Sauioure and redemer Christ he hathe vouchsafed to cal me beyng elles without hys gratious goodnes in my selfe but a synnefull and a vyle wretche to call me I say vnto this hygh dygnitye of hys true Prophetes of hys faythfull Apostles and of hys holye electe and chosen Martyrs that is to die and to spende thys temporall lyfe in the defence mayntenāce of hys eternal and euerlastyng truth Ye knowe that be my Countreymen dwellyng vpon the borders where alas the true man suffreth oftentimes muche wronge at the theues hande if it chaunce a man to be slaine of a theefe as it oft chaunceth there whiche wente oute with his neyghbour to helpe hym to rescue hys goods agayne that the more cruelly he be slayne and the more stedfastly he stooke by his neyghboure in the fighte agaynst the face of the theefe the more fauoure and frendeship shall all hys posteritie haue for the slayne mans sake of al them that be true as long as the memorye of his facte and his posteritye dothe endure euen so ye that be my kynsefolke and countreyemen knowe ye howe soeuer the blynde ignoraunt and wycked world hereafter shall rayle vppon my death which thyng they can not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our sauiour of his holy prophets Apostles and Martyrs Knowe ye I say that both before God and all them that be godly and that truely know and followe the lawes of God ye haue and shal haue by goddes grace euer cause to reioyce and to thanke God highlye and to thinke good of it and in god to reioyce of me your flesh blood whome God of his gratious goodnes hath vouchsafed to associate vnto the blessed company of hys holy martyrs in heauē I dout not in the infinite goodnes of my lord god nor in the faithful felowship of his elect chosē people but at both theyr hands in my cause ye shal rather fynd the more fauour grace for the Lord sayeth that he wil be both to them and theyrs that loue hym the more louyng agayne in a thousande generations Deut. 7. Iohn 15. the Lorde is so full of mercye to them I saye and theyrs which doe loue hym in deede And Christe sayeth agayne that no man can shewe more loue then to geue hys lyfe for his frende Now also know ye all my true louers in god my kynsfolk and countreymen that the cause wherfore I am put to death is euen after the same sort and conditiō but touchyng more nere gods cause and in more weighty matters but in the general kynd al one for both is Gods cause both is in the mainteināce of right both for the commē welth and both for the weale also of the christiā brother although yet there is in these two no smal difference both concernyng the enemyes the goods stollen and the manner of the fighte For knowe ye all that lyke as there when the poore true man is robbed by the theefe of hys owne goodes truely gotten whereupon he and hys household should lyue he is greatly wronged and the theefe in stealyng and robbyng with violence the poore mans Goods dothe offende god doth trāsgresse hys lawe and is iniurious bothe to the poore man and to the commen wealth so I saye know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the church of englād I meane the congregatiō of the true chosen chyldren of god in this realme of england which I knowlege not only to be my neighbors but rather the congregatiō of my spirituall brethren and Sisters in Christe yea members of one body wherein by goddes grace I am and haue beene grafted in Chryste Thys Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunte grace of almighty God greate substaunce greate ryches of heauenlye treasure greate plentye of gods true and syncere woorde the true and wholesome administration of Christes holye Sacramentes the whole profession of Christes religion truelye and playnelye sette forthe in Baptisme the playne declaration and vnderstandyng of the same taughte in the holye Cathechisme to haue beene learned of all true Christians This churche hadde also a true and syncere forme and manner of the Lordes Supper wherein accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce and holy institution Christes commaundements were executed and done For vpon the bread and wyne set vpon the Lords table thanks were geuen the commemoration of the Lordes death was had the bread in the remembraunce of christes bodye torne vpon the crosse was broken and the Cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shedde was distributed and both communicated vnto all that were presente and woulde receyue them and also they were exhorted of the minister so to doe All was done openlye in the vulgare toungue so that euerye thyng myghte be bothe easely heard and plainlye vnderstande of all the people to Gods hygh glory and the edification of the whole churche Thys churche had of late the whole Diuyne seruice all common and publique prayers ordeyned to be sayde heard in the cōmē congregation not onely framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holye Scripture but also all thynges so set forthe accordyng to the commaundemente of the Lorde and Sayncte Paules doctryne for the peoples edification in theyr vulgare toungue It had also holye and wholsome Homelies in commendation of the principall vertues which are commended in Scripture and lykewyse other Homelies agaynste the moste pernitious and capitall vyces that vseth alas to raygne in thys Realme of Englande Thys churche had in matters of controuersye articles so penned and framed after the holye Scripture and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods worde that in short tyme yf they hadde bene vniuersally receyued they should haue beene able to haue sette in Christes churche muche concorde and vnitye in Christes true Religion and to haue expelled manye false erroures and heresyes wherewyth thys churche alas was almoste ouergone But alas of late into thys spyrytuall possession of the heauenly treasure of these godlye ryches are entred in theues that haue robbed and spoyled all thys heauenlye treasure awaye I maye well complayne on these theues and crye oute vppon them wyth the Prophete saying Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam c. Psalme 79. O Lord GOD the Gentiles heathen nations are come into thy heritage they haue defyled thy holye Temple and made Ierusalem an heape of stones that is they haue broken and beate downe to the grounde thy holye citye This hethenyshe generation these theeues of Samaria these Sabei and Caldei these robbers haue rushed out of their dennes and haue robbed the Churche of Englande of all the foresayd holy treasure of god they haue caried it away and ouerthrowne
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
muche expedient to lead gouerne the iudgement of euery Christian mā where we may see that the Corinthians in dede had knowlege perceaued right well that neither the idoles amongest them neyther the meate dedicated vnto the idoles were any thing passed as light of both as of thinges of nothing vppon that knowledge vsed to be present and also to eate at the feast of the meate dedicated vnto Idoles Wherewithall Paule was so sore offended that he gaue this sentence if a man see thee which hast knowledge 1. Cor. 8 sit at table in the Idoles tēple shal not the conscience of him which is weake be boldened to eate those things which are sacrificed to Idoles and through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whō Christ died Now when ye sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake conscience ye sinne against Christ This iudgement of Paul is more to be followed thē al our own fayned and wrested defences which would fayne seme to do wel whē we halt on both sides which god abhorreth Paule hath a profounde depe consideration of that mans fault that hath knowledge perceaueth his dissimulation to be daūgerous perilous to al persons which he dwelleth with al. First such as be of a right and stayed iudgement and will not prostrate their bodies to an Idole do condemne nedes must such dissimulation The very Idolaters themselues haue a defence of their abhomination by the presence of him that the Christiā congregatiō knoweth to haue knowledge The weaker sort that would gladly take the best way by a dissemblers halting playing of both handes embraceth both in body and in soule the euil that he abhorreth in hys hart and though he haue knowledge yet with his presence he estemeth it as other do which haue no knowledge If S Paule sayd that the weake brother doth perish for whō Christ died by him that abused knowledge in meates and drinkes that of themselues be indifferent how muche more by the knowledge of him that vseth manifeste Idolatry forbidden of God as a thing not indifferent Take hede what s Paule meaneth and what he would proue against this man which had knowledge that neither the Idoles neither the meates dedicated to Idoles were any thing Forsooth this would he proue that a poore man that wanteth knowledge by the example of him that hath knowledge doth there aduenture to do euil which he would not do in case he sawe not those that he hath good opinion of to go before him as authors of the euill And in dede the ignoraunte people or those that be halfe perswaded in a truth yea or els throughly perswaded what is euill when they haue any notable men or women for an example to follow they thinke in following of them they be excused yea although peraduenture they do it against their consciences as ye may see how many good men by the example of Peter began to dissemble yea Barnabas hymselfe the Apostle of the Gentiles Gala. 2 But how great offence this is before god so to make a doubtful cōscience or striuig against knowledge to do any thing that is not godly let the iudgement of men passe and measure it from gods word Christ sayth Math. 18 it were better a milstone were hanged about such an offenders necke cast into the sea And doutlesse the payne must be the greater bycause we geue offence willingly and agaynst our owne consciences and thys before God is a wicked knowledge that causeth an other to perishe Woe be vnto hym that is learned to bring his brother to destruction Doth a Christian man know the truth to bring his brother to a lye For those weaklinges that we make to stomble Christ died as S. Paul sayth God defend we should confyrme any mans conseience in euil Let euery mā of god waye with himselfe the doctrine of S. Paul that cōmaundeth vs to flye Idolatrye 1. Cor. 10 And marke what s Paul in that place calleth Idolatrye It is to be sene plainly that he speaketh not of such idolatry as men that lacke knowledge in their hartes what god is and what god is not do commit For in the .8 chapter before he sayth that men knowe that the idoles were no gods and that although by name the gentiles had many gods yet they knew that there was but one god Therfore he meaneth nothing by this cōmaūdement fly idolatry but to auoyd such rites ceremonies and vsages as outwardly wer vsed in the honour reuerēce of the idoles that wer no gods and waying the right vse of the Lords supper and the dignitie therof with the manner and vse of the Gentiles towards their gods he would bring the church of the Corrinthians to vnderstand how that as the diuine and sacrate rites ceremonies and vse of the sacrament of Christes body and blood did sanctifye him and declare hym that vsed it to be the seruaunt and child of God so dyd the rites sacramentes of the Gentiles defile the vsers therof and declared them to be the seruauntes and children of the idole notwithstanding that they knew in their harts the idole was nothing God by his sacrament doth couple vs vnto him let vs pray therfore to him that we pollute not our selues with any rites ceremonies or vsages not instituted by god and so diuide our selues from him In this cause if a faithful man should be at the masse it is to be considered with what mind those that he doth there accompany himselfe withal do come thyther and what the ende is of the worke that the priest doth The people come to honour the bread and wine for god and the priest purposeth to consecrate bothe god and man and so to offer Christe to the father for remission of sinne Nowe do they that adioyne them selues vnto those people professe and declare a societie and fellowship of the same impietye as s Paul layd to the Corrinthians charge S. Paule was not offēded with the Corinthians bicause they lacked knowledge of the true God but bicause contrary to their knowledge they associated thē selues with idolaters For this is true that in al rites sacraments honorings whether they be of god or of the deuil there is a professiō of a communion so that euery man protesteth to be of the same religiō that the rest be of that be pertakers with him I know there be many euasions made by men that iudge a mā may with sauegard of conscience be at the masse But forasmuch as M Caluine M. Bullynger and other haue throughlye aunsweared them suche as be in doubte maye reade theyr bookes This is my cōscience after Gods woorde Iohn Hoper ¶ An epistle of the famous learned man M. Henry Bullinger written to M. Hoper in the tyme of hys trouble which for the worthines of the matter we thought not impartinent here to place emonges hys letters Reuerendissimo VVigorniae Glocestriae Episcopo D. Ioanni
to wryte somthyng for your comfort spirituly My dearely beloued looke not vpon these dayes and the afflictions of the same here with vs simply as they seme vnto you that is as dismall dayes and dayes of gods vengeance but rather as lucky dayes and daies of gods fatherlye kindnes towardes you and such as ye be that is towardes such as repent their synnes and euyll lyfe past and earnestly purpose to ameÌ„d walking not after the wil of the world as the most part of men do for the preseruation of theyr pelfe which wyl they nyll they they shal leaue sooner or later to whome or how it shall be vsed they know not In deede to suche as walke in their wickednes and wynde on wyth the world this time is a tyme of wrath and vengeance and their begynnyng of sorrowe is but nowe because they contempne the phisike of theyr father which by these purgyng tyme and cleansing dayes would worke their weale which they wil not and because they will not haue gods blessynge which both wayes he hath offred vnto them by prosperity and aduersity therfore it shall bee kept farre enoughe from them as when the sycke man wil no kynd of phisike at the handes of the phisicion he is left alone and so the malady encreaseth and destroieth him at the length To suche men in dede these dayes are and shoulde bee doleful daies daies of woe and weepyng because their damnation draweth nigh But vnto such as be penitent and are desirous to liue after the Lordes wyll amongs whom I doe not onely compte you but as farre as man may iudge I knowe ye are vnto such I say this tyme is and should be comfortable For first nowe youre father chastiseth you and me for our synnes for the whiche yf he would haue destroyed vs then woulde he haue letten vs alone left vs to our selues in nothing to take to harte his fatherly visitation whiche here it pleaseth hym to woorke presentlye because elsewhere he wyll not remember oure transgressions as Paule writeth he chastiseth vs in the world least with the worlde we shoulde perishe Therefore my deare hartes call to mynd youre sinnes to lamente them and to aske mercye for them in hys syghte and wythall vndoubtedlye beeleue to obteine pardon and assured forgeuenes of the same for twise the Lorde punisheth not for one thynge So that I saye firste we haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because our father suffereth vs not to lye in Iesabels bedde slepyng in oure synnes and securitye but as myndefull on vs dothe correcte vs as his children whereby we maye bee certayne that we be no bastardes but children for he chastiseth euery childe whome he receyueth So that they whyche are not pertakers of hys chastising or that contempne it declare themselues to bee bastardes and not chyldren as I knowe ye are which as ye are chastised so doe ye take it to harte accordingly and therefore bee gladde my deare hartes as folkes knowynge certainlye euen by this visitation of the Lorde that ye are his deare electe children whose faultes your father dothe visite with the rodde of correction but hys mercy wil he neuer take away from you Psal 89. Amen Secondlye ye haue cause to reioyce for these dayes because they are dayes of triall wherein not onely ye your selues shall better knowe your selues but also the worlde shall knowe that ye bee none of hys but the Lordes derlynges Before these dayes came Lorde GOD howe manye thoughte of themselues they had bene in Gods bosome and so were taken and would be taken of the worlde but nowe we see whose they are for to whome we obeye hys seruauntes we are If we obey the world whiche god forbidde and hetherto ye haue not done it then are we the worldes but yf we obey GOD then are we gods Which thynge I meane that ye are Gods these dayes haue declared bothe to you to me and to all other that knowe you better then euer we knewe it Therefore ye haue no cause to sorrowe but rather to syng in seyng your selues to bee Gods babes and in seeyng that all Gods children doe so counte you What thoughe the worlde repyne thereat What thoughe he kycke what thoughe he seeke to trouble and moleste you My deare hartes he doth but hys kynde he cannot loue the Lorde which lyue not the Lorde he cannot brooke the chylde that hateth the father he cannot mynde the seruaunte that careth not for the maâ—â—er If ye were of the world the world would loue you ye should dwell quietlye there woulde be no griefe no molestation If the deuill dwelte in you whiche the lorde forbydde he woulde not styrre vp hys knyghtes to besiege your house to snatche at your goodes or suffer hys frendes to enter into your hogges But because Christ dwelleth in you as he dothe by faythe therefore styrreth he vppe his fyrste begotten sonne the worlde to seeke how to disquiet you to robbe you to spoyle you to destroye you And perchaunce your deare father to trye and to make knowen vnto you and to the worlde that ye are destinate to an other dwellyng then here on earthe to an other citye then mans eyes hathe sene at any tyme hathe geuen or wyll geue power to Sathan and to the world to take from you the thynges whiche he hathe lente you and by takyng them awaye to trye youre fidelitie obedience and loue towardes hym for ye may not loue them aboue hym as by geuynge that ye haue and keepyng it he hathe declared hys loue towardes you Sathan perchaunce telleth GOD as he dydde of Iob that ye loue GOD for youre goodes sake What nowe then yf the Lorde to trye you wyth Iob shall geue hym power on youre goodes and bodye accordynglye shoulde ye bee dismayed Should ye dispayre Should ye bee faynte harted Shoulde ye not rather reioyce as dyd the Apostels that they were compted worthye to suffer anye thynge for the Lordes sake Oh forgette not the ende that happened to Iob for as it happened to him so shal it happen vnto you for god is the same god and can not longe forgette to shewe mercye to them that looke and longe for it as I knowe ye do and I praye you so to do styll for the Lorde loueth you and neuer can nor wyll forgette to shewe and powre out hys mercye vppon you After a little whyle that he hath afflycted and tryed you saieth Peter he will visite comforte and confyrme you As to Iacob wrestlyng with the aungel at the lengthe mornyng came and the sonne arose so deare harts doutles it wil happen vnto you Howbeit doe ye as Iob and Iacob did that is order and dispose your thynges that god hath lente you as ye may and whyles ye haue tyme. Who knoweth whether god hath geuen you power this long euen to that end Go to therfore dispose your goods prepare your selues to tryall that eyther ye may stande to it like gods
veritate adorent Amen Vester in Domino frater quem tabellarius vobis denunciabit per Dei gratiam ad conuiuendum commoriendum The same in English ☞ To the Brethren remaynyng in Captiuitie of the flesh and dispersed abroade in sundry prisons but knit together in vnity of spirite and holy religion in the bowels of the Lord Iesus GRace peace and mercy be multiplied among you What worthy thāks can we render vnto the Lord for you my brethrē namely for the great consolation which throughe you we haue receaued in the lorde who notwithstandyng the rage of Satan that goeth about by all maner of subtil meanes to begyle the world and also busilye laboureth to restore and sette vp his kingdome agayne that of late beganne to decaye and fall to ruyne ye remayne yet still vnmoueable as men surely grounded vpō a strōg rocke And now albeit that Satan by hys souldiours and wycked ministers daily as we heare draweth numbers vnto him so that it is said of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen whiles he dryueth into some men the feare of death and losse of all theyr goods and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunte baites of the world namely riches wealth and all kynd of delights and pleasures fayre houses great reuenewes fatte benefices and what not all to the intent they should fall down and worship Apoc. xii not in the lord but in the dragon the old Serpent which is the diuell that great beast and his image and should be enticed to commit fornication wyth the strompet of Babilon together wyth the kynges of the earth wyth the lesser beast Apo. xvii◠and with the false prophets and so to reioice and be pleasaunt with her and to be dronkē with the wine of her fornication yet blessed be god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath geuen vnto you a manly courage hath so strengthned you in the inward man by the power of his spirite that you can contemne aswell all the terrors as also the vayne flatteryng allurements of the world estemyng them as vanities mere trifles thinges of nought who hath also wroughte planted and surely stablished in in your hearts so stedfast a faith and loue of our lord Iesus Christ ioyned with suche constancie that by no engines of Antichrist be they neuer so terrible or plausible ye will suffer any other Iesus or any other Christ to be forced vppon you besydes hym whome the Prophets haue spoken of before the Apostels haue preached and the holye Martyrs of God haue confessed and testified with the effusion of theyr bloode In this faith stand ye fast my brethren Gal. 5 and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more For ye knowe bretherne howe that oure Sauioure warned hys before hande that suche shoulde come as would poynt vnto the worlde an other Christ and would set hym out with so many false myracles and with such deceaueable and subtyle practises that euen the very electe if it were possible should be thereby disceaued suche strong delusion to come dyd our Sauiour geue warnyng of before But continue ye faithfull and constante and be of good comfort and remember that our graūd captayn hath ouercome the worlde 1. Iohn 4. for he that is in vs is strōger then he that is in the worlde and the Lorde promiseth vnto vs that for the electes sake the dayes of wickednesse shall be shortned In the meane season abide ye and endure with patience as ye haue begun endure I say Virgil eneid 1. Phil. 1. Heb. 10. and reserue youre selues vnto better times as one of the Heathen Poetes said Cease not to shewe your selues valiaunt Souldiors of the lord and healpe to maintayne the trauelyng faith of the gospell Ye haue nede of patience that after ye haue done the will of god ye may receaue the promises For yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and wil not tary and the iust shal lyue by faith but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him saieth the Lord. But we are not they which do withdraw our selues vnto damnatiō but beleue vnto the saluation of the soule Let vs not suffer these wordes of Christ to fall oute of oure heartes by anye manner of terrors or threatnynges of the world feare not them which kil the body the rest ye know 1. Iohn 2 For I write not vnto you as to men which are ignoraunt of the truth but which knowe the truthe and to this ende only that we agreeyng together in one faith may take comfort one of an other and be the more confirmed and strengchened therby We neuer had a better or more iuste cause either to contēne our life or shed our blood we can not take in hand the defence of a more certayne cleare and manifest truth For it is not any ceremony for the which we contend but it toucheth the very substāce of our whole religion yea euen Christe him selfe Shall we either can we receaue and acknowledge any other Christ in stead of him who is alone the euerlastyng sonne of the euerlasting father and is the brightnes of the glory and liuely image of the substaunce of the father in whom only dwelleth corporally the fulnes of the godhed who is the onely waye the truthe and the lyfe Let such wickednes my brethren let such horrible wickednes be farre from vs. For although there bee that are called gods 1. Corin. 8. whether in heauen either in earth as there be manye gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the father of whom are all thinges and we in him and one Lorde Iesus Christ by whom are all thynges and we by him but euery mā hath not knowledge This is life eternal saith s Iohn the they know thee to be the only true god whom thou hast sent Iesus Christe Iohn 17. Yf any therfore would force vpon vs any other God besydes hym whome Paule and the Apostles haue taught let vs not heare hym but let vs flye from hym hold hym accursed Brethren ye are not ignoraunte of the deepe and profound subtilties of Sathan for he wyll not cease to raunge about you seeking by all meanes possible whome he maye deuoure but playe ye the men and be of good comforte in the Lorde And albeit your ennemies and the aduersaries of the truthe armed with al worldly force and power that may be do set vppon you yet be not ye fainte harted nor shrink not therfore but truste vnto your captayne Christe trust vnto the Spirite of truthe and trust to the truth of your cause which as it may by the malice of Sathan bee darkened so canne it neuer be cleane put oute For we haue hygh prayse be geuen to God therfore moste playnly euidently and clearly on oure side all the Prophetes all
of it to the behoofe of the church or of the house And moreouer I had not only no part of his moueable goods but also as his old receiuer then min called M. StauÌ„ton caÌ„ testify I paied for him towards his seruantes coÌ„moÌ„ liuertes and wages after his deposition 53. li. or 55. pouÌ„des I canot tel whether Notwithstanding these godly and iust requestes no iustice could be had vntil that now of late some of these shameful iniuries by order of law haue bene redressed In al these matters I besech your honourable maiesty to heare the aduise of meÌ„ of conscience and especially the archbishop now of Yorke which for that he was continually in my house a yeare and more before myne imprisonment I suppose he is not altogether ignoraunt of some part of these things and also hys grace doth know my sister for whose succour and some relief now vnto your highnes I make most humble suit The .xvi. day of October Anno. 1555. N. R. ¶ An aunswer to a letter written vnto him by West sometyme hys Chaplayne I Wish you grace in god and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mighty haÌ„d of almighty god it is no more possible to stand by the truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heat of the fyre Syr know you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this world is but transitory and as sainct Iohn saith the world passeth away the lust therof i. Iohn 2 Math. 10. I am persuaded christs worâ—es to be true whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shall be saued whom the redemer and sauiour of the world shal before his father deny This the lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my harte that neither thinges present nor to come high nor low life nor death bee able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wish that you wish me depely to consider thynges pertaynyng vnto gods glorye but if you had wished also the neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain gods word and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for gods sake to remember my selfe In dede syr now it is tyme so to doe for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trowe then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare him that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fier Luk. 12. whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together oure fraile fleshe that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much suite for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in sauyng for my worldly deliueraunce empayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truthe You haue knowen me long in dede in the which tyme it hathe chaunced me as you say to mislyke some thynges It is true I graunt for sodayne chaunges wythout substantial and necessary cause and the heady setting forth of extremities I did neuer loue Canfession vnto the minister which is able to iustruct correcte comforte and enforme the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in dede I euer thought myght do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think euen at this day My doctrine and my preaching you saye you haue heard often after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament whiche thyng although it was of me reuerently handled and a greate deale better then of the rest as you say yet in the margeÌ„t you write warely and in this world wisely and yet me thoughte all sounded not well Syr but that I see so many chaunges in thys worlde and so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a lyttle maruayle I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainesse and faith fulnes as much I assure you as for your learnyng and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider mo thinges then one and will not say al that I thynke But what nede you to care what I think for any thing that I shal be able to do vnto you either good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothyng against my learning to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein lyke your counsel very wel and by Gods grace I entend to follow it vnto my liues ende To write vnto those whom you name I cannot see what it wyll auayle me For this I would haue you know that I esteme nothyng auailable for me which also wil not further the glory of God And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desyre of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly misery if I shoulde not beare you a good heart in god agayne me thynke I were to blame Sir how nighe the daye of my dissolution and departure oute of thys world is at hand I can not tel the Lords wyll be fulfilled how soone soeuer it shall come I know the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt iudge and be countable to him of al my former life And although the hope of his mercye is my shooteanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that whosoeuer wittingly neglecteth and regardeth not to cleare his conscience he caÌ„not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercye Conscience therefore moueth me consideryng you were one of my familye and one of my householde of whom then I thynke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house whiche in dede ought to haue bene an example of godlinesse to al the rest of my cure not only of good lyfe but also in promotyng of gods word to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryal doth separate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is god knoweth which the wynd doth not blowe awaye this conscience I say doth moue me to feare least the lightnes of my family shal be layd to my charge for lack of more earnest diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be god which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my heart before my departyng hence This conscience doth moue me also now to requyre both you and my frend Doctour Haruy to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth preachyng of gods word hys truth These promises although you shal not nede to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world
igitur deus qui nobis in tanta abundantia iniquitatis in tanta ruina pietatis talem nobis dedit in isthac veneranda canitie testeÌ„ sui Euangelij veritati Infoelix quem tanti viri tam grauis innocentis pietas constans confessio nihil permouere possuÌ„t ad cognoscendam veritatem dei Non peto iam frater vt mihi quicquam rescribas multum enim vereor ne literae intercipiantur quanquaÌ„ scias mihi de tua constantia fortitudine in Domini caussa audire semper fore gratissimum Et vt tuae fraternitati hactenus non rescripserim bis tameÌ„ vt potui tibi significandum curaui quod a me in tuis literis cognoscere voluisti Nec adhuc profecto frater possum animum meum mutare tot enim mihi videre videor pericula quae me impellunt vt consulam ne tuarum lucubrationum editionem festinare velis saltem sub titulo nominis tui Multum enim vereor ne hac occasione tibi os obstruatur in posterum alijs quoque captiuis omnia anferantur quihus alioqui multis deo ita volente poterunt ê“ desse Bene vale in Domino Chaaiss frater si qui alij in vestris aedibus suÌ„t vobiscum in causa Christi concaptiu ï precor illis meo nomine salutem vti possis velis impartiri et omnium uestruÌ„ precibus apud dominum me atque meos concaptiuos in domino etiaÌ„ atque etiam humillime commendo rursus atque in aeternum in Christo bene vale frater Chariss The same in english ¶ To my most deare brother and reuerend fellow Elder in Christe Iohn Hoper grace and peace MY dearely beloued brother and fellow Elder whoÌ„ I reuerence in the lord pardon me I besech you that hitherto since your captiuitie and myne I haue not saluted you by my letters wheras I do in deede confesse I haue receiued from you suche was your gentlenes two letters at suÌ„dry tymes but yet at such times as I could not be suffred to write vnto you againe or yf I might haue writeÌ„ yet was I greatly in dout lest my letters shuld not safely come vnto your haÌ„ds But now my dere brother for as much as I vnderstaÌ„d by your workes which I haue yet but superficially sene that we throughly agree wholy consent together in those thynges which are the groundes substaÌ„tial points of our religioÌ„ against the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dais howsoeuer in time past in smaller matters circuÌ„staÌ„ces of religion your wisdom my simplicity I coÌ„fesse I haue in som points varied Now I say be you assured that euen with my whole heart God is my witnes in the bowels of Christ I loue you in truth for the truthes sake which abideth in vs and as I am perswaded shall by the grace of God abyde with vs for euermore And because the world as I perceiue brother ceaseth not to play his pageant 1. Cor x. busely conspireth against Christ our sauior with all possible force and power exaltyng high thinges against the knowledge of god let vs ioyne handes together in Christ and if we cannot ouerthrowe yet to our power and as much as in vs lieth let vs shake those hyghe thinges not with carnal but with spiritual weapoÌ„s withall brother let vs prepare our selues to the day of our dissolution wherby after the shorte time of this bodely affliction by the grace of our lord Iesus Christ we shall triumphe together with him in eternall glory I pray you brother salute in my name that reuerend father Of this good fathers godly ende and constant coÌ„fession of the truth you shall read in the next editioÌ„ of the boke of martyrs your fellow prisoner Doctor Crome by whom since the first day that I heard of his most godly fatherly constancy in confessing the truth of the gospel I haue conceiued great consolation and ioy in the lord For the integritie and vprightnes the grauitie innoceÌ„cy of that maÌ„ al EnglaÌ„d I think hath knowen long ago Blessed be God therfore whiche in such abundance of iniquity decay of all godlinesse hath geuen vnto vs in this reuerend old age such a witnes for the truth of his gospel Miserable hard harted is he whoÌ„ the godlines constant confession of so worthy so graue innocent a maÌ„ wil not moue to acknowledge coÌ„fesse the truth of god I doe not nowe brother require you to write anye thing to me againe for I staÌ„d much in feare lest your letters should be intercepted before they can come to my hands Neuertheles know you that it shal be to me great ioy to heare of your constancie and fortitude in the lords quarel And albeit I haue not hitherto writen vnto you yet haue I twise as I could seÌ„t vnto you my mind touching the matter which in your letters you required to know neither can I yet brother be otherwise persuaded I see me thinkes so many perils wherby I am earnestly moued to couÌ„sel you not to hasteÌ„ the publishyng of your workes especially vnder the title of your own name For I feare greatly least by this occasion both your mouth should be stopped hereafter al things taken awaye from the reste of the prisoners whereby otherwise if it so please god they may bee able to doe good to many Farewell in the lord my most deare brother and if there be any more in prison with you for Christes cause I besech you as you may salute them in my name to whose praiers I do most humbly and hartely commeÌ„d my selfe and my fellow prisoners concaptiues in the lord and yet oâ—ce againe and for euer in Christ my most deare brother Farewell ☞ A letter of M. Edmunde Grindal then being in exile for the testimony of the truth and now bishop of London to D. Ridley prisoner in Oxforde whiche we thoughte good here to place for that the letter followyng is an aunswer therof GRatiam consolationem a Domino seruatore nostro Iesu christo Syr I haue often bene desirous to haue written to you and to haue heard from you but the iniquity of the tymes haue hitherto always put me forth of all hope and comfort Now at thys present god semeth to offer some likelyhode that these might come to your handes which I thought to vse referring the rest to Gods dispositioÌ„ Your present state not I only who of all other am most bouÌ„d but also all other our brethreÌ„ here do most hartely lament as ioyned with the most miserable captiuitie that euer anye church of Christ hath suffred Notwithstanding we geue god most humble thankes for that he hath so strengthened you and others your concaptiues to professe a good professioÌ„ before so many witnesses And I doubt nothyng but he that hath called you and them not onely to beleue vpon hym but also to suffer for hym dothe not leaue you
agayne The last Lent saue one it chaunced by reason of the tumult stirred vp in Kente there was so manye prisoners in the Tower that my L. of Canterb. M. Lacimer M. Bradforde and I were put altogether in one prison where we remained still almost to the next easter and then we three Caunterb Latymer and I were sodainly sent a little before Gato Oxford and were suffred to haue nothyng with vs but that we caried vpon vs. About the Whitsontide folowyng was our disputations at Oxford after the which was al taken from vs as penne and ynke c. our owne seruauntes were taken from vs before and euery one had put to him a straunge man and we eche one appointed to be kept in seuerall places as we are vnto this day Blessed be god we three at the writyng hereof were in good health and in god of good cheare We haue loked long ago to haue bene dispatched for we were all three on one daye within a day or two of our disputations of D. Weston beyng the head commissioner condemned for heretykes and synce that tyme we remayne as we were of hym leaft The Lordes will bee fulfilled in vs as I doe not doubte but by his grace it shall be to hys glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise the Lord hitherto hath preserued aboue al our expectation our deare brother and in Christes cause a strōg Champion I Bradford He is likewise condemned and is already deliuered vnto the seculer power writtes as we haue heard say geuen oute for hys execution and called in again Thus the lord so long as hys blessed pleasure is preserueth whom he lysteth notwithstandyng the wonderfull ragyng of the world ▪ Many as we heare say haue suffred valiauntly confessyng Christes truth and nothyng yelding to the aduersary yea not for the feare or paynes of death The names of them which I knew haue now suffered are these Farrer the B. of S. Dauids Hoper the B. of Worceter Rogers tuus olim comprebendarius D. Taylor of Hadley M. Saunders and one Tomkyns a weauer and now this last day M. Cardmaker with an other were burnte in Smithfield at Londō many other in Essex kent whose names are writtē in the boke of life whō yet I do not know West your old companion sometime mine officer alas hath relented as I haue heard but the lord hath shortned hys daies This West whē he had relented sayd masse against his conscience shortly after pined away and died for sorow for anone he died and is gone Grimbolde was caught by the heele and cast into the marshalsee but now is at liberty agayne but I feare me he escaped not withoute some beckyng and bowyng alas of hys knee vnto Baal My deare frende Thomas Ridley of the Bulheade in cheape which was to me the most faithful frend that I had in my trouble is departed also vnto god My brother Ship syde that hath maryed my syster hathe bene almoste halfe a yere in pryson for deliueryng as he was accused of certain thynges I weene from me but now thankes be to god he is at liberty agayne but so that the bishop hath taken from hym hys parke Of al vs three cōcaptiues at Oxford I am kept most strait and with least libertie vel quia viro in cuius edibus ego custodior vxordominatur licet modo sit prefectus ciuitatis mulier vetula morosa superstitiosiss quae etiā hoc sibi laudi ducit quod me dicatur arctissime cautissime custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est omnibus vxori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quam cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi non nihil posse intelligere quà m graue malum intollerabile iugum sit cum mala mulierein coniugio colligari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia a magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis mādatum id quod illi si quando de meanimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo soepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studiorū statutorū reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae deletae omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati euāgelij fauebāt vel qui coniugati erāt loco moti sunt alij papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baall factū esse audio Nec mirū nā istud passim factū est in vniuerso regno angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis prebēdarijs Sacerdotibus ecclesiarum in toto clero and to tel you much naughty matter in a few wordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno fuo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be merciful and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkindnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the giftes of hys manifolde graces and fauour alas we dyd not serue him nor rendered vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors many of vs wer to cold and bare to much alas with the wycked world our magistrates did abuse to theyr owne worldlye gayne bothe gods Gospell and the ministers of the same the people in many places was waywarde and vnkynd Thus of euerye syde and of euery sort we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrathe to fall vppon vs but blessed might he be that hathe not suffred hys to continue in those wayes which so wholy haue displeased hys secrate maiesty but hath awaked them by the fatherly correctiō of his own sons crosse vnto his glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. My daily prayer is as god doth knowe and by gods grace shal be so lōg as I liue in this world for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your own countrey bicause ye wil rather forsake al worldly things thē the truth of gods word It is euen the same that I vse to make to God for all those churches abroad through the world which haue forsakē the kingdō of Antichrist professed opēly the purity of the gospel of Iesus Christ that is that god our eternall father for our sauior christs sake wil daily encrease in you the gratious gift of his heauenly spirit to the true setting forth of his glory of his gospel make you to agre brotherly in the truth of the same that there ryse no rote of bitternes amōg you that may infect that good sede that god hath sowē in your hartes already and finally that your life may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of
Godes woorde and accordyng to that vocation wherevnto we are called by the Gospell of Christ our sauior that the honesty purity of the same may prouoke al that shal se or know it to the loue of your doctrine and to loue you for your honestye vertues sake and so both in the brotherly vnitye of your true doctrine also in the godly vertue of your honest life to glorify our father which is in heauen Ex nostratibus magni aliquoc magistratus Cancellarius Wint. Comes Arundellus dn̄s Pachetusiam legatione fūgūtur vna cū Cardinali Polo in partibus trāsmarinis ad cōponēdā vt aiūt pacē inter imperatorem regem nostrum Francorum regem Post illorum magistratuum nostrorum reditum partum reginae quē iam quotidie expectamus iam aliquandiu expectauimus quëque deus pro sui nominis gloria dignetur bene illi fortunare nos tunc statim nihil aliud quam nostrae confessionis de hoste nostro antiquo triumphales in domino coronas expectamus Omnium vestrum precibus me humillime ex toto corde cōmēdo In primis tuis ô chariss in Christo frater dilectiss Grindalle chariss fratrū vnice mihi in dn̄o dilectorū Checi Coxi Turneri Leueri Sampsonis Chamberi omniū fratrū nostrorū conterraneorum qui apud vos degunt diligunt dominū nostrum Iesum Christum in veritate Cōmedo etiam vobis reuerendiss patres concaptiuos meos in domino Thomam Cranmerum iam vere magnipastoris Archipresulis nomine digniss veteranum illum nostrae gentis Anglicanae verum Apostolum Christi H. Latimerum Condona mihi frater harum prolixitatem non enim post hac credo chariss frater meis literis iam amplius ali quando turbaberis Oxonij To M. Cranmer and M. Latymer beyng separated from hym and prisoners in seuerall places THe cause of my brothers enprisōmēt is this so farre as I can perceaue There is a yonge man called M. Grymbolde whiche was my chaplain a preacher a mā of much eloquēce both in the english and also in the Latin To this man beyng desirous of al things which I had written and done synce the beginning of mine emprisonmēt my brother as is said hath sent copies no more but of all things that I haue done First a litle treatise whiche M. Latymer and I wrote in the toure where is before my my sayings N. R. before M. Latimer H. L. Also an other draught which I drew out of the Euangelists of S. Paul that the words of the lordes supper are figuratiuely to be vnder stand alleaging out of the doctors only vi thre of the greke church which are Origen Chrisost ad Cesa monachū Theodoret three of the latin church Tertullian Augustine Gelasius He had of my brother also a copy of my iij. positions to the thre questions here propounded to vs at Oxford thē also a copy of my disputation in the scholes as I wrote it my selfe after the disputation Item the letter Ad fratres in diuersis carceribus All these thinges they haue gotten of Grymbold as my brother doth suppose not that Grymbold hath bewrayed hym but as is supposed one whiche my brother trusted to carye his letters vnto Grymbolde for it will not synke into my heade to thinke that Grymbold woulde euer playe me such a Iudas part Although these things are chaunced farre otherwise then I had thoughte they shoulde for my mynd was that they shoulde not haue comme abrode vntil my body had bene layd to reste in peace yet truely I suppose this is not thus chaunced without gods graciouse prouidence which he hath ouer al his and I trust that god of his goodnes shal turne it to hys owne glory For it shal euidently appeare to the reader of these thinges whych they haue that the cause why I do dissent from the Romish religion is not any study of vayne glory or of singularitye but of conscience of my bound duty towardes god towardes Christes church and the saluation of myne owne soule for the which by gods grace I wyll wyllingly ieoperd here to lose life lands and goods name and fame and what els is or cā be vnto me pleasāt in this world My brother as yet because they nether shewed any comissiō or authority wherbye they did examine him nor also anye thynge of his letters although they said they had them as yet I say my brother hath confessed nothing But I loke for none other but he shal be forced to tel wher he hadde the copies and where they be and I wylbe content that he shal say the truth that he had them all of me let them come and take them caste them into the fire if god know they wil promote his glory they can do no more then he wil suffer them Bicause in the booke of N. R. and H. L. it is saide in the ende that H L. hath caused his seruant to write it I would Austine should haue word yf any farther search be to kepe hym out of the way God shall rewarde you both for my brother You my Lord of Caunt for your meate and dayly comfort and you father L. for your mony and comfortable messeges I trust in God my brother though he be younge yet wyl studye to learne to beare Christes crosse patienly as a yong Scholer in Christs Schole God encrease his grace in vs all Amen To maister Bradford prisoner in the kinges Bench. WElbeloued in Christ our sauiour we all with one hart wish you with all those that loue god in dede and truth grace and healthe and specially to oure dearely beloued companions which are in Christs cause and the cause both of theyr brethren and of theyr own saluation readye and willing to put theyr necke vnder the yoke of Christs crosse How ioyful it was to vs to heare the reporte of D. Taylor of his godly confession c I ensure you it is hard for me to expresse Blessed be God which was and is the geuer of that and all godly strength and stomacke in the time of aduersity As for the rumors that haue or doe go abroade either of our relenting or massing we trust that they which know god and theyr dutye towardes theyr brethren in Christ wil not be to lyght of credit to beleue them It is not the sclaunderers euell tounge but a mans owne euell deede that can with God defile a man and therfore by gods grace you shal neuer haue cause to doe otherwise then you say you do that is not to doubt but that we will continue c. Like rumor as you haue hearde of oure comminge to London hathe beene here spreade of the comminge of certayne learned men prisoners hether from London but as yet we knowe no certeyntye whether of these rumors is or shal be more true Know you that we haue you in our dayly
with me in that I may do conueniently in this mater armed with your earnest and zelous letters then any rhetorike either of Tullye or Demosthenes I ensure you therof With vs it is said that M. Grymbold was adiudged to be hanged drawen and quartered of whome we heare now Note the lyeng spirit of the papistes whereby you may se whose children they are that he is at liberty So we heard of late that M. Hooper was hanged drawen and quartered in dede not for heresy but for treason but blessed be god we here now that all is true in like False tongues wil not cease to lie and mischeuous hartes to imagine the worst Farewel in Christ token for token now I send you not but knowe this that as it is told me I haue two scarlet gownes that scaped I cānot tel how in the spoil wherof you shal haue your part Commende me to all our brethren your felow prisoners in the Lord. Yours in Christ. N R ¶ To Augustine Berneher then seruaunt to M. Latymer and nowe a faithfull minister in Christes churche to whom because he might not come to the prison to speake with hym he wrote as followeth BRother Austine you are hartelye welcome to Oxford again you haue made good spede in dede and blessed be god for his gratious goodnes that al is well with you That our dearly beloued brethren in Christ are al in good cōfort harty in christs cause stand stedfast in the confession of his true doctrine it reioiseth I ensure you my hart in god to hear of it This day was D. Croke with me and both he mystres Irish mine hostes told me that M. Hoper is hanged drawn and quartered for treasō but I did not beleue them for it is not the firste tale that mine hostes hath told me of M. Hoper And I trust the tydings that wer here spread abroad since your departure that M. Grymbold also should haue bene arraigned condemned for treason to be hanged and quartered was not true let me heare if there be any such thyng Not three dais agoe there was a priuy warning geuen me from a man of god one Lisley a glouer that we prisoners here al iij. shuld be shortly and sodenly conueied into iij. seueral colleges for what purpose how to be ordred god knoweth At the which time and at the earnest request of that forenamed mā of god I did deliuer vnto him some of the thynges I had in hand to write out what they be you shall know of hym Besides the things which he hath I haue some thynges els which if it please god I wold wish might come to light if perchaūce any therby might receaue the light to loue the truth the better and to abhorre the falsehode of Antichriste I haue written annotations in priorem librū Tonstalli plenius in secundum verò parcius optarem vt transcriberēturne fortassis vna mecum fiant subito Vulcani cihus I haue also many things but as yet confusedly set together of the abhominable vsurpatiō pride arrogancy and wickednes of the sea and bishop of Rome and altogether in Latine If those thynges were written out I would wyshe that M. Bradford would take them translate and order them as he should thinke mighte beste helpe to open the eyes of the symple for to se the wickednes of the Synagoge of Sathan But that at your last beyng here you cast cold water vpō mine affection towards Grimbold els me thinke I could appoint wher he might occupy himselfe to hys owne profite in learnyng which he lyketh to no small profytte whych myghte ensue to the church of Chryst in England as if he woulde take in hand to interprete Laurentius Valla which as he knoweth is a mā of singuler eloquence his boke I mean which he made wrote against that false fained fable forged of Constātinus magnus his dotatiō glorious exaltation of the sea of Rome whē he hath done that let him translate a work of Eneas Siluius de gestis Basiliensis consilii In the which although there be many thinges that sauoureth of the pan and also he hymselfe was afterwarde a bishop of Rome yet I dare say the papistes would glory but a lyttle to see suche bookes goe forthe in Englyshe If you wil know where to haue these bokes or treatises you may haue them both together and many lyke treatises whiche painteth oute the wickednesse of the sea of Rome in a boke set forth by a papist called Ortwinus Gratius intitled Fasciculus rerum ex petendarum fugiēdarum In that boke you shal haue confessionem fratrum Waldensium men of much more learnyng godlynes sobernes and vnderstandyng in Gods word then I would haue thoughte them to haue bene in that tyme before I dyd reade theyr workes If suche thinges hadde bene set forthe in our English tong heretofore I suppose surely greate good might haue come to Christes churche thereby To my good Ladies grace and to my Ladye Vane what thankes can I geue but desyre almyghtye God to lyghten comforte and strengthen them euermore in hys wayes The other two whome you mention I know not but the Lord knoweth them to whom in them all and for all their kyndnesse I geue most harty thanks Maister Bradford desireth that thāks should be rendred vnto you for your comfortable ayd wherwyth you comforte hym but you must tell hym that he must byd them thanke you for hym whyche are not bound to thanke you for them selues and yf he doe so then I weene all we prisoners of Oxford shall so stoppe hys mouth Brother Austine you for our comforte doe runne vp and downe and who beareth your charges God knoweth I knowe you muste needes in so doyng take muche paynes I pray you take thys poore token of my good wil towardes your charges To Augustine Bernher BRother Augustine I blesse god with all my harte in hys manyfold mercifull giftes giuen vnto our deare brethrē in Christ especially to our brother Rogers whome it pleased to setforth first no doubt but of his gratious goodnes fatherly fauor towardes hym And likewise blessed be God in the rest as Hoper Saunders and Taylor whome it hath pleased the Lord likewise to set in the forefrount of the battayle against his aduersaries and hath endewed them al so far as I can here to stand in the confession of his truth and to be content in his cause for his gospels sake to lose their life And euermore and without end blessed be euē the same our heauenly father for our deare and entierly beloued brother Bradford whome now the Lorde I perceiue calleth for for I wene he wil no longer vouchsafe him to abide amonge the adulterous and wycked generation of thys world I do not doubt but that he for those giftes of grace which the Lord hath bestowed on him plenteously hath holpen those which are gone before in their iorney that is hath animated
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
it and in the steade of Gods holye worde the true and righte administration of Christes holye Sacramentes as of Baptisme and others they mixte theyr ministerye with mennes folishe fantasies and manye wicked and vngodlye traditions withall In the steade of the Lordes holye table they geue the people with muche solemne disguising a thyng which they call theyr Masse but in dede and in truth it is a verye maskyng and mockerye of the true supper of the Lord or rather I maye cal it a crafty iuglynge whereby these false theeues and iuglers haue bewitched the mindes of the symple people that they haue broughte them from the true worshippe of GOD vnto pernicious idolatry and make them to beleue that to bee Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour which in deede is neyther God nor man nor hathe any life in it selfe but in substance is the creature of breade and wyne and in vse of the lordes table is the Sacramente of Christes bodye and bloude and for thys holy vse for the whych the Lord hath ordeyned them in hys Table to represent vnto vs hys blessed bodye torne vppon the crosse for vs and hys bloud there shedde it pleased hym to call them hys bodye and bloude whych vnderstandyng Christe declareth to bee hys true meaning when he sayeth Luke 22. doe thys in the remembraunce of me And agayn Saincte Paule lykewyse dothe set out the same more plainly speakyng of the same Sacrament after the wordes of the consecration sayâ—ng as often as ye shal eate of thys bread and drynke of thys Cuppe â— Cor. 11. ye shall set forthe he meaneth wyth the same the Lordes deathe vntyll hys commyng agayne And here agayne these theues haue robbed also the people of the Lordes cuppe contrary to the playne wordes of Christ written in hys Gospell Nowe for the commen publique prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue these theues haue brought in agayne a straunge tongue whereof the people vnderstande not one word Wherein what doe they elles but robbe the people of theyr diuyne Seruice wherein they oughte to praye together wyth the mynyster and to praye in a straunge toungue what is it but as Saincte Paule calleth it barbarousnes chyldishenes vnprofitable follye yea and plaine madnesse For the godly articles of vnity in Religion and for the wholsome Homelies what doe these theeues place in the stead of them but the Popes lawes and decrees lying Legendes and fayned fables and myracles to delude and abuse the symplycitye of the rude people Thus thys robbery and thefte is not onelye committed nay sacrilege and wycked spoyle of heauenlye thynges but also in the stead of the same is brought in and placed the abbominable desolacion of the tyraunte Antiochus of proude Senacheryb of the shameles faced kyng of the Babilonical beaste Vnto thys robberye thys thefte and sacrilege for that I cannot consente nor God wyllyng neuer shall so long as the breath is in my bodye because it is blasphemye againste God hyghe treason vnto Christe our heauenly Kyng lord maister and oure onely Sauiour and redemer it is playne contrarye to Gods worde and to Christes Gospell it is the subuersion of all true godlines and agaynste the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule and of all my brethren and systers whome Chryste my Sauioure hathe so dearely boughte wyth no lesse pryce then wyth the effusion and sheddyng forthe of hys moste precious bloude therefore all ye my true louers in GOD my kynsefolke and countreymen for thys cause I say know ye that I am put to deathe whiche by Gods grace I shall wyllynglye take wyth hartye thankes to GOD therefore in certayne hope wythout any doubtyng to receyue at gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace euerlastyng life Althoughe the cause of the true man slayne of the thefe helpyng hys neyghboure to recouer hys goodes agayne and the cause wherefore I am to bee put to deathe in a generalitye is bothe one as I sayde before yet knowe ye that there is no small difference These theeues against whome I doe stande are muche worse then the robbers and theues of the borders The goodes whiche they steale are much more precious and theyr kindes of fight are farre dyuers These theeues are worse I say for they are more cruelll more wycked more false more deceytfull and craftye for those will but kyll the bodye but these wyll not stycke to kyll bothe bodye and soule Those for the generall thefte and robberye be called and are in deede theues and robbers but these for theyr spirituall kynd of robberye are called Sacrilegi as ye woulde say churche robbers They are more wycked for those goe aboute but to spoyle men of worldlye thynges worldlye ryches gold and syluer and worldlye substaunce these goe aboute in the wayes of the Deuill their ghostlye father to steale from the vniuersall churche and peritcularlye from euerye man all heauenlye treasure true faythe true charitye and hope of saluation in the bloude of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe yea to spoile vs of our Sauiour Christ of hys gospel of hys heauenlye spirite and of the heauenlye heritage of the kingdome of heauen so dearelye purchased vnto vs wyth the deathe of oure Maister and Sauyoure Christe These be the goodes and godlye substaunce whereuppon the Christian before God must lyue and withoute the whiche he cannot lyue these goodes I saye these theues these churche robbers goe aboute to spoyle vs of The whiche goodes as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldlye treasure so to wythstande euen vnto the death suche theues as goe aboute to spoyle both vs and the whole churche of such goods is most hyghe honourable seruice done vnto God These churche robbers be also much more false craftye and deceytfull then the theues vpon the borders for these haue not the crafte so to commende theyr thefte that they dare auouche it and therefore as acknowledgyng themselues to be euyll they steale commenlye vppon the nyghte they dare not appeare at iudgements and sessions where iustice is executed when they are taken brought thether they neuer hange any man but they bee ofte tymes hanged for theyr faultes But these Church robbers can so cloke and coloure theyr spiritual robbery that they can make the people to beleue falshed to be truth and truth falshod good to be euel euell good light to be darknesse and darknesse light superstition to be true religion and idolatry to be the true worshyppe of god and that which is in substance the creature of breade and wine to be none other substance but onlye the substance of Christ the liuing Lord both God and man And wyth this their falshed and craft they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstaÌ„ding of the simple that they dare auouch it openly in courte and in towne and feare neyther hanging nor hedding as the pore theues of the borders do but stoute and strong like Nembrothe dare condemne to be burned in
thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now beinge ioyned in league with the seate of Sathā thus hath now both handled me the saintes of God yet I do not doubt but in that greate City there be many priuy mourners which do dayly mourne for that mischief the which neuer did nor shall consent to that wickednesse but do detest abhorre it as the wayes of Satan But these preuy mourners here I wil passe by and bid them fare well with theyr fellowes hereafter His farewel to these mourners is in the letter nexte followyng when the place and occasion shall more conueniently require Amonge the worshipfull of the City and speciallye which were in office of the Meraltye yea and in other Citizens also whome to name now it shall not be necessary in the time of my Ministerye which was from the later parte of sir Rowland hilles yeare vnto sir George Barnes yere a great part therof I do acknowledge that I found no small humanity gētlenesse as me thought but to say the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christiā kīdnes which is shewed in gods cause and done for his sake Wherfore O Dobbes Dobbes Alder man knight thou in thy yere diddest win my hart for euer more for that honorable act that most blessed worke of god of the erection setting vp of Christs holy hospitales truly religions houses which by thee through thee were begon For thou like a mā of God whē the matter was moued for the reliefe of Christes poore selye members to be holpen from extreame miserye hunger and famine thy harte I say was moued with pity and as Christs highe honourable officer in that cause thou calledst together thy Brethren the Aldermen of the City before whome thou brakest the matter for the poore thou diddest pleade theyr cause yea and not only in thine own person thou diddest setforth Christs cause but to further the matter thou broughtest me into the counsell Chamber of the City before the Aldermen alone whom thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I could say as an aduocate by office and duetye in the pore mens cause the Lord wrought with thee and gaue thee the consent of thy brethren wherby the matter was brought to the common counsell and so to the whole bodye of the Citye by whome withe an vniforme consente it was committed to be drawne ordered and deuysed by a certayn number of the moste wittye citizens and politique endued also wyth godlines with ready hartes to setforward such a noble act as could be chosē in all the whole city they like true faythful ministers both to their city their maister Christ so ordered deuised and brought forth the matter that thousandes of sely poore mēbers of Christ which els for extreme hunger and misery should haue famished and perished shal be relieued holpen brought vp shal haue cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time the common counsell and the whole body of the city but specially thee O Dobbes and those chosen men by whom this honorable worke of god was begon and wrought and that so long through out al ages as that godly work shal endure which I pray almighty god may be euer vnto the worldes ende Amen And thou O Sir George Barnes the truth it is to be cōfessed to gods glory and to the good example of other thou wast in thy yeare not only a furtherer and contynuer of that which before thee by thy predecessor was well begon but also diddest laboure so to haue perfyted the woorke that it should haue bene an absolute thing and a perfect spectacle of true charity and godlines vnto all christendome Thyne endeuour was to haue set vp an house of occupatiōs both that al kind of pouerty beyng able to worke should not haue lacked whervpon profytablye they myght haue bene occupied to theyr own relief and to the profyte and commodity of the commen wealth of the City and also to haue retired thithers the poore babes broughte vp in the Hospitales when they hadde come to a certayne age and strengthe and also al those which in the Hospitalles aforesayd haue bene cured of theyr diseases And to haue brought this to passe thou obteinedst not without great diligence and labor both of thee and thy brethren of that godly king Edward that christian and pierles Princes hand his princely place of Bridewell and what other things to the performance of the same and vnder what condition it is not vnknown That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe the fault is not in thee but in the conditiō state of the time which the lord of his infinit mercy vouchsafe to amende when it shal be hys grations wil pleasure Farewel now al ye Citizens that be of god of what state cōdition so euer ye be vndoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached My harts desire and dayly prayer shal be for you as for whom for my time I know to my lord God I am countable that ye neuer swarue neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes from Gods holy word and yeld vnto Antichrist wherupō must nedes follow the extreme displeasure of God the losse both of youre bodies soules into perpetuall dampnation for euermore Now that I haue gone through the places where I haue dwelt any space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpō earth remembringe that for the space of kinge Ewardes raygne which was for the time of mine office in the Seas of Lōdon and Rochester I was a member of the higher house of the parliament therefore seing my God hath geuen me leysure and the remembraunce therof I will byd my Lordes of the temporalty farewell They shall haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entende to say in ill parte As for the spiritul Prelacy that now is I haue nothing to say to them except I should repeat again a great part of that I haue sayd before nowe alredye to the sea of London To you therfore my Lordes of the temporaltie wil I speake and this would I haue you fyrst to vnderstande that when I wrote this I loked dayly when I should be called to the chaunge of thys lyfe and thought that thys my wrytyng should not come to your knowlege before the time of the dissolution of my body and soule shoulde bee expired and therefore knowe ye that I had before myne eyes only the feare of God and christian charity towarde you whiche moued me to wryte for of you hereafter I looke not in this worlde either for pleasure or displeasure If my talke shall do you neuer so much pleasure or profite you cānot promote me nor if I displease you ye can not hurte me or harme me for I shall be out of youre reache Now therfore if you feare God and can be contente to heare the talk of him that seeketh nothing at your
hands but to serue God and to do you good hearken what I saye I say vnto you Gala. 3 as S. Paule sayth to the Galathians I wōder my Lordes what hath bewitched you that ye so sodenly are fallen from Christ vnto Antichrist from Christes gospel vnto mens tradicions from the Lord that bought you vnto the bishop now of Rome I warne you of youre perill be not deceyued except you will be found willingly consenters vnto your owne death For if ye thinke thus we are lay mē this is a matter of religion we follow as we are taught and led if our teachers and gouernors teache vs and leade vs amysse the faulte is in them they shall beare the blame my Lordes this is true I graunte you that both the false teacher the corrupt gouernour shal be punished for the death of theyr subiect whome they haue falsely taught and corruptly led yea his blood shall be required at theyr handes but yet neuerthelesse shal that subiect dye the death himself also Ezech. 3 Luke 6 that is he shal also be dampned for his own sinne for if the blind leade the blind Chryst sayth not the leader only but he sayth both shall fall in the ditche Shall the Sinagoge and the Senate of the Iewes trow ye which forsooke Christe and consēted to his death therfore be excused bicause Annas Cayphas with the Scribes and Phareseis and theyr clergy did teach them amisse yea also Pilat theyr gouernour and the Emperours Lieuetenāt by his tirāny did without cause put him to death Forsoth no my lords no. For notwithstanding that corrupt doctrine or Pilates washinge of hys hands neither of both shal excuse either that Sinagoge Seigniorye or Pilate but at the Lordes hand for the effusion of that innocentes bloud on the latter day all shall drinke of the deadly whyp ye are witty and vnderstand what I meane Therfore I will passe ouer thys and returne to tell you howe ye ar◠fallen frō Christ to hys aduersary the byshop of Rome And least my Lords ye may peraduenture think thus barely to cal the byshop of Rome Christs aduersary or to speake it in playne termes to call hym Antichrist that it is done in mine anguish and that I do but rage and as a desperate mā do not care what I say or vpon whom I do rayle therfore that your Lordships may perceiue my mynd and therby vnderstand that I speake the wordes of truth and of sobrietye as S. Paule sayd vnto Festus be it known vnto your Lord shyps all that as concerning the byshop of Rome Actes 26. I nether hate the person nor the place For I ensure your Lordships the liuing lord beareth me witnesse before whom I speake I do thinke many a good holy manne manye martyrs and Saynts of god haue sitte taught in that place Christs gospel truly which therfore iustly may be called Apostolici that is true disciples of thapostles also that church cōgregatiō of Christians Apostolike church yea that certayn hundreth yeares after the same was fyrst erected and builded vpon Christe by the true Apostolicall doctrine taughte by the mouthes of the Apostles them selues If ye wil know how long that was and how many hundreth of yeres to be curious in poyntinge the precise number of yeres I will not be to bold but thus I say so long so many hundreth yeres as that Sea did truly teach and preach that gospel that religiō exercised that power ordered euery thyng by those lawes and rules whiche that Sea receyued of the Apostles and as Tertullian sayth the Apostles of Christ and Christ of God so long I saye that Sea myght wel haue bene called Peter Paules chair and Sea or rather Christs chair the bishop therof Apostolicus or a true disciple successoure of the Apostles a minister of Christ But synce the time that that Sea hath degenerated from the trade of truth and true religion the which it receyued of the Apostles at the begynnyng and hath preached a nother Gospel hath set vp an other religiō hath excercised an other power and hath taken vpon it to ordre and rule the church of Christe by other straunge lawes Cannons and rules then euer it receiued of the Apostles or the Apostles of Christ which thinges it doth at this daye hath continued so doynge alas alas of to to long a time Synce the time I say that the state condition of that Sea hath thus bene chaunged in truthe it oughte of duty and of ryght to haue the names chaūged both of the Sea of the sitter therein For vnderstande my Lordes it was neyther for the priuilege of the place or person therof that that Sea and bishop therof were called Apostolike but for the true trade of Christes Religion which was taught and mainteyned in that Sea at the fyrste and of those godly men And therfore as truly iustly as that Sea thē for that true trade of religion consanguinity of doctrine with the religion docrtne of Christes Apostles was called Apostolike so as truly and as iustly for the contrariety of religiō diuersity of doctrine frō Christ and his Apostles that Sea and the byshop therof at this day both ought to be called and are in dede Antichristian The Sea is the seate of Sathan and the bishoppe of the same that maynteineth the abhominations thereof is Antichriste himselfe in deede And for the same causes this Sea at thys daye is the same whiche Saynte Iohn calleth in his reuelacion Apoc. 17 Apo. 11. Babilon or the whore of Babilon and spirituully Sodoma and Egyptus the mother of fornications and of the abhominations vppon the earthe And with thys whore doth spiritually mell and lieth with her and cōmitteth most stinking and abhominable adultry before god all those kinges and Princes yea all nations of the earth which do consent to her abhominations vse or practise the the same that is of the innumerable multitude of them to reherse some for example sake her dispensations her pardons and Pilgrimages her inuocation of sayntes her worshipping of images her false counterfayte religion in her monkerye and frerage and her traditions whereby Goddes lawes are defiled as her massing false ministring of Gods word and the sacrementes of Christ cleane cōtrary to christs word and the Apostles doctrine whereof in particularity I haue touched somthing before in my talk had with the Sea of Lōdon in other treatises more at large wherein if it shal please god to bring the same to light it shal appeare I trust by gods grace plainly to the man of god and to hym whose rule in iudgemēt of religion is gods word that that religiō that rule and order that doctrine faith whiche this whore of Babilon and the beast whereupon she doth syt mayntaineth at thys day withal violence of fyre sword Apo. 17. Daniel 7. with spoile and banishment according
to Daniels Prophecy and finally with all falshed deceyte hypocrysy and all kind of vngodlines are as cleane contrarye to Gods word as darknesse is vnto lyghte or lighte to darkenesse white to blacke or blacke to white or as beliall vnto Christ or Christe vnto Antichrist him selfe I know my Lords foresaw whē I wrote this that so manye of you as shoulde see this my writing not beinge before indued with the spirite of grace and the lighte of Gods word so many I say would at these my wordes Lorde like stampe and spurne and spit thereat But sober your selues with pacience and be still and knowe ye that in my writing of this my mind was none other but in God as the liuing God doth beare me witnes both to do you profite and pleasure And otherwise as for your displesure by that time this shal come to your knowledge I trust by gods grace to be in the hands and protection of the almighty my heauēly father and the liuing Lorde which is as S. Iohn sayth the greatest of all and then I shall not nede I trow to feare what any Lord no nor what king or prince can do vnto me My Lordes if in times past ye haue bene cōtented to hear me sometimes in matters of relygion before the Prynce in the pulpit and in the Parliament house and haue not semed to haue dispised what I haue sayd when as els if ye had perceaued iust occasion ye might thē haue suspected in my talk thoughe it had bene reasonable either desire of worldly gain or feare of displeasure howe hath then youre Lordeshyppes more cause to harkē to my word to hear me paciētly seing now ye cannot iustly thinke of me being in this case appointed to dye and loking daylye when I shall be called to come before the eternall iudge otherwise but that I only study to serue my Lord God and to say that thinge which I am perswaded assuredly by Gods worde shal and doth please him and profite all them to whome God shal geue grace to heare and beleue what I do saye and I doe saye euen that I haue sayd heretofore both of the sea of Rome and of the bishoppe therof I meane after this theyr presente state at this daye Wherin if ye will not beleue the ministers of God and true preachers of hys woorde verelye I denounce vnto you in Verbo domini except ye do repēt betime it shal turne to your confusion and to youre smarte on the latter day Forget not what I saye my Lordes for Goddes fake forgette not Psal 4. but remember it vpon youre bedde For I tell you moreouer as I know I must be countable of thys my talke and of my speakinge thus to the eternall iudge who will iudge nothing amisse so shall you be countable of your duety in hearing and you shal be charged if ye wil harkē to gods word for not obeing to the truth Alas my Lordes how chaunceth this that this matter is now a new agayne to be perswaded vnto you who would haue thought of late but your Lordshyps had bene perswaded in deede sufficientlye or els that ye coulde euer haue agreed so vniformelye with one consent to the abolishmēt of the vsurpatiō of the bishop of Rome If that mater were then but a matter of policy wherein the prince must be obeied how is it now made a mater wherin as your clergy sayeth now and so sayth the popes lawes in deede standeth the vnity of the catholike church and a matter of necessitye of oure saluation Hathe the time being so shorte since the deathe of the two last kinges Henry the .viij and Edward his sonne altered the nature of the matter If it haue not but was of the same nature and daunger before God then as it is now be now as it is sayd by the popes lawes and the instructiōs set forth in english to the curates of the dioces of Yorke in deede a matter of necessitye to saluation howe then chaunced it that ye were all O my Lords so lighte and so little passed vpon the catholick faith and the vnity therof without the which no mā can be saued as for your princes pleasures which were but mortal men to forsake the vnitye of youre catholike faith that is to foresake Christ and his holy gospell And furthermore if it were both then and now so necessary to saluation how chaunced it also that ye all the whole body of the Parliamēt agreing with you dyd not only abolish and expel the byshop of Rome but also did abiure him in your own parsons and did decree in your actes great othes to be taken of both the spiritualty tēporalty whosoeuer shold entre into any waighty charge able offyce in the common wealth But on thother syde if that law and decree which maketh the supremacye of the sea and Bishop of Rome ouer the vniuersal church of Christ a thing of necessity required vnto saluation be an Antichristian law as it is in deede and such instructions as are geuen to the dioces of Yorke be in deede a settinge forth of the power of that beast of Babilon by the craft and falshod of hys false prophets as of truth compared vnto Gods word truly iudged by the same it shal playnly appere that they be then my Lordes neuer thinke other but the daye shall come when ye shal be charged with this your vndoing of that that once ye had well done with this your periury breach of your oth which oth was done in iudgement iustice truth agreable to Gods law The whore of Babilō may wel for a time dally with you make you so dronkē with the wine of her filthy stewes whoredom as with her dispensations promises of pardon A pena culpa that for dronkennes blinnes ye may thinke yourselues safe But be ye assured when the liuing Lorde shall trye the matter by the fyre and iudge it according to his word when all her abhominations shall appeare what they be then ye my Lords I geue your Lordships warning in time repent if ye be happy and loue your owne soules health repent I say or els without all doubte ye shall neuer escape the handes of the liuinge Lorde for the gilt of your periury the breach of your oth As ye haue bāketed and layne by the whore in the fornication of her whorysh dispensations pardons idolatry such like abhominations so shall ye drinke with her excepte ye repent betime of the cuppe of the Lords indignation euerlasting wrath which is prepared for the beast his false prophetes al their partakers For he that is partner with thē in they re whoredome abhominatiōs must also be partner with thē of theyr plagues on the latter daye shal be throwne with them into the lake burning with brimstone and vnquenchable fyre Thus fare ye well my Lordes all I praye God geue you vnderstanding of hys blessed
will and pleasure make you to beleue embrace the truth Amen An other farewell to the prisoners in Christes gospels cause and to all them which for the same cause are exiled and banished out form theyr own country chosing rather to leaue al worldly commodity then theyr mayster Christ FArewel my dearly beloued brethrē in Christ both ye my fellowe prisoners ye also that be exiled banished out of your countreis because ye wyl rather forsake all worldly commodity then the gospel of Christ Farewell al ye together in Christ farewell be mery for ye know that the trial of your faith bringeth forth patience and pacience shal make vs perfect whole and sound on euery syde and such after trial ye know shal receiue the crown of life according to the promise of the lord made to his derely beloued let vs therfore be pacient vnto the comminge of the Lorde Iacob 5 As the husbandman abideth paciently the former and latter raine for the encrease of his croppe so let vs bee patiente and plucke vp our hartes for the comminge of the lord approcheth apace Let vs my deare brethren take example of patience in tribulation of the Prophetes which spake lykewise Gods worde truelye in his name Let Iob be to vs an example of patience and the end which the Lord suffered 1. Pet. 1. which is full of mercy and pity We know my brethren by gods word that our fayth is much more precious then anye corruptible golde and yet that is tried by the fyre euen so our fayth is therfore tried likewise in tribulations that it may be found when the Lord shall appeare laudable glorious and honorable 1. Pet. 2. For if we for Christes cause doe suffer that is gratefull before God for thervnto are we called that is our state and vocation wherwith let vs be contēt Christ we knowe suffred for vs afflictions leuinge vs an example that we shoulde folowe his fotesteppes for he committed no sinne nor was there anye guile founde in hys mouth when he was rayled vpon and al to reuiled rayled not again whē he was euill intreated he did not threaten but committed the punishment therof to hym that iudgeth a right Let vs euer haue in fresh remembrance those wonderfull comfortable sentences spoken by the mouth of our sauioure Christ blessed are they whiche suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you Math. 5 persecute you and speake all euell againste you for my sake reioyse and bee gladde for great is you reward in heauen for so did they persecute the prophetes which were before you Therefore let vs alwaye beare this in our minds that if any incommodity do chaūce vnto vs for rightousnes sake happy are we whatsoeuer the world doth think of vs. Luke 21. Christ our maister hath told vs before hand that the brother should put the brother to death the father the sonne and the children should rise against their parentes and kill them that Christs true Apostles should be hated of all men for his names sake but he that shal abide patiētly vnto th end shal be saued Let vs thē endure in al trobles paciētly after the exāple of our maister Christ be cōtēted therw t for he suffred being our maister lord how doth it not thē become vs to suffer Luke 6. For the disciple is not aboue hys maister nor the seruant aboue hys lord It may suffice the disciple to be as his maister and the seruaunte to be as his lord If they haue called the father of the family Math. 10. the maister of the household Belzebub how muche more shall they call so thē of hys household Feare thē not then sayth our sauiour for all priuities shal be made playne there is now nothyng secrete but it shall be shewed in light Of Christes woordes let vs neyther be ashamed nor afrayde to speake them for so Christ our maister commaūdeth vs saieng that I tell you priuily speake openly abroad and that I tel you in your eare preach it vpon the house top And feare not thē which kyll the body for the soule they can not kill but feare him which can cast both body and soule into hel fire Know ye that the heauenly father hathe euer a gratious eye and respecte towarde you and a fatherlye prouidence for you so that withoute his knowledge and permission nothyng can do you harme Let vs therfore cast al our care vpō him and he shall prouyde that which shall be best for vs. For if of ij small sparowes which both are sold for a mite one of them lighteth not on the ground without your father and all the heares of oure head are numbred Math. 10. feare not then sayth oure Maister Christ for ye are more worth then many smal sparowes And let vs not sticke to confesse our maister Christe for feare of daunger whatsoeuer it shal be remembryng the promise that Christe maketh sayeng whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him shall I confesse before my father which is in heauen but whosoeuer shall deny me him shall I lykewyse deny before my father which is in heauē Christ came not to geue vnto vs heare a carnall amity a worldly peace or to knitte hys vnto the world in ease peace but rather to separate deuide thē frō the worlde to ioyn thē vnto hymself in whose cause we must if we wil be his forsake father and mother and stycke vnto hym If we forsake him or shrinke from him for trouble or deathes sake which he calleth hys crosse he wyll none of vs we cannot be hys If for hys cause we shall loose oure temporall lyues here we shall fynde them agayne and enioye them for euermore but if in hys cause we wyll not bee contented to leaue nor lose them here then shall we lose them so that we shall neuer fynd them again but in euerlasting death What though our troubles here be painfull for the tyme and the sting of death bitter vnpleasaunt yet we know that they shal not laste in comparison of eternitye no not the twincklyng of an eie and that they pacientlye taken in Christes cause shall procure and get vs vnmeasurable heapes of heauenly glory 2. Cor 4. vnto the whiche these temporal paynes of death and troubles compared 1. Pet. 4. are not to be estemed but to be reioysed vpon Wonder not saith S. Peter as thoughe it were anye straunge matter that ye are tryed by the fire he meaneth of tribulation whiche thyng sayeth he is done to proue you Nay rather in that ye are parteners of Christs afflictions reioyce that in hys glorious reuelaciō ye may reioice with mery hartes If ye suffer rebukes in Christes name happye are ye for the glory and spirite of god resteth vpon you Ol them God is reuiled and dishonored but of you he is glorifyed Let no man
worlde he shall lyke and prayse the truthe of GOD to morowe as the worlde wyll so wyll he lyke and prayse the falshode of manne to daye wyth Chryste and to morowe wyth Antichriste Wherefore deare brethren as touchynge youre behauoure towardes God vse both youre inwarde spirytes and youre outewarde bodyes youre inwarde and youre outwarde man I saye not after the meanes of menne but after the infallible woorde of God Refrayne from euyll in bothe and glorify your heauenlye father in both For yf ye thynke ye can inwardly in the hart serue hym and yet outwardlye serue wyth the worlde in externall seruyce the thyng that is not GOD ye deceaue youre selues for bothe the bodye and the soule muste together concurre in the honoure of God as Saynte Paule playnlye teacheth 1. Cor 6. For if an honeste wife be bounde to geue both hart and body to fayth and seruice in mariage and if an honest wiues fayth in the hart cannot stande with an whorysh or defiled body outwardlye muche lesse can the true faythe of a christian in the seruice of christianitye stande with the bodely seruice of externall idolatry for the mystery of mariage is not so honorable betwene man and wyfe as it is betwene Chryste and euery Christian man as Saynte Paule sayeth Therfore deare brethren praye to the heauenlye father that as he spared not the soule nor the bodye of hys dearelye beloued sonne but applyed bothe of them with extreame payne to worke our saluation both of bodye and soule so he wyll gyue vs all grace to applye our bodies and soules to be seruantes vnto him for doubtles he requyreth aswell the one as the other and cannot be miscontented with one and well pleased with the other Eyther he hateth both or loueth both he deuideth not his loue to one and hys hatred to the other Let not vs therefore good brethren deuide our selues and saye oure soules serue hym whatsoeuer our bodies do to the contrarye for ciuile order and pollicie But alas I knowe by my self what troubleth you that is the great daunger of the world that wil reuenge ye thinke youre seruice to God wythe swoorde and fyre wythe losse of goodes and landes But deare bretherne waye of the other syde that your enemies and Gods enemies shal not do asmuch as they would but asmuch as God shal suffer them who can trappe them in their owne counsels and destroye them in the middes of theyr furies Remember ye bee the workmen of the Lord and called into his vineyard there to labour till euening tyde that ye may receyue youre peny Math. 20. which is more worth then all the kinges of the earth But he that calleth vs into hys vyneyard hath not tolde vs how sore or how feruently the sonne shall trouble vs in our labour but hath bidde vs laboure and committe the bytternesse therof vnto hym who can and will so moderate all afflictions that no man shall haue more layd vpon hym then in Christ he shal be able to beare vnto whose mercifull tuitiō and defence I commend both your soules and your bodeis 2. September 1554. Yours with my poore prayer Iohn Hooper An aunswere of a letter wherby he was aduertised of a godly company to the number of thirty taken at prayer in a house in Bowchurchyarde and caried to prison THe grace of God be with you Amen I perceaued by youre letter howe that vppon new yeares daye at nyghte there were taken a godlye companye of Christians whilest they were praying I do reioice in that men can be so well occupied in this perillous time and flye vnto God for remedy by prayer as wel for their own lackes and necessities as also charitably to pray for thē that persecute them So doth the worde of God commaunde all men to pray charitablye for those that hate them and not to reuile any maiestrate with words or to meane him euyll by force and violence They also maye reioyce that in well doynge they were taken to the prisō Wherfore I haue thought it good to send them this little wrytyng of cosolation prayng god to send them patience charity and constancye in the truth of hys most holy word Thus fare you wel and praye to God to send his true worde into this realme agayne amongst vs which the vngodly bishops haue now banished 4. Ianuary 1554. ¶ To the godly and faithfull company of prisoners in both the Counters which were taken together at prayer in a house in Bowchurchyard THe grace fauour consolation and ayde of the holy gost be with you now and euer so be it Dearely deloued in the Lord euer sythens your imprisonment I haue ben maruelously moued with great affections and passiōs as wel of mirth and gladnes as of heauines and sorow Of gladnes in this that I perceiued how ye be bent and geuen to prayer and inuocation of gods helpe in these darke and wicked procedings of men against gods glory I haue bene sory to perceiue the malice and wickednes of mē to be so cruell diuelish and tyrannical to persecute the people of god for seruyng of god for saying and hearyng of the holy psalmes and the word of eternall life These cruell doings do declare that the papists church is more bloody and tyrannical then euer was the sword of the Ethnickes gentiles When I heard of your takyng and what ye were doing wherfore and by whome ye were taken I remembred how the christians in the primitiue church were vsed by the cruelty of vnchristened heathens in the tyme of Traiane the emperour about 77 yeres after Christes ascension into heauen The christians were persecuted very sore as thoughe they had bene traitors mouers of sedition Wherupon the gentile emperour Traiane required to know the true cause of christian mens trouble A great learned man called Plinius secundus wrote vnto him and saide it was because the christians said certaine psalmes before daye vnto one called Christ whom they worshipped for god When Traiane the emperour vnderstode it was for nothyng but for conscince and religion he caused by his cōmaundements euery wher that no man should be persecuted for seruyng of god Lo a gentile and heathen man would not haue such as were of a contrary religion punished for seruing of god But the pope and his church haue cast you into prison beyng taken euen in doyng the worke of god and one of the moste excellente workes that is required of christian men that is to witte whiles ye were in prayer not in such wicked and superstitious prayer as the papistes vse but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray and in his name onely ye gaue god thankes for that ye haue receaued and for hys sake ye asked for such things as ye want O glad maye ye be that euer ye were born Math. 5 to be apprehēded whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousnes sake For if god had
a like be very lettes impedimēts to your purpose You shal meete with slaūder contēpt of the world and be accōpted vngracious vngodlye you shal heare mete with cruell tyranny to doe you al extremities you shal now thē see the troubles of your own consciēce fele your own weaknes you shal heare that you be cursed by the sentence of the catholike church wit suche like terrours but praye to God followe the starre of hys word you shall ariue at the port of eternall saluaciō by the merites only of Iesus Christ to whome I commende you and all yours most hartely Yours in Christ Iohn Hoper To mayster Ferrar byshop of S. Dauids D. Taylor maister Bradford and mayster Philpot prisoners in the kinges Bench in South warke THe grace of God be wyth you Amen I am aduertised by diuerse aswell suche as loue the truth as also by such as yet be not come vnto it that ye I shall be caried shortlye to Cambrige there to dispute in the faith for the religion of Christe which is moste true that we haue do professe I am as I doubt not ye be in Christe redy not only to goe to Cambridge but also to suffer by gods helpe death it selfe in the mayntenance thereof Weston and hys complices haue opteined forth the commission already and spedely most lyke he wyl put it in execution Wherfore deare brethren I do aduertyse you of the thing before for diuerse causes The one to comfort you in the Lorde that the tyme draweth nygh and is at hand that we shall testifye before gods enemies gods truth The next that ye shuld prepare your selues the better for it The thirde to showe you what wayes I thinke were beste to vse our selues in thys mater also to hear of euery one of you your better aduise if mine be not good Ye know suche as shal be Censours and Iudges ouer vs breath thurst our blood whether we by gods help ouercome after the word of god or by force subtilty of our aduersaryes be ouercome this wil be the conclusyon our aduersaryes will saye they ouercome as you perceaue how they report of those great learned men and godly personages at Oxford Wherfore I mynd neuer to aunswere them except I haue the bookes present because they vse not only false allegation of the doctors but also a pece of the D. against the whole course of the doctors mind The next that we may haue sworne notaries to take thinges spoken indifferētly which will be very hard to haue for the aduersaries wyll haue the ouersyght of al thynges and then make theirs better then it was and ours worse then it was Then if we see that two or three or more will speake together or with scoffes and tauntes illude and mocke vs I suppose it were beste to appeale to be heard before the Quene and the whole Coūsel that would much setforth the glory of god For many of them know already the truth manye of them erre rather of zeale then malice and the others that be iudurate should be aunsweared fully to theyr shame I doubt not although to our smarte and bloodsheedyng For of thys I am assured that the commissioners appointed to hear vs iudge vs meane nothyng lesse then to heare the cause indifferentlye for they be enemies vnto vs vnto our cause and be at a poynt alredy to geue sentence agaynst vs so that if it were possible wyth Saynte Stephen to speake so that they could not resyst vs or to vse such sylence pacience as Christ did they wil procede to reuenging Wherfore my deare brethren in the mercye of Iesus Chryste I would be gladde to know your aduyse thys daye or to morrowe for shortlye we shall be gone and I verelye suppose that we shall not companye together but be kepte abroade one from the other They wyll denye oure appeale yet let vs challenge the appeale and take wytnesse therof of such as be present and require for indiffencye of hearynge and iudgemente to be hearde eyther before the Quene and the Counsell or els before all the parleamēt as they were vsed in kyng Edwards dayes Further for my parte I will requyre both bookes and tyme to aunsweare We haue bene prisoners now three quarters of a yeare and haue lacked oure bokes and oure memories by close keepynge and ingratitude of they re partes be not as present and quicke as theyrs be I trust God wil be with vs yea I doubte not but he wyll and teache vs to doe all things in hys cause godly and constātly If our aduersaries that shal be our iudges may haue theyr purpose we shal dispute one day be condēned the next day suffer the third day And yet is ther no law to cōdēne vs as far as I know so one of the cōuocatiō house sayd thys weke to D. Westō To whome Weston made thys aunswere it forceth not quoth he for a law wee haue commission to proceede wyth them when they be dispatched let theyr frendes sue the law Now how sone a man may haue such a comission at my Lord chaūcellours hād you knowe it is as hard to be opteined as an inditement for Christe at Cayphas hande Besides that the byshops hauinge the Quene so vpon theyr sydes may do all thinges both without the aduise and also the knowledge of the reast of the Lords of the temporalty who at this present haue founde out the marke that the byshops shoote at and doubtles be not pleased with theyr doings I pray you helpe that our brother Saūders the rest in the Marshalsey may vnderstād these things send me your aunswere be tyme. Iudas non dormit nec scimus diem neque horam Dominus Iesus Christus suo sancto numine nos omnes consoletur adiuuet Amen 6. Maii. 1554. Yours and with you vnto death in Chryste Iohn Hoper To my deare frendes in God mayster Iohn Hall and hys wyfe THe grace of God bee withe you Amen I thanke you for your louing and gentle frendship at all tymes praing god to shew vnto you such fauour that whatsoeuer trouble aduersity happen ye go not backe from hym These dayes be daungerous and full of peril but yet let vs comforte our selues in callinge to remembrance the dayes of our forefathers vpon whome the Lord sente such troubles that many hundrethes yea many thousandes died for the testimony of Iesus Christ both men women suffring with pacience constācy asmuch cruelty as Tyrannes could deuise so departed out of thys miserable world to the blisse euerlasting where as now they remayn for euer loking alwayes for the end of this sinful world whē they shal receiue their bodies again in immortality and see the number of the elects associated with them in ful and consummate ioyes Heb. 11 And as vertuous men suffring martyrdom and tarieng a litle while in this worlde with paines by
know not sayde my Lorde that is a good question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then said I my Lorde I thynke manye thinges be farre wyde from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my lord sayd thou art a very varlet To that I aunswered that is as yll as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt betyll browe To that I aunswered I haue redde ouer and ouer agayne the holye Scriptures and Saint Austines workes throughe and Saynct Cyprian Eusebius Origene Gregory Nazianzen with dyuers other bookes through oute therfore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignorauÌ„t Besides these my lord I professed the Ciuil lawe as your Lordship dyd and I haue redde ouer the Cannon law also Then my lorde sayd with a corrupte iudgemente thou readest all things Touchyng my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lorde ye dyd wryte one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscieÌ„ce that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord said tut tut tut I wrote against Bucer in priestes mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maried many yeres To that I answered I am maried in dede I haue had .ix chidreÌ„ in holy matrimony I thanke god this I am sure of that your procedings now at this present in this realme against priestes mariages is the mainteinauÌ„ce of the doctryne of deuils against natural law Ciuil law CanoÌ„ law generall CouÌ„cels CanoÌ„s of the apostles auÌ„cieÌ„t doctors gods lawes TheÌ„ spake my lord of Duresme saying you professed the Ciuil lawe as you saye then you knowe that Iustinian writeth that priestes at their takyng of Orders shoulde sweare that they were neuer maried and he bryngeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I dyd not remember any suche lawe of Iustinian but I am sure that Iustinian writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in cod that if one would bequeath to his wife in his testament alâ—egacie vnder a condition that she should neuer marye agayne and take an othe of her for the accomplyshyng of the same yet she shall marye againe if he dye notwithstandyng the aforesayd condition and othe taken and made agaynst mariage and an othe is an other manner of obligation to God then is a papisticall vowe Moreouer in the Pandectes it is contayned that if a man doe manumit his handmayd vnder a condition that she shall neuer marye yet she maye mary her Patrone shal loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnatural vnlawful conditioÌ„ against matrimony Then my Lorde Chauncelour saide thou sayest that priestes maye be maryed by gods lawe howe prouest thou that I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paule bothe to Timothy and to Titus where S. Paule doth speake most euidently of the mariage of priestes Deacons and bishops And S. Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy saithe it is an heresy to say that a Bishop may not be maried Then my lorde Chauncellour said thou lyest of Chrisostome but thou doest as all thy companions do belye euer without al shame both the scriptures the doctors Diddest thou not also saye that by the Cannon law priestes may be maried which is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I answered we reade in the decrees that the fower generall counsels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesme and Calcedon haue the same autoritye that the foure Euangelistes haue And we reade in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon lawe that the Councell of Nice by the meanes of one Paphnutius dyd allowe Priestes and bishops mariages therefore by the best part of the Canon law priestes may be maryed Then my Lorde Chauncellor said thou falsifiest the generall councel for there is expresse mention in the said decree that priests should be diuorced from their wyues which be maried TheÌ„ sayd I if those words be there as you say theÌ„ am I content to lose thys great head of myne let the booke be fetched Then sayd my lord of Duresme thoughe they bee not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which boke the decree was takeÌ„ Then sayd I it is not like that the pope would leaue out any such sentence hauing such authoritie making so much for hys purpose Then my lord Chauncelor sayd Gracian was but a patcher and thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I aunswered my Lord I can not but maruaile that you do cal one of the chiefe papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my lord Chauncelor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilte thou not returne againe with vs to the Catholike church and with that he rose And I said By gods grace I wil neuer depart froÌ„ Christes church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison And my lord ChauÌ„celor sayd thou shalt haue iudgemeÌ„t within this weke My lord of Durreme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we oughte to preferre gods word before al men And so I was deliuered againe vnto my keper R. T. The copy of a writing that D. Taylour sent to a frende of hys concerning the causes vvherfore he vvas condemned IT is heresie to defend any doctrine against the holy scripture therfore the Lord Chauncelor and byshops consenting to his sentence against me be heretikes for they haue geueÌ„ sentence against the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paule to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly that Byshops priestes and Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of deuilles to inhibite matrimony and S. Paule willeth euery faythfull minister to teach the people so least they be deceaued by the marked marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These bishops are not ignorant that it is not only S. Paules counsel and lawful but gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„t also to marry for such as can not other wise liue chast neither auoyde fornicatioÌ„ 1. Cor. 7 Gene. 2. They know that such as do marry do not sinne They know that god before sinne was ordained matrimony and the in paradise betwene two of his principal creatures MaÌ„ Woman They know what spirite they haue whiche say it is euil to marrye seing God sayd Gene. 2. it is not good for maÌ„ to be alone without a wife hauing no speciall gift contrary to the generall coÌ„maundement and ordinaunce diuerse times repeted in the booke of Genesis Gene. 1. which is to encrease multiply They know that Abraham caried into the land of Chanaan his old yet barraine wife the vertuous womaÌ„ Sara with him Gene. 12. leauing father mother
countrey being otherwise at gods cōmaundement For though father and mother and other frendes are deare and nere yet none are so derely and nerely ioyned together Ephe. 5. Heb. 13. as mā and wife in matrimony which must nedes be holy for that it is a fygure and similitude of Christ hys church They know that S. Paule geueth a great prayse to matrimony calling it honourable and that not to among many but to and among al men without exception whosoeuer haue nede of that Gods remedy for mans and womās infirmitie They know that if there were any sinne in matrimony it were chiefly to be thought to be in the bedcompanye but S. Paule sayth that the bed company is vndefyled Gene. 18. Exod. 18. Genes 25. Gene. 31. 2. Reg. 7. Math 1. They know that the hauing of a wife was not an impediment for Abraham Moyses Isaac Iacob Dauid c. to talke with God neither to the Leuites bishops priestes office in the tyme of the olde Testamente or the newe They know that Christ would not be conceaued or borne of the blessed mother the Virgine Mary before she was espoused in mariage his own ordinance They know by S. Ciprian and S. Austine that a vowe is not an impediment sufficient to let matrimony or to diuorce the same They knowe that S. Chrisostome sayth it is heresie to affyrme that a Byshop may not haue a wife They know that S. Ambrose wil haue no cōmaundement but counsell only to be geuen touchyng the obseruing of virginitie They know that Christ with his blessed mother and Apostles were at a mariage Iohn 2. beautifyed honoured the same with his presence and fyrst miracle To be short they know that al that I haue here written touching the mariage of priestes is true and they know that the papistes thēselues do not obserue touching that matter theyr own lawes canons and yet they continue marked in consciēce with an hote iron as detestable heretikes in this behalf The lord geue thē grace to repēt if it be his good wil Amē My second cause why I was cōdemned as an heretike is that I denied the transubstantiation concomitation two iugling words of the papistes by the which they do beleue and wil cōpel al other to beleue that Christs natural body is made of bread that the godheade by by is ioyned therunto so that immediatly after the words called the wordes of consecration there is no more bread and wine in the sacramēt but the substance only of the body and bloud of Christ together with his godhead so that the same being now Christ both god man ought to be worshipped with godly honour to be offred to god both for the quicke and the dead as a sacrifice propitiatory and satisfactory for the same This matter was not long debated in words but bycause I denyed the foresaid papistical doctrine yea rather plainly most wicked Idolatry blasphemy and heresye I was iudged an heretike I dyd also affyrme the pope to be Antichrist poperye Antichristianitie and I cōfessed the doctrine of the Bible to be a sufficiēt doctrine touching al singular matters of Christian religion and of saluation I also alledged that the othe against the Supremacy of the byshop of Rome was a lawful othe and so was the othe made by vs all touchyng the kings or Queenes preeminence For Chrisostome saieth that Apostles Euangelistes and all men in euery Realme were euer ought to be euer touching both body goods in subiectiō to the Kingly authority who hath the sweard in his hand as gods principall officer gouernour in euery Realme I desired the Bishops to repent for bringing the Realme frō Christ to Antichrist frō light to darkenes from verity to vanitie Thus you know a sūme of my last examination condemnation Pray for me I wil pray for you God be praysed since my condemnation I was neuer affraid to die Gods wil be done If I shrinke frō gods truth I am sure of an other māner of death thē had iudge Hales But God be praysed euen frō the bottome of my heart I am vnmoueably setled vpō the rocke nothing douting but that my dere god wil performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me other To him be al honour both nowe and euer through Christ our only whole Sauiour Amen R. T. A letter which he sent to his wife and children and other of his frends in Hadley as his farewel and last testament I Say to my wife to my children the Lord gaue you vnto me the Lord hath taken me from you and you frō me blessed be the name of the Lord. I beleue that they are blessed which die in the Lord. Apoc. i4 Luke 12. God careth for sparowes and for the heares of our heades I haue euer found him more faythfull and fauourable then any father or husband Trust ye therfore in him by the meanes of our deare Sauiour Christes merites beleue loue feare and obey him pray to him for he hath promised to helpe Count me not dead for I shal certainly liue and neuer die I go before ye shall followe after to our long home I go to the rest of my childrē Susan George Ellē Robert and Zacharie I haue bequethed you to the only omnipotent I say to you my deare frēds of Hadley to al other which haue heard me preach that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine for the which I pray you thanke god with me for I haue after my litle talent declared to other those lessons that I gathered out of gods boke the blessed Bible Therfore if I or any Angel from heauen should preach to you any other gospel Gala. 1 then that ye haue receaued Gods great curse vpon that preacher Beware for Gods sake that ye denie not God neither decline from the word of fayth least god decline from you and so ye do euerlastingly perish For gods sake beware of popery for though it appeare to haue in it vnitie yet the same is in vanity and Antichristianitie and not in Christes fayth and veritie Beware of the sinne against the holy ghost now after such a light opened so playnly and simply truly throughly and generally to al England The Lord graunt all men his good holy spirit encrease of his wisedome encrease of contempning the wicked worlde encrease of desiring hartely to bee with God and the heauenly company through Iesus Christ our only mediatour aduocate ryghteousnesse lyfe sanctification and hope Amen Amen Pray Pray ¶ Rowland Taylour departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternal saluation I thanke god my heauenly father through Iesus Christ my certayne sauiour Amen 5. Februarye Anno. 1555. ⧠Letters of Maister Laurence Saunders parson of Alhollowes in Bredstrete in London who after faythfull testimonye of hys doctrine by long imprisonment was condemned to the fyre
your Churche No qoth I we did condēne her as an heritike Who was of your church quoth he xxx yeares paste Such quoth I as that Romyshe Antichrist andhis rable had reputed and cōdemned as heretikes Wicliffe Thorpe old castle quoth he c. Yea quoth I with many mo as storyes do tel The byshop of Rome hath quoth he long time played aparte in your rayling sermons but now be ye sure he must playe an other manner of part More pitie quoth I and yet some comfort it is to see how that the beste learned wisest and holyest of you al haue heretofore had hym to playe a parte likewyse in your sermons and writynges thoughe nowe to please the world ye turne with the wethercocke Did you euer quoth he heare me preach agaynst the byshop of Rome No quoth I for I neuer heard you preach but I trow you haue bene no wiser then other c. Pray pray God keepe that familye and blesse it Laurence Saunders To his wife and other of his deare frendes and louers in the Lorde GRace and comforte in Christe Iesu our onely comforte in al extreme assaultes be with you Amen Fayne woulde this flesh make straūge of that which the spirite doth embrace Oh Lorde howe lothe is thys loytryng sluggard to passe forth in Gods pathe It fantasieth forsoth much feare of fraybugges were it not for the force of fayth pulling it forwarde by the bridell of Gods moste sweete promises and of hope pricking on behinde greate aduenture there were of faynting by the waye But blessed and euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly father of oures who in his Christ our sufficient Sauiour hath vouched safe so to shine in our hartes that he geueth vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Christ and hauing thys treasure in our earthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods 2. Cor. 4 and not ours we are according to his good will troubled on euery side yet are we not withoute shifte we are in pouertye but yet not withoute that is sufficiente we suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein we are caste downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not we beare in our bodye the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the life of Iesus might appeare also in oure bodyes Wherefore by the grace of our Christ we shall not be weryed nor be dismayed by this our probation through the fyre of affliction as though some straūge thing had happened vnto vs but by his power we shal reioyce in as much as we are pertakers of Christes passions that whē he doth appeare we may be mery glad knowing that our tribulation which is momentane light prepareth an exceding and eternall weyght of glorye vnto vs not looking on the things which are sene but on the things which are not sene They that sowe in teares shal reape in ioy Psa 126. he that goeth on hys way now weping scattereth hys good sede shal doutlesse come agayn with ioy and bring his sheaues with him Then then shal the Lord wipe away al teares frō our eyes Then then shal be brought to passe the saying that is written 1 Cor. 15 Death is swalowed vp in victorye Death where is thy sting hel where is thy victorye Yea thankes be to god who hath geuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Now then in the meane season it remayneth for vs to follow s Peters biddyng 1. Peter 4. Let them sayth he that are troubled accordyng to the wil of god committe their soules to him with wel doing as vnto a faythful creatour and maker He is our maker we be his handyworke creatures whō now whē he hath made he doth not so leaue forsake as the carpenter doth the shyp leauyng it at al aduentures to bee tossed in the tempest but he comforteth vs his creatures Actes 17 and in him we liue moue and haue our being Yea not only that but now that he hath in hys deare Christe repayred vs beyng before vtterly decayed and redemed vs purgyng vs vnto hymselfe as a peculier people by the bloude of hys sonne he hath put on a most tender good wyll and fatherly affectiō toward vs neuer to forget vs vnto whō by such sure promises he hath plyghted such faythe that though it were possible that the mother could forgette her infante and not be tender harted to the chyld of her wombe Esay 49. yet may it not be that his faithful beleuers should with him fal into forgetfulnes He byddeth vs to cast our care on hym telleth vs that he assuredly careth for vs. 1. Pet. 5. And what though for a season he suffereth vs to be tormoyled in the troublous tempestes of tēptation and seemeth in muche anger to haue geuen vs ouer and forgotten vs Let not vs for all that leaue of to put our trust in hym but let vs with godly Iob conclude in our selues and saye yea though he kyl me Iob. 13 yet wyll I put my trust in hym Let vs with the blessed Abraham in hope euen contrary to hope by beliefe leaue vnto that our louing Lord who though for our probatiō he suffreth vs to be afflicted proued for a seasō yet wil he not be always chiding neither kepeth he his anger for euer for he knoweth whereof we are made he remēbreth that we are but dust Psa 103. Wherfore loke how high the heauen is in cōparison of the earth so great is his mercy towardes thē which feare hym Loke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our synnes from vs. Yea lyke as a father pitieth hys owne childrē euen so is the lord mercyful vnto thē that feare hym Oh what greate cause of reioycing haue wetherfore in our most gracious god We cānot but burst out into the praysing of such a boūtifull benefactor and say with the Psalmist Prayse the lorde O my soule and al that is within me prayse his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites My deare wyfe ryches I haue none to leaue behinde me wherwyth to endow you after the worldly maner but that treasure of tastyng how swete Christ is vnto hungrye consciences whereof I thanke my Christ I doe feele part and would feele more I bequeath vnto you and to the reste of my frends to al you I say that loue me in the Lorde to retayn the same insense of hart alwayes Pray praye I am merye I I trust shall be mery in the fpyght of al the Deuils in hel I vtterly refuse my self and I resigne my self wholy vnto my christ in whom I know I shal be strong as he seeth nedeful Praye pray pray L. Saunders ¶ To hys VVyfe GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our lord Entierly beloued wife euen as vnto myne owne soule and body so do I daily in my harty prayer wyshe vnto you
god planteth I see the battel betwixt you him but the victory is yours yea that daily For you haue layd hold vpoÌ„ the anker of saluacioÌ„ which is hope in Christ the which will not suffer you to be made ashamed Be not discoÌ„forted that you haue this coÌ„flict but be glad that god hath geueÌ„ you the same to try your faith that you might appeare daily worthy of the kingdome of God for the which you striue God beholdeth your striuing fayth agaynst Sathan is pleased with your mightye resistaunce The spirite which is in you is myghtyer theÌ„ al the aduersaries power Tempt he may lying awayte at your heeles geue you a fal vnwares but ouercome he shall not yea he can not for you are sealed vp alreadye with a liuely fayth to be the child of God for euer and whom God hath once sealed for his own him he neuer vtterly forsaketh The iust falleth seueÌ„ times but he riseth agayn It is mans frailtie to fal but it is the propertie of the deuils childe to lie stil This strife against sinne is a sufficieÌ„t testimony that you are the childe of god for if you were not you should fele no such malice as he now troubleth you withal Luke 11 When thys strong Goliah hath the hold al things be in peace which he posseseth and bicause he hath you not he wil not suffer you vnassaulted But stand fast and hold out the buckler of faith and with the sweard of gods promises smite him on the scalpe that he may receaue a deadly wouÌ„d neuer be able to stand against you any more Iames. 4. S. Iames telleth you that he is but a coward saying resist the deuil and he wil flye away It is the wil of god that he should thus long tempt you and not go away as yet or els he had done with you long ere this He knoweth alreadye that he shall receaue the foyle at your hands and encrease the crowne of your glory for he that ouercoÌ„meth shall be trowned Therfore glory in your temptations since they shal turne to your felicitie Be not afrayd of your continual assaultes Ezechi 33. which be occasions of your daily victory The word of god abideth for euer in what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes they be forgeueÌ„ Who caÌ„ lay anything to the charge of gods elect Do you not perceaue the manifest tokens of your electioÌ„ First your vocation to the gospel after your vocation the manifest giftes of the spirit of god geueÌ„ vnto you aboue many other of your condition with godlines which beleueth and yeldeth to the authority of the scriptures is zelous for the same Seing you are gods own dearling who can hurt you Be not of a deiect mind for these temptations neyther make your vnfayned frendes to be more sorrowful for you then nede doth require Since God hath willed you at your Baptisme in Christ to be Carles why doe you make your selfe carefull Caste all your care on him set the Lord before your eyes alwayes for he is on your right side that you shal not be moued Behold the goodnes of god toward me I am careles being fast closed in a paire of stockes which pinch me for very straitnes wil you be careful I wil not haue the vnsemely addition to your name Be as your name pretendeth for doubtles you haue none other cause but so to be Pray I besech you that I may be stil careles in my carefull estate as you haue cause to be careles in your easier coÌ„ditioÌ„ Be thankful put away al care theÌ„ I shal be ioyful in my strayt preseÌ„t care CoÌ„mend me to al our brethreÌ„ desire them to pray for me that I may ouercome my temptations for the deuil rageth against me I am put in the stockes in a place alone bicause I would not answere to such articles as they woulde charge me with al in a corner at the bishops appoyntment bycause I did not come to masse when the bishop sent for me I wil lie al the dayes of my lyfe in the stockes by gods grace rather then I wil consent to the wicked generation Prayâ—e god be ioyful that it hath pleased him to make vs worthy to suffer somewhat for his names sake The deuill must rage for .x. dayes ComeÌ„d me to maister Fokes thank hym for his law bokes but law neither equity wil take any place among these bloud thirsty I would for your sake their vniust dealing were noted vnto the Parliamente house if it myght auaile God shorten these euil dayes I haue answered the bishop metely playne alredy I sayd to him if he wil cal me in open iudgement I will answer hym as playnlye as he wil require otherwise I haue refused bicause I feare they wil condemne me in hugger mugger The peace of god be with you my deare brother I caÌ„ write no more for lacke of lyght that I haue written I can not read my self god knoweth it is written farre vneasely I pray god you maye pytke out some vnderstanding of my minde towards you Written in a Colehouse of darkenes out of a paire of paynful stockes by thine owne in Christ Iohn Philpot. A letter of Iohn Careles writen to Maister Philpot which we thought best here to place a part from hys other letters hereafter followyng bicause it is an answere to the former letter A faythfull frende is a strong defence who so findeth suche a one findeth a treasure A faythfull frend hath no peere the weight of golde and siluer is not to be compared to the goodnes of hys fayth A faythfull frend is a medicine of lyfe and they that feare the Lorde shall finde him Ecclesiast 6. THe Father of mercye and God of all consolation comforte you with hys eternall spirite my moste deare and faythfull louyng frend good Maister Philpot as you haue comforted me by the mighty operatioÌ„ of the same the euerlasting God be praysed therefore for euer Amen Ah my deare hart and most louing brother if I shoulde do nothyng elles day and nyght so long as the daies of heauen doe endure but knele on my knees and reade psalmes I can neuer be able to render vnto God condigne thankes for hys great mercye fatherly kindnes most louing compassion extended vnto me moste vile sinnefull wicked and vnworthy wretch Oh that the lord would open my mouth and geue me a thankefull hart that from the bottome of the same might flowe his continual prayse Oh that my sinneful flesh which is the cause of my sorow were cleane separated from me that I might sing psalmes of thankesgeuing vnto the Lords name for euer that with good Samuells mother I might continually record thys noble verse following the which by good experience I haue found moste true praysed be my good god therfore 1 Reg 2 The Lord sayth the good womaÌ„ killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth
like to be no lesse thā your lyfe for I beleue as Paul sayth that god hath appoynted vs in these latter daies lyke shepe to the slaughter Rom. 8 Antichrist is come agayne and he must make a feast to Beelzebub his father of many Christiā bodyes for the restoring againe of his kingdome let vs watche and pray that the same daye maye not fynde vs vnredy The peace of god be with you and remaine with you for euer Your louing brother in Christ in spirit your familier frende captiue in the Kynges Benche Iohn Philpot. To my dearely beloued Sister in the Lord Maistres Heath THe lyght of the Gospel of Christ which hath illigthned you with the true vnderstanding of fayth be dayly encreased in you my dearly beloued sister vnto the perfyte day of the Lord through the mighty operation of hys spirite Amen Where as you haue required of me a token at your departyng that myghte be a remembraunce with you of my brotherly loue toward you I mused of diuerse things what I might cōmend vnto you best among al other I found none so certayne a token either of the loue of God toward vs or els of the loue of vs one to an other as to beare the crosse together with Christ To beare the crosse is to be partaker of the afflictions of Christ which now he suffreth in his members for the accomplishmente of his body the church which are we that beleue in him sincerely which is the surest token of Gods loue towards vs that we can haue in thys world for whom god loueth he chasteneth and as it is written Heb. 12 he chasteneth euery sonne whō he receaueth Wherfore aboue all things loue the crosse of Christ vnder the which al the church of Christ in England nowe is be content to haue your fayth tried euery daye by some crosse or other as it pleaseth God to put on you and if God putteth no greuous crosse vppon you let your brethrens crosse be your crosse whiche is a certayn token of true brotherly loue If the church in England had learned with the Gospel to haue borne the crosse of Christ as all that be professours of the Gospel be called thereunto they woulde not so lightly at the commaundement of man haue turned from the wayes of saluation to their old vomite againe contrary to their conscience and al to auoide the crosse the mercifull signe of Gods loue towards vs. If the crosse were not the faythfull could not be knowen If the crosse were not God should not so manifestly appeare to be our deliuerer and cōforter as he doth shewe himselfe in the middest therof vnto al thē that put their trust in him Therfore beleue them verely to be in most happie estate that be vnder the crosse such as doe vtterly abhorre the same are cowards not fytte souldiers for the lord We haue al receaued the credit of faith from god in Christ that we should beautifie the same or rather god in the same 1. Cor. 4. We haue this treasure in brittel vessels let vs take hede that the britelnes of the vessels shee de not out our precious treasure on the earth as it is lamentable to see at this day many haue most vnfaythfully done Are they worthy of the heauenly kingdome which here esteeme more earth then heauen O palpable infidelity Wil not god require the credit of fayth which he hath committed vnto vs Yea verely Is thys the vsury of fayth to loue the world more then the Gospel and to feare mā more then god If men which coūt themselues stronger worthyer vessels haue thus vnfaythfully dealt in the thinges of god let the weakenes of womē be more fyrme in their fayth to the glory of God whose might appeareth in weakenes There is no exceptiō of person before god both man and woman be on in god and that persō in al sortes of people is acceptable to him that striueth to do hys will Wherfore contend in these crosse dayes whiche be the loue dayes of god towardes vs to shew your self faythful to him that calleth you and to be redy to do his will according to true knowledge and that vnder the crosse God hath geuen you a faythful guide whom see you loue with al humilitie pacience and obedience as it becommeth a holy woman to be subiect to her faythful head in the Lord comfort him in our common crosse and bid him cherefully take vp the one end and you will beare the other a double string knit together As you in your godly matrimonye do represent the mysterye of Christ and his churche so continue you liuely members of fayth in the same and learne daily more and more to beare the crosse of Christ that other seing your strength may be comforted and be ashamed of their weakenes in their maisters cause The faythful seruaunt the Lord loueth which bringeth his talent to his table with encrease Now is the time to encrease to the lord and not to decrease to multiply our fayth vnder the crosse not to diminysh it Ose 6 Gene. 9. The waies of the iust do encrease as the dauning of the day Embrace therfore the crosse as the raynebow of gods merciful couenaunt pray that we may together end our course therin with ioy Take my token in good worth vntil we be made partakers of the glory of the crosse Out of my Lorde of Londons Colehouse The .xi. of Nouember Yours Iohn Philpot. To my brother Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kinges Benche THe grace of God the father through his deare sonne Christ our Sauiour with perseuerance in all godly verity be with thee my deare brother Careles and with al my prison fellowes Amen Ah my own loue in Christ These were certeyne free-wil mē arrogant frowerd and vnquiet spirites I am sory to heare of thy great trouble which these shismatiks do daily put thee to I wold I were with thee in part to releue thy greefe but since that it hath pleased God otherwise take my aduice in thys your conflict be pacient what soeuer your aduersaryes can saye or do against you Know that you are appoynted for the defence of the gospel for the which you god be praysed do suffer yet you must vnderstand that you are but a voyce in the wildernes a planter that it is god which must geue the encease And therefore if there come not suche fruite of your good labours as you would wyshe be content know that a stony groūd can not fructifye yet shal not god forget your labour but you shal reape as plētiously in the day of reward as though it had encreased after your expectatiō Haue patience therfore in your labour and let not care eate out your hart Committe the successe to God and cease not with charitye to be earnest in the defence of the truth agaynste these arrogant and self will blynded scatterers These sectes are necessary for the
as an heretyke I am condemned shall be burned wherof I aske god hartely mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it maye please my deare lorde and Sauiour to suffer For albeit my manyfolde synnes euen sythen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onelye this temporall but also eternall fyer in hell much more then my former synful life which the lord pardō for his christs sake as I know he of his mercy hath done neuer wil lay my iniquities to my charge to condemnatiō so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name although I say my manyfold greuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that man or deuil can do vnto me and therfore I cōfesse that the lord is iust that his iudgements be true deserued on my behalfe yet the bishops and prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his word his truth and religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioyce that euer I was borne hetherto kept of the lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth the heauēly father to glorify his name to testify his truth to cōfirm his verity to oppugne his aduersaries Oh good god merciful father forgeue me my great vnthākfulnes especially herein And you my derely beloued for the lord Iesu christs sake I humbly hartely in his bowels blood do now for my last Yale farewel in this presēt life besech you euery of you that you wil cōsider this worke of the lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hypocrisie carnal security Professe not the gospel with tong lips only but in hart veritye frame and fashiō your liues accordingly Be ware gods name be not euil spokē of the gospel lesse regarded by your cōuersatiō God forgeue me that I haue not so hartely professed it as I should haue done but haue sought much my self therin The gospel is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wine therfore cannot be put in old bottels without greater hurt then good to the botlels If we will talk with the lord we must put of our shooes carnal affectiōs if we wil heare the voyce of the lord we must wash our garmēts be holy if we wil be christes disciples we must deny our selues take vp our crosse folow christ We cānot serue ij masters if we seke christes kingdō we must also seke for the righteousnes therof To the petition of let thy kingdome come we muste ioyne thy wyll be done done done on earthe as it is in heauen If we wil not be doers of the word but hearers of it we sore deceiue our selues Yf we heare the gospel loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles builders vpō the sand The lordes spirit hateth faining disceitfulnes the lord abhorteth If we come to him we muste beware we come not with a double hart for thē it may chāce that god wil answer vs according to the blocke which is in our harte so we shal deceiue our selues and others To faithe see that we couple a good conscience lest we make a shipwracke To the Lorde we must come with feare and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucify our fleshe wyth the lust and concupiscences thereof If we wyl be vnder grace synne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the lord and draw nigh to hym wyth our lippes and leaue our hartes elsewhere lest the lords wrath waxe whotte and he take from vs the good remaynyng in no case can the kyngdome of Christe approche to them that repente not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repente be hartely sory that we haue so carnally so hypocritically so couetously so vayne gloriously professed the gospel For al these I confesse of my selfe to the glorye of God and myne owne confusion here that he may couer myne offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger and plagues of god most iustly fallen vpō vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our harts euery of vs may say it is I Lord that haue sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisy my vayn glory my couetousnes vncleanes carnality security idlenes vnthankefulnes self loue and such lyke which haue deserued the takyng away of our good kynge of thy worde and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmēt and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and encrease of auctoritye and peace to thine enemyes Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. Turne to vs agayne oh lord of hostes and turne vs vnto thee Correcte vs but not in thy furye leaste we bee consumed In thy wrathfull displeasure reproue vs not but in the myddes of thine anger remember thy mercye for if thou wylte marke what is done amysse who shall be able to abyde it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshypped oh then be mercyfull vnto vs that we myghte truelye worshyppe thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name bee mercyfull vnto our sinnes for they are greate oh heale vs and helpe vs for thyne honoure let not the wycked people say where is theyr god c. On this sorte my right dearely beloued let vs hartely bewayle our synnes repent vs of our former euyll lyfe hartely and earnestly purpose to amende our lyues in all thynges continually watch in praier diligently and reuerently attend heare and read the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Let vs reproue the workes of darkenes let vs flye from all Idolatrye let vs abhorre the Antichristian romish rotten seruice detest the popyshe masse forsake their Romish God prepare oure selues to the crosse be obediente to all that be in authoritye in all thynges that be not agaynst God and his woorde for then aunswere with the Apostles it is more meete to obeye God then man Howbeit neuer for any thing resiste or ryse agaynst the Magistrates auenge not your selues but committe your cause to the lord to whom vengeaunce pertayneth and he in his time wil reward it If ye feele in your selues an hope trust in god that he will neuer tempte you aboue that he will make you able to beare be assured the lorde wil be true to you and ye shal bee able to beare al bruntes But if ye want this hope fly get you hence rather then by your tarying gods name should be dishonoured In sūme cast your care on the Lord knowing for most certayne that he is careful for you with him are all that heares of your head numbred so that not one of thē shall perish without his good pleasure wil much more then nothing shal happen to your bodies which shal not be profitable
for the blood of Christ pardon me as I hope yea I certainelye beleue he hath done for his holy names sake through christ But my dearely beloued ye and all the whole worlde maye see and easely perceiue that the prelates persecute in me another thing then mine iniquities eueÌ„ christ himself christes verity and truthe bicause I can not dare not nor wyll not confesse transubstantiation and howe that wicked men yea myce and dogges eatyng the sacrament which they terme of the altare therby ouerthrowyng christes holy supper vtterly do eate christes naturall and reall bodye borne of the Virgine Mary To beleue and confesse as gods worde teacheth the primatiue churche beleued and al the catholyke good holy fathers taught for 500. yeres at the least after christ that in the supper of the Lorde which the masse ouerthroweth as it doth Christes priesthode sacrifyce death and passion the ministery of hys worde true fayth repentaunce and all godlines whole Christ god and man is present by grace to the fayth of the receyuers but not of the standers by and lokers on as bread wyne is to theyr senses wil not serue and therfore I am condempned and shal bee burned out of hand as an heretyke Wherfore I thanke my lord god hartely that wil doth vouch me worthy to be an instrument in whoÌ„ he him self wold suffer For ye see my affliction and death is not simplye bicause I haue deserued no lesse but much more at his handes and iustice but rather because I confesse hys veritye and truth and am not affrayd through his gifte so to doe that ye also mighte bee confirmed in his truth Therfore my dearely beloued I hartely do praye you and so many as vnfaynedly loue me in god to geue with me and for me most hartye thankes to our heauenly father through our Sauiour Iesus Christ for this his exceding great mercy towards me you also that your fayth shold not wauer froÌ„ the doctrine I haue taught and ye haue receaued For what can ye desire more to assure your consciences of the veritye taughte by your Preachers then their owne liues Goe to therfore my deare harts in the lord wauer not in Christes religioÌ„ truely taught you set forth in King Edwards dayes Neuer shal the enemyes be able to burne it to prison it and kepe it in bonds Vs they may prison they maye bynde and burne as they do and wil do so long as shal please the lord but our cause religion and doctrine which we confesse they shall neuer be able to vanquishe and put away Their Idolatry and popyshe religion shal neuer be builte in the consciences of men that loue the truth As for those that loue not gods truth that haue no pleasure to walke in the wayes of the Lord in those I say the deuill shal preuayle for god wil geue them strong illusioÌ„ to beleue lies Therfore deare brethren and sisters in the Lord I humbly besech you and pray you in the bowells and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ now going to the death for the testimony of Iesus as often times I haue done before thys presente out of the pulpit that ye would loue the Lordes truth loue it I say to liue it and frame your liues thereafter Alas ye knowe the cause of all these plagues fallen vpon vs and of the successe which Gods aduersaryes haue dayly is for our not liuing gods wordâ— ye know how that we are Gospellers in lippes and not in life we are carnall full of concupiscene idle vnthankefull vncleane couetous aâ—â—â—gant dissemblers craftye subtile malicious false backebiters c. And euen glutted with gods word yea we lothed it as dyd the Israelites the Manna in the wildernes and therefore as to them the Lords wrath waxed whotte so doth it vnto vs so that there is no remedye but that for it is better late to turne then neuer to turne we confesse our faultes euen from the bottome of our harts and with hartie repentance which god worke in vs al for hys mercyes sake we runne vnto the Lord our God which is exorable merciful and sory for the euil poured out vpon vs and cry out vnto him with Daniell saying we haue sinned we haue sinned greuouslye Oh lord god against thy maiesty we haue heaped iniquitie vpoÌ„ iniquitie the measure of our transgressioÌ„s floweth ouer so that iust is thy wrath veÌ„geance falleÌ„ vpoÌ„ vs for we are very miserable we haue coÌ„teÌ„pned thy long suffering we haue not harkened to thy voyce when thou haste called vs by thy preaches we hardened our hartes and therefore now deserue that thou sende thy curse hereupon to harden our hartes also that we should henceforth haue eyes and see not eares and heare not hartes and vnderstande not leste we should be conuerted and saued Oh be merciful vnto vs space vs good Lord and al thy people whoÌ„ thou hast dearely bought Let not thine enemies triumphe altogether alwaies against thee for then wil they be puft vp Loke down and behold the pitifull complaintes of the poore let the sorrowfull sighinges of the simple come in thy sight and be not angry with vs for euer Turne vs Oh Lord god of hostes vnto thee and turne thee vnto vs that thou mayest be iustified in thy swete seÌ„tences and ouercome when thou art iudgâ—d as now thou art of our aduersaries for they saye where is their god Can God deliuer them now Can their gospell serue them Oh Lord how long For the glory of thy name and for thy honours sake in the bowels and blood of Iesus Christ we humbly besech thee come and helpe vs for we ar very miserable On this sort I say dearelye beloued let vs publikelye and priuately bewaile oure sinnes but so that hereto we ioyne ceasing from wilfulnes and sinne of purpose for ells the Lorde heareth not oure prayers as Dauid sayth And oâ— Saint Iohn it is written the impenitent synners god heareth not Now impenitent are they which purpose not to amend their liues as for example not only those which folow stil theyr pleasures in couetousnes vncleanes carnalitie but those also which for feare or fauour of man do against their conscience consent to the romish rags and resort to the rotten religion communicating in seruice and ceremonyes with the papistes thereby declaring themselues to loue more the worlde then God to feare more man then Christ to dread more the losse of temporall thinges then of eternal in whom it is euident the loue of God abideth not for he that loueth the worlde hath not Gods loue abidyng in him sayth the Euangelist Therfore my deare harts and deare agayne in the lord remember what ye haue professed Christes religioÌ„ name and the renouncing of the deuil sinne and the worlde Remember that before ye learned A. B. C. your lessoÌ„ was Christs crosse Forget not that Christ wil haue no disciples but such as wil promise to denie them selues to take
Liuerey that gods seruaūtes are serued withal the Earnest and beginning of al consolation glory For they I meane gods scholers as your Lordship is I truste doe enter into gods Sanctuarie Psal 72 lest their fete slip They loke not as beasts do on things present only but on thinges to come so haue they as present to fayth the iudgement glorious cōmyng of Christ lyke as the wicked haue now their worldlye welthe wherin they wallow wil wallow til they tūble headlong into hel where are torments too terrible and endles Now they follow the Feende as the Beare doth the trayne of honie and the Sowe the swillinges till they be broughte into the slaughterhouse and then they knowe that their prosperity hath brought them to perdition Then crie they woe woe we went the wrong way we counted these men I meane such as you be the suffer for gods sake losse of goods frendes and life whō they shal see endued with rych robes of righteousnes crownes of most pure precious golde and palmes of conquest in the goodly glorious palace of the Lambe where is eternalioye felicitie c. we counted will they then say these men but fooles and madde men we toke their conditions to be but curiositie c. But then wil it be to late then the time will be turned laughing shall be turned into weeping and weeping into reioycing Read Sapien. 2. 3. 4. 5. Therfore as before I haue sayd greate cause haue I to thanke God which hath vouched you worthy of thys most bountifull blessing muche more then you haue cause my good Lorde so so bee I meane thankefull For loke vpon your vocation I praye you and tell me howe many noble men Earles sonnes Lordes Knightes and men of estimation hath God in thys Realme of Englande dealte thus with all I dare say you thinke not that you haue deserued thys Only Gods mercy in hys Christ hath wroughte thys on you as he dyd in Ieremyes tyme on Abimeleche in Achabs time on Abdias in Christes tyme on Ioseph of Arimathia in the Apostles tyme on Sergius Paulus and the Queene of Candaces chamberleyne Onely now be thankfull and continue continue continue my good Lord continue to confesse Christ Be not ashamed of hym before men for then will not he be ashamed of you Nowe will he trye you sticke faste vnto hym and he will sticke faste by you he will be with you in trouble and deliuer you But thē must you cry vnto hym for so it precedeth Psa 9◠he cryed vnto me and I heard I was with him in trouble c. Remember Lothes wyfe which loked backe Remember Fraunces Spira Remēber that none is crowned but he that striueth lawfullye Remember that all you haue is at Christes commaundement Remember he lost more for you then you can lose for him Remember you lose not that which is lost for his sake for you shall fynde much more here and els where Remember you shall dye and when where and howe you can not tell Remember the death of sinners is moste terrible Remember the death of Gods Saints is precious in his sight Remēber the multitude goeth the wideway which windeth to woe Remēber that the straite gate which leadeth to glory hath but fewe trauellers Remember Christ biddeth you striue to enter in thereat Remember he that trusteth in the lord shall receaue strength to stand agaynst al the assaultes of his enemies Be certayne al the heares of your head are numbred Be certayn your good father hath poynted boundes ouer the which the deuil dare not loke Cōmitte your self to him he is hath bene wil be your keper cast your care on him he wil care for you Let Christ be your scope marke to pricke at let hī be your patrō to worke by let hī be your ensāple to folow geue hī as your hart so your hand as your mind so your toūg as your faith so your fete let his word be your candle to go before you in al matters of religion Blessed is he that walketh not to these popysh prayers nor stādeth at thē nor sitteth at them Psa 1 2. Cor. 6. glorifye God in both soule body He that gathereth not with Christ scattereth abroade Vse prayer loke for gods helpe which is at hand to them that aske hope therafter assuredly In which prayer I hartelye desire your Lordship to remember vs who as we are going with you right gladly God therfore be praysed so we loke to goe before you hoping that you wil followe if God so wil accordinge to youre dailye prayer thy wyll bee done on earth c. The good spirite of God alwayes guide your Lordship vnto the end Amen Your Lordships own for euer Iohn Bradford An other letter to the Lord Russell THe eternal mercyes of God in his deare sōne our sauiour Iesus Christ be more and more felte and hartely perceaued of you my good Lord to your endles ioye and comfort Amē Because your Lordshippe looketh not for thankes of me for Gods benefites ministred by you and in fewe wordes I can not dulye declare that I woulde do I will omitte the same praying God our deare father in the day of his retribution to remember it in the meane season to assist counsel and comfort you as his child for euer in all thynges I doubt not but that you haue that childly opinion Yea persuasion of his goodnes in Christ towards you thē which blessing my good lord none is greater geuen to man vpon earth For assuredly he that hath it is the very childe of God elect before al time in Christ Iesu our lord therfore shal enioy euerlasting felicitie although he be here afflicted and tossed in trouble and temptation to hys trial that when he is found faythful he may receaue the crowne of glory The onely thyng that discerneth the child of God from the wicked is thys fayth trust and hope in gods goodnes through Christ the which I trust you haue God encrease it in you make you thankful Certainly such as enioye it be happy if they be happye and that happines is not where any thinge is to bee desired they can not but for euer be moste assured of perseueraunce to saluation for if they fall the lorde putteth vnder his hande that they shall not perish they are beloued of Christ which loueth them to the very ende God for his mercy sake in Christe open more more your eies to see this his swetenes in Christ to make you secure in him and awake the fleshe from her securitye to be vigilant and heedeful how you may most behaue your selfe in thankfull obedience to God and carefull helpe and seruice to his people that all your whole lyfe may tende to this how by example and otherwyse you may doe good to others and still confirme his true seruyce and religion by your constancy Wherin if you continue to the ende you shal receiue
praysed you did in not doing that which you were desired and dryuen at to haue done You then beheld thinges not as a maÌ„ but as a man of god and so you doe nowe in religion at the least hetherto you haue done and that you myght do so stil I humbly besech pray you say with Dauid Psa 117. DefeceruÌ„t oculi mei in eloquium tuuÌ„ quaÌ„do consolaberis me Though you be as vter in fumo for I heare you wante health yet ne obliuiscaris iustificationes dei but crie out quot sunt dies serui tui quaÌ„do facies de persequentibus me iudicium Aba 2. psa 30. And be certayne quod dominus veniens veniet non tardabit Si moram fecerit expecta illum for he is but ad moment um in ira sua vita in voluntate eius Esaye 26. Ad vesperam demorabitur fletus ad matutinum letitia Followe therfore Esayes Counsell Abscondere ad modicum ad momentum donec pertranseat indignatio eius whiche is not indignatio in dede but to our sense and therfore in the 27. Esaye 27. Chapiter of Esaye God sayth of his church and people that as he kepeth night day so non est indignatio mihi sayth he The mother sometime beateth the child but yet her hart melteth vpon it euen in the very beating and therefore she casteth the rodde into the fier and colleth the childe geueth it an apple and dandleth it moste motherly And to saye the truth the loue of mothers to their children is but a trace to traine vs to beholde the loue of God towardes vs therfore sayth he can a mother forget the childe of her wombe As who saye Esaye 49. no but if she should so do yet will not I forget thee sayth the Lord of hostes Ah comfortable saying I wil not forget thee sayth the Lord. In dede the children of God thinke oftentimes that God hath forgotten them Psal 26 Psa 70 1â—8 37.26 Psa 31. and therfore they crye Ne abscondas faciem tuam a me c. Ne derelinquas me domine c. Whereas in very truth it is not so but to their present sense and therfore Dauid sayd ego dixi in excessu meo proiectus suÌ„ a facie tua But was it so Nay verely Read his psalme and you shall see So writeth he also in other places very often especially in the person of Christe as when he sayth Deus meus deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me he sayth not vt quid derelinquis or derelinques me but vt quid dereliquisti me Where in deede God had not lefte him but that it was so to hys sense and that thys psalme telleth full well which psalme I pray you now and then read it is the 22. and therto ioyne the .30 and the .116 with diuerse other The same we read in the Prophet Esay in his .40 chapter where he reproueth Israel for saying god had forgotteÌ„ theÌ„ Nunquid nescis sayeth he An non audisti c. Qui sperant in domino mutabunt fortitudinem And in hys .54 Chapter Noli timere c. Ad punctum enimin modico dereliqui te in miserationibus magnis congregabo te In momento indignationis abscondi faciem meam parumper a te in misericordia sempiterna misertus sum tui dixit redëptor tuus dominus Nam istud erit mihi sicut aquae Noe. Vt enim iuraui ne porro aquae Noe pertransirent terram sic iuraui vt non irascar tibi non increpemte Montes enim comouebuntur colles coÌ„tremiscent misericordia autem mea non recedet a te foedus pacis meae non mouebitur dixit miserator tuus dominus But the scriptures are full of such sweete places to them that will portare iram domini expectare salutem auxilium eius As of al temptations this is the greatest Mich. 7â— that god hath forgotten or will not helpe vs throughe the pykes as they say so of all seruices of God this liketh he beste to hope assuredly on him and for his helpe alwaies which is adiutor in tribulationibus 1. Cor. 11. and doth more gloriouslye shew his power by such as be weake and feele them selues so For quo infirmiores sumus eo sumus in illo robustiores Psalm 144 Sic oculi domini be on them that tremble feare Voluntatem eorum faciet he is with them in their trouble he wil deliuer them antequaÌ„ clamauerint exaudit eos as all the scriptures teach vs to the reading whereof and hartie prayer I hartely commende you beseching almightye God that of hys eternall mercies he wold make perfect the good he hath begonne in you strengtheÌ„ you to the end that you might haue no lesse hope but much more of his helpe to your comfort nowe against your enemyes then alreadye he hath geuen you againste N. for not subscribing to the Kings will Be certaine be certayn good Maister Hales that all the heares of your head your deare father hath numbred so that one of them shall not peryshe your name is written in the booke of life Therfore vppon god cast all your care which will comforte you with hys eternall consolations and make you able to go through the fyre if nede be which is nothing to be compared to the fyre whereinto oure enemies shall fal and lie for euer from the which the Lord deliuer vs though it be through temporall fire which must be construed according to the end profite that commeth after it so shall it then not much deare vs to suffer it for our maister Christes cause the whiche the Lord graunt for his mercies sake AmeÌ„ From the Kings Bench. Your humble Iohn Bradford To hys Mother a godly matrone dwelling in Manchester to hys brethren and sisters and other of his frendes there OVr deare sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ whose prisoner at this present praysed bee his name therfore I am preserue and kepe you my good Mother with my brothers and sisters my father Iohn Traues Thomas Sorrocolde Laurence and Iames Bradshaw with their wines families c. now and for euer Amen I am at thys present in prison sure enough for startyng to confirme that I haue preached vnto you as I am ready I thanke God with my life and blood to seale the same if god vouch me worthy of that honoure For good Mother and brethren it is a most speciall benefite of god to suffer for hys names sake and gospel as now I do I hartely thanke hym for it â— Timo. 2. and am sure that with him I shall be partaker of his glory as Paule sayeth if we suffer with him we shall reygne with him Therfore be not faynt harted but rather reioyce at the least for my sake which now am in the ryght and high waye to heauen for by many afflictions we muste enter into the kingdome of
me Oh that GOD woulde hartelye touche youre husbandes harte so that he woulde gette hym beyonde the Seas althoughe by that meanes I shoulde neuer more corporallye see you as in deede I feare it I feare it but Gods good will bee done I haue wrytten to hym God for hys mercyes sake tourne it to youre and hys good Amen But to come agayne to that from whence I am digressed whereunto you occasion me also by youre letters complayning to me of the blyndnesse of youre mynde and of the trouble you feele throughe talke with some my dearlye beloued GOD make you thankefull for that whiche he hath geuen vnto you he open youre eyes to see what and howe greate benefytes you haue receaued that you maye be lesse couetous or rather impaciente for so I feare me it should bee called and more thankefull Haue not you receaued at his handes syghte to see youre blyndnesse and thereto a desirous and seekyng harte to see where he lyeth in the mydde day as hys deare spouse speaketh of her selfe in the Canticles Oh Ioyce my good Ioyce what a gifte is thys Manye haue some syghte but none thys sobbing and sighinge none thys seekynge whiche you haue I knowe but suche as he hath marryed vnto hym in hys mercyes You are not contente to kysse hys feete with the Magdalen but you woulde bee kissed euen with the kysse of hys mouth Canti 1. You woulde see hys face wyth Moses forgettyng howe he biddeth vs seeke hys face Psalme 27. yea and that for euer Psalme 105. Whiche sygnifyeth no suche syghte as you desire to bee in thys presente life whiche woulde see GOD nowe face to face where as he can not bee seene but couered vnder somethynge yea some tyme in that whiche is as you woulde saye cleane contrarye to God as to see hys mercye in hys anger in bringyng vs to hell fayth seeth hym bring vs to heauen in darkenesse it beholdeth bryghtnes in hydyng hys face from vs it beholdeth hys merye countenaunce Howe dyd Iob see God but as you woulde saye vnder Sathans cloke For who caste the fyre from heauen vppon hys goodes Who ouerthrewe hys house and styrred vppe men to take awaye hys cattell but Sathan And yet Iob pearced throughe all these and sawe Gods worke saying the Lorde hath geuen the Lorde hath taken awaye c. In reading of the psalmes howe often doe you see that Dauid in the shadowe of death sawe Gods sweete loue And so my dearelye beloued I see that you in your darkenesse and dymnesse by fayth doe see claritie and bryghtnesse by fayth I saye because fayth is of thynges absente of thynges hoped for of thynges whiche I appeale to your conscience whether you desire not And can you desire anye thyng whiche you knowe not And is there of heauenlye things any other true knowlegde then by fayth Therefore my deare harte be thankefull for before God I write it you haue greate cause Ah my Ioyce howe happye is the state wherein you are Verelye you are euen in the blessed state of Gods children for they mourne and do not you so and that not for worldly weale but for spiritual riches faythe hope charitie c. Math. 5 Do you not hunger and thirste for righteousnesse And I praye you saieth not Christ whoe can not lie that happye are such How shoulde GOD wipe awaye the teares from youre eyes in heauen if now on earth you shed no teares How could heauen be a place of reste if on earth you dyd finde it Howe coulde you desire to bee at home if in youre iourneye you founde no greffe Howe could you so often cal vpō god and talke with him as I knowe you doe if your enemye should sleepe all daye longe Howe shoulde you elswhere be made lyke vnto Christe I meane in ioye if in sorrowe you sobbed not with hym If you wil haue ioye and felicitie you muste firste needes feele sorrowe and miserye If you will goe to heauen you must sayle by hell If you will embrace Christe in hys robes you muste not thynke scorne of hym in hys ragges If you will sitte at Christes table in hys kingdome you muste fyrste abide with hym in hys temptations If you will drinke of hys cuppe of glorye forsake not hys cuppe of ignominye Can the head corner stone bee reiected and the other more base stones in Gods buildyng be in thys worlde set by You are one of hys liuely stones be contente therefore to be hewen and snagged at that you myghte be made the more meete to bee ioyned to youre fellowes which suffer with you Sathans snatches the worlds woundes contempte of conscience and frettes of the fleshe where throughe they are enforced to crye Oh wretches that we are Rom. 6 who shall deliuer vs You are of Gods corne feare not therfore the flayle the fanne mylstone nor ouen You are one of Christes Lambes looke therefore to bee fleeced hayled at and euen flayne If you were a market shepe you shoulde goe in more fatte and grasye pasture If you were for the Faire you shoulde bee staulfed and wante no weale but because you are for Gods owne occupying therefore you must pasture on the bare common abyding the stormes and tempestes that will fall Happye and twyse happye are you my deare syster that GOD nowe haileth you whether you woulde not Iohn 21. that you myghte come whether you woulde Suffer a little and bee still Let Sathan rage agaynste you let the worlde crye oute let youre conscience accuse you let the lawe loade you and presse you downe yet shall they not preuaile for Christe is Emanuell that is god with vs. If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs The Lord is with you your father cā not forget you your spouse loueth you Math. 8 If the waues and surges arise crye with Peter Lord I perishe and he wil put out his hand and helpe you Cast out your anker of hope and it wyll not cease for all the stormy surges till it take holde on the rocke of gods truthe and mercy Thinke not that he whiche hathe geuen you so many thynges corporallye as inductions of spirituall and heauenlye mercies and that wythout your desertes or desyre can deny you any spiritual comfort desiring it phi 2. For yf he geue to desire he will geue you to haue and enioye the thyng desired The desyre to haue and the goyng aboute to aske ought to certifye your conscience that they be his earnest of the thyng whiche you askyng he will geue you yea before you aske and whilest you are aboute to aske he wyll graunt the same as Esay sayth to his glory and your eternal consolation He that spared not his owne sonne for you Rom. 8 wyll not nor cannot thynke anye thynge to good for you my hartely beloued If he had not chosen you as most certainlye he hathe he would not haue so called you he would neuer haue iustified you he
deede the hygh waye whereby as God encreaseth his giftes so sheweth he more linelye hys saluation Psalme 50.107 I haue receaued Gods blessing frō you the which I haue partly distributed vnto my three fellowe prisoners Maister Farer Maister Taylour Maister Philpot and the residue I will bestowe vppon .iiii. poore soules which are imprisoned in the cōmon Iayle for religiō also As for mine own part if I had had nede I would haue serued my turne also But because I had not nor I thanke God haue not I haue beene and will hee your Almner in suche sorte as I haue already aduertised you God rewarde you and geue you to finde it spiritually and corporally Because otherwise I can not talke with you therefore on thys sort as occasion and opportunitie wil serue I am readye to shewe my good will and desire of youre healpe and furtheraunce in the Lorde to euerlasting life whereunto GOD bryng vs shortlye for hys mercyes sake Amen Good Madame bee thankefull to God as I hope you be be earnest in prayer continue in readynge and hearinge Gods woord and if Gods further crosse come as therein God doth serue hys prouidence for elles it shall not come vnto you so bee certayne the same shall tourne to your eternal ioy and comforte Amen Iohn Bradford To the Lady Vane THe euerlasting and most merciful god which is the father of our sauiour Iesus Christ encrease in your ladiship the knowledge loue of hys truth with the gift of perseuerāce to cōtinue therin to the end Amē Albeit at this present I haue no cōuenient leasure to write is shold be semely to send to your personage yet cōsidering your gētle good wil for gods cause towards me I thought I mought be the more bold to write somthing although not in such sort as I would perchaunce on your behalfe might be loked for I doubt not but that your ladiship considereth often with your self the you are the childe of god and a citizen of heauē by Christ in whō God the father before the worlde was made hath chosen you of his own mere mercy and not of your desertes done or to be done That you shoulde with thankefulnes cal this to minde often thereby to excite and stirre vp yourself to the loue of god in his sight and to al holinesse of life in the sight of man many things should moue occasion you iustly as that you were borne of Christen parents that the name of god was called vpon you in baptisme which is a sacrament of regeneratiō and adoption into the children of god with all other benefites which hytherto you haue receaued Amonges which surely your ladiship should not thinke the least euen the crosses that god hath hetherto exercised you with all as the losse of youre good husband landes and other worldly commodities c. But aboue al next to Christ crucifyed this is most thankefully to be considered that god as he hath geuen you pacience I trust in your trouble so in these daungerous dayes he hath geuen you a desire to know him and to helpe them which for hys sake be in trouble for thys I gather and euidentlye see by your twise sending to me which am not otherwise knowen to you but by name I pray god I may be hartely thankeful to him for you and so dispose your benefites as you desyre My best I will doe by gods grace but enough of thys My desire is good Madame although I haue no doubt as I said but that you be diligēt herein that you would oftē call to minde your state before god I meane howe that you be hys childe through Christ and this I would you dyd for diuerse causes Fyrst that you myghte be quiet in conscience before him in this troublesome worlde as we neuer can bee vntill thys be something setled Secondly that you myghte bee carefull to appeare in hys syghte and in the syghte of man as one of Gods children Thyrdly that you myght in all troubles boldelye by prayer throughe Christe goe to hym and cal hym by the name of father with hope of hys helpe alwayes to your comforte Fourthly that you myghte not bee dismayed if trouble come vnto you as it can not be but more or lesse it must needes come for the worlde loueth none but suche as be his the deuill can neuer suffer the children of God to be quiet I will not speake of our mortal and familiar enemye the fleshe which ceaseth not to fyght agaynst the spirite But God your father being hartely called vpon in and through Christ as he will with hys holye spirite helpe you so will he geue you the victorye at the length to your singular comforte Which I pray God you may daily more and more feele Amen From the Kings Benche in hast as appeareth Your Ladiships own in Christ to commaunde Iohn Bradforde To my deare frendes and brethren R. and E. with their wiues and families THe comfort of Christ felte commonly of hys children in their crosse for his sake the euerliuing God worke in both youre hartes my good brethren and in the hartes of bothe your yokefellowes especially of good Mary my good sister in the Lorde Amen If I had not somthing heard of the hazard which you are in for the gospels sake if you continue the profession confession therof as I truste you doe and will doe and that vnto the end God enabling you as he will doubtles for his mercyes sake if you hope in him for this bindeth him as Dauid in Christes person witnesseth our father keped in thee and thou deliuerest them c. Psal 22 yet by coniectures I could not but suppose though not so certainly the tyme of suffering and probation to bee at hande For nowe is the power of darkenesse fullye come vppon this Realme moste iustlye for oure synnes and abusynge the lyghte lente vs of the Lorde to the settynge forthe of oure selues more then of Gods glorye that aswell we myghte bee broughte into the better knowledge of our euilles and so hartely repente which god graūt vs to do as also we might haue more feling sense of our swete sauiour Iesus Christ by the humbling and deiecting of vs therby to make vs as more desirous of him so him more sweete and pleasaunt vnto vs the which thing the good spirite of God woorke sensiblye in all our hartes for Gods holy names sake For thys cause I thoughte it my dutye being now where I haue some libertie to write the Lorde bee praysed and hearing of you as I heare to doe that which I should haue done if I had hearde nothing at all that is to desire you to be of good cheare and comfort in the Lorde although in the worlde you see cause rather to the contrarye and to go on forwardes in the waye of God wherinto you are entred considering that the same can not but so much more and more waxe streite to the outwarde man by howe much
losse of this life which in dede is neuer founde til it be so loste excepte the graine of wheate fal and be dead it remaineth fruitles You know how that he which was rapte into the third heauen did know what he wrote doth say that as the corne liueth not excepte it bee dead and cast into the earth so truly our bodyes And therefore the crosse should so litle feare vs that euen death it selfe shold altogether be desired of vs as the taylour which putteth of our ragges and arayeth vs with the royall robes of immortalitie incorruptioÌ„ and glory Great shame it should be for vs that al the whole creatures of God should desire yea grone in their kinde for our libertie Rom. 8. we our selues to loth it as doubtles we do if for the crosse yea for death it self we with ioye swallow not vp all sorrow that myght let vs from followyng the Lordes calling and obeying the lords prouidence wherby doubtles all crosses and death it selfe doth come and not by hap or chauÌ„ce In consideratioÌ„ wherof righte deare Mother in that this prouidence stretcheth it self so vnto vs and for vs that euen the heares of our heads are numbred with GOD not one of them to fall to oure hurt surely we declare our selues very faint in faith yf we receiue not such comfort that we can willinglye offer oure selues to the Lord and cast our whole care vpon his backe honouring him wyth this honour that he is euer wyll be carefull for vs and all we haue as for hys deare chyldren Be therfore of good chere euen in the myddest of these miseries be thankefull to the Lorde and prepare your selfe for a further trial which if god send you as I hope so do you beleue that god therin will helpe and comfort you and make you able to beare whatsoeuer shall happen And thus much hauyng this oportunitie I thoughte good to wryte praying god our father to recompence into your bosome all the good that euer you haue done to me especially and to many others bothe in this tyme of trouble and alwaies heretofore Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To Maystres VVylkinson THe Lorde of mercye in Christe his sonne our Sauiour and only comforter be with you all now and for euer Amen Although preseÌ„tly I haue litle tyme by reason of this bringers short departing lesse occasioÌ„ of necessary mater to write vnto you yet in that it hath pleased god to offer me more liberty to write theÌ„ before I had as this reader can report I thought good to signifye vnto you the same with the acknowledging of the receipt of your tokens for the which I neither can nor wil go about to flatter you with thankes in that I know you loke for none at myne hands god beyng the cause and his word the ende wherfore you dyd so to him I know you woulde haue me thankefull and I beseche you praye that I may so bee and not onelye thankefull for my selfe and his benefites towardes me but also thankefull for you to whome God hath geuen to feare his name and loue his truth The which giftes farre passe the riches of the world for they shal perish and be left we know not vnto whoÌ„ but these gifts of god as they last for euer so they make happy the possessours of the same Go to therfore and pray god to encrease them of hys goodnes as of his mercy he hath beguÌ„ne theÌ„ in you in dede so he wyll For to whome he geueth the earnest of wyllyng to the same he will geue the grace of continuyng yf we reiect not the same as we do when we bee double harred â—4 Reg. 17. and parte our feare and loue as dyd the Samaritanes which feared god and their Adramelech loued gods religion and their olde countrey customes c. If this doublenes come on vs that we feare more the worlde and couple it wyth the feare of God yf we loue the mucke of this molde and couple it wyth the loue of Gods religion then parte we stake then marre we the markette then the spiryte of GOD wyll departe Act. 5. then playe we as Ananias and Saphyra dydde and so sooner or later shall fall to perdition wyth them But as I sayde I thynke no suche thynge of you I thynke of you as of Gods deare chyldren whose hartes are whole wyth the Lorde And therefore I wryte not thys as thoughe you were suche but because it is Gods goodnes you bee not suche because Sathan woulde haue you suche and because manye that were as you nowe bee are suche Therefore to make you as thankeful so carefull to continue but yet so that youre care bee caste all on the Lorde is the onelye cause I write thys and woulde wryte more but that the brynger can not carye And therfore hastely and abruptlye I make an ende besechynge almyghty GOD in our redemer Iesus Christ to bee wyth you and wyth hys holye spiryte comforte you all and helpe my good Syster Maistres W. to bee an happye and a good mother of the chylde of whiche as yet I heare God hathe not deliuered her By your owne to vse in the Lorde for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To my deare Brother in the Lorde Mayster Rychard Hopkyns and hys wyfe dwellyng in Couentrye and other my faythfull bretherne and Systers professours of gods holye Gospel there and theraboutes THe peace whiche Christe lefte to hys churche and to euerye true member of the same Iohn 14. Rom. 8 the holye spirite the guide of Gods chyldren so engrafte in youre harte and in the harte of youre good wyfe and of all my good bretherne and systers aboute you that vnfaynedlye ye maye in respecte thereof contempne all worldlye peace whyche is contrarye to that peace that I speake of and dryueth it vtterlye oute of the hartes of all those whiche woulde patche them both together For we cannot serue two maisters Math. 6 no man can serue GOD and mammon Christes peace cannot bee kepte with this worldes peace God therfore of hys mercy doe I beseche to geue vnto you his peace whiche passeth all vnderstandyng and so kepe your hartes and mynds phil 4. that they may be pure habitacles and mansions for the holye spirite yea for the blessed trinitie Iohn 14 who hathe promised to come and dwell in all them that loue Chryste and keepe hys sayenges My dearely beloued the tyme is nowe come wherein tryall is made of men that haue professed to loue Chryste and woulde haue beene counted kepers of hys testimonyes But weale awaye the tenthe person perseuereth not the more parte doe parte stakes wythe the papistes and protestantes so that they are become maungye Mongrelles to the infectynge of all that company wyth them and to theyr no smale peryll For they pretend outwardly popery The Mongrels excuse goyng to Masse with the papistes tarying with them personallye at theyr Antichristian and
in your trouble praye for pacience Iacob i. perseuer to the ende let pacience haue her perfecte worke If you wante this wisedome and power aske it of god who will geue it to you in his good time Hope still in him yea if he should slay you yet trust in him with Iob and you shal perceaue that the end wil be to find him merciful ful of coÌ„passion for he will not breake promyse with you which hetherto did neuer so with any He is with you in trouble he heareth you calling vpoÌ„ him yea before you cal your desires are not only knowen but accepted through Christ If now and then he hide his face from you it is but to prouoke your appetite to make you the more to long for him Thys is most true he is a comming and will come he wil not bee long But if for a time he seme to tary yet stand you stil and you shall see the wonderfull workes of the Lorde Oh my beloued wherfore should you be heuie Is not Christ Emanuel god with vs shal you not finde that as he is true in saying in the world you shal haue trouble so is he in saying in me you shal haue coÌ„fort He doth not sweare only that trouble wil come but withal he sweareth that coÌ„fort shal ensue 1. Cor. 2 And what comfort such a comfort as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man can conceaue Oh great comfort who shall haue this Forsoth they that suffer for the lord And are not you one of theÌ„ Yea verely are you Then as I saide happie happie and happie againe are you my dearly beloued in the Lord. You nowe suffer with the lord surely you shall be glorifyed with him Cal vpon God therfore now in your trouble and he wil heare you yea deliuer you in such sort as most shall make both to his your glory also And in this calling I hartely pray you to praye for me your fellowe in affliction Now we be both going in the high way to heauen for by many afflictions must we enter in thether whether god bring vs for his mercies sake AmeÌ„ AmeÌ„ Your fellowe in affliction Iohn Bradforde To my deare fathers D. Cranmer D. Ridley D. Latymer prysoners in Oxforde for the testimonye of the Lord Iesus and hys holy Gospell ALmightie god our heauenly father more and more kendle our hartes and affections with his loue that our greatest crosse may be to be absent froÌ„ him and straungers froÌ„ our home and that we may godly contende more and more to please him Amen As alwaies I haue had great cause to praise our dere father through christ so me thinkes I haue more more in seing more likely the end of my life which is due for my sinne to be through the exceding grace of Christ a testimonye of Gods truth Thus the lord dealeth not with euery body not the euery body hath not more deserued at gods hands theÌ„ I which haue deserued more veÌ„geance theÌ„ any other I know of my time and state but that by me I hope the Lorde will make the riches of his grace to his glory to be sene more excellente With me therfore I humbly besech you al my most deare fathers in God to geue thankes for me and as you doe still to pray for me that the Lord as for his loues sake in Christe he hath begonne his good worke in me eueÌ„ so of and for the same his loues sake in Christ he would make it perfect and make me to continue to the ende as I hope he will for hys mercy truth endureth for euer As for your partes in that it is coÌ„monly thought your staffe standeth next to the dore ye haue the more cause to reioyce and be glad as they which shal come to your fellowes vnder the alter to the which societie god with you bring me also in his mercy wheÌ„ it shall be his good pleasure I haue receaued many good things froÌ„ you my good Lorde Maister deare father N. Ridley fruites I meane of your godly labours Al which I seÌ„d vnto you againe by this bringer one thing except which he caÌ„ tel I do kepe vpon your further pleasure to be knoweÌ„ therin And here withall I send vnto you a little treatise whiche I haue made that you might peruse the same not only you but also ye my other most deare and reuerent fathers in the lord for euer to geue to it your approbatioÌ„ as ye may think good All the prisoners hereaboutes in maner haue sene it and red it and as therein they agree with me nay rather with the truth so they are ready and will be to signifie it as they shall see you geue them example The matter may be thought not so necessary as I seme to make it But yet if ye knew the great euill that is like hereafter to come to the posteritie by these men as partly this bringer can signifie vnto you surely then could ye not but be most willing to put hereto your helping handes The which thing that I might more occasion you to perceaue I haue sent you here a writing of Harry Hartes own hand Thys was the chefest mayntayner of maÌ„s frewil enemye to Gods free grace wherby ye may see how Christes glory grace is like to lose much light if that your shepe quondam be not something holpen by them whiche loue God and are hable to proue that all good is to bee attributed onely and wholye to Gods grace and mercy in Christ wtoute other respect of worthines theÌ„ Christes merites The effectes of saluatioÌ„ they so mingle confouÌ„de with the cause that if it be not sene to more hurt wil come by theÌ„ then euer came by the papistes in as much as their life coÌ„mendeth theÌ„ to the worlde more theÌ„ the papistes God is my witnes that I write not thys but because I wold gods glory and the good of hys people In freewyl they are playn papists yea PelagiaÌ„s Thys is well knowen to all those which haue had to do wyth them in disputations or otherwyse for the wrytyngs and authority of the learned they haue vtterly reiected despised ye know the modicuÌ„ fermenti totaÌ„ massam corrumpit They vtterly contemne all learning But hereof shall this brynger shewe your more As to the chiefe captaynes therfore of Christes church here I complayne of it vnto you as truelye I muste doe of you euen vnto GOD in the laste daye yf ye wyll not as ye can helpe somthyng vt veritas doctrinae maneat apud posteros in this behalf Vpon this occasion Mâ— Rydley wrote a learned and godly treatise of gods election and predestination as ye haue done on the behalfe of matters expugned by the papistes God for hys mercye in Christ â—uide you my moste dearely beloued fathers wyth his holy spirite here and in all other thynges as most
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
eie hath not sene the eare hath not heard the hart cānot conceiue how great glorious gods reward wyl be vpō your bodies much more vpon your soules God opē our eies to see and fele this in dede Then shal we thynke the crosse which is a meane herto to be commodious Then shall we thanke god that he would chastice vs. Thē shall we saye with Dauid happy am I that thou hast punished me for before I wente astray but now I kepe thy lawes This that we may do in dede my derely beloued let vs firste knowe that our crosse cōmeth from god Secondly that it commeth from god as a father that is to our weale good Therfore let vs thirdly cal to mind our sinnes aske pardon Whereto let vs fourthly loke for help certainly at gods hand in his good time helpe I say such as shal make most to gods glory to the comfort cōmoditie of our soules bodies eternally This if we certainly conceiue thē wil there issue out of vs harty thankes geuīg which god requireth as a most precious sacrifice That we may al through Christ offer this let vs vse earnest praier to our god and dere father who blesse vs kepe vs and cōfort vs vnder hys swete crosse for euer Amen Amen My dere hartes if I could any way comfort you you should be sure therof though my lyfe laye theron but now I must do as I may because I cānot as I would Oh that it would please our deare father shortly to bring vs where we should neuer departe but enioy continually the blessed fruicion of hys heauenly presence pray pray that it may spedely come to passe pray To morow I wyll sende vnto you to knowe your estate send me worde what are the chiefest things they charge you wythall From the Counter By your brother in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To Mystres Hall prysoner in Newgate and ready to make aunswer before her aduersaries OVr most merciful god and father throughe Christ Iesus our lord and sauiour be merciful vnto vs and make perfect the good he hath begonne in vs vnto the ende Amen My deare Sister reioyce in the lord reioyce be glad I say be mery and thankful Math. 5 not only because Christ so cōmaundeth vs but also because our state wherin we are presētly requireth no lesse for we are the lords witnesses God the father hath vouched saffe to choose vs emonges many to witnes and testify that christ hys sonne is Kyng and that hys word is true Christ our sauiour for hys loues sake towards vs wil haue vs to beare recorde that he is no vsurper nor deceyuer of the people but Gods Embassadour Prophet and Messias so that of al dignities vpon earthe this is the highest Greater honoure had not hys Prophetes Apostles nor dearest frendes then to beare witnes wyth Christ as we now doe The worlde folowyng the counsell of theyr Syer Sathan would gladly condempne Christ and hys verity but loe the lord hath chosen vs to be hys champions to lette this As stoute souldiours therfore let vs stand to our maister who is wyth vs and standeth on our ryght hande that we shall not be muche moued if we hope and hange on hys mercye he is so faythful true that he wyl neuer tempt vs further then he will make vs hable to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say thys day you shall be called forth what you shal answer The lord which is true cannot lie hath promysed and wyll neuer fayle nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shall make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hange therfore on this promyse of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in hym Neuer was it hearde of or shal be that any hopyng in the lord was put to foyle Therfore as I said I say againe Deare Syster be not only not careful for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he wil confesse you and neuer be ashamed of you Thoughe losse of goodes and lyfe be lyke here to ensue yet yf Christ be true as he is most true it is otherwyse in dede for he that loseth hys life sayth he wynneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our synnes haue deserued many deathes Now if god deale so with vs that he wil make our deserued deathe a demonstration of hys grace a testimonyall of hys veritye a confirmation of hys people an ouerthrowe of his aduersaries what great cause haue we to be thankful Be thankeful therfore good Syster be thankefull reioyce and be merye in the Lord be stoute in hys cause and quarell be not faynte harted but runne out your race and set your captayne Christe before your eyes Beholde how great your rewarde is See the great glory and the eternitie of felicity prepared for you Striue and fyght lawfully that you may gette the crowne Runne to get the game you are almost at your iorneyes end I dout not but our father will with vs send to you also 4 Reg. 2. as he did to Hely a fiery charette to conuey vs into his kyngdome Let vs therefore not be dismayde to leaue our cloke behind vs that is our bodies to ashes God wyll one daye restore them to vs lyke to the body of our lord and sauiour Iesus christ whose cōming is now at hande let vs loke for it and lift vp our heads for our redēption draweth nigh Amen Amen The Lord of mercy graunt vs hys mercy Amē I pray you pray for me and so desire my bretherne whiche be wyth you Gods peace be with vs all Amen Blessed be the deade that dye in the Lorde then how much more they that dye for the Lord. Your brother in bondes Iohn Bradford ¶ An admonition to certayne professours and louers of the gospell to beware they fall not from it in consentyng to the Romyshe religion by the example of the shrinkyng haltyng and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christ which is the true effecte of gods gospell beleued my derely beloued bee more and more plentifully perceyued of you throughe the grace of our deare father by the myghty workyng of the holy spirit our comforter Amen Though I haue many lettes presently to hynder me from writyng vnto you yet beyng desired I could not but somethyng signifye my readye good wyll in this behalfe so much as I may when I cannot so much as I woulde You heare and see how Sathan bestirreth hym ragyng as a roryng Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partlye what stormes he hath raysed vppe to drowne the poore boote of Christ I meane hys church You see how terribly he trayneth his souldiours to geue a fierce onset on the voward of gods battel You see how he hath receyued power of god to molest gods children and to begyn at hys house By reason wherof consider
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
of mercye in Christe blesse you both kepe you both and sende you both aswell to do as I wishe to my dearest and best beloued frendes and brethren in the Lorde I praye you continue to praye for me as I doubte not you doe and so geue thankes to God for me for he is good and hys mercye endureth foreuer The daye will come when we shall meere together and neuer departe God send it shortly Amen Iohn Bradforde To the worshipfull Syr VVilliam Fitzwilliams then being Knyghte Marshall of the Kinges Benche THe peace of god proper to his people the holy ghost worke daily and depely in your hart through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen I thanke my Lorde and God throughe hys Sonne our mediatour and sauioure for hys mercyes and graces geuen to your Mastership the whiche I beseche hys goodnesse to encrease in you continuallye to youre euerlastyng comforte in hym By hys mercyes towardes you I meane not in your landes possessions offices naturall wysedome rychts healthe forme c. whiche in deede be giftes of God geuen to you of hys mercye withoute your desertes and therefore shoulde he bee daylye of you praysed for the same as I doubte not but he is for elles your ingratitude woulde prouoke hym to punyshe you in them and by them if he loue you but I meane hys mercyes towardes you in the knowledge and loue of hys truthe in religion The whiche benefite in that you amongest the not manye of youre estate and condition 1. Co. 1 as Sainte Paule witnesseth haue receaued as a verye testimoniall of youre election in Christ I woulde bee sorye that you shoulde neede anye suche as I am to moue you to thankefulnesse for I am not in a mammerynge whether you be thankful to god for thys great mercy which is much more to be estemed thē al that euer you haue I hūbly besech God in hys Christ to encrease the same in you to the very end And that by me he myght doe the same in some part I thought it good and also my bounden dutie deepely deserued on your behalfe towardes me for the whiche I beseche the Lord to reward you to send to you thys treatise of the doings of Maister Ridley at Oxford concernyng hys disputation about the Sacrament This treatyse of M. Ridleyes disputation which he sent to hym you shal read in the booke of Martyrs Fol. 963. I know that there hath gone diuerse copies abroade but none of them were as I knowe thys is for I haue translated it out of that copye in Latten which was corrected with hys owne hand whiche came vnto me not without hys own consente and therfore dare I be bolde to saye that thys hath not before beene seene on thys sorte In readyng whereof you shall well see thys I speake to be most true and also that whiche causeth me to suppresse commendations of the thyng the excellencye and worthines therof I meane because I thinke I cānot speake any thing so worthely as vndoubtedly these hys doings do deserue Vnto your Maistership I sende them as a token of my dutie towardes you thereby to declare that as you deserue muche of me so I woulde shewe my selfe willynge to recompence the same if I coulde but in that I can not and also youre doinge is simplye in respecte of GOD and hys cause I wyll accordyng to your expectation leaue the recompence vnto hym in the meane season prayinge hym that of hys goodnes he would as encrease the knowledge and loue of hys truth in you so strenghen you after your vocation both purelye to walke and manfullye to confesse hys Gospel if he shall thynke it needeful to call you to that honoure for surelye of all honours it is the greatest to suffer any thyng for Christes sake Most happye maye that man thynke hymselfe that hath any thyng for hys cause to lose As he shall bee sure to fynde for hys owne parte eternall felicitie and honoure endles so shall hys posteritye euen temporallye proue thys to be moste true For gods sake therefore ryghte worshipful Syr consider well thys geare and waye it not as the worlde and your mother witte wyll moue you to do but as the word of God doth teach you there shal you see thys I speake of to bee matter of much myrth ioye and glory though to the world it seme cleane contrary Gods good spirite alwayes guide you to hys glorye geue you the spirit of prayer continually to praye that God neuer further tempt you then he will make you able to beare Amen In that thys copie is not so fayre written as I wishe and woulde haue had it I shall desire you to consider where I am and how I can not haue thinges so done as I woulde and therefore you haue it as maye bee when it may not be as I woulde it were and shoulde be From the Kinges Benche Your humble Iohn Bradforde To my good brother Maister Coker at Maldon in Essex ALthoughe I haue presentlye both litle tyme and lesse oportunitie otherwyse to write as I would yet as I maye I thoughte better to write somethynge thē vtterlye to be silente For if I shoulde not so do hauing so conuenient a messenger as I mighte towardes you incurre the suspision of ingratitude and forgetfulnesse so might I not satisfye the desire of thys my poore brother and frende Iohn Searchfield which cōmeth vnto you for helpe and comforte in this troublesome time Thys dare I say that the man feareth God and for Gods sake and conscience towardes hym susteyneth both losse and labour For our common fathers sake therefore in Christ helpe him to some hole to hyde him selfe in for a litle time if conueniently you may and remember that he that receaueth one of Christes litle ones receaueth Christe as he him selfe in the last day will acknowledge Which laste daye let vs often loke on and set before vs as the thing which most maketh to our comfort Nowe we sorrowe and sighe to see the sea swell and rage on this sort as it doth And to confesse the truth we haue double cause as wel because we haue deserued this sower sauce by reasō of our vnthankfulnes and many sinnes which the Lord pardon as because gods glory is troden vnder foote But thys comfort we haue that as God our good father will not the death of a sinner so wyll he order this geare most to his glory and our ioye and comforte if we repent now and hartely lament our euilles vse earnest humble and often yea continuall prayer and caste our selues wholy on hym and hys goodnes still labouring to lothe thys life and longing for the life to come for the which we shoulde accompte thys as it is a very vale of miserye much to be mourned in because the time of our habitation herein and exile is prolonged God graunte vs hys holy spirite to strengthen vs in his truth professed that we may perseuer to the end in the
manifestly in saieng whō he hath predestinate thē he calleth whō he calleth thē he iustifieth Wherby we may se the predestination or electiō is not vniuersal of al for al be not iustified Eightly and laste of all that election is so certayne that the elect and predestinate to eternall lyfe shall neuer peryshe or erre to dampnation finallye Election is certain for euer the Apostle dothe here also very playnly shewe in saieng that they are predestiinate to the prayse of gods grace He sayth not to the prayse of hys iustice to the praise of hys wisdome to the prayse of hys power although he myght moste truely saye so but he sayeth Rom. 12 to the prayse of hys grace whiche were not grace yf there were any respect at al of workes on our behalf for thē were grace not grace If there should be any condemnation of the electe and predestinate to eternall lyfe it must needes be because of theyr synnes but where were the praise of gods grace then which is the ende of gods election Shal we not by thys meanes make gods election without an ende and so wythout a heade and so no election at all as some would haue further then they elect themselues ▪ Let such feare they shall not find the benefit of gods election because they seke it as the Israelites dyd Rom. 11. Psalm 69 and not as the elect which not only finde it but also obtayne it The other are blinded as it is written God hath geuen them the spyryte of vnquietnes eyes that they should not see and eares that they shoulde heare euē to thys day c. Secondly he sheweth the certaintye of saluation to them that be elected in saying that they be accepted in the beloued Once accepted and beloued in Christ Iohn 13 Rom. 11 Iohn 13 and euer beloued for whome he loueth he loueth to the ende and gods giftes are suche that he cannot repente hym of them And therfore sayth Christ I know whome I haue chosen attributyng to election the cause of final perseuerance By which thyng Iudas was sene not to be elected to eternall lyfe althoughe he was elected to the office of an Apostle as Saule was elected to the office of a king Which kind of election is to be discerned in readyng the scriptures from thys kynd of election the which I speake of now that is from election to eternal lyfe in Christ Thirdly he sheweth the certaintye of saluation of the electe by callyng them heyres For yf we be heyres of god thē are we fellow heires wyth Christ Rom. 8 to be afflicted and glorifyed wyth Christe and therfore saith he accordyng to the decree of hys owne will Loe he calleth it a decree or counsel which shal stand as Esay saith Esay 46 the counsel of the Lorde shal stande Fourthlye he sheweth this certaintie by saying that they are elect and predestinate to the prayse of gods glory which we should more care for then for the saluation of all the worlde Thys glory of the lord is set forth as well in them that perishe and are reprobates as in the elect therefore Iohn 12 S. Iohn bringing in the place of Esay speaking of the reprobate sayth that Esay spake that whē he sawe the glory of the lord This glory of the Lord to bee set forth by vs is a great mercy and benefite of God I am assured that if the very deuilles and reprobates dyd not repine hereat but were thankful that they might be ministers in any poynte to set forth Gods glorye I am assured I say that they should finde no hell nor tormentes Their hel and tormentes cōmeth of the loue they haue to them selues and of the malice enuie and hatred they haue agaynste God hys glory Let them tremble and feare that may not away with the glory of the Lord in election and reprobation Let not their eyes be euil because god is good doth good to whom it pleaseth him wrong he doth to no man Rom. 9 nor can do for then he were not righteous so no God He can not condemne the iust for thē were he vntrue because his word is contrary He can not condemne the penitent and beleuer for that were againste his promise Let vs therfore laboure studie crye and praye for repentaunce and fayth Math. 25. then can not we bee damned because we are the blessed of the father before all worldes and therefore we beleue therfore we repent 1 Cor. 2 And for asmuch as it pertayneth to vs which be within to see and to speake of those things which are geuen vnto vs of God in Christe let vs laboure hereaboutes 1. Cor. 5. Ephesi 1. and leaue them that be withoute to the Lorde which will iudge them in hys tyme. The Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians for none other wisedome and reuelation from God Coloss 2 then wherby they might know god and haue their mindes illumined to see what they should hope for by their vocation and how rych the glorye of his enheritaunce is vppon hys Sainctes Further then thys I thynke is vnsemely for vs to search vntill we haue sought out how rych Gods goodnesse is and wil be to vs hys children The which we can neuer do but the more we goe theraboutes and the more we taste hys goodnes the more we shall loue hym and loth all thynges that displease him Thys I say let vs doe and not be too busy bodyes in searching the maiestie glorye of god or in nourishyng in any wise the doubting of our saluatiō wherto we are ready enough and the deuil goeth about nothing els so much as that for by it we are dul to do good to other we are so carefull for our selues By it we are more dulle to do good to our selues because we stand in doubt whether it profiteth vs or no. By it we dishonoure god either in making him as though he were not true or els as though our saluation came not only altogether from hym but hanged partly on our selues By it the deuil wil bring mē at length to dispaire and hatred of god Doubt once of thy saluation and continue therin surely he then wil aske no more It was the first thyng wherwith he tempted Christe Math. 4. if thou bee the sonne of god c. It is the first principallest darte he casteth at gods electe But as he preuailed not agaynst Christe no more shal he do against any of his members Ephesi 6 Luke 18. Psal 34. Psal 92 for they haue the shield of faith which quencheth his fiery dartes They praise god nyght day how then should they perish The Angels of the Lord pitch their tentes round about thē how thē should Sathan preuaile They are borne in the hands of the Angels least they should hurt their feete at any stone God hath geuen cōmaundement to hys Angels ouer them Heb. 1. Luk. 10 phil 4.
pleasures treasures of this world be but trifilles Therfore good sister often haue it before your eyes daily set your selfe your doings as before the iudgemente seate of Christ now that hereafter you be not called into iudgemēt Thinke that it wil litle profite you to winne the whole world to lose your owne soule Marke Christes lessons well he that wil saue his life shal lose it The father frō heauen commaundeth you to heare Christ he sayth folow me this can you not do followe Idolatrye or Idolaters Flye from such sayth the Scripture Thys god graunt to you to me to al gods children Amen Thus in hast I haue accōplished your request god graunt that as you haue done me muche good bodely so thys maye be a litle meane to doe you some good spiritually Amen If tyme would serue I would haue written more at large The .2 of Marche Anno. 1556. To the worshipful and in God my most deare frend the Ladye Vane THe good spirite of God our father be more more plētifully perceaued of your good Ladiship through the mediation merites of our dere Sauiour Iesus Christ Amē Although your benefites towardes me haue deserued at my hands the seruice I can do for you yet right worshipful and dearly beloued in the Lord the true feare of god and the loue of his truth which I perceaue to be in you especially and aboue al other things doth binde me hereunto This bearer hath told me that your desire is to haue somthing sent to you cōcerning the vsurped authoritie of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome which is vndoubtedly the greate Antichrist of whom the Apostles do so much admonyshe vs that you may haue aswell somethyng the more to stay you on as also wherwith to answere the aduersaries because you may perchaunce therin be somthing aposed To satisfye this your desire I wyll brieflye go about and so that I will by gods grace fully set forth the same to enarme you to withstand the assaultes of the papistes herein if you marke well and read ouer agayne that which I now wryte The papists do place in preeminence ouer the whole church the Pope therby vnplacing Christ which is the heade of the church that geueth life to the whole bodye by his spirite doth make liuely euery member of the same This they doe without al scriptures For where they bring in this spoken to Peter feede my sheepe I wold gladly know whether this was not commaunded vnto others also As for that which perchaūce they wil vrge that he spake to Peter by name if they had any learnyng they would easelye perceaue howe that it was not for any such cause as they pretend but rather by a threfolde cōmaundement to restore to him the honour of an Apostle which he had lost by his threfold denyal And how dare they interpretate thys worde my shepe my Lābe◠to be the vniuersal Church of Christ I trowe a man might easely by the like reason proue that Peter hymself had resigned that which Christ had geuen to hym in exhortyng hys fellowe pastoures to feede the flocke of Christ Is not thys pretye stuffe Because Christ sayth to Peter feede my sheepe therfore he ought to rule the vniuersal and whole church of Christ If Peter do truly write vnto others that they shold do the lyke that is fede Christes flocke eyther he translateth hys right authority cōmitted to him vpon them or els he doth participate cōmunicate it with them So that folyshly they goe aboute to establishe that which hath no ground Peter in dede was a shepeheard of the shepe but suche a one as bestowed hys labour on them so farre as he could stretch out hym selfe by hys ministerye But the papistes prate that he had ful power ouer all Churches Wherin they maye see Paul to improue them for els he had done vniustly in denying them the superiour place Howbeit who euer yet redde that Peter dyd take any thyng vppon him ouer Churches committed vnto other men Was not he sent of the churche sent as one not hauing rule ouer the reaile I graūt that he was an excellent instrument of God and for the excellencye of hys gyftes when soeuer they meete together place therfore was commonlye geuen vnto hym But what is thys to the purpose to make hym ruler head ouer all the whole Churche because he was so ouer a small congregation But be it so that Peter had as much geuen to him as they do affyrme who yet will graunt that Peter had a patrimony geuen for his heires ▪ He hath left say the papistes to hys successours the self same right which he receaued Oh Lord God then must hys successour be a Sathan Math. 4. for he receaued that title of Christ hym selfe I woulde gladly haue the papistes to shew me one place of successiō mencioned in the Scriptures I am sure that when Paule purposely paynteth oute the whole administration of the Churche he neyther maketh one head nor anye enheritable Primacye and yet he is altogether in commendation of vnitye After he hath made mencion of one God the father of one Christe of one spirite of one body of the Churche of one faythe and of one baptisme then he describeth the meane and manner howe vnitye is to be kept namelye because vnto euerye pastour is grace geuen after the measure wherewyth Christe hath endowed them Where I praye you is now any title of Plenitudinis potestatis of fulnes of power When he calleth home euery one vnto a certayne measure whye dyd he not forthwith say one Pope Which thyng he coulde not haue forgotten if the thinge had beene as the papistes make it But let vs graunt that perpetuitie of the Primacye in the Church was establyshed in Peter I woulde gladlye learne why the Seate of the Primacye shoulde bee rather at Rome then elswhere Marye saye they because Peters chaire was at Rome Thys is euen lyke to thys that because Moses the greatest Prophette And Aaron the fyrste Prieste exercised theyr offyces vnto theyr deathe in the deserte therefore the principallest place of the Iewyshe Churche shoulde bee in the wyldernesse But graunt them theyr reason that it is good What should Antioche clayme For Peters chaire was there also wherin Paule gaue him a checke which was vnsemely and vnmanerlye done of Paule that would not geue place to hys president better No saie the papistes Rome muste haue this authoritie because Peter died there But what and if a man should by probable coniectures shewe that it is but a fable which is fayned of Peters Bishoprike at Rome Read how Paule doth salute very many priuate persons when he writeth to the Romaines Three yeres after hys Epistle made he was brought to Rome prisoner Luke telleth that he was receaued of the brethren and yet in al these no mention at all of Peter whiche then by their Storyes was at Rome Belike he
hys true seruice that perpetually we maye enioye the same welfare as here in hope so in heauen in deede and eternallye You knowe thys worlde is not your home but a pilgrimage and place wherin God tryeth hys children and therfore as it knoweth you not nor can know you so I trust you know not it that is you allowe it not nor in any poynte wyll seme so to do althoughe by manye you be occasioned therto For thys whote sunne which now shineth burneth so sore that the corne which is sowen vpon sand and stonye ground beginneth to wyther that is many which before tymes we toke for hartye Gospellers beginne nowe for the feare of afflictions to relente yea to turne to their vomytte agayne thereby declaring that thoughe they go from amongest vs yet were they neuer of vs for els they would haue still taryed with vs 1. Ioh. 2 and neyther for gayne nor losse haue left vs eyther in word or deede As for their hart whiche vndoubtedly is double and therfore in daunger to Gods curse we haue as muche with vs as the papistes haue with them and more too by theyr owne iudgenente For they playing wilie begile themselues thynke it enough inwardlye to fauour the truth though outwardly they currye fauour What though with my body say they I do this or that GOD knoweth my harte is whole wyth hym Ah brother if thy harte be whole with GOD why doest not thou confesse and declare thy selfe accordynglye by woorde and facte Eyther that whiche thou sayest thou beleuest in thy hart is good or no. If it be good whye arte thou ashamed of it If it be euill whye doest thou keepe it in thy harte Is not GOD hable to defende thee aduenturing thy selfe for hys cause Or wyll not he defende hys worshippers Doth not the Scripture saye that the eyes of the Lorde are on them that feare hym and truste in hys mercye Psal 33 And whereto Forsoth to deliuer theyr soules from death and to feede them in the tyme of hunger If thys bee true as it is moste true whye are we afrayde of death as thoughe GOD coulde not comforte or deliuer vs or woulde not contrarye to hys promyse Whye are we afrayde of the losse of oure goodes as thoughe GOD woulde leaue them that feare hym destitute of all good thynges and so doe agaynste hys moste ample promyses Ah faythe faythe howe fewe feele thee nowe a dayes Luke 18. Full trulye sayde Christe that he shoulde scarcelye finde faythe when he came on earth For if men beleued these promyses they woulde neuer doe anye thynge outwardlye whiche inwardlye they dysallowe No example of men howe many so euer they bee or howe learned so euer they bee can preuaile in thys behalfe for the paterne which we must follow is Christ hym selfe and not the more companye or custome Hys woorde is the lanterne to lyghten oure steppes Psalm 118 and not learned men Companye and custome are to bee considered accordinge to the thyng they allowe Learned men are to be listened to and followed accordyng to Gods lore and lawe for elles the more parte goeth to the deuill As custome causeth erroure and blyndnesse so learnyng if it bee not accordinge to the lighte of Gods woorde is poyson and learned men moste pernicious The deuill is called Demon for hys cunnynge and the children of this worlde are muche wyser then the children of lyghte in theyr generation Luk. 16. and I knowe the deuill and his dearelynges haue alwayes for the moste parte more helpes in this life then Christes Churche and her children They the Deuill and hys Sinagoge I meane haue custome multitude vnitye antiquitye learning power riches honoure dignitie and promotions plentye as alwaies they haue hadde and shall haue commonlye and for the moste parte vntyll Christes comminge muche more then the true Churche haue presentlye heretofore haue hadde or hereafter shall haue For her glorye riches and honoure is not here her triall crosse and warrefare is here And therefore my deare hartes in the Lorde consider these thinges accordinglye Consider what you bee not worldlynges but Gods children Consider where you bee not at home but in a straunge countreye Consider among whom you are conuersante euen in the middest of youre ennemies and of a wicked generation and then I truste you will not muche muse at affliction which you can not be without being as you bee Gods children in a straunge countreye and in the middest of youre ennemies excepte you woulde leaue youre Captaine Christe and followe Sathan for the mucke of this moulde reste and quietnesse whiche he maye promyse you and you in dede thinke you shal receaue it by doing as he woulde haue you to doe but my sweete hartes he is not hable to paye that he promiseth Peace and warre come from GOD riches and pouertye wealth and woe The deuill hath no power but by Gods permission If then GOD permitte him a little on youre goodes bodye or life I praye you tell me what can muche hurte you as Peter sayeth you being followers of godlynesse 1. Pet. 3. Thinke you that GOD will not remember you in hys tyme as moste shall bee to youre comforte Can a woman forgette the childe of her wombe Esay 49. And if shee shoulde yet will not I forgette thee sayeth the Lorde Loke vppon Abraham in his exile and miserye looke vppon Iacob Iosephe Moses Dauid the Prophettes Apostles and all the Godlye from the beginning and my good brethren is not GOD the same God Is he a chaungeling You haue heard of the patience of Iob saith Saint Iames and you haue sene the ende howe that God is mercifull Iacob 5 patiente and longe suffering euen so saye I vnto you that you shall fynde accordinglye if so bee you bee patiente that is if so bee you feate hym sette hys woorde before you serue hym thereafter and if he laye hys crosse on you you beare it with pacience the which you shal do whē you consider it not according to the presente sense but accordyng to the end Hebru 12.2 Corin. 4. Therefore I hartely beseche you and oute of my bondes which I suffer for your sake pray you mine own swete hartes in the Lord that you would cleaue in harte humble obedience to the doctrine taughte you by me and many other my brethren For we haue taught you no fables nor tales of mē or our own phantasies but the very word of god which we are ready with oure liues God so enhabling vs as we truste he will to confirme by the sheding of our bloodes in all pacience humble obedience to the superiour powers to testifye and seale vp as wel that you mighte be more certaine of the doctrine as that you myght be ready to confesse the same before this wicked world knowing that if we confesse Christ and his truth before men he will confesse vs before hys father in heauen if so be
we be ashamed hereof for losse of life frendes or goodes he wil be ashamed of vs before his father and his holy Angels in heauen Therfore take hede for the Lords sake take hede take hede defile not your bodies or soules with this Romish AntichristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ set vp amoÌ„gest vs again but come away come away as the Angell cryeth Apoca. 18. from amongest them in their Idolatrous seruice least you be partakers of their iniquitye HarkeÌ„ to your preachers as the ThessaloniaÌ„s did to Paul that is conferre their sayinges with the Scriptures and if they sound not therafter Esay 8. the morning light shal not shine vppon them Vse much and harty prayer for the spirit of wisedome knowledge humblenesse mekenesse sobrietye and repentauÌ„ce which we haue great nede of because our synnes haue thus prouoked the Lords anger agaynst vs but let vs beare his anger acknowledge our faultes with bitter teares and sorowful sighes doubtles he wil be merciful to vs after hys wonted mercy The which thing he vouchsafe to do for his holy names sake in Christ Iesu our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghoste bee all honoure glorye prayse and euerlastynge thankes from thys tyme forth for euermore Amen Out of prison by yours in the Lorde to commaunde Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued in the lord Mystres VV. and Mystres VV. ALmighty God our deare and most mercifull father be always with you both my entierly beloued mother and Syster in the Lorde and as hys babes he for euer kepe you vnto hys eternal kingdome throughe Christe our Sauiour Amen I purpose not to go about to render thankes to you for gods great goodnes towardes me by you because I can not Either of you hath so heaped vpon me benefits that it were hard for me to recken the tythes He for whose sake you haue done it and all the good you do one daye recompence you after your hartes desyre in hym In the meane season I beseche hym to reueale vnto you more and more the ryches of hys grace and loue in Christ by whom ye are beloued and were before the worlde was and shall be doutles worlde wythout ende Accordyng to the reuelation your sense or fayth herein so wyll you contend to all pietie and godlines as S. Iohn saith he that hath thys hope wyll purify hymselfe as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3 For howe should it otherwyse bee but if we bee certainlye persuaded that heauen is ours and we citizens therof but I say we should desire the dissolution of our bodies and death to dispatche vs and to do hys office vpon vs If we dyd certainly beleue we were members of Christ and gods temples how should we but flie from all impuritie and corruption of the worlde whiche commeth by concupiscence If we dyd certainly beleue that god in dede of hys mercy in Christ is become our father in that hys good wyll is infinite and hys power accordyng therto how coulde we be afrayde of man or Deuil Howe coulde we doubte of saluation or any good thynge whiche myght make to Gods glorye and our owne weale Now that we shoulde be certayne and sure of thys that we are Gods children in Christ marke whether all thynges teache vs not Beholde the creation of thys worlde and the gubernation of the same doe not these teache vs that God loueth vs And is gods loue out of Christ the beloued If not his loue as he is vnchangeable Iohn 13. Doth not S. Iohn say that he loueth to the ende whom he loueth Therfore I say the very creatures of god concernyng both their creation conseruation tell vs that god loueth vs that is that we in Christ be his childreÌ„ and dearlinges although in our selues and of oure selues wee bee otherwyse namelye chyldren of wrathe Agayne loke vpon the law of god and tell me whether it do not requyre this certainty of you namely that you be gods dere childreÌ„ in Christ Doth not god plainly affirme say I am the Lord thy God Doth he not charge you to haue none other gods but hym How then can you perishe if god be your god psal 143 Doth not that make god no god Doth not Dauid say that those people be happy which haue the Lord for their God Besides this loke on your beliefe do you not professe that you beleue in God your father almighty whiche wanteth no power to helpe you as he wanted no good wyll in Christ to choose you Do you not say that you do beleue remission of synnes resurrection of the body life euerlasting felowship wyth the sainctes c. But how doe you saye you beleue thys geare and be not certayne therof Is not fayth a certaintie Is not doubtyng against fayth as S. Iames sayeth Pray in faythe and doubte not for he that doubteth obteyneth nothyng Math. 8 When Peter beganne to doubte he had lyke to haue bene drowned beware of it therfore Moreouer for to certifye youre consciences that you be gods childerne shal neuer finally perish through gods goodnes in Christe beholde your heade your Capitaine I meane Christe Iesus Wherefore came he into this world but to redeme you to marry you vnto hymselfe to destroye the workes of Sathan to saue and seeke that whiche was loste Wherfore suffered he so greate and bytter passions Dydde he it not to take awaye your synnes Wherefore dydde he ryse from deathe Dyd he it not to iustifye you Wherfore dyd he ascende into heauen Dyd he it not to take possession there for you to leade your captiuitye captiue to prepare and make ready all thynges for you to appeare before the father alwayes praying for you If these be true as they be most true why theÌ„ stand you in a doubt Do you not therby deny Christ Wherefore were you borne of Christian parentes and in gods churche but because you were Gods chylderne by Christ before you were borne For thys cause you were baptised and hetherto the Lorde hathe thus delte wyth you sparyng you correctyng you and blessyng you but why Verely because you be hys children and shal be for euer through Christ Tell me why hath God kepte you till thys tyme but that he wyll for hys sake haue you euen here made lyke vnto Christ thâ—t elsewhere you may so be Why hathe he opened youre eyes from Popery but because you be hys childerne in deede When you do praye doe you not call hym father Why doe you doubte of it then Why wyll you beleue the Deuil more theÌ„ God your father the Sonne and the holy ghoste more then the holye worde of GOD bothe in the lawe and in Gospell more then all the blessynges and castigations of God Do not all these preach to you and tell you that you are gods babes throughe Christ Therefore my derely beloued beleue it and geue not place to the Deuill but withstand hym strong in fayth Marke 9 Luk.
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
my good and most deare Mother geue thankes for me to god that he hath made the fruite of your wōbe to be a wytnes of hys glory and attend to the truth whiche I thank god for it I haue truly taught out of the pulpit of Manchester Vse often and continual prayer to God the father through Christ Harken as you may to the scriptures serue God after hys worde and not after custome beware of the Romyshe religion in Englande defyle not your selfe wyth it cary Christes crosse as he shall saye it vppon your backe forgeue them that kyll me pray for thē for they know not what they do committe my cause to god our father bee myndeful of both your daughters to help them as you can I send all my writinges to you by my brother Roger doe wyth them as you will because I cannot as I woulde he can tel you more of my mynd I haue nothyng to geue you or to leaue behind me for you onely I pray God my father for hys christes sake to blesse you and kepe you from euyll He geue your patience he make you thankeful as for me so so for your selfe that wyll take the fruite of your wombe to witnesse hys verity wherin I confesse to the whole worlde I dye and departe thys lyfe in hope of a much better which I loke for at the hands of god my father through the merytes of hys deare sonne Iesus Christ Thus my deare Mother I take my laste farewell of you in this life besechyng the almighty and eternall father by Christ to graunte vs to mete in the lyfe to come where we shall geue hym continuall thankes and prayse for euer and euer Amen ¶ Out of pryson the .24 of Iune 1555. Your sonne in the Lord Iohn Bradforde To one by whom he had receiued much comfort and reliefe in hys trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of god in Christ peculier to hys children be euer more felt of you my derely beloued in the lord Amē When I consider with my selfe the benefites which God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not wyth drye eyes geue him thākes for certainly they are very many and great And nowe beyng yet still the lordes prisoner I perceiue from him moe benefits by you For the which I thinke my self so much bounde to you my good brother althoughe you were but the instrumēt by whō god wrought and blessed me that I loke not to come out of your dette by anye pleasure or seruice that I shal euer be able to do you in this life I shal hartely pray vnto god therfore to requite you the good you haue done to me for his sake for I knowe that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of god his word He therfore geue you dailye more more to be tonfirmed in his truth word so plētifully poure vpō you the riches of his holy spirit and heauēly treasures laid vp in store for you that your corporal earthly riches may be vsed of you as sacraments significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heauēly and the lesse to esteme the other that is the earthly For Satans sollitation is so to set before you the earthly that therin and thereby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forgette them and altogether become a louer worshipper of the erthly Māmon so to fal to couetousnes a desire to be rich by the meanes to bring you into many noisom and hurtful lustes as now adais I heare of many which haue vtterly forsakē god al his heauēly riches for Antichrists pleasure the preseruing of their worldly pelf which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertain as they may be most certain they leaue to thē gods wrath vēgeaūce in his time to be sent by visitation if they in time hartely repēt not preuēt not the same by earnest praier Wherin my good brother if you be diligēt harty perseuer I am sure god wil preserue you frō euyll frō yelding your self to do as the world now doth by allowing in bodely fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitatiō mind doth disalowe But if you be cold in prayer come into cōsideration of earthly present thinges simply thā shal you fal into faithles folies woundyng of your conscsēce from which god euermore preserue you with your good wife your babe Leonard al your family to that which I wish the blessing of God now and for euer through Christ our Lord Amen I pray you geue thankes for me to your old bedfellow for his greate frendship for your sake shewed to me when I was in the Tower Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued Syster Mystres A. VV. THe euerlasting peace of Christ be more more liuely felt in our hartes by the operatiō of the holy ghost now and for euer Amen Although I know it to be more then nedeth to write any thing vnto you good Syster beīg as I dont not you be diligētly exercised in reading of the scriptures meditating the same harty praier to god for the helpe of his holy spirit to haue the sense feelyng especially of the comfortes you reade in gods swete boke yet hauing such opportunitie knowing not whether hereafter I shall haue the like as this bringer can declare I thought good in few wordes to take my farewel in writing because otherwise I can not And now me thinkes I haue done it For what els can I or should I say vnto you my derely beloued in the lord but farewel Farewel dere Sister farewell How be it in the lord our lord I say farewel In him shal you farewel so much the better by how much in your self you fare euil shal fare euil Whē I speake of your self I meane also this world this life al things properly perteining to this life In thē as you loke not for your welfare so be not dismaide when accordinglye you shall not feele it To the lord our god to the Lambe our Christ which hath borne our sinnes on his back and is our mediator for euer do I send you In him loke for welfare that wtout all wauering because of his owne goodnes and truth whiche our euilnes and vntruth cannot take awaye Not that therefore I woulde haue you to flatter your selfe in any euill or vnbeliefe but that I would comfort you that they should not dismay you Yours is our Christe wholye Yours I say he is wyth all that euer he hath Is not thys welfare trow you Mountaynes shall moue and the earthe shall fall before you fynde it otherwyse say the lyer Sathan what he lyste Therfore good Sister farewel and be merye in the Lord be mery I say for you
before but you shall come after sooner or later Howebeit I could not but before I goe sygnify thus much vnto you as I haue done that you myghte see my loue and thereby bee occasioned to increase in loue and learne rather to beare then breake My poore most dere Syster to me that euer I had with whō I leaue thys lettter I commende vnto you all and to euery of you beseechyng you and hartelye praying you in the bowels and bloode of Iesus Chryste to care for her as for one whyche is deare in Gods syghte and one whiche loueth you all in GOD and hath done as I can and doe beare her wytnes althoughe in the poynte of predestination it hathe pleased God by my ministerye to open vnto her hys truthe Wherein as she is setled and I truste in God confyrmed so yf you cannot thynke wyth her therein as she dothe I hartelye praye you and as I can in Gods behalfe charge you that you molest her not nor dysquiete her but lette loue abounde and therein contende who can goe moste before I commende also vnto you my good Syster M. C. makyng for her the lyke sure vnto you all Ah dere hartes be not faint harted for these euyll dais which are come to trie vs purify vs that we may the more be parteners of gods holines as to our selues so to the worlde we shal be beter knowen Continue to walke in the feare of the Lord as ye haue wel begonne Kepe your selues pure as I hope you do from thys rotten Romish yea Antichristian religion Reuerently read gods word therto ioyning prayer that as you heare in readyng god speake vnto you so in praying you may speake vnto hym Labour after your callyngs to helpe other As you haue done do styll and I pray god geue you grace to continue as I dout not but he wil for hys goodnes sake At the lēgth we shal mete together in Christes kyngdome and there neuer part a sunder but prayse the name of our good god and father wyth the Patriarkes Prophets Apostels Aungels Archaungels and all the Saintes of God Oh ioyfull place oh place of all places desyred My brethren I thynke my selfe more happye then you by how much I am nowe more nere vnto it Helias chariote I hourely loke for 4 Reg. 2 to come and catch me vppe My cloke that is my carcas I shall leaue behind me in ashes which I doute not my Lord wyl rayse vp and restore to me again in the last day glorifyed euen lyke vnto hys owne most glorious body The portion of the good spirit which my father hath lent me I wyshe yea double and treble vnto you al. God the father of mercy in the blood of his christ geue to euery of you my dere hartes in hym hys blessyng and poure plentifullye vpon you hys holy spirite that you may increase in all godly knowledge and godlines to your owne comfort and the edification of many others Amen Yet once more I commend vnto you my foresaid most dere and beloued Syster in the lord who alwais be vnto her a most louyng father spouse and pastour Amen Amen Out of prison the 16. of February 1554. Your owne harte Iohn Bradforde To Trewe and Abyngton wyth other of their company teachers and maynteiners of the errour of mans freewyll YEt once more beloued in the Lord before penne and yuke be vtterly taken from me as I looke it to bee thys after noone I thought good to write vnto you because I stande in a doubte whether at any tyme hereafter I shall see or speake wyth you for within this seuen night my lord Chaūcelour bade loke for iudgement God knoweth I lye not I neuer did beare you malice nor sought the hynderance of any one of you but youre good bothe in soule and bodye Read the 1. Cor. 13. chap. and compare these spirites wyth the spirit of humblenes vnity and loue which here you se in this man of God doyng good euen to his aduersaries and then iudge of them theyr doctrine as when we shall all appeare together before God I am certayne you shall then know though now you doubte it and that causes I am right well assured For myne owne conscience can and doth beare witnes wyth me that I neuer defrauded you or any of you of the valewe of one peny or peny worth of any thyng but haue sought wyth that whyche hath bene geuen not onely in common but also vnto me to myne owne vse discretion and distribution to doe you good Therfore disdaine not the good will of your louer in god And in hope that you wil not I haue eftsones euē now sente vnto you xiij.s iiij d. Yf you nede as much more you shall haue it or any thyng olles I haue or can doe for you Though in some thyngs we agree not yet let loue beare the bell away and let vs one pray for another He meaneth concerning freewyl original sume predestinatiō c. wherein they are playne Pelagians and papistes and bee carefull one for another for I hope we bee all Christes As you hope your selues to perteyne to hym so thinke of me and as you be hys so am I yours Iohn Bradford ¶ At thys letter these men were so sore offended because he sayde he had hyndered hymselfe to further them as though be had therby vpbrayded them that in dyspleasure they sent it to hym agayne Whereupon he wrote vnto them as followeth HE that seketh not to hynder hym selfe temporally that he may further hys brother in more nede the same wanteth true loue I haue done do and wil except you refuse it hynder my selfe thys way that I may further you and in dede my selfe also that way Though he distributed to them emōges other prisoners there not only that which was geuen in cōmon but also to hys owne vse yet they suspected hym of euil dealyng Thus do not they in whom the loue of God dwelleth wherein I desyre to be furthered Yf I would seke mine owne gaynes temporallye then coulde I haue taken vsed many portiōs of mony whiche haue bene geuen to me mine owne vse I neuer mynded to vpbraide you but that whiche I dyd wryte of myne owne hynderance was that you myght see I loued you and sought your weale as I doe and wyll be glad to doe it continually The lord of mercy hath forgeuen vs all wherefore henceforth lette vs rather beare then breake Yours in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ A letter whyche he set as a preface before a supplication sente to Quene Marye her counsel and the whole Parliamente whiche supplication commeth not yet to our handes IN most humble wise complaineth vnto your Maiesty and honours a poore subiect persecuted for the confession of Christes verity the which verity deserueth at your handes to be maintayned and defended as the thynge by the which you reigne and haue your honoure and authorities Althoughe we that bee
corruption And let vs consider these thinges so that we wholy may bende our selues to put away all the oldenes of our flesh whence in dede corruption and death doth come and that we may prouoke our selues to the newnes of the spirite and the lyfe of Christe wherin is all incorruption and the true taste of the resurrection for to thys ende the holy ghost dyd wryte this by the Apostle That therfore this spirit might lead vs hereunto let vs pray then we shall vnderstand this place of Paule wyth profit If perchaunce it wyll moue you that the Apostle speaketh not of thys delyueraunce of the creature from corruption in anye other place but here neither anye other holye wryter I would you would thynke that the misery of the restauration of Israel also of Antichrist is not expounded but in the Apostels writyngs and that but in one place yea the manner of our resurrection is not written but in .ij. places We oughte to knowe that they are the wordes of the Lorde what soeuer the Apostle hathe lefte to vs written Again the simplicity of this place Rom. 8 is plaine And thus my dearely beloued I haue written to you so muche as I thynke is sufficient about thys mater and therfore nede not to tary herein any longer or to spende anye more tyme about the answeryng of that which is but curiositye God our father geue vs nowe hys holye spirite to leade vs into thys and all other necessary truth in such sort that we may haue a liuely feelyng of eternall lyfe begonne in vs that we may become first new and so loke for new heauen and earthe wherin ryghteousnes dwelleth which God impute to vs and begynne in vs for hys Christes sake Amen Amen Your owne for euer in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ⧠Certayne letters of mayster Thomas Whyttel a godlye and a faythefull Minyster and preacher of gods worde who after he had relented by the tyrannye and cruel dealyng of Bonner returned agayne wyth greate constancye and stoode to the defence of the truthe vnto the fyre The .12 of Ianuary In the yeare of our Lorde 1556. To my beloued frende and faythfull Brother in Christe Iohn Careles prysoner in the Kynges Benche THe peace of god in Christ be wyth you continually dearely beloued brother in Christe with the assistaunce of gods grace and holye spirite to the workyng and performyng of those thynges which may comforte and edifye hys churche as ye daily do to the glorye of hys name and the increase of your ioy and comforte of soule in thys lyfe and also your rewarde in heauen wyth Christ our captayn whose faythful souldiour you are in the lyfe to come Amen I haue greatly reioyced my deare hart with thankes to god for you synce I haue heard of your fayth and loue towards god and hys saintes wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the verity of Christes doctrine and religiō which I haue heard by the reporte of many but specially by the declaryng of that valiaunt captaine in Christes church that stout chāpion in gods cause that spectacle to the world I meane our good brother Philpot who now lyeth vnder the aultare swetely enioyeth the promysed rewarde And speciallye I my condemned fellowes geue thankes to God for your louyng and comfortable letter in the depenes of our trouble after the fleshe sente vnto vs to the consolation of vs al but most specially to me most sinfull myser on mine owne behalfe but happy I hope through godslouing kindnes in Christ shewed vnto me who suffred me to fainte and fayle through humayne infirmity by the workyng of the Archenemye in hys sworne souldiours the byshops and priestes In whome so liuely appeareth the verye visage and shape of Satan that a man if it wer not preiudice to gods word might wel affirme them to be Deuils incarnate as I by experiēce do speake Wherfore who so shal for consciēce matters come into their hands had nede of the wilines of the Serpent to saue hys head though it be with the woundyng of his body and to take diligent hede how he consenteth to theyr wycked writyngs or setteth hys hand to their couenaūtes Sore dyd they assault me and craftelye tempte me to theyr wycked wayes or at least to a denegation of my faythe and true opinions though it were but by colour and dissimulation and alas somethyng they dyd preuayle Not that I any thyng at all lyked their opinions and false papisticall religion or els doubted of the truth wherin I stand but only the infirmity of the flesh begyled me desiryng lyberty by an vnlawfull meanes God lay it not to my charge at that day so I desire you hartely to pray How be it vncertain I am whether more profite or disprofite came therby profit to me in that god suffred Satan to buffit me by his foresayd ministers of myschiefe shewyng me mine infirmitye that I should not boste nor reioyce in my selfe but only in the Lord. Who when he had led me to hel in my conscience through the respect of hys fearefull iudgementes agaynste me for my fearefulnes mistrust and crafty clokyng in suche spirituall and weighty matters in the whiche myne agony distresse I found thys old verse true Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus yet he left me not there but brought me from thence againe to the magnifieng of hys name suspectyng of fleshe and bloud and cōsolation of myne own soule also that I myght fele the disprofite in offending the congregatiō of god which peraduenture will rather adiudge my fal to come of doutfulnes in my doctrine religion thē of humain imbecillity Wel of the importune burdē of a troubled consciēce for denying or dissembling the knowē verity I by experience could saye very much more which perhaps I wil declare by writyng to the warnyng of other if god graunt time for now am I my fellowes redy to go hēce euen for Christes cause Gods name be praysed who hathe hetherto called vs. Pray I pray you that we may end our course wyth ioy and at your appointed tyme you shal come after But as the Lord hath kepte you so wyll he preserue your lyfe styll to the intent you should labour as you do to appease and conuince these vngodly contentions and controuersies which now do to muche raigne brauwlyng about termes to no edification GOD is dishonoured the church disquieted and occasion to speake euyll of the Gospel ministred to our aduersaries But such is the subtilty of Sathan that whom he cannot wynne with grosse idolatrye in open religion them he seketh to corrupt and deceyue in opinions in a priuate profession But here I wyl abrutply leaue least wyth my rudenes and symplicity I shuld be tedious to you desiring you my louyng brother if it shal not seme greuous vnto you to wryte vnto me and my fellowes yet once agayne if you may haue leasure and we tyme to the same and sende me worde
if you can hastely Prouide me Maister Philpots .ix. examinations for a frende of myne and I shal pay you therfore by the leaue of almighty GOD our heauenlye father who correcteth all hys deare chyldren in this world that they shoulde not be damned wyth the world and trieth the fayth of hys saintes through many tribulations that being found constant to the ende he may crowne his owne giftes in them and in heauen highly reward thē Whether I trust to go before loking for you to followe my faithful frend that we may sing perpetuall prayse to our louing Lord god for victory ouer Sathan sinne wonne for vs by Iesus christ God and man our only sufficient sauiour and aduocate Amen Farewel and pray in faith Yours Thomas Whittell Minister and now condemned to dye for the Gospels sake Anno 1555. Ianuary 21. ¶ To my deare frende and brother Thomas VVente and other hys prison fellowes in Lollardes Tower HE that preserued Ioseph prisoner in Egipt Act. 16 fed Daniel in the Lions denne deliuered Paule Peter and the other Apostels out of pryson vouchsafe of hys goodnes to kepe fede and deliuer you my good brother Wente wyth the other our fellow souldiours your prison fellowes as may be most to hys glorye to your consolation and the edification of hys church I cannot but prayse god most earnestly when I heare of your constancy in the fayth and ioy in the crosse of christ which you now beare and suffer together with many other good members of Christ 2. Thess ◠which is a token that by Christe ye are counted worthy the kyngdome of God as Paule sayeth And though the world counteth the yoke and crosse of Christ as a most pernicious hurtful thyng yet we whiche haue tasted how frendly the Lord is cannot but reioyce in this persecution as touching our selues 1. pet 2 in as muche as the cause for the which we suffer is the lordes cause and not altogether oures at whose hand if we endure to the ende we shall receyue through hys liberall promise in Christ not only a greate rewarde in heauen but also the kingdom of heauen it self and also in the meane season be sure to be defended cared for so that we shall lacke no necessary thynges Math. 10 neyther a heare of our heades shall perysh wtout his knowledge O what is he that woulde mystrust or not gladlye serue so louyng a father O howe vnhappye are they that forsake hym and put their truste in man But howe blessed are they that for hys loue and for hys holy wordes sake in these troublesome dayes 1. pet 4 doe committe their soules and bodies into hys handes with wel doing counting it greater happines and ryches to suffer rebuke wyth Christ and hys church Heb. 11 then to enioy the pleasures of this life for a litle short seasō This crosse that we now beare hath ben cōmon to al the faithful frō Abel hetherto shal be to the end for because the deuil hauyng great wrath agaynst god hys Christ Apo. 12 cānot abide that he should for his manifold mercies be lauded and magnified and Christ to be taken and beleued vpon for our only and sufficient redemer Sauiour and aduocate And therfore because wyll not denye Christ nor dissemble wyth our faythe but openly proteste and professe the same before the world he seketh by all meanes to styrre vp his wicked members to persecute and kyl the bodies of the true christians Apo. 2. psal 115 as Iohn sayeth the deuil shall caste some of you into prison And Dauid sayeth I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled This notwythstandyng go forward deare brethren as ye haue begonne to fight the lordes battell consideryng Christ the captaine of your war who wil both fyght for you geue you victory and also highly reward your paines Consider to your comfort the notable chiefe shepehards and souldiours of Christ which are gone before vs in these days I meane those learned godlo bishops doctours and other ministers of gods worde whose faith and examples we that be inferiors ought to folow Heb. 13 as Paule saith Remember them that haue declared vnto you the word of god the ende of whose conuersation see that ye loke vpon and follow their fayth The grace blessyng of God wyth the ministery of hys holye Aungels be wyth you for euer Amē All my pryson fellowes grete you From the Colebouse this this .4 of December By your poore brother Thomas Whittell an vnworthy minyster of Christ now hys prysoner for the gospels sake Amen ¶ To all the true professours and louers of Gods holy Gospell wythin the Citye of London Rom. 4. Luke 1. THe same fayth for the which Abrahā was counted rightuous and Mary blessed the Lord god encrease and make stable in your hartes my dere and faythfull bretherne and Sisters of London for euer and euer Amen Dearly beloued be not troubled in this heate which is now come amongs you to try you 1. Pet. 4. as though some straūge thīg had happened vnto you but reioice in as much as ye are pertakers of Christes passions that when his glory appeareth ye may be merye glad c. Out of these words of S. Peter I gather most specially these .4 notes First the persecutiō happeneth to Christs church for their triall that is for the probation prose of their faith Which faith like as it is knowē with god in the depth of our hartes so wil he haue it made manifest to the whole world thorow persecutiō that so it may euidently appeare that he hath such a church people vpon earth which so trusteth in hym feareth hys holy name that no kind of persecution paynes Rom. 8. Gene. 22. Iob. 1 nor death shal be able to seperate thē frō the loue of hym And thus was Abrahā tryed Iob tempted that their fayth which before lay hyd almost in their harts might be made knowen to the whole world to be so stedfast stronge that the deuil natural loue nor no other enemy could be able to bereue thē therof wherby also god was to be magnifyed who both trieth his people by many tribulatiōs and also standeth by thē in the middest of their troubles to deliuer thē by life or death as he seeth best like as he assisted Loth deliuered him out of his enemies hands Rom. 9. 2 Cor. 11. Aect. 16. Genesis 4. 2. Macb. 6. Aect. 7. Matth. 27. Iames. 4. Ioseph out of the hands of his brethren out of prisō Paule frō his enemies in Damasco the Apostles out of the stockes prison These with many mo he deliuered to life also he deliuered Abel Eleazar Steuē Iohn Baptist with other many by death and hath also by the trial of their faith made them good presidents exāples to vs al that come after to suffer affliction
in the lyke cause as s Iames sayth Take my brethren sayth he the Prophets for an ensāple of suffering aduersitie and of long pacience which spake vnto you in the name of the Lord behold we count thē happy which endure Y e haue heard of the paciēce of Iob haue knowen what end the lord made with hym for the lord is very pitiful merciful Also the lord trieth vs to let vs see our own harts thoughts that no hypocrisy nor ambitiō deceaue vs that the stronge in Christ may pray that he fal not but endure to the end that those that fal through fearful infirmitie might spedely repent ryse agayn wyth Peter also that the weake ones myght bewayle theyr weakenes cry with Dauid haue mercy vpō me O lord Psalme 6. for I am weake O lorde heale me for all my bones are vexed Of thys opening of the hart by persecutiō spake holy Simeō to Marye Christes Mother when he sayde Luke 2. the sworde that is the crosse of persecution shall pearse thy soule that the thoughtes of manye hartes maye be opened For like as a King that shoulde goe to battell is compelled to looke in hys cofers what treasure he hath and also what number and puisaunce of men and weapons so that if he see hymselfe vnreadye and vnarmed to bycker wyth hys ennemye he surceaseth and taketh truce for a tyme euen so we by persecutions haue oure hartes opened that we maye looke therein to see what faythe in Christe we haue and what strengthe to wythstande the enemyes and to beare the crosse that if we bee ryche in these treasures we myghte reioyce and valiauntlye goe to battell or if we wante these thinges with all speede to call and crye vppon him whiche geueth all good giftes to those that aske them Item the crosse trieth the good people from the badde the faithfull frō the worldlings hypocrites also clēseth scoureth the faythful hartes from al corruption filthynesse both of the flesh the spirit And euē as an yron except it be oftē scoured wil sone waxe rustye so except our sinfull hartes flesh be often scoured with the whetstone of the crosse they wil sone corrupt ouergrow with the rust of al filthynesse and sinne And therfore it is mete good for vs as the wismā sayth that as gold siluer are tryed in the fyre Sirach 2. so shoulde the hartes of acceptable men be tryed in the fornace of aduersitie Abide the tryal dere frends that ye may obtayne the crowne of life Fyght manfully in thys the Lords cause that ye may obteyne a gloryous victory here and receaue a great reward in heauen hereafter As ye are called Christians and would be angrye to be called Iewes or Turkes so declare your christianitye by followyng the steppes of Christe whose name ye beare suffer with hym and for hys Gospelles sake rather then to denye hym or to defyle youre fayth and conscience wyth false worshippyng or Romyshe religion Take vppe your crosse my deare hartes nowe when it is offered you and goe vppe wyth Christe to Ierusalem amongest the Byshoppes Priestes and rulers yf GOD call you thereto and they wyl anone send you to Caluarye from whence dying in the cause of the Gospell wherin oure good preachers and brethren haue geuen their lyues your soules I warrant you through Christe Iesu Eccle. 12. shall ascende to GOD that gaue them and the bodye shall come after at the laste daye and so shall ye dwell wyth the Lorde for euer in vnspeakeable ioye and blysse O blessed are they that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse sake as Christes people in thys Iewyshe Englande now doth for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen O my beloued sette your myndes on this kyngdome where Christe our heade and Kyng is consideryng that as the brute beaste looketh downewardes wyth the face towardes the earth so is man made contrarye wise wyth hys face looking vpwardes towardes the heauens because hys conuersation shoulde be in heauen and heauenly thyngs and not vppon the earth and earthlye chynges Col. 3 as Sainct Paule sayth set your myndes on thynges which are are aboue where Christe is And agayne he sayeth phil 3. our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for oure Sauiour who wyll chaunge oure vyle bodyes and make them like to his glorious body Oh the glorious estate that we bee called vnto the Lorde preserue vs blamelesse to hys eternall kyngdome throughe Christe Iesus oure Lorde Amen The seconde thyng that I note in the foresayde wordes of Peter is that he calleth persecution no straunge thynge And truth it is for whiche of the Prophettes were not persecuted wyth Christe and hys Apostles and some of them in the ende cruellye kylled for the truthes sake Caine kylled Abell Isaac was persecuted of Ismaell 3. Regum 4. Regum Iacob was hated of Esau Iosephe was prysoned and sette in the stockes The Prophette Esaye was cutte in two wyth a sawe Ieremye was stoned Micheas was buffeted and fedde wyth breade and water Helias was sore persecuted Eleazer and the woman with her seuen sonnes were cruellye kylled 2. mac 6.7 What Christe and the Apostles suffered it is well knowen so that by manye tribulations as Paule sayeth we muste enter into the kyngdome of heauen Act. 14 All the holy Prophettes Christe and hys Apostles suffered suche afflictions not for euel doing but for preachinge Gods woord for rebukyng the worlde of synne and for their fayth in Iesus Christe Thys is the ordinaunce of GOD my frends this is the hygh way to heauen by corporal death to eternal lyfe Iohn 5. as Christ sayth he that heareth my words beleueth in hym that sent me hath eternal life shal not come into iudgemēt but is escaped from death to lyfe Let vs neuer feare death which is kylled by christ but beleue in him liue for euer Roman 8. as Paul sayth there is no damnation to them that are in christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirit 1. Corin. 15. And agayne Paule sayth Death where is thy sting Hel where is thy victory Thankes be to god whiche hath geuen vs victory through Iesu Christ Besides this ye haue sene dayly do see the blood of your good preachers brethren which hath bene shed in the gospels cause in thys sinful Sodome thys bloody Ierusalē this vnhappie citie of Londō Let not their blood be forgottē nor the blood of your good byshop Ridley who like a good shepeherd to your cōfort exāple hath geuē hys lyfe for his shepe S. Paul saith remember them that haue spokē to you the word of god Iohn 10. Heb. 13 loke vpon the end of their conuersation and folow their faith The deuil euer stirreth vp false teachers as he hath done now ouer al England 2. peter 2. 1. Timot 4. 2. Timo. 3.
then he can well wyshe or dare desyre His worde cannot lye call vpon me in the day of trouble and I wil heare thee and thou shalt prayse me Psal 50. I aunswered the enemy also on thys maner I am a synner and therfore not worthye to bee a wytnesse of hys truth What then Must I deny hys word because I am not worthy to professe it What bring I to passe in so doyng but adde synne to synne What is greater synne then to deny the truth of Christes gospell As Christ hymself beareth wytnesse he that is ashamed of me or of my wordes of hym I wyll be also ashamed before my father and all hys Aungels I myght also by lyke reasoÌ„ forbeare to do any of gods commaundements When I am prouoked to pray the enemy may say vnto me I am not worthy to pray therfore I shall not pray And so in like maner of all the commaundementes I shall not forbeare swearyng stealyng murtheryng because I am not worthy to do any commauÌ„dement of God These be the delusions of the Deuill and Sathans suggestions which muste be ouercome by continuaunce of prayer and wyth the word of god applied accordyng to the measure of euery mans gift against al assaultes of the Deuill At the bishops first comming to Lichefield after myne imprisonment I was called into a by chamber nexte to my prison to my Lord. Before whome when I came and sawe none but hys officers chaplaines and seruauntes except it were an old prieste I was partly amased and lifted vp my hart to god for his mercifull helpe and assistaunce My lord asked me how I liked my imprisonment I gaue him no answer touchyng that questioÌ„ He proceded to persuade me to be a member of hys church whiche had continued so many yeres As for our church as he called it was not knowen be said but lately in king Edwards tyme. I professe myself to be a member of that church said I that is builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesu Christ beyng the head corner stone so alledged the place of S. Paule to the Ephes And this church hath bene froÌ„ the beginning said I though it beare no glorious shewe before the world beyng euer for the most part vnder the crosse affliction contemned despised and persecuted My lord on the other side contended that they were the church So cryed all the cleargy against the Prophets at Ierusalem saying templum Domini templum Domini the church the church And always wheÌ„ I was about to speak any thing my lord cryed hold thy peace hold thy peace I coÌ„maund thee by the vertue of obedieÌ„ce to holde thy peace callyng me a proud arrogant heretyke I wylled my lord to burtheÌ„ me with some specialties theÌ„ to conuince me wyth some scriptures good learnyng Then my lord began to moue certayne questions I refused to answer him in corners requiryng that I myght make my aunswer openly He sayd I should aunswer hym there I stode wyth hym vpon that poynte vntill he said I should to pryson againe and there haue neither meate nor drink til I had answered hym Then I lyfted vp my hart to God that I myght stand and agree wyth the doctrine of hys most holy worde The first question was this how many sacramentes Christ instituted to be vsed in the churche The Sacrament of Baptisme said I and the sacrament that he instituted at hys last supper No more sayd he To all those that declare a true and vnfayned repentaunce a sure hope trust confidence in the death of Christ to such the ministers I graunt that haue authority to pronounce by the power of gods word the remâ—ssion of their sinnes Here interrupting me he wold nedes beare me in hand that I called this a Sacrament I would not greatly contend wyth hym in that point because the matter was of no great wayght or importance although he in so doyng dyd me wroÌ„g for I called it not a sacrameÌ„t He asked me further whether I allowed their confession I said no. Then he would know my mynde what I thoughte of the presence of Christes bodye in the sacrament I aunswered that their masse was neyther sacrifice nor sacrameÌ„t because said I you haue takeÌ„ away the true institutioÌ„ which when you restore again I wil tel you my iudgement coÌ„cernyng christes body in the sacrament Here was he preueÌ„ted that he could not make an end of this whych he most godly had begonne by reason of the 〈◊〉 which came from London concernyng his executioÌ„ and martyrdome which he suffred shortly after To the Maior of Couentrye and hys Brethren I Besech you to vnderstande that it is not vnknoweÌ„ aswel to the keper of the Iaile as to the inhabitours about me where I dwel that I am a man subiect to very great sickenes and haue bene by the space of seuen yeres more so that it is not like that I shall be remoued without perill and daunger of my life And because I was here committed toward by your appointement I woulde gladly here aunswer to such thinges as shal be layde to my charge If I may obtain this of you I haue cause thaÌ„kfully to reknowlege your indiffeÌ„ercy if otherwise I pray god it be not laid to your charge at the great day where euerye man shall haue iust iudgement without respecte of person Your prisoner in the Lord alwayes myndfull of you in my poore prayer Robert Glouer ¶ To hys wyfe chyldren and whole family as hys last farewell to them for euer in thys worlde THe mightie consolation of the holy spirit froÌ„ our most louing merciful father for his dere sonnes sake Iesus Christ continually dwell in your hart my deare and to the ende most faithfull and godly wife His holy Aungels pitche their rentes aboute you and your litle ones and suffer you not to be tempted aboue your strength so to the end that we may dwell altogether with our louing and mercifull god father sing prayses to his name with his Angels and Archaungels for euer and euer Amen I bidde you all farewel in the Lorde Continue in prayer reioyce in hope be pacient in your affliction comfort your hart alwayes with the life to come For my departure consider how oft I haue bene going froÌ„ you through my loÌ„g sicknesse and yet god my most louing and mercifull father maruelousye hath reserued me to thys high promotion for the which you ought to geue harty thankes if you loue his glory my eternal ioy felicitye And if you shewe your selues obedient children to your heauenly father he wil loue you kepe you helpe you so that you shal lacke nothing expedient for soule or body and in the end when his good wil pleasure is you shal come to me and perpetuallye enioy me I you we al shall haue the fulnesse of that ioye that shall neuer be taken from you Ye litle ones loue your mother yeld
Marke 6 Matth. 10. Apo 5. God wyl not be mocked naye they that dissemble with him deceiue themselues Such shal the lord deny and caste oute at the laste daye such I say as beare two faces in one hoode such as play on both handes such as deny the knowen truth such as obstinately rebel agaynst hym All such with theyr partakers shall the lord destroy God defend you from al such and make you perfecte vnto the ende Iohn 16. Your sorow shall be turned into ioy A letter sent to a frende of hys THe eternall God kepe you in hys feare I haue me hartely commended vnto you your husband besechyng almighty god to preserue you in well doyng and in perfect knowledge of hys Christ that you may be soūd fautles in the day of the Lord. I haue heard say that my frend is geuē ouer to vanity It breaketh my hart not only to heare that he so dothe but also teacheth other that it is vnhurtfull to go to all abhominations whyche now stande in the Idoles temples Neuerthelesse deare frend be not moued to followe synners for they haue no inheritaunce wyth GOD and Christe But looke that by goyng into the Idoles temple you defyle not the temple of God for lyghte hath no fellowshyp wyth darkenes but looke what the Lord hath commaunded that doe For yf not goyng to church were wythout persecution they woulde not learne you that lesson But all thing that is swete to the flesh is allowed of the fleshly The Lord shal rewarde euery man accordyng to hys works he that leadeth into captiuity shal go into captiuity and he that by the fleshly man is led in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption The lord Iesu geue you hys holy spirit Amen Seke peace and ensue it Feare god loue god with al your hart wyth al your soule and wyth all your strength Your frend and all mens in Christ Iesus R. Smith Scribled in hast from Newgate the .12 of May. To hys VVyfe THe God and father eternal which brought againe frō death our Lord Iesus Christ kepe thee deare wyfe nowe and for euer wyth thy Parentes and all thy frendes Amen I prayse God for hys mercye I am in the same state that you lefte me in rather better then worse lokyng daylye for the lyuyng GOD before whome I hunger full sore to appeare and receyue the glorye of whyche I trust thou art wyllyng to be a partaker I geue GOD most harty thankes therefore desyryng thee of all loues to stande faste in that fayth which thou hast receyued and let no man take awaye the seede that almighty god hath sowē in thee but lay hands of euerlastyng lyfe which shal euer abide whē both the earth al earthly frends shal peryshe desyryng them also to receiue thankfully our trouble which is momentane light as S. Paule saith not worthy of the things which shal be shewed on vs that we patiētly carying our crosse may attayne to the place whether our Sauiour Christ is gone before to the which I besech god of his mercy bring vs spedely I haue bene much troubled about your deliueraūce fearyng much the persuasions of worldlings haue found a frend which wil I trust find a meane for you if you be not alredy prouided desiring you in any case to abide suche order as that my frende shall appoint in god And bear wel in mind the words which I spake at our departīg that as god hath chosē vs made vs worthy to suffer with him we may endeuour our selues to folow vprightly in thys our vocation desiryng you to present my hartye commendations to all our frendes and especiallye to your Parentes kepyng youre matter close in anye wyse Geue moste hartye thankes to my frende whiche onelye for our cause is come to Windsor Continue in prayer Do wel Be fautles in al thyngs Beware of abhominations Keepe you cleane from synne Praye for me as I doe for you I haue sente you a piece of golde for a token and moste entierlye desire you to sende me worde yf you lacke any thyng The lord Iesu preserue you and yours Amen From Newgate the .15 of Apryll Yf you wyll mete wyth me agayn Forsake not Christ for any payne By your faithfull husband Robert Smyth ⧠Letters of Maister Bartelet Grene a gentleman and professour of the Lawe who for gods cause and the mayntenaunce of hys holy Gospel suffred martyrdome the .13 of Ianuarye In the yere of our Lord. 1556. To hys dearely beloued in the lord Mystres Elizabeth C. WOuld God if it were hys pleasure that with this letter I might send you my hart mind and whatsoeuer there is in me elles that pertaineth vnto god So should I thynke it the best message happiest letter that euer I could wryte But though I obtaine not my desyre yet shal I not cease with continual praier to labour for you desiring almighty god to encrease that which he hath long sith begon in you of sober life earnest zeale towards his religiō In faith as saith S. Paule she that is a true widow frēdles putteth her trust in god i. Cor 7 cōtinuing day and nyght in supplication and prayer but she that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet alyue And verely a true widowe is she that hathe maried Christ forsakyng the vanities of the world and lust of the fleshe For as the maried woman careth how to loue please and serue her husband i. Tim 5 so ought the widowe to geue all her harte and soule thoughtes and wordes studies and labours faythfully to loue god vertuously to bring vp her children and householde and diligentlye to prouide for the poore and oppressed Therfore Sainte Paule firste instructeth a widowe howe to behaue her selfe that is to beginne wher Paule leaueth not to lyue in pleasure then to watch vnto prayer as the onely meanes to obtaine al our desires stedfastly laying vp all our trust in God as Salomō ryght well saith psalm 34. Luk. 2. first escheue euill then do good Of Anna the praise is wrytten that she neuer went out of the temple but serued God wyth fastyng and prayer nyght and daye so well had she espoused Christ Iudith 8. Iudith ware a smocke of heare contynuyng in fastyng and had good reporte of al men The next care that belongeth vnto a wydow is that she bring vp her chrildrē and household godly Ephes 6. in the nourture and informacion of the Lord. Wherof Sainct Paule sayth if any widow haue chyldren or Nephewes 1. Tym 5. let them learne firste to rule theyr owne house godlye and to recompence theyr elders The incontinency coueteousnes of Phynees and O phny not corrected by Ely their father ◠Reg. 2 prouoked gods vēgeaūce vpō him all his kynred The ouer tender loue of Absolon expelled Dauyd from his kyngdom 2. Regū 15 The vnrebuked sinnes of Ammon encouraged Absolon to
of goodly giftes in wit and learning and sauing that he is somwhat wilde likely to do wel hereafter There be also two women N. Coningham and Alice Alexander that may proue honest For these and al other poore prisoners here I make this my humble suite and prayer to you all my Maisters and especiall good frendes beseching you of all bondes of amitie for the precious bloode of Iesus Christe in the bowels of mercye to render the causes of miserable captiues Helpe to clothe Christ visite the afflicted comforte the sorrowfull and releue the nedye The verye God of peace guyde youre hartes to haue mercye on the poore and loue faythfullye together Amen Thys present Monday when I looke to die and liue for euer Yours for euer Bartelet Grene. ⧠Letters of that faythfull man of God John Careles who by cruell imprisonmente and vnmercifull dealing of the papistes dyed in the Marshalsee and was buryed in the fieldes on a dungehill and therefore is not vnworthye here to be placed amonges the Martyrs To my moste deare and faythfull brethren in Newgate condemned to die for the testimonye of Gods euerlasting truth THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinual ioy strength cōfort of his most pure holy mighty spirit with the encrease of faith liuely feeling of his eternal mercy be with you my most dere faithfull louing brother Timmes and with al the reste of my deare harts in the Lord your faithful fellow souldiours and most constant companions in bondes yea of men condemned most cruelly for the syncere testimony of gods euerlastīg truth to the ful finishing of that good worke which he hath so graciously begonne in you all that the same maye be to hys glory the cōmoditie of his pore afflicted church and to your euerlasting comfort in him Amen Ah my most swete and louing brethren dearest harts in the Lord what shal I say or how shal I write vnto you in the least point or part to vtter the great ioye that my poore hart hath conceaued in god through the most godly exāple of your christiā constancie syncere confessiō of Christs verity Truly my tong can not declare nor my penne expresse the aboundance of spirituall mirth gladnes that my mind inward man hath felt euer since I heard of your hartie boldnes and modest behauiour before that bloody butcher in the time of al your craftie examinations specially at your cruel condēnatiō in their cursed Cōsistorie place Blessed be god the father of al mercy praysed be his name for that he hath so graciouslye performed vpō you his dere darelīgs his most swete comefortable promises in not only geuing you the cōtinual aide strēgth cōfort of his holy mightie spirite to the faythfull confessiō of his christ for whose cause O most happie mē ye are condēned to die but also in geuing you such a mouth wisdome as al your wicked enemies were not able to resist but were faine to crie peace peace and not suffer you to speake As truly as god liueth my dere brethrē this is not only vnto you a most euidēt probatiō that god is on your side a sure certaintie of your euerlasting saluatiō in him but also to your cruell aduersaries or rather Gods cursed enemyes a plaine demonstration of their iust eternal woe and dampnation whiche they shall be full sure shortlye to feele when ye shal full sweetely possesse the place of felicitie and pleasure prepared for you from the beginning Therfore my dearly beloued cease not so long as ye be in this life to praise the lord with a lustye courage for that of hys great mercy infinite goodnes he hath vouched you worthy of this great dignitie to suffer for his sake not only the losse of goods wife children long imprisonment cruel oppression c but also the very depriuation of this mortal life with the dissolution of your bodies in the fyer The whiche is the greatest promotion that god can bring you or any other vnto in this vale of misery yea so great an honour as the highest Angel in heauen is not permitted to haue and yet hath the lord for his deare sonne Christes sake reputed you worthy of the same yea that before me and many other which haue both long loked longed for the same Ah my most deare brother Timmes whose time resteth altogether in the hands of thy Lord in a ful happye time camest thou into this troublesome worlde but in a much more blessed houre shalt thou depart forth of the same so that the swete saying of Salomō or rather of the holy ghost shal be ful wel verified vpō thee yea al thy faithful felowes Eccle. 7 better is the day of death saith he then the day of birth This saying can not be verified vpon euery man but vpon thee my deare brother and such as thou art whose death is most precious before God and full deare shal your bloode be in his sighte Blessed be god for thee my deare brother Timmes and blessed be god again that euer I knew thee for in a most happy time I came fyrst into thy company Pray for me deare brother pray for me that God wyll once vouch me worthy of that great dignitie whereunto he hath nowe brought you Ah my louing brother Drake whose soule draweth nowe nygh vnto god of whom you haue receaued the same full gladde maye you be that euer God gaue you a lyfe to leaue for hys sake Full well will he restore it to you agayne in a thousand fold more glorious wyse Prayse God good brother as you haue great cause and pray for me I besech you which am so muche vnworthy so great are my synnes of that great dignity wherunto the Lorde hath called you and the reast of your godlye brethrē whom I besech you to comforte in the Lord as you can full well praysed be God for hys giftes which you haue hartely applyed to the setting forth of his glory and the cōmoditie of his pore afflicted church Which thing shal surely redownde to your euerlasting ioy and comfort as you shall most effectually feele or euer it be long though the wycked of the world iudge farre otherwise Ah myne own hartes and most dearly beloued brethren Cauell Ambrose and both the Spurges blessed be the Lord on your behalfe and praysed be his name which hath geuen you such a glorious victory Ful valiaunt haue you shewed your selues in the lords fyght and ful faithful in your painfull seruice Faint not but go on forward as ye haue most godly begonne for great shal your reward be at the end of this your trauell Ah my good faithfull brethren al what shal I say or what shall I write vnto you but euen the same that good Elizabeth did saye to her godly kinneswoman Mary the blessed Mother of Christe Luke 1. Happie art thou quoth that good woman whiche haste beleued for
all thinges whiche the Lord hath spoken to thee shall be fulfilled So I saye to you my deare hartes in the Lorde happye are ye all yea twyse happye shall ye bee for euermore because ye haue stedfastlye beleued the moste swete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his own mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythful seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shal be blessed euer world wtout end The promises of God your sweete father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record the god is true The testimony wherof ye haue full worthely borne to the world and shortly will full surely seale the same with your blood yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiaunt souldiers of the high Captaine Iesus Christ who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hell and hath geuen you full victory ouer theÌ„ for euer more Oh worthy witnesses most glorious Martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proud sturdie bragging prince of the world and al his wicked army ouer whoÌ„ ye shall shortly triumphe for euermore Ah my swete hartes the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heaueÌ„ The immercessible and most glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon al your happy heads The holy Aungels of your heauenly father are already appointed to conduct your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heauenly host reioyceth alreadye for that they shall shortlye receaue you with ioye and felicitye into their blessed fellowship Selach Reioyce with double ioy be glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then caÌ„ be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde maye lie and lamente with the holye Prophet saying psalm 119. woe is me that the daies of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Sathan which hath caused me so sore to offende my moste deare louing father wherby my exile and banishment is so much prolonged Oh Christ my aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustelye deserued that he maye take me home to him in his sweete mercy Oh that I might nowe come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy wil Oh Lord be effectuouslye fulfilled for it is onely good turneth al things to the best for such as thou in thy mercyes haste chosen And now farewell my deare hartes moste happye in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortlye to see you in the celestiall Citye wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free Citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heauen where your treasure doth remaine with your swete lord redemer Iesus christ whose calling you haue heard with the eares of your harts therfore ye shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shal neuer be remeÌ„bred be they neuer so many so greuous or so great for your Sauiour hath cast theÌ„ all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them froÌ„ you as farre as the east is froÌ„ the west psalm 103. his mercy hath much more preuailed ouer you then is distance betwene heauen and earth and he hath geuen you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holines righteousnes iustification yea and the holy ghost into your hartes wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the day of redemption to certifie you of your eternal electioÌ„ and the ye are his true adopted soÌ„nes wherby ye may boldely crie vnto god Abba deare father for euer more so that nowe no creature in heaueÌ„ earth nor hel shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly King Gen 3. SathaÌ„ is now cast out from you he him self is iudged hath no part in you He wil once more bite you by the heele and then he hath done for at the time you shal squise his head through your own good Christ so haue finall victorie for euer more In ioyfull triumph wherof ye shall swetely ascende into the place of eternal rest whether your eldest brother Christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy Alter with Cranmer Latymer Ridley Rogers Hoper Saunders Farrer Tailour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your coÌ„ming to see vi moe of their appointed number that their blood may so much the soner be reuenged vpon them that dwel on the earth Thus I make an end committing you al to gods moste merciful defence whose quarrell ye haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory ye haue set forth and whose name ye haue constantlye confessed Farewell for a while my dere hartes in the Lord I wil make as much hast after you as I may Al our deare brethren salute you They praie for you and praise god for you continually Blessed be the dead that die in the Lord for they rest froÌ„ their labours saith the holy ghost Apo. â—1 and their workes followe them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable seruaunt of the Lord yet of hys great mercy prysoner for his sake abiding his further good pleasure Pray praye praye To M. Greene M. VVhittell and certaine other prysoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimony of the Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christ the continuall comfort of his most pure holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithful brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appoynted shepe vnto the slaughter to the good performance of the great and notable worke of the lord which he hath so graciously begoÌ„ne in you all that the same may redownd to the setting forth of his glory and to the commoditie of his churche and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him So be it Ah my dere harts most faithful brethreÌ„ sisters in the lord what high laudes praise yea what humble and continuall thankes am I bouÌ„d to geue to god oure father for you on your moste happie behalfe who so mightely hath magnified himself in you thus farforth in geuiÌ„g you his holy mighty spirit to the constant confessing of christes veritye euen to the cruel condeÌ„pnation I dout not but he wil do the same to the death Oh happie blessed are you the euer you were borne that the lord wil vouch you worthie of this great dignitie to die for his sake Doubtles it is the greatest honour the god can geue you in this life Yea if they be so blessed of god that die in the Lord as the holy ghost saith they be how much more blessed happie then are you that die not only in the lord Apo. 11. but also for the lord Oh that it were the good will of god that the good houre were now come that I might go with you Ah that my sinnes made
loueth me vnto the ende and wyll not lose me but wyll rayse me vnto lyfe at the last day psalm 27. The lord is my lyght and my defence of whom then should I be afrayde The lorde is the preseruer of my lyfe what can man then do vnto me I am one of the lordes elect who shal lay ought thē to my charge The lord hymselfe doth iustifye me Rom. 8. who shall then condempne me Sith Christ is myne and I am hys what shal make me carefull or who shal separate me from his swete loue which as Salomon saith in his sweete songes is mightier then the deathe No no let the Tyrannes come when they wyll I trust they shall fynd me ready and wyllyng to goe home to my heauenly father whether my good brethern be gone before me wyth ioy tryumphe and victorye ouer the bloodye Beast and her Babilonicall broode blessed be god therfore Your swete examples of Helias Daniel and the Israelites doe muche confirme my faith in Christ although I be farre inferiour to any of them But as you say full well god himself is my father doth loue me his prodigal sonne wyth an euerlastyng loue sure I am therfore he wil not see me lacke eyther for body or soule for he fedeth the birdes brute beastes yea and men that he much worse then they as you ful wel haue sayd And further my deare hart where as you say that your heauines and sorowe is when you call to remēbrance my crosse and double crosse c ah my good louing sister let not my crosses make your good tender harte heuie but rather be glad reioyce with me that God of hys great mercye will repute me worthye to beare them for his sake Sing psalmes with me of prayse thankesgeuing for God hath made me able to beare them paciently if they wer a thousande times so many moe as they bee as in deede my sinnes haue iustly deserued Wel is me the euer I was born that he woulde vouch me worthy to suffer at al hands or al sorts of men for hys sake or rather that it would please his goodnes to choose me poore caitiffe in whom him self would suffer For the enemies doe not punishe me for my sinnes as they might iustely doe but they do persecute swete Christe in me whose truth I do professe And now as concerning the most comfortable doctrine of our eternall election in him before the foundation of the world was laid I do protest before God man that if euery heare of my head were a mans lyfe I would willingly geue them all in the defence therof Full litle wotteth our free wil men what they do whē they go about so rashely to condēne that doctrine The Lord illuminate their mindes with the light of his holy spirit that they may once see the truth therof and leaue their kicking against the pricke In dede deare frend in the respect of thē and the peril which they be in you and I both haue good cause to mourne lament and be sory to pray for them day night that the Lord if it be his wil would conuert them And whether their blindnes be of simplicitye as I hope it is or of wilful obstinacie which thing is greatly to be feared yet haue I no cause to be angry with them for it is their own harme where as mine should haue bene the like if god had left me to my self as he myght most iustly haue done and for that I am as I am his name only haue the prayse and for hys sake I will alwayes seeke to do them good as much as lyeth in me And what soeuer they haue sayd or shall saye or do againste me I doe and will as hartely forgeue them al as I would be forgeuen of god my great sinnes trespasses For sure I am that what soeuer he be that hath any true tast or liuely felyng of the great mercye loue and kyndnesse of God towardes hym in Christe he can not beare hate or displeasure agaynste anye thynge but synne Sathā the only author therof Therfore in that they doe talke so muche of loue and let so little appeare in their dedes it doth euidently appeare how litle taste and liuelye feelyng of the free mercye of God in Christe they haue A weake fayth hath euer a colde charitie annexed vnto it which is quenched with euery vnkinde worde Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles To my deare Sister M. C. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinuall ayde strength comfort of hys most pure holy and mightye spirite with the increase of faith and liuely feling of hys eternall mercyes be moste effectuouslye wrought in your hart my deare and faithfull Syster to the full accomplishing of that good worke which the Lorde hath so graciously begonne in you that it may be to the setting forth of his glory the comfort of hys poore afflicted church and to your owne eternall consolation in hym Amen I thanke God most hartely for you my deare hart in the Lord with all remēbrance of you in my prayers as of duty I am bound not douting but you do the same for me to my great ioy comfort in the middest of my crosses which daily do increase yea and that in such sort that if the faythful god by your hartye prayer and others gods deare children dyd not put to hys helpyng hand I should surely syncke downe vnder thē Ah good sister begge hard of our deare father for me that he would shortly tread Sathan vnder my feete and that I may play the man in the Lordes battel as you bydde me be ioyfull in my Christ what payne or peril soeuer I suffer And reioyce wyth me good sister in the Lord and let vs be mery in him not only to chere the good harts of al our faythfull frends but also to anger the cankered hart of Sathā that croked Serpent our ancient enemy For I know that there is nothyng that can greue his malicious mind more thē the myrth gladnes and hartye reioysyng of the childrē of God in their good Christ Ah my faythfull frend if your good hart be heuye who cā make mine light If you be sory who cā make me glad But if you be mery and reioyce in the Lord there shal no trouble make me sad or sorowful Be of good cheare therfore my good sister comfort my swete brother V. Oh that I mighte once heare that he and his bridegrome were in bedde both together and that he had taken a swete slepe in hys louers armes as Iohn dyd vpon hys lappe on the Maundie night Iohn 13 Commend me vnto him most hartelye and desyre hym for the Lords sake to fulfyl my ioye increase my crowne Bid hym be mindefull of me in hys harty prayers as I neyther wyll nor can forget hym in myne Full deare is he vnto my soule So are you my good sister the Lord he knoweth
Farewell in Christe Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles Pray pray praye praye To my moste deare and faythfull brother in the lord T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ with continuall ioy comfort and quietnes of conscience through the mightye operation of the holy ghost be with you my most dearelye beloued brother V. to the encrease of your crowne and victorye nowe and euer Amen I haue bene often times earnestlye minded to write vnto you my deare hart in the Lord syth I receaued your moste godly and louing letter but the likelyhode hope which I haue often since conceaued to see you talke with you mouthe to mouth hath caused me to forbeare that loue hath so often prouoked me vnto But sith mine expectatiō is not yet certifyed nor as farre as I can perceaue is like to be in thys life I can no longer forbeare the scribling of these fewe lynes vnto you The which I desire you to take in good worth for as I haue done the same altogether in hast so is it the contentes of an hart somthing troubled and not altogether in so swete a securitie as it hath bene in tymes past and I dout not but it shal be so full wel agayne Ah my deare brother if I should not now then drinke wyth Christe of the bitter cuppe of inwarde afflictions I shoulde to muche neglecte my dutye towardes you and other my deare hartes in the Lorde whom the mighty God hath made worthy to feele with Christ the fellowship of his passions But blessed be my God and most deare louing father which of his great mercy infinite goodnes in Christ wyl vouch me worthy wyth you other of hys deare dearlings to cary as well the inward crosse which is most greuous and heauye as the outward crosse which is so lyght easy 2. Cor. 4 I know there is an exceding waight of glory prepared for me although Sathan now by gods permission seketh all meanes possible to persuade me to the contrary by castyng of hys cloudes mistes ouer me that he myght darkē the loue of my deare lord Christ which dyed for me yea that whē I was hys vtter enemye by nature the very chyld of wrath and perdition but I know that the loue of my Christe being so great wyll burst out agayne moste gloryouslye Oh God me thynkes euen now I feele it beginne to kyndle in my brest meruelously Praye for me deare hart pray for me that my soule maye sweetely turne to her olde reste agayne for verelye Sathan hath made a sore ruffelyng wyth her of late that he myghte haue bereft her of her vyrginitye wyth the fornication of mistruste and infidelitye But I see wel my God is faythfull as Sainct Paule sayth and wyll not suffer her to be tempted aboue the strength he wyl geue der Praye for me deare harte I saye agayne and prayse GOD moste hartely for hys greate mercy extended towardes me as by your letter I vnderstand you doe I thanke you most hartelye therefore and I promyse you by Gods grace I wil neuer forget you so long as the breth is in my body neither can I though I would And now myne owne bowels in the Lord I long much to heare of your state which I trust be most happy blessed Gladly would I heare that the celestiall brydegrome were at home wyth you and that in respecte of hys moste blessed and cherefull presence you had caste awaye all your mournyng garmentes Oh that I myght once beare you hartely synge wyth the spouse thys sweete verse Can. 2. My delyght is to sitte vnder the shadowe of my loue for hys fruite is full swete vnto my throte he bringeth me into his wine seller hys banner spreadeth ouer me his loue hys left hand lyeth vnder my head and hys ryght hand shal embrace me c. Oh my deare hart I am nowe constrayned to end for thys tyme but god will send me an other I doubte not to whose most mercifull defence I do hartely committe you Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles To my deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus christ the continuall comfortes of hys most pure holy spirit be with you my most deare frend and faythfull brother V. to the encrease of your fayth comfort of your sorowfull spirite which is to the father a sweete sacrifyce through Christe for whose sake he wyll neuer despyse your humble and contrite hart but doth fauourablye accepte the same and wil in most ample wise performe the desyre therof to hys glory and your eternall comfort in hym In the middes of my manyfold crosses troubles wherin I am constrayned to flee vnto God for refuge succoure by earnest and faythfull prayer I can not forget you my deare harte in the Lorde but esteminge your state for myne owne I doe poure forth my complaynte for you as I doe for my selfe and rather more as I thynke presence neede doth require desyring most hartely to heare of the good successe of the same in you The Lorde God for hys great mercyes sake accomplish my desire as I doubt not but he wil whē he seeth it good most to hys glory to your comfort and commoditye Oh that I myght once see you so mery in christ as you haue iust cause to be that you might say with Dauyd psalm 57. Awake my glory awake Lure and Harpe bryng forth the Psalter with the mery song that I myght synge a new songe of prayse and thankesgeuynge vnto the Lorde for the lyghte of hys fauourable countenaunce hys helpe and deliueraunce Psa 45. Oh that woulde refreshe me as a most precious oyle and gladden my poore harte whiche is assaulted with sorrow moe waies then one I doubt not but the same shall by your meanes receiue much comfort though for a tyme it doth mourne wyth you that we may be made both glad together yea and that with such gladnes as shall continue for euer But in the meane space I say most happye are you that so hartely mourne the absence of the brydegrome Math. 9. If you were not a weddyng child you could neuer doe it Onely Christes true Disciples do mourne for his absence therfore shal they doubteles reioyce at hys presence which wil be so much more ioyful by how much the absence is more sorowful Therfore my good brother take a good hart vnto you be of good chere Say wyth the prophet Dauyd psalme 42 O my soule why art thou so heuye and why art thou so disquieted with in me O put thy trust in god for I wil yet geue him thākes for the helpe of hys louing countenaunce and because he is my god Reade psalm the .41 and .42 for your comfort and consider that the holy king and Prophet at the making and first saying of them was euen in the same case that you are now in but he styll comforted hymselfe with
the swete promises of god and so do you my deare harte for to you they do as well pertaine as they did to him and as surely shall they be performed vpon you as they were vpon him for he is one god and deare father vnto you both and for his mercy truth and promyse sake he must nedes make good vnto you all that he hath sayd If his loue towardes you stode in the respect of your owne meryte or worthines you myghte well mourne lament complayne yea you had good cause to doubt feare and mistrust But seyng he loueth you onely for and in Iesus Christ who is your whole holines righteousnes redmption lay away all mourning lamenting and complaining banishe from you all feare mistrust and infidelitie and know that as long as Christ dothe continue gods sonne so long must the loue of the father continue towardes you immutable and his good wil vnchangeable cannot be altered through any of your infirmities For this is most true that as long as the cause of any thing doth last so long must the effect remain but christ is the whole cause why the father loueth you and he also continueth for euer then must I nedes conclude that the loue of the father continueth towardes you for euer and as the Palmiste moste ioyfully so often syngeth hys mercy endureth for euer and euer Thys is most true myne owne dere hart although the Lorde for a tyme byde it from your senses that you myghte be the more earnest in prayer to hym for the feelyng of it also the more thankefull for it when he dothe geue the liuely tast of it as doutles he wil do or euer it be long and then shall you bee well hable to comforte other in the same state that you are now in with the same comfort wherwyth you are and further shall be comforted of god Heb. 12 Therfore lift vp your handes that are now a little fallen downe and stretch forth the weake knees of your troubled minde which now mourneth with a godly mourning and therfore shal it be full well comforted wyth that swete peace of GOD whiche passeth all vnderstandyng and you are sure alreadye to enioye the blessing that Christe gaue vnto the godly mourners of Sion vpon the mounte Eccle. 7 at the fyrst set mō that he made Oh happy V. in whose mourning company I had rather be then in the house of mirth banckettyng of such as see not what cause they haue to mourne and be sory But yet my good brother vse a measure in thys your godly mournyng and make not your faythful frends to much sory for you Let the persuasions of such godlye louers as you do daily company withal or rather the persuasions of the holye ghoste by them moue you to some godly myrth and reioycing Phil 4 Consider that you are commaunded of God by the mouthe of Sainte Paule therto Reioyce in the Lord saithe he and I say agayne reioyce Marke howe he doubleth the sentence that we may perceiue it is a most earnest and necessarye thing he requireth Obey the commaundement of God in this behalf wherin as you cannot but highly please him so I assure you you shall very much reioyce my poore harte and the hartes of other whych pray for you wyth mournyng teares and make that cruell enemye Sathan and all your aduersaries sory which will reioyce and laughe to see you mourne Oh my good brother let it manifestly appeare that the lorde of hys great mercye hathe hearde oure faythfull and hartye requestes for you Oh howe woulde that reioyce me in the myddes of my troubles Therfore now to conclude because the darkenes constrayneth me to make an ende for thys tyme I say my dere and faythful brother V. in respecte of the greate cause you haue of your owne parte through Christ and for the glory and honour of almighty GOD the comfort ioy and reioycyng of your deare bretherne and Sisters in Christe also your owne duety by the commaundement of GOD and last of all to vexe molest and greue Sathan wythal reioyce in the Lord and be most hartely glad in hym who is wholy yours and you are hys and shal be for euermor◠Selah Farewell mine owne bowels in the Lord and prayse GOD with ioyfull lippes and a merye harte and praye for me his most vnprofitable seruaunt which haue more cause concerning my self to lament then any one man liuing out my good bridegrome is presēt byddeth me cast away my mourning garmentes and therfore I must nedes be mery with him so he biddeth you to be by my mouthe for he is present with you although for sorrowe you cannot knowe hym as Magdalen could not in the garden vntil he spake vnto her The Lord God speake the wordes of comforte in your hart and open the eies of your mynd that you maye perfectly perceiue and fele his blessed presence and so reioice in the same for euermore Amen Cōfort your hart in Christ and cast your care vpon him for he careth for you Your brother in the Lorde abydyng his good pleasure Iohn Careles Vnto all the faythful flocke of Iesus Christ within the city of Londō which feare god vnfainedlye seke to serue hym in suche holynes righteousnes as is acceptable in hys syght Iohn Careles wysheth the eternall peace of God in Iesus Chryst the continuall ayde strengthe and comforte of hys moste holye spirit wych the encrease of faythe and liuely feling of his mercy now euermore Amē WHen I had with my selfe well waied and considered right worshipfull citizens the greate charge and burden that you haue borne and ben at not only wyth me which am most vnworthye of your liberall benefites but also wyth many other the poore afflicted people of God euer since the tyme that Tyranny last broke lose into this miserable land c I was euen ashamed and in conscience confounded to thinke of my great slouthe and negligence yea ingratitude and vnthankfulnes towardes you in not sowing some of these spirituall gyftes whiche God hath geuen me emongest you of whome I haue reaped so manifoldly your temporall benefites God for hys dere sonnes sake forgeue me my great synne that in this pointe I haue commiited against both him and you desiring you also to do the same and I will promyse you by gods grace if he spare me lyfe I will henceforthe better performe my duety towardes you my poore prayer alwais supplieng that whych otherwyse I am not hable to performe And in testimony therof I haue here writen vnto you this simple admonition the which I wene wil be my leaue taking of you and last farewel in this corruptible life as by many likelyhodes it dothe appeare wherefore I besech you all to accept it in good parte as a sygne and token of some parcell of my good will towardes you But what shal I write vnto you or wherof shall I entreate that you alredy do
doctrine with their bloode from whom I will dissente in no poynte for I am a poore man without learning but am commaunded of GOD to followe the counsel of his constante Preachers and so doe I entend to doe god geuing me grace and assistance thereto As for you I know you to be none of Christes shepeheards but rauening wolues whiche come to kill and scatter the flocke of Christe as the Lorde sayde you shoulde and doth will vs to beware of you and your poysoned doctrine bidding vs to iudge you accordyng to your fruites whereby all men maye see and knowe what you bee that will not be wilfullye blynd But the good shepeheardes haue geuen their liues for the defence of Christes flocke and I am commaunded to followe their faythfull and Godlye example and to confesse with them one truth euen to the fyre if GOD shall see it good and thys as a true Christian I haue hetherto done and hence forth by Gods grace entende for to doe And if for the same GOD shal suffer you to take away my lyfe as you haue done theirs I am contented therewith â–ª hys will bee done for that onelye is good But of thys be you sure the Lorde wil shortelye call you to accompte for all the innocente bloode that is shedde with in thys Realme which you haue brought into a most wofull case and made many a heauye harte in the same and moe I perceaue you will make so long as the Lord for our sinnes wil suffer you to prosper and vntill the time that your owne iniquitye be full rype But then be you sure the Lord will sitte in iudgement vpon you as well as you do now vpon his Saincts and will reward you according to your deseruings to whoÌ„ with my whole harte I commit my cause and he will make aunswere for me when the full tyme of my refreshyng commeth In the meane space I will keepe silence with thys that I haue sayde trusting that I haue sufficiently discharged my conscience in confessing my fayth and religion to you declaring of what Church I am euen of the catholyke Church of Iesus Christ which was wel knowen to be here in â—â—glande in our late good Kings dayes by two speciall tokens which can not deceaue me nor suffer me to be deceaued that is to say the pure preaching of his holy worde and the due administratioÌ„ of the holy sacramentes which is not to be sene in your Romyshe church and therfore it can not iustly be called the Church and spouse of Christ I beleue in the holy Trinitie and al the other articles of the Christian faith contained in the three Credes and finally al the canonicall Scripture to be true in euerye sentence And I detest al sectes both of the Arrians and Anabaptistes or any other that diuide themselues froÌ„ the true church of Christ whiche is his mysticall body the ground and piller of truth and the very house of the liuing God And if for these things you take away my life and make yourselues giltye of my blood you may for I am in your handes as the shepe brought to the Shambles abyding the grace of the Butcher And bee you sure your iudgement stepeth not but when you crye peace peace 2. Thes 5. and all is safe then shall your plagues beginne lyke the sorowes of a woman trauelyng with child according to Christes infallible promise This kinde of aunsweare my deare harte it shall bee beste for you to make and by Gods grace I doe entende to take the same order my selfe in tyme to come when the Lorde shall vouche me worthye of that greate dignitye wherunto he hath called you And if they shall laugh you to scorne as I know they wil saying thou arte a foole and an vnlearned asseheade and arte able to make aunswer to nothing c care not you for it but stil coÌ„mmit your cause vnto god who will make aunswer for you and tell them that they haue bene answered again again of diuers godly and learned men but al wil not helpe for you haue one solution for all maner of questions euen a faire fyre and fagots this will be the ende of your disputations Therfore I pray you to trouble me no more but do that which you are apointed wheÌ„ god shal permitte the time I am no better theÌ„ Christ his Apostels and other of my good bretherne that are gone before me This kind of answer wil cut their combes most and edify the people that stand by so that the same bee done coldly with sobrietie mekenes and patience as I heard say out swete bretherne Thomas HarlaÌ„d Iohn Osward did at Lewes in Suffex to the great reioycing of the childreÌ„ of god that were in those parties I heare say that they were dissolued from this earthly tabernacle at Leawes on Saterday last wer condeÌ„ned but the wednisday before so that we may perteine the papistes haue quicke worke in hand that they make such haste to haue vs home to our heauenly father Therfore let vs make our selues redy to ride in the fiery chariot 4. Reg. 2. leauing these sory mantels and old clokes behinde vs for a little time which god shal restore vnto vs againe in a more glorious wise My good brother Harry you shal vnderstaÌ„d the bragging Iohn T. hath begilde his kepers who trusted him to wel and is runne away from them hath broughte the poore men into great daunger by the same The one of them is cast by the Councels commaundemeÌ„t into the gate house at Westminster the other is sted forth of the countrey for feare Thus you may see the fruites of our freewil men that made so much boast of their owne strength But that house whiche is not builded surelye vppon the vnmoueable rocke wil not long stand against the boistrous windes and stormes that blow so strongly in these dais of trouble But my derely beloued brother blessed be god for you and suche as you be which haue plaied the partes of wise builders You haue dygged downe paste the sande of your owne naturall strength beneath the earth of your own worldly wisdom are nowe come to the harde stone and vnmoueable rocke Christ who is your only keper and vppon him alone you haue builded your faith most firmly without doubting mistrust or waueryng Therfore neither the stormes nor tempestes wyndes nor weathers that Sathan and all his wily workemen can bryng against you wyth the verye gates of hel to helpe theÌ„ shal euer be able once to moue your house much lesse to ouerthrowe it for the lord god himselfe and no man is the builder thereof hath promised to preserue and kepe the same safe for euer Vnto hys most merciful defence therfore I do hartely commit you and all your good comapany desiring him for his swete sonne Iesus Christes sake to confirme and strengthen you all that you maye bee constant vnto the very ende that after the finall
be to our sinnes great vnthankfulnes which is the greatest cause of the taking away of such worthy instruments of god as shold setforth his glory instruct his people If we had bene thankful vnto god for the good ministers of his worde we had not bene so sone depriued both of it and them The Lord forgeue our great ingratitude and sinnes geue vs true repentance fayth holde his hand of mercy ouer vs for hys dere sōne Christs sake Take not away al thy true preachers forth of this realme O lorde but leaue vs a sede least England be made like vnto Sodome Gomore when thy true Lothes be gone But what go I about to mīgle your mirth with my mourning your iust ioy with my deserued sorowe If I loued you in dede as I haue pretēded I should surely reioyce with you most hartely prayse god on your behalfe frō the very bottome of my hart I should prayse god day night for your excellēt electiō in through his great mercy should geue him most hūble thankes for your vocation by his gospel your true knowlege in the same I should earnestly praise him for your swete iustificatiō wherof you are most certain by gods grace spirite and should instantly pray vnto him for your glorificatiō which shal shortly ensue I shold reioyce be glad to see you so dignifyed by the crowne of martirdome and to be appointed to that honour to testifie hys truth to seale it with your blood I should highly extolle the lord who hath geuē you a glorious victory ouer al your enemies visible inuisible hath geuē you grace strēgth to finishe the tower that you haue begonne to build Finallye if I loued you I should most hartely reioyce bee glad to see you deliuered frō this body of sinne and vyle prison of the fleshe and brought into that heauenly tabernacle where you shal be safely kepte neuer offend him more This and much more should I do if I had a good hart towards god or you his deare child But alas I am an hypocrite and do seeke nothing but mine own cōmoditie I would haue gods euerlastīg prouidēce geue place to my peuish wil purpose although it were to the hinderance of his glory your swete cōmoditie God forgeue me my horrible ingratitude sinnes and offences against hym and good brother do you forgeue me my great negligence and vnthankfulnes towards you and hence forth I promise you I wil put my will to Gods will and pray that the same may be fulfilled in you so longe as you be on this earth and whē you are taken hence I wil most hartely prayse the Lord for you so long as I haue my being in this world Ah my deare harte now I muste take my leaue of you and as I thinke my vltimum Vale in this life but in the life to come I am ryght well assured we shall merely meete together and that shortly I trust And in taking of my leaue of you my deare hart in the lord I shall desyre you faythfully to remember all the sweete messages that the Lord our good God and moste deare louing father hath sent you by me his most vnworthye seruaunte whiche as they are moste true so shall they bee moste truely accomplyshed vppon you eternally and for the more assuraunce and certificate thereof to youre Godlye conscience he hath cōmaūded me to repete the same vnto you again in his own name word Therefore now geue eare faithful credence Harken O ye heauens thou earth geue eare and beare me witnes at the great day that I do here faithfully truly the lords message vnto his deare seruant his singularly beloued elect child Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloued of god I pronounce testifie vnto thee in the word name of the lord Iehouah that al thy sinnes whatsoeuer they be be they neuer so many so greuous or so great be fully frely pardoned released forgeuen thee by the mercy of god in Iesus Christ thine only Lord and swete Sauiour in whom thou doste vndoubtedly beleue Christe hath clensed thee with hys bloode clothed thee with hys righteousnes hath made thee in the sight of god his father without spot or wrinckle So that whē the fier doth his appointed office thou shalt be receaued as a swete burnt sacrifice into heauen where thou shalt ioyfully remaine in gods presēce for euer as the true inheritour of his euerlasting kingdome vnto that which thou wast vndoutedly predestinate ordayned by the lords vnfallible purpose decree before the foundatiō of the world was layd And that this is most true that I haue said I cal the whole Trinitie the almighty eternal Maiestie of god the father the sonne the holy ghoste to my recorde at this present whom I humbly besech to confirme stablishe in thee the true and liuely feling of the same Amen Selah Now with a mery hart a ioyfull spirite something mixed with lawfull teares I take my farewell of you mine owne deare brother in the Lord who send vs shortly a mery meting in his kingdome that we may both sing prayses together vnto him with his holy Angels blessed spirites for euer euer Farewel thou blessed of the lord farewell in Christ depart vnto thy rest in the Lord pray for me for Gods sake As I had made an end of this simple letter I heard some comfort both of good Maister Philpottes seruant yours but alas I do scarcely beleue them Wel I wil hope in god and pray al night that god will sende me some comforte to morrow if the Lord geue you sparing to morrow let me heare .iiij. words of comfort frō you for gods sake The blessing of god be with you now and for euer Amen Yours for euer in the Lord Iesus Iohn Careles liuyng in hope agaynst hope To a faythfull frende of hys by whome he had receyued much comforte in hys trouble and affliction THe peace of God in Iesus Christ wyth the eternall comfort of hs swete spirite bee wyth you my deare brother now and euer Amen Ah my dere faithfull brother what hūble praise harty thākes am I boūd cōtinually to rēder vnto god for you in that he hath made you so worthy and comfortable an instrument vnto me his most vnworthy seruaunt in this tyme of my great conflict This is the cōflict whereby Sathan hath alwais sought to molest and vexe the true childrē of god to plucke them from the hope of their saluatiō in Christ ▪ Read psal 77.88.22 31.38.69 and concernyng this matter reade before fol. 152 194. 288. 325. the whole letter followyng not onely against flesh and blood but also against the spirituall power of darkenes In which wrestling though I be very weake yet haue I I thanke God most hartely therefore receiued such
body blood offred once for al. This I know my good sister you do constaÌ„tly coÌ„fesse beleue as the godly fruite of your christiaÌ„ fayth doth dayly testify I trust to be a witnes with you at the great day that your fayth is vnfayned ful of godly charitie the lord encrease the same I am constrayned here to make an end full sore agaynst my will My poore prayers shall supply that whiche my penne doth lacke The blessing of God be with you nowe and euer Amen Your dayly Oratour Iohn Careles A letter of M. John Rough wrytten a little before hys death to the Christian congregation in London whereof he was a minister and Preacher THe comfort of the holy ghost make you able to geue consolation to others in these daungerous dayes when Sathan is let lose to the tryal of the chosen when it pleaseth our God to sift his wheate from the chaffe I haue not leasure and time to write the great temptations I haue bene vnder I speake to Gods glorye my care was to haue the senses of my soule open to perceaue the voyce of god saying who that denieth me before men them wil I denie before my father his Angels and to saue the life corporall is to lose the life eternall and he that will not suffer with Christe shall not reigne with him Therefore moste tender ones I haue by Gods spirite geuen ouer the fleshe with the fyghte of my soule and the spirite hath the victorye The fleshe shall nowe ere it be longe leaue of to sinne the spyrite shall reygne eternallye I haue chosen the death to confyrme the truth by me taughte What can I doe more Consider with your selues that I haue done it for confyrmation of Gods truth Praye that I maye continue vnto the ende The great parte of the assaulte is paste I prayse my GOD. I haue in all my assaultes felte hys presente ayde I geue hym moste hartye thankes therefore Loke not backe nor bee ye ashamed of Christes Gospell nor of the bondes I haue suffered for the same thereby ye maye bee assured it is the true word of God The holy ones haue bene sealed with the same marke It is no tyme for the losse of one man in the battel for the campe to turne backe Vp with mens hartes blowe downe the dawbed walles of heresyes Let one take the Banner an other the Trumpet I meane not to make corporall resistance but praye and ye shall haue Elias defence and Heliseus companye to fight for you for the cause is the lords Now my brethren I can write no more tyme will not suffer and my harte wyth panges of death is assaulted but I am at home wyth my God yet alyue Pray for me and salute one an other wyth the holy kysse The peace of God reste with you all Amen From Newgate pryson in hast the day of my condeÌ„nation Iohn Rough. A letter of Cutberte Symson a Deacon of the Christian congregation in London burnt in Smythfielde for the veretye of Christes Gospell written to his wyfe out of the Colehouse MY dearelye beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christe Of the exceeding cruell vnmercifull Rackings and other tormeÌ„ts that thys man of God most paciently suffred read see in the boke of Martyrs Fol. 16â—1 I can not wryte as I doe wyshe vnto you I besethe you with my soule submytte your self vnder the mighty hand of our God trusting in hys mercy and he will surely helpe vs as shal be moste vnto hys glorye and oure euerlasting comforte being sure of thys that he will suffer nothing to come vnto vs but that which shal be most profitable for vs. For it is eyther a correction for oure synnes or a tryall of oure fayth or to set forth hys glorye or for altogether and therefore muste needes be well done for there is nothing that commeth vnto vs by fortune or chauÌ„ce but by our heauenly fathers prouidence And therfore pray vnto our heauenly father that he wil euer geue vs his grace so to consider it Let vs geue him most harty thankes for these hys fatherly corrections for as many as he loueth he correcteth And I besech you now be of good chere counte the crosse of Christ greater riches then al the vaine pleasures of England I do not doubt I prayse God for it but that you haue supped with Christ at his Maundie I meane that you beleue in him for that is the effect theÌ„ must you drinke of his cup I meane his crosse for that doth the cup signifye vnto vs. Take the cup with a good stomacke in the name of god then shal you be sure to haue the good wine Christs blood to your poore thirstye soule And when you haue the wine you muste drinke it out of this cup. Learne this wheÌ„ you come to the Lords supper Pray continually In al things geue thankes Cutbert Symson A letter of VVilliam Coker then prysoner in Caunterburye and afterwarde burnt for the testimonye of the truth wrytten to a frend of hys AS your hartye frend in god and through the mercy of our lord Iesus Christ as pertaining to the fayth your brother I send you greting most ChristiaÌ„ salutations For your kindenes in that you wrote so spedely to me again I coÌ„mend you thanke god for it though of necessitie you say you were partly moued so to do by reasoÌ„ of my bondes in the Lorde I hartely ioyed by occasioÌ„ of your letter because I vnderstode thereby the state of mine olde frends godly acquaintance and how ye al continually labour as we do in the Gospel of Christ which is the worde of saluation to as many as beleue Wherin we haue this coÌ„fidence through our fayth in the blood of Christ the thoughe Sathan his rabble of ministers doe rage neuer so muche with lying deceaueable power yea though he shoulde appeare neuer so glorious Angellike in the sight of the world yet shal his fiery dartes be quenched he neuer able to preuaile against vs. For the which testimonye of conscience I geue thankes vnto god froÌ„ the bottome of my hart praye alwaies vnto the Lord that as we haue begonne eueÌ„ so we may go forwardes vnto the end vntil the time that the darknes be cleane put away and the perfect light shine in oure harts soules bodyes in the eternal kingdome with god where we shal be sure our enemies shal not preuaile agaiÌ„st vs but then most victoriouslye be ouercome by that sweete Lambe the sonne of God In the meane time the Lord preserue keepe vs froÌ„ euil The Lorde make vs stoute in hys cause geue vs grace to confesse the truth before thys whorysh generation The Lord graunt we may worke his heauenly wil that when the time shal come he may receaue vs vnto himself in the glory euerlasting To whom be prayse honour for euer and euer Amen Your brother in bondes for the
Lordes cause VVilliam Coker A letter of Nicholas Shetterden a faith full Martyr of Iesus Christ written to hys Mother a little before hys death O My good Mother whoÌ„ I loue with reuerence in the Lorde according to my dutye I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenesse of all my misdedes towards you Oh my deare Mother in fewe wordes I wyshe you the same saluation whiche I hope my selfe to feele and partly taste of before thys come to you to read and in the resurrection I verely beleue to haue it more perfectlye in bodye and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye GOD graunte you to see my face with ioye but deare Mother then beware of that greate Idolatrye and blasphemous Masse O let not that be your GOD whiche Mice and wormes can deuoure beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no GOD yea the fyre that consumeth it and the moystnes that causeth it to moulde And I take Christs Testament to wytnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a mere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocentes bloode and nowe that GOD hath shewed it vnto you be warned in tyme. O geue ouer old customes and become new in the truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God let vs followe the counsel of his word deare Mother embrace it with hartye affection reade it with obedience let it be your pastime and cast of all carnall affections and loue of worldly thinges so shall we meete in ioye at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my frendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioye Amen From Westgate the .11 of Iuly .555 Nicholas Shetterden appoynted to be slayne for Christes cause and the mayntenaunce of hys most sounde and true religion A letter wrytttn by the Ladye Iane Gray to her Syster the Lady Katheryne immediatly before she suffered I Haue here sent you good Syster Katherin a booke which although it be not outwardly trymmed with gold This booke was a newe Testament in Greke in the end whereof she had written this letter yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Syster of the law of the Lorde it is his testament and last wyll which he bequethed vnto vs wretches whiche shall lead you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good mynd do read it with an earnest purpose follow it it shall bring you to an immortal euerlasting life It wil teach you to liue learne you to die It shal winne you more theÌ„ you shold haue gayned by the possessioÌ„ of your woful fathers lands For as if god had prospered him you should haue in herited his lands so if you apply diligently this boke seking to directe your life after it you shal bee an inheritour of suche riches as neither the couetous shal withdraw from you neither the these shal steale neither yet the mothes corrupte Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstand the law of the Lord your god Liue stil to die that you by death may purchase eternal life And trust not that the tendernes of your age shal lengtheÌ„ your life for as sone if God cal goeth the young as the old And labour alwayes to learne to die Defye the world denye the deuil despise the flesh delight your self only in the Lord. Be penitent for your sinnes yet despayre not be strong in faith yet presume not desire with S. Paule to be dissolued to be with christ with whoÌ„ eueÌ„ in death there is lyfe Be lyke the good seruaunt euen at midnight be wakyng lest wheÌ„ death coÌ„meth and stealeth vpon you lyke a thefe in the night you be with the euil seruaunt found slepyng and least for lacke of oyle you be found lyke the fyue folyshe women like hym that had not on the weddynge garmente and so be caste out from the mariage Reioyce in Christ as I prayse God I do Folow the steppes of your maister christ take vp your crosse lay your sinnes on his backe alwais embrace him And as touchyng my deathe reioyce as I do good Sister that I shal be deliuered froÌ„ this corruptioÌ„ and put on incorruption for I am assured that I shal for loosing of a mortal lyfe winne an immortal life The which I pray god graunt you send you of hys grace to lyue in hys feare and to dye in the true christian faith from the which in gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarne neither for hope of life nor for feare of death For if you wil deny his truthe to lengthen your life God wil deny you and yet shorteÌ„ your daies And if you wil cleaue vnto him he wil prolong your dais to your comfort his glorye to the which glory god bring me now and you herafter wheÌ„ it pleaseth him to cal you Fare you wel good Sister and put your only trust in god who only must helpe you Letters of M. George Marshe a godly faythfull and learned pastour in Christes churche put to deathe at VVestchester wyth moste cruell kyndes of tormentes as you may see in the booke of Martyrs fol. 1122 for the constant and faythfull confession of Christes Gospell To the professours of gods worde and true religion in the towne of Langhton GRace be wyth you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it my duty to wryte vnto you my beloued in the lord at Langhton to stirre vp your harts to cal to your remeÌ„brance the words which haue ben told you before and to exhort you as that good man and full of the holy ghost Barnabas dyd the AntiochiaÌ„s that with purpose of hart ye continually cleaue vnto the lord Actes â—â— and that ye stand fast be not moued away from the hope of the gospel wherof God be thanked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you by your late pastour M. Saunders other faythful ministers of Iesus Christ Luke 8. Rom. 1 which now when persecution aryseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truth being ashamed of the gospell wherof they haue bene preachers but are willing and redy for your sakes which are Christes mistical body to forsake not onely the chiefe principal delites of this lyfe I meane their natiue countreyes frendes liuings c but also to fulfill their ministery vnto the vttermost that is to wyt with theyr paynful imprisonments bloodshedings if nede shal require to confirme and seale christes gospel whereof they haue bene ministers and as S. Paule saith they are ready not onely to be cast into prison Acts. 12 but also to be kylled for the name of the lord Iesu Whether these beyng that good salte of the earth Matth. 5. that is true ministers of gods worde by whose doctrine being
wil be our helpe tary ye the lordes laysure Be strong let your hartes be of good comfort waite you still for the lord He is at hand yea the angel of the lord pitcheth his tent round about theÌ„ that feare him and deliuereth theÌ„ which way he seeth best for our liues are in the lords handes and they can doo nothing vnto vs before God suffer them therefore geue al thankes to god Oh my dere hartes nowe shal you be clothed wyth long white garments vppon the Mount Sion wyth the multitude of Saints and wyth Iesus Christ our sauiour which wil neuer forsake vs. Oh blessed Virgyns ye haue played the wise Virgins part in that ye haue taken oyle in your laÌ„pes that ye may enter with the brydegrome when he commeth into the euerlasting ioy But as for the folysh they shal be shut out because they made not themselues redy to suffer wyth Christ neither go about to take vp hys crosse Oh how precious shall your death be in the syght of the Lord for deare is the death of his saints Farewel mine owne deare harts and praye The grace of our lord Iesus Christ he with you al. AmeÌ„ AmeÌ„ Pray p.p. By me Richard Roth written with myne owne blood The copy of a letter written and cast out of the Castle of Caunterbury by the prisoners there in bandes for gods woâ—â— declaring how the papistes went about to famish the 〈◊〉 death of the which company fyue were famished amongest them already BE it knowen vnto all men that shall rede or heaâ—e redde these oure letters that we the poore prysoners of the Castell of Cauntorbury for gods truth are kept and lye in colde irons and our keper will not suffer any meate to bee brought to vs to comfort vs. And if any man do bryng anye thing as bread butter chese or any other foode the said keper wil charge them that so bring vs any thing except money or raiment to cary it with them againe or els if he do receiue any fode of any for vs he kepeth it for himselfe and he his seruantes do spend it so that we haue nothing therof There were fiue famyshed in that pryson whose names were these Iohn Clarke Dunston Chettenden W. Foster A. Fotkins Iohn Archer And thus the keper withholdeth kepeth away our vitails froÌ„ vs in so muche that there are .iiij. of vs prisoners there for gods truth famished alredy And thus is it his mynd to famishe vs al and we thinke he is apointed of the bishops priests and also of the iustices so to famish vs not only vs of the said Castle but al other prisoners in other prisoÌ„s for the lyke cause to be also famished NotwithstaÌ„ding we write not these our letters to that entent we myght not aforde to be famished for the lord Iesus sake but for this cause and entent that they hauing no law so to famish vs in prison should not do it priuely but that the murtherers harts should be openly knowen to all the world that al men may know of what churche they are who is their father Out of the castell of Caunterbury A letter of that true pastour and worthy Martyr D. Ridley wherin you may see the singular zeale he had to the glory of God and the furtherance of hys Gospell wrytten to Maister Cheke in Kyng Edwardes dayes here placed as it came to our hands MAister Cheke I wish you grace and peace Syr in Gods cause for Gods sake and in his name I besech you of your helpe furtherance towards gods word I did talke with you of late what case I was in concerning my Chaplens I haue gotten the good will graunt to be with me of three preachers men of good learning and as I am perswaded of excellent vertue whiche are able both with life and learning to set forth Gods worde in London and in the whole diocesse of the same where is most nede of al partes in Englande for from thence goeth example as you know into al the rest of the Kings Maiesties whole Realme The mens names be these M Grindall whom you know to be a man of vertue and learning M. Bradforde a man by whom as I am assuredlye enformed God hath and doth woorke wonders in setting forth of hys woorde The thirde is a preacher the whiche for detecting and confuting of the Anabaptistes and papistes in Essex both by his preaching and by his writing is enforced nowe to beare Christes crosse The two first be Scholers in the Vniuersitie The thirde is as poore as either of the other twayne Nowe there is fallen a Prebende in Paules called Cantrelles by the death of one Layton Thys Prebend is an honest mans liuing of .xxxiiij. poundes and better in the Kings bookes I woulde with all my harte geue it vnto M. Grindall and so I should haue hym continuallye with me and in my diocesse to preache But Alas Syr I am letted by the meanes I feare me of suche as do not feare God One M. William Thomas one of the Clarkes to the Counsell hath in tymes past sette the Counsaile vpon me to haue me to graunte that Layton mighte haue alienated the sayde Prebend vnto him and his heires for euer God was mine ayde and defendour that I dyd not consent vnto his vngodly enterprise Yet I was so then handled before the Counsel that I grauÌ„ted that wheÌ„soeuer it should fall I shoulde not geue it before I shoulde make the Kinges Maiestie preuye vnto it and of acknowledge before the collation of it Now Layton is departed and the Prebend is fallen certaine of the Counsell no doubt by this vngodly mans meanes haue writteÌ„ vnto me to stay the collatioÌ„ And where as he dispaireth that euer I would assent that a preachers liuing shoulde be bestowed on hym he hath procured letters vnto me subscribed with certaine of the Counselles hands that now the Kings Maiestie hath determined it vnto the furniture of his highnes stable Alas Syr this is a heauy hearing When papistrye was taught there was nothing too litle for the teachers When the Bishop gaue his benefices vnto idiotes vnlearned vngodlye for kindred for pleasure for seruice other worldly respectes all was then wel allowed Now where a poore liuing is to be geuen vnto an excellent Clarke a maÌ„ knowen tryed to haue both discretioÌ„ also vertue such a one as before god I do not know a man yet vnplaced vnprouided for more meete to set forth gods word in al Englande when a poore liuing I say which is founded for a preacher is to be geueÌ„ vnto such a man that then an vngodly persoÌ„ shal procure in this sorte letters to stoppe lette the same alas M. Cheke this seemeth vnto me to be a ryght heauy hearing Is thys the fruite of the gospel Speake M. Cheke speake for gods sake in gods cause vnto whom soeuer you thinke you may do any good withall And
England but also vnto the great reioycing encouraging of the most godly learned men in al couÌ„treis wil as I desire and trust geue you suche comforte in conscience as shall easely beare the paines of your imprisonmeÌ„t If you desire to suffer or do that thing whiche mighte testifye the truth aduaunce the glory edifye the church of Christ truly you haue your desire yea and I ensure you very many godlye men in diuers places geue daily thankes vnto god in praier for you You know your cause is good your frendes be in fauour your aduersaries in displeasure wyth the almightye god your heaueÌ„ly father your sufferyng for the truth shall not be vnrewarded your hope in Christ shall neuer be confounded For although your bodies bee kepte within prysons yet your testimony vnto the truth shyneth farre abroad in the world and your faythfull prayers in charitable vnitie ioyned wyth many others be continually presented afore the throne of god God graunt you grace to finde vse comfortable meditation of his worde in diligent obedience vnto hys wyl Christ be your keper in comfort Amen From Zurich the .52 of Octob. by yours faithfully in Christ Thomas Leauer Sap. 3. They are punished in few things but in many things shall they be rewarded He trieth them as the golde in the fornace receiueth them as a hurnt offring Gratia sancte pater tua det quò in firma ferendae Hee caro victrici nostra sit apta cruci Thy holy spirite grace graunt vs O father deare wherby we may be stroÌ„g thy crosse alway to beare ⧠A Table of the letters conteyned in thys booke declaryng by whome and to whome they were written Letters of D. Cranmer Archb. of Cant. A Letter to Quene Mary 1 An other letter to Quene Mary 3 To the Lordes of the Councell 16 A letter wherin he reproueth the slaunderous reportes that he had sette vp Masse agayne at Caunt 17 To a certaine Lawyer 19 To Mistres Wilkinson 23 Letters of D. Ridley B. of London TO the brethren dispersed abroad in sundry prisons c. 28 To the bretherne which constantly cleaue vnto Christ c. 34 To Quene Mary 38 An aunswer to West 40 To maister Hoper 45 A letter sent vnto him by maister Grindal beyng in exile 49 An answer writeÌ„ by him to the former letter 15 A letter to D. Cranmer D. Latymer 56 Viii. seueral letters to M. Bradford 58 iii. letters to Augustine Berneher 70 To mistres Mary Glouer 74 To a frend that came to visit him in the prisoÌ„ 75 A letter of his cruel haÌ„dling in Oxford 76 To D. Weston 78 To a Cosin of hys 79 A letter written to all hys faithfull frends as hys last farewel 80 An other farewel to the prisoners in the cause of christes gospel 103 A letter of his cruel handling in the scholes at Oxford and of his condemnation c. 112 Letters of M. Hoper B. of Glocester TO certayne godly persons enstructing them how to vse themselues at the chaunge of religion 114 To certain of his relieuers and helpers in the City of London 117 An aunswer to a letter wherby he was certified of them that were taken at Bowe 120 To the prisoners in both CouÌ„ters which were taken at Bowe 121 To certaine of his frendes exhorting theÌ„ to sticke to the truth 123 An other letter to the same effecte 125 To a merchant man by whome he had receiued comfort in the Flete 127 A letter of his cruell handlyng in the Flete 128 A letter againste false reportes that he had recanted 130 To mystres Wilkinson 131 To mistres A. W. 132 To maister Farrar D. Taylor M. Bradford M. Philpot. 134 To M. Hall and hys wyfe 136 To one that was falleÌ„ froÌ„ the truthe of the Gospell 137 To the faithful in the city of LoÌ„don 140 To a certaine woman teaching her how to behaue her self in her widowhode 142 A letter concerning a woman that was troubled wyth her husband in matters of religion 143 To hys beloued W.P. 146 To M. Iohn Hall 146 An exhortation to hys wyfe 147 To the christian congregation 157 A letter of M. Bullinger to M. Hoper 166 Letters of D. Taylor TO D. Cranmer D. Rydley and D. Latymer 171 To a frend of his concerning hys talke with the commissioners 172 A letter concerning the cause of hys condemnation 175 To his wife and children 178 Another letter to hys wyfe 641 Letters of M. Laurence Saunders TO D. Cranmer D. Ridley and D. Latymer 179 To the professours of the gospell in the towne of Lichfield 182 To mystres Lucie Harrington 191 An other to mistres Harrington 192 To his wyfe M. Harrington and M. Hurland 193 An other letter to them 195 A letter concernyng D. Westons comming to him to the Marshalsee 197 To hys wife and certayne other of hys frendes 197 ii other letters to his wife 200 To S. Gardiner B. of Winchester 201 To his wife other of his frendes 204 An other letter to his wyfe and certayne other of his frendes 205 ii letter to M. Robert Glouer Iohn Glouer 205 To a certayne backeslider froÌ„ the truth of gods worde 208 To M. Ferrâ—r D Taylour M. Bradforde and M. Philpot. 211 A letter to mistres L. Harrington 212 Letters of M. Iohn Philpot. A Letter written to the christian congregation 216 To Iohn Careles prisoner in the kings Benche 224 An other letter to Iohn Careles 226 An answer of I. Careles to the former letter 230 To certayne godly women goyng beyond the seas 234 An exhortation writeÌ„ to a Sister of his 236 To M. Robert Harrington 239 To M. Robert Glouer prisoner in CoueÌ„ 241 To mistres Heath 243 To Iohn Careles 245 To mistres A. Hartipole 247 To a faithful woman exhorting her to be patient vnder the crosse 249 To certain of his freÌ„ds as his last farewel 645 Letters of M. Iohn Bradford To the faythful professours of gods worde in the City of London 251 To the true professours of gods worde in the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge 257 To the professours of the true religioÌ„ of christ in Lankeshyre and Chesshire 263 To the vnfayned professours of the truth dwellyng at Walden 269 To the honourable L. Russell 275 An other letter to the L. Russell 278 To Maister Warcup mistres Wilkinson and other his frendes 280 To Sir Iames Hales 286 To hys Mother 290 To D. Hill Phisition 294 To Mistres M. H. 298 An other letter to her 303 To his beloued W. P. 305 To mistres I. H. 306 To M. Humphrey Hales 309 An other letter to maister H. Hales 312 To certayne of his frendes encouraging to be ioyful vnder the crosse 314 To M. Laurence Saunders prisoner in the Marshalsee 319 An other letter to M. Saunders 321 A letter of comfort to a faithful woman in her heauines and trouble 322 To hys louing brethren B.C. 330 To the Lady Vane 334 ii other letters to the L. Vane