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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19465	Certain most godly, fruitful, and comfortable letters of such true saintes and holy martyrs of God, as in the late bloodye persecution here within this realme, gaue their lyues for the defence of Christes holy gospel written in the tyme of their affliction and cruell imprysonment.	Coverdale, Miles, 1488-1568.; Bradford, John, 1510?-1555, Exhortacion to the carienge of Chrystes crosse. Selections.; Cranmer, Thomas, 1489-1556. Copy of certain lettres sent to the Quene, and also to doctour Martin and doctour Storye. Selections.; Hooper, John, d. 1555. Soveraigne cordial for a Christian conscience.; Hooper, John, d. 1555. Whether Christian faith maye be kepte secret in the heart, without confession therof openly to the worlde as occasion shal serve.; Ridley, Nicholas, 1500?-1555. Frendly farewel.	1564 (1564)	STC 5886; ESTC S108888	571,783	726

pleasures treasures of this world be but trifilles Therfore good sister often haue it before your eyes daily set your selfe your doings as before the iudgemente seate of Christ now that hereafter you be not called into iudgemēt Thinke that it wil litle profite you to winne the whole world to lose your owne soule Marke Christes lessons well he that wil saue his life shal lose it The father frō heauen commaundeth you to heare Christ he sayth folow me this can you not do followe Idolatrye or Idolaters Flye from such sayth the Scripture Thys god graunt to you to me to al gods children Amen Thus in hast I haue accōplished your request god graunt that as you haue done me muche good bodely so thys maye be a litle meane to doe you some good spiritually Amen If tyme would serue I would haue written more at large The .2 of Marche Anno. 1556. To the worshipful and in God my most deare frend the Ladye Vane THe good spirite of God our father be more more plētifully perceaued of your good Ladiship through the mediation merites of our dere Sauiour Iesus Christ Amē Although your benefites towardes me haue deserued at my hands the seruice I can do for you yet right worshipful and dearly beloued in the Lord the true feare of god and the loue of his truth which I perceaue to be in you especially and aboue al other things doth binde me hereunto This bearer hath told me that your desire is to haue somthing sent to you cōcerning the vsurped authoritie of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome which is vndoubtedly the greate Antichrist of whom the Apostles do so much admonyshe vs that you may haue aswell somethyng the more to stay you on as also wherwith to answere the aduersaries because you may perchaunce therin be somthing aposed To satisfye this your desire I wyll brieflye go about and so that I will by gods grace fully set forth the same to enarme you to withstand the assaultes of the papistes herein if you marke well and read ouer agayne that which I now wryte The papists do place in preeminence ouer the whole church the Pope therby vnplacing Christ which is the heade of the church that geueth life to the whole bodye by his spirite doth make liuely euery member of the same This they doe without al scriptures For where they bring in this spoken to Peter feede my sheepe I wold gladly know whether this was not commaunded vnto others also As for that which perchaūce they wil vrge that he spake to Peter by name if they had any learnyng they would easelye perceaue howe that it was not for any such cause as they pretend but rather by a threfolde cōmaundement to restore to him the honour of an Apostle which he had lost by his threfold denyal And how dare they interpretate thys worde my shepe my Lābe● to be the vniuersal Church of Christ I trowe a man might easely by the like reason proue that Peter hymself had resigned that which Christ had geuen to hym in exhortyng hys fellowe pastoures to feede the flocke of Christ Is not thys pretye stuffe Because Christ sayth to Peter feede my sheepe therfore he ought to rule the vniuersal and whole church of Christ If Peter do truly write vnto others that they shold do the lyke that is fede Christes flocke eyther he translateth hys right authority cōmitted to him vpon them or els he doth participate cōmunicate it with them So that folyshly they goe aboute to establishe that which hath no ground Peter in dede was a shepeheard of the shepe but suche a one as bestowed hys labour on them so farre as he could stretch out hym selfe by hys ministerye But the papistes prate that he had ful power ouer all Churches Wherin they maye see Paul to improue them for els he had done vniustly in denying them the superiour place Howbeit who euer yet redde that Peter dyd take any thyng vppon him ouer Churches committed vnto other men Was not he sent of the churche sent as one not hauing rule ouer the reaile I graūt that he was an excellent instrument of God and for the excellencye of hys gyftes when soeuer they meete together place therfore was commonlye geuen vnto hym But what is thys to the purpose to make hym ruler head ouer all the whole Churche because he was so ouer a small congregation But be it so that Peter had as much geuen to him as they do affyrme who yet will graunt that Peter had a patrimony geuen for his heires ▪ He hath left say the papistes to hys successours the self same right which he receaued Oh Lord God then must hys successour be a Sathan Math. 4. for he receaued that title of Christ hym selfe I woulde gladly haue the papistes to shew me one place of successiō mencioned in the Scriptures I am sure that when Paule purposely paynteth oute the whole administration of the Churche he neyther maketh one head nor anye enheritable Primacye and yet he is altogether in commendation of vnitye After he hath made mencion of one God the father of one Christe of one spirite of one body of the Churche of one faythe and of one baptisme then he describeth the meane and manner howe vnitye is to be kept namelye because vnto euerye pastour is grace geuen after the measure wherewyth Christe hath endowed them Where I praye you is now any title of Plenitudinis potestatis of fulnes of power When he calleth home euery one vnto a certayne measure whye dyd he not forthwith say one Pope Which thyng he coulde not haue forgotten if the thinge had beene as the papistes make it But let vs graunt that perpetuitie of the Primacye in the Church was establyshed in Peter I woulde gladlye learne why the Seate of the Primacye shoulde bee rather at Rome then elswhere Marye saye they because Peters chaire was at Rome Thys is euen lyke to thys that because Moses the greatest Prophette And Aaron the fyrste Prieste exercised theyr offyces vnto theyr deathe in the deserte therefore the principallest place of the Iewyshe Churche shoulde bee in the wyldernesse But graunt them theyr reason that it is good What should Antioche clayme For Peters chaire was there also wherin Paule gaue him a checke which was vnsemely and vnmanerlye done of Paule that would not geue place to hys president better No saie the papistes Rome muste haue this authoritie because Peter died there But what and if a man should by probable coniectures shewe that it is but a fable which is fayned of Peters Bishoprike at Rome Read how Paule doth salute very many priuate persons when he writeth to the Romaines Three yeres after hys Epistle made he was brought to Rome prisoner Luke telleth that he was receaued of the brethren and yet in al these no mention at all of Peter whiche then by their Storyes was at Rome Belike he

PRO REGE MEO PROSPERIS ET ADVERSIS William Hopkinson Certain most godly fruitful and comfortable letters of such true Saintes and holy Martyrs of God as in the late bloodye persecution here within this Realme gaue their lyues for the defence of Christes holy gospel written in the tyme of theyr affliction and cruell imprysonment Though they suffer payne amonge men yet is their hopefull of immortalitie Sap. 3. Jmprinted at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martines 1564. Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis For thy sake are we put to death euery day Psal 44. And are coūted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Roma 8. How long O Lorde Psalm 13. Behold I come shortlye Apoc. 22. Oh come Lorde Iesu Apoc. 22. He will come and nottary Abac. 2. Myles Couerdale vnto the Christian Reader moste hartelye wysheth the continuall encrease of heauenlye taste and spirituall swetnesse in the same assured saluation which commeth onely through Iesus Christ THe more nigh that mens wordes workes approch vnto the most wholesome sayinges fruitful doings of the old auncient Saincts chosē childrē of god which loued not only to heare his word but also to liue therafter the more worthy are they to be estemed embraced followed And therfore as we heare read of many godly both mē wemen whose cōuersatiō in old time was beautifyed with syngular giftes of the holy ghost according as the Apostle describeth thē in the .xi. chap. to the Hebrues so haue we iust cause to reioyce that we haue bene familiar acquainted with some of those which walked in the trade of their fotesteppes For the which cause it doth vs good to read and heare not the lying legendes of fayned false counterfayted and popish canonized saincts neither the triflyng toyes forged fables of corrupted writers but such true holy approued histories monuments orations epistles letters as do set forth vnto vs the blessed behauiour of gods deare seruaūtes It doth vs good I say by such comfortable remēbraunce conceaued by their notable writinges to be conuersaunt with them at the least in spirite S. Hierome writing to one Nitia and hauyng occasion to speake of letters or epystles maketh mention of a certayne Authour named Turpilius whose woordes sayeth he are these a letter or epistle is the thyng alone that maketh men present which are absent For among those that are absent what is so presente as to heare and talke with those whom thou louest Also that noble Clarke Erasmus Roterodame cōmendyng the booke of the Epistles or letters which S. Augustine dyd write sayeth thus by some of Augustines bokes we may perceaue what maner of man he was being an infant in Christ By other some we may knowe what maner a one he was being a young man and what he was being an olde man But by thys onely booke meaning the booke of the Epistles or letters thou shalt knowe whole Augustyne altogether And why doth S. Hierome or Erasmus saye thus No doubt euen because that in such writynges as in a cleare glasse we maye see and beholde not onely what plentifull furniture and store of heauenly grace wisedome knowledge vnderstanding fayth loue hope zeale pacience mekenes obedience with the worthy fruites thereof almighty god had bestowed vpon the same his most deare children but also what a fatherlye care he euer hadde vnto them how his mightye hand defended them howe hys prouidence kept watch and warde ouer them howe hys louyng eye loked vnto them howe hys gracious eare heard their prayers how he was alwaye myndfull of them neuer forgat them neither fayled them nor forsoke them how the armes of his mercye were streytched oute to embrace them when soeuer they faythfullye tourned vnto hym howe valiaunte also and stronge in spirite howe ioyfull vnder the crosse howe quyet and cheerefull in trouble he made them what victorye of their enemyes what deliueraunce oute of bondes and captiuitie what health from sicknes what recouerye from plagues what plentye from scarcenesse to bee shorte what helpe at all nede and necessity he gaue and bestowed vpon them By such lyke mounmentes also and writynges it is manifest and playne how the same deare children of God in their time behaued themselues aswel towards hym as also towardes their frendes and foes yea what the verye thoughts of their hartes were when they prayed as their maner was incessantlye to doe when they confessed their sinnes complained vnto god when they gaue thankes when they were persecuted and troubled when they were by the hand of god visited when they felte not onelye the horrour of death the griefe of synne the burthen of gods displeasure by reason of the same but also the swete tast of hys great mercy eternal comfort through Iesus Christ in theyr conscience Of the which thinges lyke as we may euidently perceiue rich and plentiful experience in the heauēly treasurie of that most excellēt boke which we cōmonly cal Dauids Psalter so hath not god nowe in our days left hymselfe without witnesses yea no more then he dyd in other ages before vs but of his aboundante goodnes euen when the late persecutiō was most cruel and the enemies rage most extreme he hath raised vp such zelous men women as by the wonderful operation of hys holy spirit of weake were made so valeant strong in him aswel against all idolatry superstitiō false doctrine and corrupted religion as against their own old blemishes sinnes that they haue turned to flight and cōfounded the whole rable of suche malicious papists as were the persecutors and murtherers of them Wherby they that list not stil to be blind may plainlye behold and see not onely the terrible iudgementes of God ouer against the wicked but also his wonderful doinges mixt wit mercy in and towardes hys chosen vnto whom as vnto them that loue him he causeth al things to worke for the best So that with him by the heauēly light of stedfast faith they see lyfe euen in death with him euen in heauines sorrow they faile not of ioy comfort wyth hym euen in pouerty affliction and trouble they neither perish nor are forsaken How els could they be so patiēt so quiet of minde so cherefull and merye in aduersitie and straite captiuitie some beyng throwne into dungeons vgsome holes darke lothesome and stinking corners other some lying in fetters and chaynes and loaded wyth so many irons that they could scarcely styrre some tied in the stocks wyth their heeles vpwarde some hauyng their legges in the stockes their neckes chayned to the walle wyth gorgets of iron some both handes and legges in the stockes at once sometimes both hands in and both legges out sometimes the right hand with the left leg or the left hand with the right legge fastened in the stockes wyth manicles and fetters hauyng neither stoole nor stone to sitte on to ease their wofull bodies withall

how soeuer for a tyme it seme otherwise to your senses Hang on the prouidence of god not only whē you haue meanes to helpe you but also whē you haue no meanes yea whē al meanes be againste you Geue hym thys honour which of all other thynges he most chieflye requireth at your handes namely beleue that ye are his childrē through Christ that he is your father God through him that he loueth you pardoneth you al your offences that he is with you in trouble wil be with you for euer When ye fal he wil put vnder his hand ye shall not lie stil Before ye cal vppon him he heareth you out of euill he wil finally bring you and deliuer you to his eternal kingdome Doubte not my dearely beloued hereof doubte not I say this wil god your father doe for you in respecte not of your selues but in respect of Christ your captaine your pastour your keper out of whose handes none shal be able to catch you In him be quiet and often consider your dignity namely how that ye bee gods children the saintes of God citizens of heauen temples of the holy ghost the thrones of God members of Christ and Lords ouer all Therfore be ashamed to thinke speake or doe any thyng that should be vnsemely for Gods children Gods saintes Christes member c. Marueil not though the deuil and the world hate you though ye be persecuted here for the seruaunt is not aboue his maister Couet not earthly riches feare not the power of man loue not this world nor things that be in this worlde but long for the Lorde Iesus his comming at which time your bodies shall be made like vnto his glorious body Whē he appeareth ye shal be like vnto him when your life thus shal be reuealed then shal ye appeare with hym in glory in the meane season liue in hope hereof Let the lyfe you lead be in the fayth of the sonne of god for that iuste doth liue by fayth which faith flyeth frō all euill followeth the word of god as a lanterne to her feete a light to her steps her eyes be aboue where Christ is shee beholdeth not the thinges present but rather thinges to come she glorieth in afflictions she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the glory which god wil reueale to vs and in vs. Of this glory god graunt vs here a liuely tast thē shall we runne after the sent it sendeth forth It will make vs valiant mē to take to vs the kingdome of god whether the lord of mercy bring vs in his good time through Christ our lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one God be al honour and glory world without end Amen My dearly beloued I would gladly haue geuen here my body to haue beene burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I haue taught here vnto you but that my countrey must haue therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good wil towards euery of you Impute the want herein to time and trouble Pardon me mine offēsiue and negligent behauiour when I was amonges you With me repent and labour to amend continue in the truth which I haue truly taught vnto you by preaching in al places where I haue come Gods name therefore bee praysed confesse Christe when ye are called what soeuer commeth thereof and the God of peace be with vs al. Amen Your brother in bondes for the Lordes sake Iohn Bradford To al that loue the lord Iesus and his true doctrine being in rhe vniuersity and towne of Cambridge Iohn Bradforde a most vnworthy seruaunt of the lord novve not onely prisoned but also condemned for the same true doctrine vvysheth grace peace and mercye vvith encrease of all godlines from god the father of al mercy through the bloody passion of our alonely Sauiour Iesus Christ by the liuely workyng of the holy spirite for euer Amen ALthoughe I looke hourely when I should bee hadde to the stake my righte dearelye beloued in the Lorde and althoughe the charge ouer me is greate and straite yet hauyng by the prouidence of GOD secretlye penne and inke I coulde not but something signifye vnto you my solicitude which I haue for you and euery of you in the Lord though not as I would yet as I maye Ye haue often and openly heard the truth especially in this matter wherin I am cōdemned disputed and preached that it is nedeles to do any more but only to put you in remembraunce of the same but hetherto ye haue not heard it confirmed as it were sealed vp as now ye do shal do here by me that is by my death and burning For Albeit I haue deserued through my vncleannes hipocrisie auarice vayneglory idlenes vnthankfulnes and carnalitye whereof I accuse my self to my confusion before the world that before God through Christ I mighte as my assured hope is I shal finde mercy eternal death hel fire much more then this affliction fire prepared for me yet my dearelye beloued it is not these or any of these thynges wherefore the Prelates do persecute me but gods veretye and truthe yea euen Christe hym selfe is the onely cause and thynge wherefore I nowe am condemned and shall bee burned as an heretyque because I wyll not graunt the Anttchrist of Rome to be Christs Vicar generall supreame head of his church here and euery where vpon earth by gods ordinance bicause I will not graunt such corporall real and carnall presence of Christes body blood in the sacrament as doth transubstantiate the substance of bread wine and is receaued of the wicked yea of dogs and mice Also I am excommunicated and coūted as a dead member of Christes church as a rotten braunch therfore shal be cast into the fire Therfore ye ought hartely to reioyce with me to geue thankes for me that god the eternall father hath vouched safe our mother to bring vp any childe in whom it would please him to magnifye his holy name as he doth I hope for his mercy and truthes sake wil do in me by me Oh what such benefite vpō earth cā there be as that that which deserued death by reasō of my sinnes should be diuerted to a demonstration a testification and confirmation of gods verity and truth Thou my mother the Vniuersitye haste not only had the truth of gods woorde playnly manifested vnto thee by reading disputing preaching publikely priuately but now to make thee altogether excuseles and as it wer almost to sinne against the holy ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romyshe route to suppresse the verity set out the cōtrary thou hast my life and blood as a seale to confyrme thee if thou wilt be confirmed or els to confound thee beare witnes agaynst thee if thou wilt take parte with the prelates and clergye which

gleue but those that runne to the appointed marke None shal be saued but suche as persiste and continue to the verye ende Therfore dere Syster remember that we haue nede of patience Hebr. 20 that when we haue done the good wyll of God we may receiue the promise Patience and perseueraunce be the proper notes wherby gods children are known from counterfaites They that perseuer not were alwayes but hypocrites Manye make godly beginnings yea their progresse semeth meruelous but yet after the ende they fayle These were neuer of vs sayth S. Iohn for yf they had bene of vs they woulde haue continued vnto the verye ende Goe to therefore myne owne beloued in the Lorde as you haue well begunne and well gone forwarde so well persyst and happely ende and then all is yours Though this be sharpe and sower yet it is not tedious or long Doe all that euer you doe symplye for GOD and as to God so shall neuer vnkyndnes nor anye other thynge make you to leaue of from well doyng so longe as you may do well Accustome yourselfe nowe to set GOD continuallye that he may be all in all vnto you In good thynges beholde hys mercye and applye it vnto your selfe In euyl thinges and plagues beholde hys iudgementes wherthorough learne to feare hym Beware of synne as the Serpente of the soule which spoyleth vs of all oure or nature and seemelye apparell in Gods syghte Let Chryst crucifyed be your booke to studye on and that bothe nyghte and daye Marke youre vocation and be diligente in the workes thereof vse hartye and earneste prayer and that in spyryte In all thynges geue thankes to GOD our father throughe Chryste Laboure to haue here lyfe euerlastynge begonne in you for elles it wyll not be elsewhere enioyed Set Gods iudgement often before your eies that now examinyng your selfe you maye make diligent sute and obtayne neuer to come into iudgemente Vncouer your euyls to God that he maye couer them Beware of thys Antichristian trashe defyle not your selfe in soule or bodye therewyth but accomplyshe holynes in the feare rf GOD and beare no yoke wyth vnbeleuers Looke for the commyng of the Lorde whyche is at hande by earnest prayer and godly lyfe hasten it GOD oure father accomplyshe hys good worke in you Amen Commende me to my good Mother Mystres Wylkynson and to my verye deare Syster Mystres Warcuppe I shal dayly commende you all to GGD and I praye you do the lyke for me Iohn Bradforde To Mystres Browne GOod Syster I beseche god to make perfecte the good he hath begonne in you vnto the very ende Amen Thys lyfe more and more waxeth vnto vs as it shoulde be that is a miserable life a wepyng lyfe a wofull lyfe and therfore let vs long for our happy life our laughing life our ioyfull lyfe which we shall enioy then haue in very dede whē we depart by death out of this daūgerous state wherin we nowe are by reason of this synful flesh which we cary about vs. Therfore let vs prepare our selues accordyngly and in misery and sorrow be glad through hope Now we are dispersed but we shal be gathered together again there where we shall neuer part but alwayes be together in ioye eternall In hope hereof let vs beare wyth better wyl our bytter burthens which we feele and shall feele in thys miserable world We haue cause to thanke god that maketh this worlde vnto vs a wyldernes If so be therein we bee patient kisse gods todde and humble oure selues before God assuredly we shall come into the most pleasaunt land of rest Wherfore good Sister as I said I say again be mery with sorrow reioyce in hope be pacient in trouble pray in affliction amongest other I pray you hartely pray for me that god woulde forgeue me my vnthankefulnes not onelye against you which is great in dede but also agaynste all hys people but specially agaynst hys maiesty As I can I shall commende you vnto the tuition of our shepeharde Christe who alwayes kepe vs as hys Lambes for hys holy names sake Amen Your afflicted brother Iohn Bradford ¶ To a faythfull frende of hys whome for hys godly symplicity and synglenes of hart in the wayes of the Lorde he called Nathanaell as he doth also here in thys letter THe merciful God and father of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which loueth vs as a most dere father and hath put vpon hym towardes vs the affectiō of a most tender mother towards her chyldren so that he can no lesse thynke vpon vs althoughe of oure selues we bee moste vnworthye and deserue nothyng lesse then she can thynke on her onelye begotten childe in hys distresse yea if she should forget her childe as some vnnaturall mother will doe yet wyll he neuer forgette vs althoughe for a tyme he seme to slepe that we myghte bee occasioned to call loude and awake hym thys good GOD keepe you my deare brother Nathanaell and your good yokefellowe my hartelye beloued Sister in the Lorde in all thyngs nowe and for euer to hys glorye and your eternall comforte and also of hys goodnesse he graunte you both the feeling of that hope whiche vndoubtedlye he hath layde vppe in stoore for you both farre passing the store and prouision not onely whiche you had made but all the worlde is hable to make as I truste alreadye he hath wroughte it in you but I beseche hym to encrease it more and more and kindle in you a hartye longing for the enioying of the same the whiche once felte and had indeede then the meanes by the whiche we come thereto can not be so greatly dredde as most mē do dread thē because either they want this feling I meane it of altogether or elles because the sense of thys presente tyme and thynges therein are as a myste to the hyding of those thynges from oure syghte least we shoulde runne and embrace them by hartye prayer the spirite whereof God graunte vs and in deede we shoulde attayne enough in this behalfe if we continued therein For auriculer confession wherein you desyre my aduice for your good yokefellowe and familye my moste dere brother I am as readye to geue it as you to desire it yea more gladde forasmuch as halfe a suspitiō was in me at the least touching my dere sister your wife of a lothing of my aduice that too muche had beene geuen where in deede I shoulde lamente my to little feeding you spirituallye as both you oute of pryson and in pryson haue fedde me corporallye But as I alwayes thoughte of her so I yet thynke that she is the childe of GOD whom God dearely loueth and wyll in hys good tyme to her eternall comforte geue her her hartes desire in sure feelyng and sensible beleuyng of thys which I would she had often in her mynde namely that he is her God and father throughe Christe Iesus oure deare Lorde and Sauiour A greater seruice to God shee can not geue

fayth did not shewe the contrarye Rom. 8. But what speake I of these Loke vppon Iesus Christe to whom we must be like fashioned here if we will be lyke him elswhere How say ye was not he takē for a most foole a sedicious person a new fellow an heretike and one ouercome of euery bodye yea euen forsaken both of god men But the end told them and telleth vs an other tale for nowe is he in maiestie and glory vnspeakeable When he was led to Pilate or Herode or when he was in prison in Cayphas house did not there reason thinke that he was ouercome When he was beaten buffeted scourged crowned with thorne hanged vpon the crosse and vtterly left of all his Disciples taunted of the high priestes and holy fathers cursed of the cōmons rayled on of the Magistrates and laughed to scorne of the leude heathen woulde not a man then haue thoughte that he had bene out of the waye and hys Dysciples fooles to followe hym and beleue hym Thynke ye that whyllest he dyd lye in hys graue men dyd not poynte with theyr fyngers when they sawe anye that had followed and loued hym or beleued in him and hys doctrine saying where is their Maister teacher now What is he gone Forsoth if they had not bene fooles they might wel haue knowē that this learning he taught cold not long continue Our Doctors Pharesees are no fooles now they may see On this sort either mē spake or might haue spokē agaynst al such as loued Christe or hys doctrine but yet at the lengthe they and al such were proued fooles and wicked wretches For our Sauiour arose maugre their beardes and published his gospel plentifullye spite of their heades the heades of al the wicked world with the great powers of the same alwayes ouercōming and then most of all when he and his doctrine was thought to haue the greatest fall As now dearly beloued the wicked world reioyseth the papistes are puft vp agaynst poore Christ his people after their olde kinde now crye they out where are these newe found preachers Are they not in the Tower Marshalsee Fleete and beyond the Seas Who would haue thoughte that our olde Bishops Doctors Deanes were fooles as they would haue made vs to beleue in dede haue persuaded some already whiche are not of the wisest especially if they come not home againe to the holy Church These and such like words they haue to cast in our teeth as tryumphers conquerers But dearely beloued short is their ioye they begile them selues This is but a lightnyng before their death Euse eccl hist Lib. 3 cap. 5.6.7.8.9 As God after he had geuen the Iewes a tyme to repent visited them by Vespasian and Titus most horriblye to their vtter subuersion deliuering first all hys people from among them euen so my deare brethren will he do with this age When he hath tryed his children from amongest them as nowe he beginneth and by suffering hath made vs lyke to his Christ and by being ouercome to ouercome in deede to our eternall comforte then will he if not otherwyse come hym selfe in the cloudes 1. Thess 4. I meane oure deare Lorde whom we confesse preache and beleue on he wyll come I saye with the blaste of a Trumpe and shoute of an Archaungell and so shall we be caughte vppe in the cloudes to meete hym in the ayre Math. ●3 the Aungels gathering together the wicked wretches which now walter and wallowe as the worlde and wynde bloweth to be tyde in boundells and caste into the fyre which burneth for euer moste paynefullye There and then shall they see who hath the victorye they or we Luk. 16 Sapie 3. When they shall see vs a farre of in Abrahams bosome thē will they say oh we thought these folkes fooles and had them in decision we thoughte theyr lyfe madnesse their end to be without honour but looke howe they are counted among the children of god their portion is with the Saints Oh we haue gone amysse and woulde not harken Such wordes as these shal the wicked say one day in hel wheras now they triumphe as conquerers And thus much for you thirdly to loke often vpon namely that whatsoeuer is done vnto you yea euen very death it self shal not dashe or hurt you no more then it did Abell Dauid Daniel Iohn Baptist Iesus Christ our Lord with other the deare Saints of God which suffred for hys names sake Let not reason therfore be iudge in thys matter nor presente sense but fayth and Gods word as I haue shewed In the whiche if we set before our eyes the shortnes of this present tyme wherein we suffer and consider the eternite to come as our enemyes and persecutours shall be in intollerable paines helpelesse 1. Cor. 2 Esaye 64. and we if we perseuer to the end in suche felicitie ioyes daungerlesse as the very harte of man in no poynt is able to conceaue if we consider this I saye we can not but euē contemne set nothing by the sorowes greffes of the crosse lustely go through thicke thīne with good courage Thus haue I declared vnto you .iii thinges necessarye to be mused on of euery one which wil abide by Christ his Gospell in this troublesome time as I truste you all will namely first to consider that we are not of this worlde nor of the nūber of the worldlings or retainers to Sathā that we are not at home in our own coūtrey but of an other world of the congregatiō of the Saints retainers to Christ although in a region replete and full of vntractable enemies Secondly that we may not think it a straunge thing to be persecuted for gods gospel Heb. 2. frō the which the dearest frends of god were in no age free as in dede it is impossible that they should any long time be their enemies being alwayes about them to destroy thē if they could And thirdly that the assaultes of our enemies be they neuer so many fearce in no point shal be able to preuaile againste our fayth albeit to reason it seemeth otherwise Wherthroughe we ought to cōceaue a good courage and comfort for who wil be affeard whē he knoweth the ennemies can not preuaile Nowe will I for the more encouraginge you to the crosse geue you a further memorandum namelye of the commodities and profites which come by the trouble afflictions now risen and to arise to vs which be gods childrē elect through Iesus Christ But here loke not to haue a rehearsall of all the commodities which come by the crosse to such as are exercised well therin for that were more then I can do I will only speake of a fewe therby to occasion you to gather and at the length to feele and perceaue moe Fyrst in that there is no crosse which cōmeth vpon any of vs without the coūsel of our heauenly

brimstone stormye tempestes Whose Palace and home shall be hell fyre and darkenesse Whose cheare shall be weping and gnashing of teeth Whose song shal be woe woe woe from the which the lord of mercye deliuer vs. My dearely beloued I write not thys as one that thinketh not wel of you but as one that would you dyd wel and therfore to helpe you therto I write as I write Beseching God to open your eyes to see the daungers men be in that dissemble with God and man to the ende you doe not the lyke and also to open your eyes to see the hygh seruice you doe to God in aduenturing your selfe and that you haue for hys sake Oh that mens eyes were opened to see that the glorye of God resteth vppon them that suffer any thyng for his sake Oh that we considered that it is happinesse to suffer any thyng for Christes sake which haue deserued to suffer so much for our synnes iniquities Oh that our eyes were opened to see the great reward they shal haue in heauē which suffer the losse of any thing for Gods sake If we knewe the crosse to be as a purgation moste profitable to the soule as a purifying fyre to burne the drosse awaye of our dyrtinesse and synnes as an ouen to bake vs in to bee the Lordes breade as soope to make vs white as a stewe to mundifie and clense vs as Gods framehouse to make vs lyke to Christe here in sufferyng that we maye be so in reygning then should we not so muche care for thys little shorte sorrowe whiche the fleshe suffereth in it but rather in consideration of the excedyng endlesse ioye and comforte which wyl ensue we should runne fowards in our race after the example of oure Captayne Christ who comforte vs all in our distresse and geue vs the spirite of prayer therein to watche and pray that we be not led into temptation whiche God graunt to vs for euer Amen And thus muche I thoughte good to write to you at thys presente to declare my carefulnesse for the well doinge of you and all youre familye whom I commende with you into the handes and tuition of God oure Father So be it Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford An other letter to Maister George Eaton ALmyghtye God oure heauenlye father recompence aboundauntlye into youre bosome my dearelye-beloued here and eternallye the good whiche from hym by you I haue continuallye receaued sythen my comming into pryson Otherwyse can I neuer be able to requite your louing kindnesse here then by praying for you and after thys lyfe by witnessyng youre faythe declared to me by your fruites when we shal come appeare together before the throne of our sauiour Iesus Christ whether I thāke god I am euē now a going euer loking whē the officers wil come satisfie the precept of the Prelates wherof though I cā not cōplain because I haue iustly deserued an hundreth M. deathes at gods hands by reasō of my sines yet I may and must reioice because the Prelates do not persecute in me mine iniquities but Christ Iesus his veritie so that they persecute not me they hate not me but they persecute Christ they hate Christ And because they cā do him no hurt for he sitteth in heauē laugheth thē their deuises to scorne as one daye they shal feele therfore they turne their rage vpon his pore shepe as Herode their father did vpō the infantes Math. 2. Great cause therfore haue I to reioyce that my deare Sauiour Christ will vouchsafe amongest manye to choose me to bee a vessel of grace to suffer in me which haue deserued so often iustly to suffer for my sinnes that I might be most assured I shal be a vessell of honour in whom he wil be glorifyed Therfore my right dere brother in the lord reioice with me geue thanks for me and cease not to pray the god for his mercies sake woulde make perfect the good he hath begon in me And as for the doctrine which I haue professed preached I vnto you do confesse in writing as to the whole world I shortly shall by gods grace in suffering that it is the verye true doctrine of Iesus Christ of hys Church of hys Prophets Apostles al good men so that if an Aungel shoulde come from heauen and preache otherwyse the same were accursed Therefore wauer not deare hart in the Lord but bee confyrmed in it and as youre vocation requireth when God so wil confesse it though it be perillous so to do The ende shall euidenlye shewe an other manner of pleasure for so doing then tounge can tell Be diligence in prayer and watche therein Vse reuerente reading of Gods worde Set the shortnes of this time before your eies let not the eternitie that is to come depart out of your memorye Practyse in doing that you learne by reading hearing Decline frō euil pursue good Remember thē that be in bondes especially for the Lordes cause as members of your body and fellowe heyres of grace Forget not the afflictions of Sion and the oppression of Ierusalem and god our father shall geue you hys continuall blessing through Christe oure Lorde who guyde vs as hys deare children for euer Amen And thus I take my Vale and farewell wyth you deare brother for euer in thys present lyfe tyl we shal meete in eternall blisse whether our good God and father bring vs shortly Amen God blesse all your babes for euer Amen Oute of pryson thys .8 of Februarye Your afflicted brother for the Lordes cause Iohn Bradford A letter writen to hys Mother as a farewell when he thoughte he shoulde haue suffered shortlye after TThe Lord of lyfe and Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ blesse you and comfort you my good and deare Mother wyth hys heauenly comfort consolation grace and spirite nowe and for euer Amen If I thought that dayly yea almoste hourlye you dyd not crye vpon God the father throughe Iesus Christ that he woulde geue me hys blessing euen the blessing of his children then would I write more hereaboutes But for asmuch as herein I am certayne you are diligente and so I besech you good Mother to continue I thynke it good to write somethyng whereby thys your crying might bee furthered Furthered it wyll be if those thynges which hynder it bee taken away Among the which in that I thynke my imprisonmente is the greatest and chiefest I will there about spend thys letter and that brieflye leaste it myghte encrease the let as my good brother thys brynger can tell you You shall knowe therefore good Mother He meaneth the daūger of more streat imprisonment that might hereby folow that for my bodye thoughe it bee in an house oute of the whiche I can not come when I wyll yet in that I haue conformed my wyll to Gods wyll I finde herein lybertye enoughe I thanke God And for my lodging beddyng meate drinke Godlye