in euery ioynte Ephes 4. wherwith one ministreth vnto another according to the operation as euery part hath his measure and encreaseth the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue and we be handfasted vnto hym as the spiritual spouse of so heauenly an husband Ephe. 5. euen flesh of hys fleshe and bone of his bone so that to the faythfull beleuer what can be lacking vnto perfect felicitie in such a cōmunion and precious pertaking with Christ in all heauenly treasures For frō him we may fetche aboundaunt fulnes to supply our extreme emptines we be quicke in him as liuely braunches in the vinestocke We be made a liue vnto god in him as mēbers of the body do liue by the head and we bee by fayth in him accepted as his deare spouse and in thys matrimonial bond and couenaunt he hath made with vs a most happye exchaunge He hath taken vnto him what we brought and geueth vs al that is his be it neuer so precious so entierlye he loued vs. Thus be we made ryche in him as many as thus know hym and thus do beleue hym to be ours And blessed be that heauenly father who hath hidde these thyngs from the wyse and prudent Luke 10. and hath reueled the same vnto his chosē litle ones Phillip 3. who with holy Paul do count al things but losse and do iudge thē but dong for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesu the Lord to wynne him and to be foūd in hym not hauing righteousnes of themselues but the ryghteousnes which commeth of God through fayth in Christ in knowing hym and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of hys passions to be cōformable vnto his death wherby to attayne the resurrection from death This thys is that treasure hid in the field wherof is spoken Math. 13. Math. 13. the which a man findeth and hideth and for ioy therof goeth and selleth al that he hath and byeth that field This is that precious pearle c. Now euen as the conceyuing of thys communion fellowship which we haue with Christ bringeth such peace as passeth all vnderstandyng so as I sayde the Christian knittyng of faythful beleuers in thys Christes misticall body is vnto the vnderstanders a ioyfull ioyning and enioying and a profitable fruition one of an other as in the bodye one member thereof ministreth vnto an other thereby takyng comforte one in an other Ephe. 4. whereof Saincte Paule moste liuelye and comfortablye speaketh in the .4 Chapter to the Ephes whiche woordes bee aboue mencioned The bonde of this compactyng and knittyng of vs together is loue For euen as our head Christe by hys vnmeasurable mercye and vnspeakeable loue towardes vs doth assure hym selfe vnto vs to bee one with vs we being in hym and he in vs so thys loue is by hys spirite powred into oure hartes whereby we bee taughte that the faythfull beleuers as they are in number manye so are they in Christe manye members makynge be but one body And hereof ensueth the carefull compassion chereful reioysing of one for an other as occasion requireth Hereof procedeth not onely a thankefulnes vnto God for hys graces receaued but also a continuall perseueraunce in praying one for an other therby to purchase the mutual pertaking of hys manifold blessings nedeful for vs. And finallie hereby is wrought in vs a liuely feling of a spiritual welfare euen as in the body one mēber is the better forthe welfare of the other and thus much hereof Which as I do not amplifie as an idle speculatiō wtout some practyse of the same so must I confesse that I am farre from that feling which I ought also would haue therof Notwithstanding I yelde most humble thankes vnto my God who hath practised me insome comfortable vnfayned experience of the same and as I somewhat haue felt so I somwhat haue spoken And yet the rather do I reioyce to enlarge herein vnto you my deare Christian frend good Maistres Harrington for that I doe well knowe 2. Cor. 4. that you haue dronke of the holy spirite with other vnto whō the knowledge hereof semeth not folyshnes as it doth vnto worlynges but is in deede the wisdome of God and the hygh power of God to saue all them that beleue it And for bycause I do esteme you as one of the members belonging vnto that mystical body I do with no smal comfort many times remēber you geuing god thanks for you and dayly do I by name remēber you in my prayers yea and also your familie that you maye in the feare of god consider your great charge and that the rather by your abiding in the true reuerend feare of God they whom you haue charge of maye bee vertuouslye transformed into the same Amen Amen I doubte not but that you haue learned the losson of s Paul vnto hys Timothy 1. Timot. 1. haue fayth and a good conscience the which while some haue put frō them they haue made shipwracke of their fayth I knowe I shall not nede to bid you fly frō Idolatry yea that most detestable idole of the masse The Lord minister vnto you right vnderstanding in al thyngs pray pray for me also for I know I both haue shall fare the better for your prayer I can tell you by expeerience that our Christ is euen that swete sauiour that we haue taken him to be and he wil be the helper at an extreme pinch Oh how swete is he vnto them that wil be the simple shepe of his pasture They can saye with the faithe of Dauid Psa 23. the lord is my shepehard and I shal lacke nothing c. I can be mery in him I thanke him therefore and I thanke you for your remembraunce of me whereof I vnderstande by your letters vnto maister Iames Haddon I would not refuse the blessyng of your beneuolence in ministryng vnto my necessitie if my case so requyred but I thanke god I am not as yet in any neede therefore be not you therin carefull And for this time no more but pray pray and I pray that good god euen our own god to kepe you alwaies Amen In hast the 21. of Nouember .1553 a prisoner in in the Lorde Yours as you know L. Saunders ¶ Certayne godly verses not here to be omitted which he wrote to hys prison fellowes of the Marshalsee THe grace of God declared is in Christ his sonne most deare And teacheth vs in holines to lyue in hys true feare Whoso then in that heauenly birth a child is rightly borne His fathers wyll he followeth and therunto is sworne Children of loue their fathers wil do louingly embrace Seruauntes of feare their maisters will to do do somwhat passe To children and to seruauntes both the rodde doth oft tymes reache The children and the seruantes both the rod doth penance teach All ye therfore which here remayne in straite captiuitee Be seruantes vnto rightuousnes from sin
our swete Sauiour Christ in bearing the crosse it is appointed vnto vs that euen with him also we shall bee glorifyed For it is a true saying 2. Timo. 2 If we be dead with him we shall also liue with him If we be patient we shal also reygne with him 2. Cor. 4. If we deny him he shall also denye vs. Wherefore we be of good cheere alwayes bearyng about in our bodye the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus myght appeare also in our body For we know that he which raysed vp the Lord Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall ioyne vs to himself together with you Wherfore we are not weryed but though our outward man peryshe yet the inward man is renued day by day For our tribulation which is momentane and light prepareth an exceding an eternal weight of glory vnto vs whiles we loke not on the things which are sene but on the thinges which are not sene For the things which are sene are temporall but things which are not sene are eternal We testifie vnto you reuerend fathers Esay 12. that we drawe these waters with ioy out of the welles of the Sauiour And I trust we shall continually with you blesse the Lord geue thanks to the lord out of these welles of Israell Apoca. 19. we trust to be merye together at the great Supper of the Lambe whose Spouse we are by fayth and there to sing that song of euerlasting Haleluyah Amen Yea come Lord Iesu The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christ be with you Amen ¶ To the professours of the Gospell and true doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the towne of Litchefelde GRace and peace with continuance in vnfayned fayth and a good conscience be vnto you in Christ Iesu Amen At what time it pleased that gracious god of Abraham Isaac and Iacob wonderfullye to woorke the deliueraunce of their ofspring the Israelites euen as he broughte to passe the same by hys mighty arme so dyd he thereunto admitte mans ministery as his ordinary instrumente and therfore instructed fyrste Moses that faythefull seruaunte of hys what was to be done as also with what chereful courage he should do the same These people by the hand of this Moyses were brought by no smal perils Deut. 34. the mydde way toward their promised patrimonye when as it pleased God to take vnto hym selfe hys seruaunte Moyses from this myserable vale In whose place he appoynted Iosua that worthy leader of the Lordes people who not alonely for his parte dydde boldelye take in hande so daungerous an enterprise Iosua 1. but also wyth earnest studye styrred vppe hys sayde people wyth lusty courage to goe forwarde in the appoynted passage of theyr ieoperdous iourney Yea he was hable aboūdantly to cōfort thē with such cōfortes as he himself receaued of his god who at sundry tymes assured him therof saying vnto hym thus euen as I was with Moses so wil I be with thee I wil not forsake thee neither leaue thee be thou therfore of good courage and stronge feare not neyther be dismayde for I am with thee in all that thou takest in hande What soeuer thinges be written are written for our doctrine c. Dearely beloued albeit that in these dais it may be sayd truelye that ye haue very fewe suche captaynes to be compared wyth Moyses or Iosua gods synguler iewelles yet that same lord which is no chaungelyng but euen the same mercifull and almightye defendour of all his people at all tymes doth and shall in some degree directe you his chosen children in the highe way toward your heauenly inheritāce by the hand of a Moses in some parte resembling these two principal paternes For though we your brethrē who heretofore by our vocation haue sit in the chayre of Moses and be gostly captaines as Moses and Iosua vnto you though I say we well know and acknowledge how little we haue to boast of as of oure selues yet this we haue to reioyce of in the lord our god that as we haue bene of hym appointed vnto such a place and function so we do not altogether degenerate For first vnto our owne strengthning euen that gratious god whiche byddeth vs to be strong by the operation of his spirit performeth the same in some part in vs al glory be vnto hym therfore Also in the word of the lord we testify vnto you to be stronge in the lorde and shrynke not backe because of the sundrye temptations assaultynge you in the passage vnto your countrey through the wildernes of thys world Be content to be proued as those people were Doe not addict your selues vnto the fantasing of the flesh pottes of Egypte Exo. 16. most vnthankfully relinquishyng the promised possession We geue you to know what warrantise we haue of prosperous successe in suche our procedinges no lesse be ye assured then those former captaynes Moyses and Iosua had For besydes that all the same most comfortable promises which made them their people to be bold to procede in their enterprise do belōg vnto vs we haue to reioyce in our god for his vnmeasurable mercies more plentifully powred vpō vs by that aboūdāt grace in hys deare sonne our christ in whome he offreth vs al fulnes of fauour and beneuolēce all readines of deliueraunce appoyntyng all credite wythout care to be geuen vnto such a gouernour Yea and that same hys Christ who is made of hym our annointed sauiour is now become our graunde captayne yea what is he not vnto vs to do vs good He is our shepeheard we be his people and the shepe of hys pasture he is our husband we be hys spouse Iohn 10 Math. 28. He hathe promysed to keepe hys sheepe that none shall snatch them out of hys handes He hath promysed to be wyth hys church alwayes yea and that effectually to be wyth it euen as the heade to geue lyfe vnto the members and parts of the body euen as the vyne stocke to quicken the vyne braunches and euen as the most louyng husband to tender cherish defende and keepe hys welbeloued spouse Let vs be bold to committe our selues vnto suche a safe conductor castyng oure care vpon hym for were it not that he many tymes more careth for vs then we can for our selues it would not be well wyth vs. Full little dyd Peter perceaue any cause of greuance for that perillous fal which after befell Luke 24. But that suffraigne shepeheard before hand espied the spyteful desire of that woluish Sathan to syft his Peter that sely poore shepe and therfore prayed vnto hys father that Peters fayth myght not faynt Such a shepehard shall he be alway vnto his people hūbly complaining vnto him in extreme daungers And great cause haue we so to do consideryng not only the greedy desyre of this Satan most tyrannously ragyng lyke a roaryng Lyon seeking whome he maye deuoure but also the
imbecillitye in our selues 1. Pet. 5. beyng suche as is not hable to withstande the leaste of hys assaultes but on the contrarye beynge ouerwhelmed wyth the waues whiche be styrred vp by these tempestes of hys temptations Math. 8. we are compelled to crye wyth these Dysciples who in theyr extremitye cryed saue vs Lorde or elles we peryshe The tymes be perylous we muste therfore be circumspect not solace our selues in carnall security but beyng coÌ„tent to enter into the sheepe of Christes crosse and obiecting our selues to al ieoperdous passages in the adueÌ„turous iorneying to our heauenly countrey let vs for thys present vsage accompte it comfort enough to haue the fellowship of suche a fellow venterer He once beyng in the Shyppe wyth hys Disciples dyd wyth hys worde aswage the swellyng of the Sea so daungerous He hath not lefte vs alone in the Ship of thys frayle fleshe but ioyneth wyth vs in thys daungerous iorney aswel by hys once beyng subiecte vnto all bodely infirmities as we be synne only except as also by his assuryng vs of his gratious assistaÌ„ce now that he is becom before hys heauenly father our Prynce our Priest and our Prophet alwayes prest and ready to helpe by hys power propitiation and inspiration of hys holy spirite And what though he for a season do slepe and do so suffer vs vnto our seemynges to synke He wyll bee awaked beyng pulled by prayer and therfore doth he delay our spedy deliueraunce euen to fortifye our faithe by importune prayer Lette vs then wyth instance apply this busines and the rather in respect of the dangerous doâ—ing of this old age of the world For it is with the men of this latter age of the worlde as it is with a very aged man who for impotency of the powers both of the mind the body is brought to much imbecillitye Then do the wittes by weakenes wander out of the waye The bodye by feablenes and defaulte of the former strength doth stagger full weakely doth any lymme or part of that wretched body execute the function vnto it belongyng In lyke maner is it with the churche of Christe in this doâ—yng old age of the world There is nothyng such fulnes in gods graces as heretofore hath bene in the primatiue church and the tymes immediatly ensuyng There is lesse perfection in the fayth feare and loue towardes god charity towardes the brethren There is lesse zeale to confesse god and lesse constancy to continue in gods truth then was heretofore And this is not straunge vnto them which do obserue the fore-speakings of the scriptures aswel of the prophets of our sauior Christe as also of his apostles by whome it hath ben signified before hand what daungerous dayes should come in the latter times as Math. 24 2. Thess 2. 1. Timoth. 2. Timo. 3.2 Peter 2. Wherfore let vs which are come into these latter daungerous tymes first consider how that the holy ghost hath geuen vs warnyng therof and also that we by proofe haue experience of the verifying of the same let vs now I say the more earnestly apply our humble petition vnto that mercyful father and hys sonne our swete sauiour who is the head of hys churche euen this his body weake though it be that he wyll vouchsafe not so muche to obserue the backeslidyng and shrinkyng of thys hys feble body as to respect the forspeakynges of these perilous tymes and let vs wyth and in the name of the whole church remember often the prayer of Dauid Psal 71. Lord cast me not away in the tyme of mine olde age when my strength doth decay That tyme of the church is euen now presente and truly if we be instance in prayer we be not without warrantise of gods promises to obtayne that we pray for Psal 40. Math. 24. 1. Cor. 10 Yea call vpon me sayth he in the day of thy trouble and I wyll delyuer thee For the electes sake it is sayd the daungerous dayes shal be shortned Yea faythfull is he that wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able to abyde We may be bold to put our gracious god in remembraunce of hys olde mercies Psal 44. with Deuid say oh god we haue hearde wyth our eares and our fathers haue declared vnto vs the noble workes that thou dyddest in theyr dayes and in the olde tyme before theÌ„ The testimonies of hys word do teach vs how he hath from the begynnyng alway gathered vnto himself a congregation church vnto the which hys choseÌ„ church he hath bound him selfe by his couenaunt of mercy to be their god and sauiour and besydes that hath powred vppon them his sundry blessinges and benefits But agayne it is to be sene in the scriptures how that euen these peculier gods people did at sundry tymes fall from that theyr heauenly profession aswell to Idolatrye and false Gods seruice as also vnto dissolute liuyng therby prouokyng gods wrathfull plagues and punishmentes the which in dede ofteÌ„times as they were ofteÌ„ deserued so they fel vpoÌ„ them But euen as the god of Israel did visite the offences of hys people wyth his rodde of chastisement so did he not at any tyme take away hys mercies from them Psal 89. and that for that couenaunt of mercy made vnto them in Abraham Isaac and Iacob their forefathers And therfore when at any tyme throughe hys grace they dyd by repentaunce turne vnto hym he most fatherly embraced theÌ„ with the armes of his mercy These thyngs be written for vs that we in semblable wyse should consider fyrst the dignitye whereunto we haue bene called that is euen to be hys church and people Yea in comparyng our profession with either the heathenish Turkes infidels or vnto the people which are professed vnto this hypotriticall papistrye we haue to aduaunce our selues as the true childreÌ„ of Christ for that we beare the ryght badges of gods true people and that is the earnest desyre towards the propagation of gods most holy word and the right vse of the sacraments agreable to the same hauyng ioyned ther with a readines of hart and mynde to suffer affliction persecution for the confession of our fayth or at the least rather then we wyll deny or put away faith and a good conscience And besydes these outward notes and tokens declaryng the we be the true church there is a nearer token in gods elect which is the inward testimony of gods spirite whiche beareth wytnesse vnto our spirit that we be gods children Rom. 8 causyng vs to crye Abba father and beyng in dede the earneste peny of our saluation But notwithstandyng that we be thus promoted by our god and dignifyed by his graces yet must we consider how vnworthely we haue vsed in sundry wise these gods graces blessyngs yea so vnthankfully we haue receyued theÌ„ that no lesse plagues by gods iust iudgemente belong vnto vs then was at that tyme
due vnto those his people Wherfore let vs faythfully confesse that we haue offended wyth oure forefathers The which beyng done in our conuersion vnto the Lord our God wyth our whole heart Psal 89. let vs assure our selues that euen as he hath and doth visite our synnes with this captiuity of body and cōscience and such other plagues beyng his rodde of chastisement so hath he not taken away his mercy from vs but wyll plentifully visite vs wyth the same euen for that couenaunt of mercy made vnto vs not in Abraham Isaac and Dauid but in that promysed sede of Abraham in that spiritual Dauid euē Iesus Christ who is that peaceable Salomon makyng peace betwen vs and his Father by the offeryng of hys bodye and sheedyng of hys bloude by whose meanes we must looke for the gilt of our synnes to bee forgeuen and the plagues thereby purchased to be taken away And now dearly beloued we be taught by that heauenly spirit which our god hath geuen vnto vs to seke comfort in these tymes of affliction not in hope of rebellion or fulfillyng vnprofitable yea pestilent welshe prophecies but in the most comfortable glad tidings of the heauenly promises assured in his deare Christ And touchyng this most miserable estate of the ghostly captiuity of conscience and bodely bondage wherin for our synnes presently we be holden let vs fyrst most obediently kysse this rodde of our father by obedience submission to abide al extremity that man may do vnto vs rather then to forgoe faythe and a good conscience Lette vs also beseche our heauenly father for his christes sake to leaue of beating vs and to take awaye the rodde eyther by conuertyng the hartes of those whiche afflicte persecute vs for so dyd he somtyme take away the rodde as namely by conuertyng of Nabuchodonozer Manasses or els if such wycked scourges be not to be cōuerted but be reprobates vessels of gods wrath chyldren of perdition suche vpon whome it pleaseth god to shewe hys iudgementees and in whom he will shew hys power If I saye they be suche let vs wyshe most earnestly that our God wyll spedely aryse that hys and our enemies may shortelye be scattered Yea he knoweth what these execrable erecters of the Romyshe religion are They be the proude builders of the Babilonicall Tower They wyll clyme vppe into Gods kyngdome by theyr owne attempts not expectyng waiting for Gods helpe Yea that lord be iudge betwixt them vs. He knoweth that as theyr buildinges tende vnto the destruction of that true onelye foundation Christ so our buildyng by Gods woorde hathe and dothe tende to the substantiall laying of that only foundation and to the establyshyng of Christes chosen church vpon that same rocke wyth an vnfayned fayth and pure conscience also vnto the building vpon the same faith al fruitfull workes of the Spirite to serue GOD in holines and ryghteousnes c. Tit. 2. Yea that euer lyuyng Lord knoweth the earneste desyre of our hartes is euen the greedy expectation of the glorious commyng of that greate iudge vnto whose iudgemente loe heauen and earthe bee witnes and ye Gods Saynctes we doe appeale in the meane season abidyng our Gods good pleasure to doe wyth vs that may moste redounde vnto hys glorye whether to lyue or dye nothyng doubtyng in hym to be strengthened merely and chearefully to make a sacrifyce and burnte offeryng for the confirmation of thys infallible veritye taughte by vs and once receiued of you And ioyne with vs deare fellowe heires as we ioyne with you in humble prayer that euen as all we be by saithe handfasted vnto our husband and knytte vnto our heade Iesu Christe and also be kyndled by loue one to an other as mutual members in this mysticall body so we may perseuere and continue vnto the ende and that by and in our Christ we may encrease more and abound in the spirite of grace and prayer wherby to fetche all heauenly influence from that our heade Christe one for an other euen as in the bodye one member mynistreth vnto an other Amen Amen In the Marshalsee 17. Octob. 1554. A prisoner in the Lord trustyng shortly to be with the Lord. L. Saunders ¶ To maystres Lucye Harryngton a godly gentlewoman and frendly in hys trouble to hym and his YOur most gentle commendations wherof this messenger made remēbrance vnto me was for two causes very cōfortable Fyrst for that thereby I vnderstoode of the stare of your health and bodely welfare for the which I geue thankes vnto GOD who graunte the long continuāce therof to his honour and fatherly good wil wherunto I will daily saye Amē And father I was refreshed by the expressing of your myndful frendship towards me far vnworthy therof Wherin I take occasion of muche reioysing in oure so gratious a god and mercifull father who as he hath in hys vnmesurable mercy by fayth handfasted vs hys chosen children vnto hys deare sonne our Christ as the spirituall spouse of suche an heauenly husband so he lynketh vs by loue one vnto another beyng by that bonde compacte together with charitable readines to do good one vnto an other so that fyrste to the glory of our god and his christ then to our owne ioying in the testimony of a good conscience and laste of all to the stoppyng of the mouthes and confusion of our aduersaries we beare the badge as the right spouse of our Christ which he hymselfe noteth in this hys sayeng Iohn 13. herein shall all men know that ye be my disciples if ye loue one an other Then farther by thys bonde of mutual loue is set forth the fatherly prouidence of god towardes vs his children that though it be he which careth for vs in whom we lyue moue and be who feedeth all flesh with bodely sustenaunce yet hathe he apointed vs in these present necessities to stand in his stede one vnto an other Wherin is not only set forth our dignitye but also that vnspeakable accorde and vnity among vs the many members in thys mysticall body And thoughe that eyther for lacke of hability or els throughe distaunce of place power and oportunitie of helpyng one another doe fayle yet wonderfull is the workyng of gods childrē through the spirite of prayer as wherby they fetch all heauenly influence from Christe their celestiall heade by hys spirite Iohn 15 to be measured seuerally as may serue to the mayntenance of the whole body Thus doth our faithful prayer which we make one for an other distribute and scatter gods bountifull blessynges both ghostly and bodelye when ordinarye habilitye lacketh and when the arme may not reach such gods riches According hereunto I wel perceaue and vnderstande your readynesse to do good vnto all and especially I haue experience of your readye good will towards me in your hartie desire to stretch out your helpyng hand to releue my lacke and of your helpe to be extended to me
and that with whole purpose of harte to cleaue vnto the Lord to fynde such ryches in hys heauenly worde through hys spirite obtayned by prayer My deare frendes and brethren Maister Harrington and Maister Hurlande Praye pray Math. 26. Spiritus quidem promptus est caro autem infirma When I loke vpon my self quid ego stupidus attonitus habeo quod dicam Luke 5. Psa 119. nisi illud Petri exi a me domine quia homo peccator sum But then fele I that swete comfort lucerna pedibus meis verbum domini lumen semitis meis hec mea est consolatio in humilitate mea Iohn 6. Then waxe I bolde with the same Peter to say domine ad quem ibimus verba vitae eternae habes Thys comfort haue I when the geuer therof doth geue it But I loke for battailes which the rote of vnfaithfulnes the which I feele in me will moste egerlye geue vnto my conscience when we come once to the combate We be I weene within the sounde of the trompe of oure enemyes playe ye that be abroade the part of Moyses orantes in omni loco sustollentes puras manus Gods people shal preuayle yea oure bloode shal be their perdition who doth most triumphantly spil it and we thē being in the handes of our god Sapien. 5. shal shine in his kingdome shal stand in greate stedfastnes agaynste them which haue dealt extremely with vs. And whē these our enemyes shal thus see vs they shal be vexed with horrible feare shal wonder at the hastines of the sodayne health and shal say with thēselues hauing inwarde sorrow mourning for very anguish of mind these are they whō we sometime had in derisiō iested vpon we fooles thought their liues to be very madnesse and theyr end to be without honour but loe how they are accompted among the children of God The blessyng of God be with you al. Salute I pray you my sister B. S. with other our frendes in the same house gods grace keepe thē with al the reast of our godly acquaintance louers of the truth furtherers of the true confession of the same whō al I bid most hartely to be mery in the lord reioycing in hope preparing them selues to be pacient in tribulation with cōtinuaunce in prayer Let some bodye bye for me a pensill of lead to write with al for I shal hardly haue pen and Inke here sith al libertye of writyng is taken away from vs. L. S. An other letter to hys wyfe and to Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland GRace and comfort c. Wyfe you shal do best not to come oftē vnto the grate where the porter may see you Put not your self in daunger where it nedes not you shal I thinke shortly come farre enough into daunger by keping fayth and a good conscience which deare wife I trust you do not slacke to make rekoning accompt vpon by exercising your inward man in meditation of Gods most holy woorde being the sustenaunce of the soule and also by geuing your selfe to humble prayer for these two things be the very meanes how to bee made mēbers of our Christ mete to inherite his kyngdome Do thys deare wife in earnest not leauing of and so we two shal with our Christ and all his chosen children enioy the mery world in the euerlasting immortalitie where as here wil nothing els be found but extreme misery euē of thē which most greedely seke thys worldly wealth and so if we two continue Gods children graffed in our Christ the same Gods blessing which we receaue shal also settle vpon our Samuell Though we do shortly depart hence and leaue the poore Infant to our seeming at al aduentures yet shal he haue our gracious God to be hys God for so hath he sayd and he can not lye I will be thy God sayeth he and the God of thy sede Yea if you leaue him in the wild wildernes destitute of all helpe being called of God to do hys wyll eyther to dye for the confession of Christ eyther any worke of obedyence that God whiche heard the crye of the litle poore infante of Agar Saraes handmaiden and dyd succour it wil doe the like to the chylde of you or any other fearyng hym and putting your truste in hym And if we lacke fayth as we doe indeede many tymes let vs call for it and we shall haue the encrease both of it and also of any other good grace nedefull for vs and bee merye in GOD in whom also I am very merye and ioyfull O Lorde what greate cause of reioysyng haue we to thynke vppon that Kingdome which he voucheth safe for hys Christes sake frelye to geue vs forsakyng oure selues and following hym Deare wyfe thys is truely to followe hym euen to take vp our crosse and follow hym and then as we suffer with hym so shall we reygne with hym euerlastingly Amen Shortly shortly Amen My deare frendes Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland Praye praye and bee merye in God and I beseche you as you maye let the good brethren abroade be put in mynde of oure deare tryed brethren and sisters who haue the Lorde be praysed made knowen theyr constancye in confessyng the truth to the glorye of GOD and comforte I doubt not of hys Churche abroade Thus haue they sowen spirituall thynges confessing Christ I trust they wil not be forgetfull that they may reape of them whiche are of habilitie and at libertye theyr carnall thynges Hereof I speake now bycause of my tender desyre towardes these deare brethren here now in bondes and in other places and also for that I doubte whether I maye haue wherewith to write hereafter The keper sayeth he muste needes see that we write not at al. The deuil roreth but be of good cheare he will shortly be troden vnder foote and the rather by the bloude of Martyrs Salute in my most hartye manner good Maisters Harrington and my good Ladye F. I am theyrs as longe as I lyue and praye for them desyre them to do likewyse for me and for al vs shepe appointed to the slaughter A prisoner in the Lorde Laurence Saunders An aunsweare to a frende of hys who sent to knowe what Doctor VVeston dyd at the Marshalse MAister Weston came to conferre with M. Grymbold what he hath with hym concluded I know not pray that it maye bee to Gods glory Amen Maister Weston of his gentlenes visited me offred me frendship in hys worldlye wilye sort c. I had not so much maner to take it at his hāds saying that I was well enough and ready chearefully to abide the extremitie to kepe therby a good consciēce You be a slepe in synne sayd he I would awake qoth I do not forget vigilate orate what church was there qoth he .xxx yeres past What church was there in Helias time quoth I c. Ioane of Rente quoth he was of
dryueth men vnto the incoÌ„uenience against the which Christ with the prophet Esay doth speake sharplye Populus hic labijs me honorat cor autem eorum longe a me est sed frustra me colunt docentes doctrinas praecepta hominuÌ„ Esay 26. Math. 25. That is thys people honoureth me wyth theyr lyppes but theyr hart is farre from me they worshyp me in vayne teachyng the doctryne and preceptes of men And in an other place Reijcitis mandatum Dei vt traditionem vestram statuatis That is ye cast away the coÌ„maundementes of god to maynteyne your owne traditions Wherfore I in conscience wayeng the Romyshe religion and by indifferent discussyng therof fyndyng the foundatioÌ„ vnstedfast and the buildyng therupon but vaine and on the other syde hauyng my conscience framed after the right and vncorrupt religion ratified and fully established by the worde of god and the consent of his true church neither may nor doe intend by gods gratious assistance to be pulled one iote froÌ„ the same no though an aungell from heauen should preach any other doctrine Explicita fideâ— is called of the scholemen that faith wherof a reason may be geueÌ„ and implicita fides is called that symple fayth whiche leaneth onely to the church althoughe there can no reason be geuen therof And although either for lacke of so learned knowledge and profound iudgement or of so expedite vtterance of that I do know and iudge as shal be required I shal not be able sufficiently to answer for the conuincing of the again sayer and albeit I cannot explicita fide as they call it conceiue all that is to be conceyued discusse all that is to be discussed effectually expresse al that is to be expressed Neuerthelesse I do bynd my self as by humble simplicitie so by my fidem implicitam as it is called to wrappe my belief in the credite therof that no aucthority of that Romysh religion repugnaunte therevnto shall by anye meanes remoue me from the same A prisoner in the Lord L. Saunders ¶ To hys wyfe and other of hys frendes after hys condemnation to rhe fyre and a litle before hys death GRace in Christ with the consolation of the holy ghost to the kepyng of faith and a good conscience confyrme and keepe you for euer vessels to gods glory Amen Oh what worthye thankes can be geuen to our gratious god for hys vnmeasurable mercies plentifully powred vpon vs And I most vnworthy wretche cannot but at this present from the bottome of my hart powre out the bewaylyng of my great ingratitude and vnkindnes towards so gratious a god and louing a lord I besech you al as for my other many sinnes so especiallye for this sinne of mine vnthankfulnes against god craue for me in your commendyng me vnto gods mercye in Christe by your hartye prayers pardon and forgeuenes To stand to number these mercies in perticulars were to number the droppes of the sea the sand on the shore the starres in the skie Oh my dere wyfe and ye the rest of my frendes that loue me in the lord reioyce reioyce with me reioyce I say with thaÌ„kesgeuing for thys my present promotion to be made worthy to magnify my god not only in my lyfe by my slow mouth vncircumcised lippes to heare testimony vnto hys truth but also by my bloode to seale the same to the glorye of GOD and confyrming of his church And as yet I testify vnto you the comfort in my swete christ doth driue from my phantasy the feare of death But if my deare husbaÌ„d do for my trial leaue me alone to my selfe I know in what case I shall then be but if for proofe he do so I am sure he wyll not be farre froÌ„ me Though he stand behynd the wal and hyde himselfe as Salomon saieth in his mystical ballade yet wil he peepe in by a crest to see how I do Cant. 2. He is so tender harted a Ioseph that though he speake roughlye to his brethren and handle them hardly yea and put his best beloued brother BeÌ„iamin in prison yet can he not conteyne himselfe from weepynge with vs and vpon vs with clipping vs about the neck and kyssing vs such a brother is our Christ vnto vs all Wherfore hasten to goe vnto hym as Iacob did and hys sonnes and family leauyng theyr own countrey and acquaintance Yea this Ioseph of oures hath obtained for vs his brethreÌ„ that Pharao the infidele shall minister vnto vs charetres wherin to be caried to come vnto hym as we haue experience how our verye aduersaries helpe vs vnto our euerlastyng blisse by their speedy dispatche yea howe all thynges haue bene holpynges vnto vs blessed be our God And be not afraid of fray bugges by the way feare rather the euerlastyng fyre feare the serpent that hath a stynge and that is thys bodely death to them which are not graffed in Christe beyng without fayth and a good conscience and so not acquainted wyth Christ the kyller of death But O my deare frendes and brethern we we whome God hath delyuered from the power of darkenes and hathe translated in to the kyngdome of hys deare sonne by puttyng of the olde man and by faithe puttyng on the newe euen our Lorde Iesus Christ his wisdome holines rightuousnes and redemptioÌ„ we I say haue to triumph against that terrible spiteful serpent the deuil sinne death hell daÌ„nation for Christe our brasen serpent hath pulled awaye the stinge thereof 1 Cor. 15 so that now we may boldly in beholdyng the serpente this bodely death spoiled of her stinge triumphe and with our Christe all his elett say O death where is thy sting O hel where where is thy victory ThaÌ„kes be vnto god who hath geuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Wherfore be mery my deare frendes and bretherne alwaies remember the Lord my fellow heyres of the euerlasting kyngdome reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation continue in prayer and for vs pray now already apointed to the slaughter that we may be vnto our heauenly father a fat of â—ring an accepted sacrifice I may hardly wryte vnto you To this his flocke he Wrote also a fruitfull letteâ— exhorting and chargyng theÌ„ to beware of the Romish religioÌ„ which is not yet come to light wherfore let these few words be a witnes of coÌ„mendations to you all theÌ„ which loue vs in the faith and namely vnto my flock emoÌ„gs whoÌ„ I am now resideÌ„t by gods prouideÌ„ce but as a prisoner And although I am not emoÌ„ges theÌ„ as I haue ben to preache to theÌ„ out of a pulpit yet doth god now preach vnto theÌ„ by me by this mine imprisoÌ„meÌ„t captiuity which now I suffer emoÌ„ges theÌ„ for christes gospels sake byddyng them to beware of the Romish Antichristian religion and kyngdome requiring and charging them to abide in the truth of Christ which is shortlye to be sealed with the blood of
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
them they harken vnto me and to no straungers and I geue them euerlastyng lyfe Iohn 10 for they shall not be loste nor no man shall plucke them out of my handes no nor yet this flatte ryng world wyth al his vayne pleasures nor any Tyranne wyth his great threates and stoute bragges can once moue them out of the way of eternall lyfe What consolation and coÌ„fort may we haue more pleasaunt and effectuous then this God is on our side and fighteth for vs he suffereth he smarteth is afflicted with vs. As the world can do nothing against his might Esay 4 neither in takyng away or diminishing of hys glory nor putting him from his celestial throne so can it not harme nor hurte any one of his chyldren without his good wyll Ephesi 5 for we are members of hys bodye out of his flesh and of his bones and as deare to him as the apple of his eye Let vs therfore with an earnest fayth set fast hold and sure feeling vpon the promises of God in the gospel and let vs not be sundred from the same by any teÌ„ptation tribulation or persecution Let vs consider the verity of god to be inuincible inuiolable and immutable promising and geuing vs his faythfull souldiours life eternall It is he onely that hath deserued it for vs it is his only benefite and of his only mere mercy vnto hym only must we render thaÌ„kes Let not therfore the vayne fantasies and dreames of meÌ„ the folish gauds and toyes of the world nor the crafty delusions of the deuil driue separate vs from our hope of the crown of righteousnes that is laid vppe in store for vs against the last day Oh that happy and mery last day I meane to the faythfull when Christ by hys couenaunt shall graunte and geue vnto them that ouercome and kepe hys wordes to the ende that they maye ascende and sit in seate with him as he hath ascended and sitteth on throne wyth hys father The same body and soule that is now wyth Christ afflicted shal then be wyth Christ glorified nowe in the butchers handes as shepe appointed to die 2. Timo. 2. then sitting at gods table wyth Christ in hys kyngdom as gods honourable and dere childerne where we shall haue for earthly pouerty heauenlye riches for hunger and thirst saturitye of the pleasaunt presence of the glory of God Psalm 16. for sorrowes troubles and colde irons celestial ioyes and the company of Aungels and for a bodely death lyfe eternall Oh happy soules oh precious death and euermore blessed righte deare in the eyes of god to you the spring of the Lord shall euer be florishyng Then as sayth Esay the redemed shall returne come againe into Sion praysing the Lord and eternall mercyes shal be ouer their heades they shall obtaine myrthe and solace sorrowe and woe shall be vtterly vanquished yea I am euen he sayeth the Lord that in all things geueth you euerlastyng consolation To whom with the Father and the holy ghost be glory and prayse for euer Amen Robert Samuell An other letter written to the Christian coÌ„gregation called the fayth of Robert Samuell The beliefe of the hart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe Rom. 10. Feare not the curse of men be not afrayde of theyr blasphemies and reuilinges for wormes and mothes shall eate them vppe lyke cloth and woll but my ryghteousnesse shall endure for euer and my sauing healthe from generation to generation Esay 51. COnsidering with my self these perillous times 2. Timo. 3. perishing daies the vnconstant and miserable state of man the decay of our fayth the sinister reporte false slauÌ„der of gods most holy word these vrgent causes in coscience do constrayne me to confesse acknowledge my fayth and meanyng in Christes holy religion as S. Peter teacheth me saying 1. pet 3 be readye alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes feare hauing a good coÌ„science that wheÌ„ they backbite you as euill doers they may be ashamed for asmuche as they haue falselye accused your good conuersation in Christe As touching my doctrine for that litle talent that god hath geuen me god I take to recorde mine own conscience mine auditorie knoweth that I neither in doctrine nor maners willinglye taughte any other thing then I receaued of the holy Patriarckes Prophets Christ hys Apostles For it were not only sinne but also the very part of a cursed miscreant to deny to belye or betray the innoceÌ„cie of that heaueÌ„ly doctrine or to be ashamed to coÌ„fesse staÌ„d to the defence of the same Mar. 8. seing the christ plaÌ„ted it with his most precious blood and all good men haue more estemed the true infallible word of god then al this transitorye worlde or their own mortal liues And I beleue this doctrine of the Patriarkes Prophets Christ hys Apostles to be sufficient absolutely perfect to enstruct teach me al the holy church of oure duties towards god the magistrates our neighbours Fyrst principally I do assuredly beleue wtout any douting that there is one deitie or diuine essence infinite substaÌ„ce which is both called is in dede god euerlasting vnbodely vnpartable vnmeasurable in power wisdome goodnesse the maker preseruer of al things as wel visible as inuisible yet there be three distinct persons al of one godhead or diuine being of al one power coequal coÌ„substantial coeternall the father the sonne the holy ghost I beleue in god the father almighty c. As touching god the father of heaueÌ„ I beleue as much as holy scripture teacheth me to beleue The father is the first person in trinitie Ephesi â— first cause of our saluation which hath blessed vs with al maner of blessings in heaueÌ„ly things by Christ which hath choseÌ„ vs before the fouÌ„dations of the worlde were layd that we should be holy without blame before him who hath predestinate vs ordeyned vs to be his childreÌ„ of adoption through Christ Iesu Act. 17. Psal 176. In him as it is sayd we liue we moue haue our being he nourisheth feedeth geueth meate to euery creature And in Iesus Christ hys onely sonne oure lord I beleue that the word that is the sonne of god the second person in trinitie did take mans nature in the wombe of the most blessed virgin Mary Heb. 1. So that there be in hym .ii. natures a diuine nature an humaine nature in the vnitie of persoÌ„ inseperable conioyned knyt in one Christ truly god trulye maÌ„ the expresse perfect image of the inuisible god wherin the wil of god the father shineth apparantly wherin maÌ„ as it were in a glasse maye behold what he ought to do that maye please god the father Borne of the virgin Mary â—â—trulye
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
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
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
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.
19 Say wyth the poore man I beleue Lord helpe my vnbelief Say with the Apostels Lord encrease oure fayth This myne owne hartes in the Lorde I wryte not that you shoulde lyue more securely and carnally doing as the Spiders doe whiche gather poyson where bees gather honye but that as the electe of god you mighte liue in all puritie godlines and peace which god encrease in vs all for his Christes sake Amen I pray you hartelie pray for vs that to the verie ende we may as I hope we shall goe lustelie and cherefullie whether soeuer our heauenly father shal bring and lead vs. His will whiche is alwaies good bee done in earthe as it is in heauen Amen Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Iohn Bradforde To my good Syster M. H. THe peace of God wyth encrease of fayth and feeling of his mercy to your cōfort in Christ the holy ghost worke in your hart now and for euer Amen As it is much to my comfort that God hath geuen you such a loue and zeale to hys truth so I exhort you my good Syster diligētly to labour as by cōtinual readyng and meditation of gods holy word so by earnest prayer and other godly exercises to maintayne and encrease the same that by the feelyng of gods gratious spirite workyng in you suche good fruites as wytnesses of your fayth you may growe in strength therof and certayntie of gods fauour and good wyl towardes you For aboue all thyngs of thys I woulde haue you to be moste assured that you are beloued of god that you are hys dere chylde and shall bee for euermore throughe Christe in whome you are by fayth and he in you Out of thys certeintie the cause wherof is gods owne goodnes grace and truth spryngeth true loue and louyng feare and obedience to god continually and in all thynges Where it is I meane thys fayth certaintie and persuasion of gods eternall goodnes to you in Christe there no synnes are imputed to you or layd to your charge to condēnation nor shal be though for correctiō sake now thē your heauenly father visit them fatherly or rather you for them Where it is not there is nothyng be it neuer so well done that pleaseth God Labour therfore for this certainty of faith through Christ Whēsoeuer you dout you heape sinne vpō sinne If Satan your cōsciēce or gods law do accuse you confesse your fault hide it not before the lord But whē they woulde inferre that because of your synne you are condemned you are cast away then aunswer them that it is but their office to accuse and witnes not to geue sentence iudge it onely apperteyneth to god to geue iudgement Paule sayth it is god that absolueth who then shall condemne vs God hymselfe promiseth before he demaund any thyng of vs that he is our Lord and our god and are not they happy which haue the lord for their god Is he god to any whose sinnes he remitteth not Through Christ he is our father and therfore we are commaunded so to call him and can there want any fatherly kyndnes in hym towardes vs which be hys children No verely Therfore be sure and wauer not of gods loue fauour towardes you in Christ The cause of hys loue is his owne goodnes and mercy this lasting for euer hys loue loseth for euer How can you then but be quiete happy Vse this geare to comforte the weake conscience and not to vnbridle the mighty affections of the fleshe or olde Adam which must haue other meate Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ An exhortation to the patient sufferyng of trouble and afflictions for Christes cause wrytten to all the vnfayned professours of the gospell thoroughout the realme of England at the beginning of hys imprisonmente and here placed as it came to our handes THe holy spirite of God whiche is the earnest and pledge of God geuen to hys people for theyr comfort and consolation be powred into our hartes by the mighty power merites of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ now and for euer Amen Because I perceiue plainly that to the euils fallen vpō vs which professe Christes gospell greater are most like to ensue and after them greater Gene. 15. Luke 9. Genes 19 tyl the measure of iniquity be vp heaped except we shrynke hauyng put our handes to the plough do loke back and so wyth Lothes wyfe and the Israelits desiryng to returne into Egipt fal into gods heauy displeasure vncurably al which god forbidde and because I am persuaded of you my derely beloued brethern and Systers throughe out the realme of Englande which haue professed vnfainedly the gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for vnto such do I wryte this epistle that as ye haue begonne to take parte wyth gods gospell and truth so throughe his grace ye will perseuer and goe on forwardes notwithstandyng the stormes risen and to arise I cannot but wryte something vnto you lustely to goe on forwardes in the way of the Lord and not to become faynte harted or fearefull Apoca. 25. whose place S. Iohn appointeth with the vnbeleuers murtherers and Idolaters in eternall perdicion but cherefully to take the Lordes cuppe and drynke of it afore it drawe towardes the dregges and bottom Psal 75 wherof at the length they shall drynke with the wycked to eternal destruction 1. pet 4 which wil not receiue it at the first with gods children with whome god beginneth hys iudgemente that as the wicked world reioyceth when they lament Iohn 16. so they may reioyce when the wycked world shall mourne and without ende fynde woe intollerable First therfore my dearely beloued in the Lord I besech you to consider Iohn 14 Psal 17 2. Cor. 4. Apoc. 12 Heb. 11 1. pet 2 Heb. 13 Psalm 119 Heb. 12 Mat. 28 Rom. 9 1. Ioh. 5 Apo. 13 Luke 6. EZech. 9. Math. 5. Esay 22 1. Cor. 15 that thoughe ye be in the worlde yet ye are not of the world Ye are not of them whiche looke for their porciō in this lyfe whose Captain is the god of this world euen Sathan who now ruffleth it apace as he were woode because his tyme on earthe is not long But ye are of them that loke for a Citye of gods owne blessing Ye are of them that know your selues to be here but pylgrimes and straūgers for here ye haue no dwellyng place Ye are of them whose porcion is the lorde and whiche haue their hope in heauen whose captayn is Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and gouernour of heauen and earth Vnto him is geuen all power yea he is god almighty with the father and the holy ghost prayse worthy for euer Ye are not of them which receyue the beastes marke which here reioyce laugh and haue their hartes ease ioye paradise and pleasure but ye are of them whiche haue receyued the Aungels marke yea Gods marke which here
haue good cause If your welfare ioy and saluation hanged vpon any other thyng then only gods mercy and truth then might you wel be sad heauy and stand in a doubte But in that it hangeth only vpon these two tell Satan he lyeth when he would haue you to stand in a maÌ„meryng by causyng you to cast your eyes which only in thys case should be set on Christ your sweete sauiour on your selfe in some parte In dede looke on your selfe on your fayth on your loue obedieÌ„ce c. to awake you vp from securitie to styrre you vp to diligence in doyng the things apperteyning to your vocatioÌ„ but when you would be at peace wyth god and haue true consolation in your coÌ„science altogether loke vpon the goodnes of god in Christ Thynke on this commaundement which precedeth all others that you must haue no other gods but the Lorde Iehouah which is your Lord and god the which he could not be if that he dyd not pardon your synnes in very dede Remember that Christe commaundeth you to call hym father for the same entente And hereto call to mynde all the benefites of god hetherto shewed vpon you and so shal you fele in very dede that which I wyshe vnto you now and praye you to wyshe vnto me farewell or welfare in the Lord Iesus wyth whome he graunte vs shortlye to meete as hys chyldren for hys name and mercyes sake to oure eternall welfare Amen Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ An other letter to Mystres A.VV. ALmighty god our heauenly father for hys christes sake encrease in vs fayth by which we may more and more see what glory and honour is reposed and safely kept in heauen for all them that beleue wyth the hart and confesse Christe and hys truthe wyth the mouthe Amen My derely beloued I remember that once heretofore I wrote vnto you a Vale or a farewell vpon coniecture but now I wryte my farewell to you in thys lyfe in dede vpon certaine knowledge My staffe standeth at the dore I continually looke for the Shiriffe to come for me and I thank God I am ready for hym Now go I to practise that which I haue preached Now am I climing vp the hil it wil cause me to puffe and blow before I come to the cliffe The hill is stepe and high my breath is short and my strength is feble pray therfore to the lord for me that as I haue now through hys goodnes euen almost come to the toppe I may by hys grace be strengthned not to rest til I come where I should be Oh louing Lord put out thy hande and drawe me vnto thee for no man coÌ„meth but he whome the father draweth Se my derely beloued gods louing mercy he knoweth my short breath and great weakenes As he sent for Helias a fâ—ry chariote so sendeth he for me for by fyre my drosse muste be purifyed that I may be fine gold in hys syghte Oh vnthankefull wretche that I am Lorde do thou forgeue me myne vnthankfulnes In dede I confesse ryghte deare to me in the lord that my synnes haue deserued hell fyre much more then thys fyer But loe so louyng is my Lorde that he conuerteth the remedye for my synnes the punishmente for my transgressions into a testimoniall of hys truth and a testification of hys verity which the Prelates doe persecute in me and not my synnes therfore they persecute not me but Christ in me which I doubte not wyl take my part vnto the very ende Amen Oh that I had so open an harte as coulde so receiue as I should do this great benefite and vnspeakable dignitye which God my father offreth to me Now pray for me my derely beloued pray for me that I neuer shrinke I shal neuer shrynke I hope I trust in the Lorde I shal neuer shrinke for he that alwayes hath taken my parte I am assured wil not leaue me when I haue most nede for hys truth merties sake Oh Lord helpe me into thy handes I commende me wholy In the Lorde is my my truste I care not what man can do vnto me Amen My derely beloued say you Amen also and come after if so god call you Be not ashamed of the gospell of Christ but kepe company wyth hym stil He wyll neuer leaue you but in the myddest of temptation wil geue you an outscape to make you able to beare the brunte Vse harty prayer reuerently reade and heare gods worde put it in practise looke forthe crosse lift vp your heades for your redeÌ„ption draweth nigh know that the death of gods saintes is precious in hys syght be mery in the Lorde pray for the mitigation of gods heauy displeasure vpon our countrey God kepe vs for euer God blesse vs wyth his spirituall blessynges in Christ And thus I bydde you farewell for euer in thys present lyfe Pray for me praye for me for gods sake pray for me God make perfecte hys good worke begonne in me Amen Out of prison this 7. of February Yours in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ To certayne godlye men relieuers and helpers of hym and others in theyr imprisonmente THe peace of Christ which passeth all pleasure and worldly felicity be daily more and more felte in your hartes my right derely beloued in the Lord by the inwarde workyng of the holy spirite the earnest of our inheritaunce and guider of gods electe wyth the whyche god our dere father more more endue vs al vnto the ende for hys beloued sonnes sake our lord Iesus Christ Amen Praysed be god the father of our lord Iesus Christ which is a father of mercy a god of al consolation that hath blessed you with the knowlege loue of his truth not only to your own coÌ„fortes but also the great ease coÌ„fort of many which without the helpe of god by you hetherto had bene in much more misery By your releuing the lordes prisoners I am brought to see the rote wherof the worke doth spring euen the knowlege loue of gods truth wherfore we are in haÌ„des The which knowledge loue in that it is a blessyng of all blessings the greatest for it is euen eternal life Ioh. 17 I caÌ„not but praise god for you on this behalfe that it hath pleased hym to much you worthy so excelleÌ„t singuler a benefit which is more to be estemed desired cared for theÌ„ any thyng els The world for al that euer it hath caÌ„not attayne by any meanes to this blessing which God our father hath geueÌ„ you freely of his own good wil through christ eueÌ„ before ye were purposed to desire it Therfore I besech you al to be thankful with me to reioyce in the lord For if he haue geueÌ„ vs such a gift vnasked vndesired yea vnthought vpoÌ„ how can it be the he wil deny vs any good thing now which may be necessary for vs Wil he trow ye sowe his sede in the ground of your hartes
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.
excluded for fayth wholy taketh place not flesh nor the carnal imaginatioÌ„s of our grosse fleshly and vnreuerent eatyng after the maner of our bodely foode which profiteth nothyng at all as Christ witnesseth Ioan. 6 but with a sorowfull wouÌ„ded conscience an hungrye and thirstie soule a pure faythful mynde do fullie embrace behold and feede loke vpon that most glorious body of Christe in heauen at the ryghte hand of god the father very God and very man which was crucifyed slaine his bloodshed for our sinnes there now making intercession offring geuing his holy body for me Rom. 8. Heb. 9 yea my body my raunsome my full pryce satisfaction my Christ and al that euer he hath and by thys spirituall and faythfull eating of thys liuely and heauenly bread I fele the most swete sappe tast of the fruites Roma 5. benefites vnspeakeable ioyes of Christes death passion fully disgested into the bowells of my soule For my minde is quieted froÌ„ al wordly aduersities tormoylinges and troubles my conscience is pacified froÌ„ sinne death hel daÌ„pnation my soule is ful hath euen enough wil no more for al things are but losse vyle phil 3 dunge and drosse vaine vanitie for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesu my Lord and Sauiour Thus nowe is Christes flesh my very meate in dede Iohn 6. Ephesi 5 Galat. 2. his bloode my verye drinke in dede I am become flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Now I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me yea I dwell in hym and he in me for through fayth in Christ and for Christes sake we are one that is of one consent mynd and felowship with the father the sonne and the holy ghost Ioan. 17. Thus am I assured and fully persuaded and on this rocke haue I builded by Gods grace my dwelling resting place for body and soule life and death And thus I commit my cause vnto Christ the righteous and iuste iudge who will an other day iudge these debates and controuersyes whom I humblye beseche to caste hys tender and merciful eies vpon the afflicted and ruinous churches and shortlye to reduce them into a godlye and perpetuall concorde Amen Thus doe I beleue and this is my fayth and my vnderstanding in Christe my Sauiour and his true and holy religion And this who so euer is ashamed to do Mar. 8. among this adoulterous and sinneful generation of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels Robert Samuell ⧠Letters of Maister Iohn Hullyer a true pastour and a faythfull minister in Gods Church who for the confyrmation of that doctrine which he had most faythfully professed and taught gaue hys bodye to bee burnte at Cambrige the .16 daye of Aprill Anno. 1556. A letter written to the Christian congregation exhorting them constantly and faythfully to abyde in the doctryne of the Lorde IT standeth nowe moste in hande O deare Christians all them that looke to be accounted to be of Christes flocke at that greate and terrible daye when a seperation shall be made of that sorte that shall bee receaued from the other which shall be refused faythfully in thys tyme of greate afflictions to heare oure Maister Chrisâ—es voyce the only true shepeheard of our soules which sayth Matth. 24. whosoeuer shal endure to the end shal be safe For eueÌ„ now is that great trouble in hand as here in England we may wel say that our Sauiour Christ spake of so long before which should followe the true and syncere preachyng of hys Gospell Therfore in thys tyme we muste needes eyther make that we be hys faythfull souldiours and continue in hys battell vnto the ende puttyng on the armour of GOD Ephesi 6. 1. Thess 5. the buckler of fayth the brest plate of loue the helmette of hope and saluation and the sworde of hys holy worde whiche we haue hearde plentifullye wyth all instance of supplication and prayer or elles if we do not worke and laboure wyth these we are Apostataes and false souldiours shrynkyng moste vnthankefullye from our gracious and soueraigne Lord and Captayne Christe and leanyng to Beliall For Luk. 14 as he sayth playnlye who soeuer beareth not his crosse and followe hym he can not be hys Dysciple And no man can serue .ii. Math. 6. Maisters for eyther he muste hate the one and loue the other or elles he shall leane to the one and despyse the other The which thinge the faythfull Prophette Helias signifyed 3. ReguÌ„ 18 when he came to the people and sayde whye halte ye betwene .ii. opinions If the Lorde be GOD follow hym or if Baall bee he then followe hym Nowe let vs not thynke but that the same was recorded in wryting for oure instruction whom the endes of the worlde are come vppon Roman 15 as the Apostle Sainct Paule sayeth what so euer thynges are written aforehande they are written for oure learnyng If Christe be that onely good and true shepeheard that gaue hys lyfe for vs then let vs that beare hys marke and haue our consciences sprinckled wyth hys bloode followe altogether for oure saluation hys heauenlye voyce and calling according to our profession and fyrste promyse But if we shall not so do certaynely say what we can although we beare the name of Christ yet we bee none of hys shepe in deede for he sayth very manifestlie my shepe heare my voyce and followe me Iohn 10 a straunger they wyll not followe but will flee from hym for they know not the voyce of a straunger Therefore let euerye man take good hede in these perillous dayes whereof we haue had so muche warnyng aforehand that he be not begyled by the goodly outwarde shewe and appearaunce as Eue was of our olde subtill ennemye whose crafte and wilinesse is so manifolde and diuerse and so full of close wyndings that if he can not bring hym directly and the plaine strayght way to consent to his suggestions then he wyll allure him and wynde hym in by some other false wayes as it were by a traine that he shall not perceaue it to deceaue hym with all and to steale from hym that goodly victorie of the vncorruptible and eternall crowne of glorie 2. Timot. 2. whiche no man elles can haue but he that fyghteth lawfullye as at thys presente daie if he can not induce hym throughlye as other doe to fauoure hys deuilyshe religion and of good will and free harte to helpe to vpholde the same yet he will enuegle hym to resort to his wicked and whorysh Scholehouse and at tht least wise to be coÌ„uersant and kepe company with his congregation there and to holde hys peace and say nothing whatsoeuer he thynke so that he be not a diligent souldiour and a good labourer on Christes syde to further hys kyngdome by that subtill
hart in that behalf but also by the worde and commaūdement of Christ to pronounce and affirme in the name and worde of the heauenly king Iehouah and in the behalfe of hys swete sonne Iesus Christ our lorde to whome all knees shall bowe whom al creatures shall worship and also by the impulsion of the holy ghost by whose power and strengthe all the faythfull be regenerate I do I say pronounce to thee my deare brother T. V. that thou art already a citizen of heauen The lord thy God in whom thou doest put all thy trust for hys deare sonnes sake in whome thou doest also vndoubtedlye beleue hath freely forgeuen thee all thy synnes clearely released all thyne iniquities and fully pardoned all thyne offences be they neuer so many so greuous or so great and will neuer remember them any more to condemnation As trulye as he liueth he wil not haue thee die the death but hath verely determined purposed eternallye decreed that thou shalt liue with him for euer Thy sore shal be healed and thy woundes bound vp euē of him self for his own names sake He doth not nor will not loke vpon thy synnes in thee but he respecteth beholdeth thee in christ in whō thou art liuely graffed by fayth in his blood and in whom thou art most assuredly elected and chosen to be a swete vessell of his mercye and saluation and waste thereto predestinate in him before the foundation of the world was layde In testimonye and earnest whereof he hath geuen thee his good and holye spirite which worketh in thee fayth loue and vnfayned repentance with other godly vertues contrary to the corruption of thy nature Also he hath commaunded me this daye although a most vnworthy wretch to be a witnesse hereof by the ministerye of his holy woorde grounded vppon the truth of his most faythful promises the which thou beleuīg shalt liue for euer Beleuest thou this my dere hart I know well thou doest beleue The Lord encrease thy fayth geue thee a liuelye feeling of all his mercyes whereof thou arte warranted and assured by the testimonye of the holy ghoste who confirme in thy conscience to the vtter ouerthrowing of Sathan and those his most hurtful dubitations wherby he is accustomed to molest and vexe the true childrē of god all that I haue sayd and by gods grace I will as a witnes therof confirme seale the same with my blood for a most certaine truth Wherefore my good brother prayse the Lorde with a ioyfull hart and geue hym thankes for thys his exceding greate mercye casting awaye all dubita◠on and waueryng yea all sorrowe of harte and pensiuenesse of minde for this the Lord your God and moste deare and louing father commaundeth you to do by me nay rather by his own mouth and worde pronounced by me But nowe my deare brother after that I haue done my message or rather the Lordes message in deede I could fynde in my hart to write ij or .iij. sheetes of paper declaryng the ioye I beare in my hart for you myne owne bowels in the Lord yet the time being so shorte as you do wel knowe I am here constrayned to make an ende desiring you to pardon my slacknesse and to forgeue my great negligence towardes you promising you still that so long as my poore life doth last my praier shall supplye that my penne doth want as knoweth the almighty god to whose most mercifull defence I do hartely commit you all other his deare children as wel as though I had rehearsed them by name desiring them most hartely to remember me in their harty daily prayers as I know right well they do for I feele the daily comfort and commoditie therof and therfore I neither will nor can forget them nor you or any such like The blessing of God be with you all Amen Yours for euer vnfaynedlye Iohn Careles still carefull for you prisoner for the testimony of gods euerlasting truth abiding his most blessed will and pleasure Pray p.p.p. To my deare frend and faythfull Syster Mystres Marye Glouer THe same euerlasting god and most gracious good Lord that blessed Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and comforted them in al their crosses troubles manifolde afflictions yea preserued them prouided for thē in al extreme parell daunger and necessities blesse comfort preserue and kepe you with al your swete children and familye my deare frende and faythfull Sister in the Lord good Mystres Mary Glouer with and by the power of his holy and mighty spirite our eternal comforter nowe and for euermore Amen Ah my deare frende what shall I saye or howe shall I comforte you in thys great crosse that GOD hath layd vppon you in taking home to hym selfe those his blessed Sainctes whom he for a time lente you Verelye I am afrayde least I shall renewe your sorrowes in speaking of them But my deare hart let that bee farre from you rather now with them reioyce in GOD for their greate glory triumphe and victorye euer submitting with all meekenesse your will vnto his whiche onely is good and woorketh all thinges for your beste of whiche thing if you bee fullye and throughly perswaded you can by no meanes lacke spiritual ioy and comforte Wherof in fewe wordes I wil something saye althoughe I doubte not but you knowe it alreadye though perhappes now sorrow doth a litle darkē the same as at times it hath done in many good men but fayth is of such force and power if it be vnfayned that it will with Ionas forth of the Whales bellye crye vnto the Lorde and bring from him the comfortes of his spirite and promyses whiche chiefelye do consiste in that whiche is rehearsed in the fyrste commaundement Heare Israel sayth the Lorde I am thy Lord GOD and thou shall loue me c. Beholde with a stedfaste and liuely fayth this swete saying and commaundement of God He biddeth vs heare geue credence To what I pray you Forsooth that he of his goodnes hath geuen him selfe wholye vnto vs to bee oure owne peculiar and proper possession for euer Psal 16. as the Prophet Dauid doth pleasauntlye syng The Lord him selfe sayth he is my portion and enheritaunce my lotte is fallen vnto me in a happye grounde c. Oh gracious GOD what a thing is this that the greate Lorde Iehouah that omnipotente GOD whiche made heauen and earth the sea and all that is therein vppon whose prouidence all thinges doe depende at whose onelye becke both Aungell and deuill muste bee fayne to obeye Oh Lorde I saye what a thing is this that he will vouchsafe to geue him selfe wholye to be ours with all that euer he maye bee Oh what are we moste vyle dounge earth and ashes yea most wicked cattiffes and horrible sinners that he woulde vouche vs worthye of this greate benefite whiche can not bee expressed wyth the tounges of men or Aungels Thys muste we now nedes thynke and beleue
the conuersion or confounding of al gainesaiers and to the comfort and confirmation of al gods dere children Amen Farewel mine owne swete brother farewel as myne owne harte Your owne in Christ Iohn Careles Because he maketh mention in the former letter and other heretofore of the most godlye and christian conflictes which he had susteyned we thought good to adioyne hereto this swete and heauenly exercise followyng whereby it may appeare what fruite these conflictes wroughte in hys most godly and christian conscience SOme men for sodayne ioye do wepe And some in sorow syng When that they lie in daunger depe To put away mournyng Betwene them both will I beginne Being in ioy and payne In sighing to lament my sinne But yet reioyce agayne My sinfull life doth still increase My sorow is the more From wyckednes I cannot cease Wo is my hart therfore Sometimes when I thinke to do wel And serue God night and day My wycked nature doth rebell And leadeth me astray As bonde and captiue vnto sinne which greueth me full sore This miserye do I liue in Wo is my harte therfore In dede sometyme I do repent and pardon doe obtaine But yet alas incontinent I fall to sinne agayne My corrupte nature is so yll Offending more and more That I displease my Lord god still Wo is my harte therfore Wo is my harte wo is my mynd woe is my soule and sprite That to my God I am vnkynde In whome I shoulde delite Hys loue alwayes I should regard which towarde me was so pure But I wyth synne do him rewarde O most vnkynd creature The beast the byrde the fishe the foule Their maker doe obey But I that am a liuing soule Am farre much worse then they For they accordyng to their kinde To serue him do not cease But I wyth sinfull hert and mynde Do daily him displease Thus do I sore complayne of synne And with kyng Dauyd wepe For I do feele my harte within The wrath of God full deepe To heauen myne eyes I dare not life Agaynst it I haue trespaste And in the earth I fynde no shifte Nor succour that can last What shall I do shall I dispaire And from my Sauiour slide Nay god forbid there is no feare Syth Christ for me hath dyed God became man and for vs men He dyed and rose againe His mercy great we may see then For euer doth remayne Therefore my sinne I will confesse To God and mourning make who wil forgeue the same doutlesse for hys sonne Christes sake Yf sinne in me god should respecte Then do I know full well His iustice would me sone reiecte To the deepe pit of hel Hys glorious eies cannot abide The foule and filthy smoke Wherwith I am on euerye syde Couered as with a cloke But he in Christ doth me behold In whom he doth delite And myne offences manyfold Through him releaseth quite Reputyng me amongest the iust Forgeuyng al my sinne Therfore my faith my hope my trust Shall euer be in hym O Lord encrease true faith in me Thy good spirite to me geue That I may grow in loue toward thee And euer seeke to liue In true obedience of thy will And thankefulnes of hart And with thy grace so guide me stil That I neuer departe From thy true word and testameÌ„t All the dayes of my life Nor froÌ„ thy churche most innocent Thine owne true spouse and wife But froÌ„ that filthy whore of Rome Lord kepe me euermore As gratiously thou hast yet done Thankes be to thee therfore And sith thou haste of thy goodnes Forgeuen me all my sinne StreÌ„gth me thy truth for to coÌ„fesse And boldly die therin That as I haue confessed thee Before the wicked sort thou maiest in thy good time know me To my ioy and comfort My soule returne vnto thy reste Thou art wel satisfied The Lord hath graunted thy request And nothyng thee denied Prayse be God the father of myght Praise be to thee O Christ Praise be to thee O holy sprite Three in one God most hyest Continue constant in Christ ê™ Careles ¶ A briefe admonition wrytten to Mystres Iane Glascocke in a booke of hers when she came to the pryson to visite hym THere is nothynge that the holye Scripture throughout doth so much coÌ„mend vnto vs as a true faith stedfast trust in the promises of gods eternal mercies towardes vs in Iesus Christ For from the same as forth of the chiefe fountaine and welspring of lyfe doe flowe al kindes of vertues and godly fruites specially true loue towardes God in the which we ought purely to serue hym all the daies of our lyfe and also christian charitie towardes our neighbours aswell to helpe them at all nedes as also not to hurt them by any meanes Therfore pray earnestly for the encrease of faith and liuely felyng of gods mercy for al things are possible vnto hym that can vndoubtedly beleue Faithe is the thynge whiche assureth vs of gods mercy and wherby we vanquishe all the fiery dartes of the deuill our victory that ouercommeth the worlde the knyfe that killeth and mortifieth the flesh and finally that whiche setteth vs at peace with God and quieteth our consciences alwayes before hym and maketh vs mery and ioyful vnder the crosse with many moe things then I can now expresse Pray therefore for fayth in fayth And for the Lordes sake beware of popery and popish idolatry the idâ—lle of the wicked Masse and other Idolatrous seruice Make not your body which is a member of Christ a member of Antichrist Remember that we shall receaue of God according to that we do in the body be it good or euill Therfore glorifye god in your body which is dearly bought Betray not the truth lest the Lorde denye you If God be God follow him You caÌ„ not serue .ij. Maisters I write not this as doubting you but by the way of admonition God kepe you from al euill ☞ My Syster dere god geue you grace With stedfast fayth in Christes name Hys gospell styll for to embrace And lyue accordyng to the same To dye therfore thinke it no shame But hope in god wyth faythfull trust And he wyl geue you prayse with fame When you shall ryse out of the duste For which most swete and ioyful day To God with fayth your prayer make And thinke on me I do you praye The which did wryte this for your sake And thus to God I you betake Who is your castell and stronge rocke He kepe you whether you slepe or wake Farewel dere Mystres Iane Glascoke If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs. ☞ Though worldly waues do rage apace And wicked wyndes blowe out of frame Though MouÌ„taynes moue forth of their place Through the great tempestes of the same Yet shall the Lorde styll you defende Vnder the shadowe of hys wynges He loueth you vnto the ende And for your wealth doth worke all thynges Therefore in hym put all your trust Feare not