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
two thynges one the cause on our behalfe the other what wil be the sequel on straungers For the first yf we be not blynd we cannot but well see that our sinnes are the cause of all this misery our synnes I saye whiche I woulde that euerye one of vs woulde applye to our selues after the example of Ionas and Dauid turnyng ouer the wallet that other mens offences myghte lye behynde and our own before Not that I would excuse other men which exteriorly haue walked much more grossely then manye of you haue done but that I woulde prouoke you all as my selfe to more harty repentaunce and prayer Let vs more more encrease to know and lament our doubtyng of God of hys presence power anger mercy c. Let vs better feele and hate our selfe loue securitie negligence vnthankefulnes vnbeliefe impatience c. and then doubteles the crosse shall be lesse carefull yea it shall be comfortable and Christ most deare and pleasaunt death then shall be desired as the dispatcher of vs out of all misery and entraunce into eternall felicity ioy vnspeakable the which is so much the more longed for by howe muche we feele in dede the Serpentes byttes wherwyth he woundeth our heeles that is our outward Adam and senses If we had I say a liuely and true feelyng of his poyson we could not but as reioyce ouer our Captayn that hath brused hys head so be desirous to follow hys example that is to geue oure lyues wyth hym and for hym Coloss 1 and so to fyll vp hys passions that he myght conquere and ouercome in vs and by vs to his glory and comfort of hys chyldren Now the second I meane the sequell or that whyche wil follow on the straungers my derely beloued let vs wel loke vpon For if so be that god iustly do thus geue to Sathan and hys sede to vexe and molest Christe and hys penitente people oh what and how iustly maye he and wyll he geue to Sathan to intreate the rechlesse and impenitent synners If iudgement beginne thus at gods house what wil follow on them that be wythout if they repent not Certainly for them is reserued the dregges of gods cuppe that is Brymstone fyre and tempest intollerable Nowe are they vnwilling to drynke of gods cuppe of afflictions which he offreth common with hys sonne Christ our Lord lest they shoulde lose theyr pygges wyth the Gergesites Math. 8. They are vnwillyng to come into the waye that bryngeth to heauen euen afflictions they in their hartes crye let vs caste his yoke from vs they walke two wayes that is they seeke to serue god and Mammon which is vnpossible They wil not come nighe the straite waye that bryngeth to lyfe they open their eyes to beholde presente thynges onelye they iudge of religion after reasō and not after gods word they follow the more part and not the better they professe God wyth their mouthes but in their hartes they deny hym or elles they woulde sanctifye hym by seruing him more then men they part stake wyth GGD whych woulde haue al geuing part to the world to the Romishe route and Antichristian Idolatry now set abroad emongest vs publikely they will haue Christ but none of his crosse which will not be they wil be counted to lyue godly in Christe but yet they wil suffer no persecutiō they loue thys world wher through the loue of god is driuen forth of them they sauer those things that be of men and not that be of god Summa they loue god in their lippes ▪ but in their harts yea and in their dedes deny him aswel by not repenting their euils past as by continuing in euil stil by doyng as the world the flesh and the deuil willeth yet stil perchaunce they wil praye or rather prate thy wyll be done in earth which is generally that euery one shuld take vp his crosse and follow christ But this is a hard sermō who is able to abide it Therfore Christ must be praied to depart lest al their pigges be drowned The deuil shal haue his dwelling again in thēselues rather thē in their pigges therfore to the deuil shal they go dwel with him in eternal perdiciō dānation euē in hel fier a torment endles aboue al cogitations incomprehensible if they repent not Wherfore by thē my derely beloued be admonished to remēber your professiō how that in Baptisme you made a solēpne vow to renoūce the deuil the world c. You promised to fight vnder christes stāderd You learned christs crosse afore you begun with A. B. C. Go to thē pay your vow to the lord fyght lyke men and valiant men vnder Christes standerde take vp your crosse and follow your maister as your brethern M. Hoper Rogers Tailor and Saūders haue done and as now your bretherne M. Cranmer Latymer Rydley Farror Bradforde Hawkes c. be redy to do The Ise is broken before you therfore be not afraide but be content to dye for the lord You haue no cause to wauer or doubte of the doctryne thus declared by the bloud of the pastours Remember that Chryste sayeth he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall lose it And what shoulde it profite you to wynne the whole worlde much lesse a little quietnes your goodes c. and to lose your owne soules Render to the Lorde that he hath lent you by such meanes as he would haue you render it and not as you woulde Forgette not Christes disciples must denye themselues as well concernyng their wyl as concernyng their wisedome Haue in mynde that as it is no small mercy to beleue in the Lord so it is no smal kindnes of God towardes you to suffer any thyng muche more death for the Lord. If they be blessed that dye in the Lorde howe shall they be that dye for the Lorde Oh what a blessyng is it to haue death due for our synnes diuerted into a demonstration and testification of the lordes truth Oh that we had a little of Moses faith to loke vpon the ende of the crosse to loke vpon the rewarde to see continuallye wyth Christe and hys people greater ryches then the ryches of Egipt Oh let vs pray that god would open our eyes to see hys hyd Manna heauenlye Ierusalem the congregation of the first borne the melodye of the sainctes the tabernacle of God dwellyng wyth men then should we runne and become violent men and so take the kyngdome of heauen as it were by force God oure father geue vs for hys Christes sake to see a little what and howe great ioye he hath prepared for vs he hathe called vs vnto and most assuredlye geueth vs for hys owne goodnes and truthes sake Amen My derely beloued repent bee sober watch in prayer be obediēt after your vocations shewe your obedience to the hygher powers in all thyngs that are not agaynst gods worde therein acknowledge the soueraigne power of the Lorde howbeit so
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
faythe and firme hope of eternall life dearely beloued whiche of long tyme ye haue learned and throughlye perswaded your selues in by the truth vnfallible veritye of the heauenlye worde sealed with christes most precious blood is verye sore and daungerouslye assaulted and by all meanes possible attempted to be taken from you that ye should haue no longer credit to gods truth but beleue mās lies nor haue you saluation by Christe that once died and offred himself for sinne once for al but that ye should beleue now your saluation in Christ to be manye times offered by wicked men euery day in the abhominable masse to the vtter conculcation and defacing of christes death as the wicked pope and his adherents would perswade you not as Christ your sauiour hath taught you But this sodaine and miserable chaunge from the truth vnto falshode from god Christ to the deuil and Antichrist doubtles cōmeth of god for our manifold synnes towardes the heauenly father our shephard that taught vs a long time with his blessed word and we were neither thankefull for it nor yet put our trust in hym as in one that onely could saue and defend his own word but we thought in our folishnes that the world was so much and so many wayes with the word of God that euen by mannes strength it myght haue ben defended wheras the truth of gods word is permanent and neuer fayleth saying Ieremy 17 Psal 30 cursed be they that make flesh their defence shield For as king Dauid when god had broughte him to possesse hys kyngdome peaceably sayde like a foole as he was I shall neuer be more vnquieted but yet the Lord turned his face from hym and he found straight way such an alteration as he neuer founde before with increase of newe daungers more troublous then euer he had before euen likewise whē god had geuen vs a blessed and holy king and such maiestrates although they were synners as wished the glorye of god onely to be preferred by true doctrine we lyke carnall men thought our selues so sure and so stablished that it had not bene possible to haue sene such a pitious and myserable chaunge and the truth of gods word so oppressed as we see at this present daye But we be most worthely punished euen the same wayes that we haue offended We dyd put our trust in fleshe and where as Gods spirite in fleshe dwelled as in our holy blessed kyng Edward the sixte he is now dead in the flesh and his holy soule resteth with the heauenly father in ioyes for euer he is nowe I saye taken from vs and cannot helpe vs such as in his tyme seemed much to fauour the glory of god are become gods enemies can both hear other to proced against the glory of god also set fort the same thēselues as much as thei may so that such spirituall and godly persons as sought in the flesh gods glory are taken from vs or els in such case as they can doe vs no good And such fleshe as folowed and loued God in the sighte of the worlde and had great vauntage by hys word are become his very enemies and not only his but also enemies to hys members But yet as kyng Dauyd knew his folish foly and with repentaunce repented and found grace so it may please god to geue vs of his grace holy spirit to amend our faultes in the lyke offence and helpe vs as he did him But doubtles great is our iniquity For there was neuer so great abhomination redde of and so quickly to preuaile as this abhomination of the wicked masse hathe preuailed in Englande And all Christen men knowe that the Turkes and heathen neither haue nor yet had euer any so sensibly knowen and manifest an Idoll Wherfore Vpon this psalme as vpon dyuers other he wrote a godly most comfortable treatise whe◠unto he annexed this letter as a preface that almighty god of his mercye may preserue his people in this noble City of London I haue write vpon the 23. psal of king Dauid to aduertise men howe they shal beware of heresies and false doctrine and so to lyue to his honour and glorye Albeit I knowe dearely beloued that all those whiche seeke Godes honour and the furtheraunce of his gospel bee accompted the Quenes enemies although we daily pray for her grace and neuer thynke her harme but we must content to suffer slaunder patiētly to beare al such iniuries Neuertheles this is out of doubt that the Quenes highnes hathe no aucthoritye to compell any man to beleue any thyng contrary to gods worde neyther may the subiecte geue her grace that obedience in case he do his soule is lost for euer Our bodies goods and liues be at her highnes commaundement and she shall haue thē as of true subiects but the soule of man for religiō is bound to none but vnto god and hys holy word To a certayne godly woman instructing her how she should behaue her selfe in the time of her widowhode THe grace of god and the comfort of his holy spirit be with you and with all them that vnfainedly loue his holy gospell Amen I thanke you deare sister for yor most louing remembraunce and althoughe I can not recompence the same yet doe I wishe with all my hart that god would doe it requiring you not to forget your duty towardes god in these perilous days in the which the Lorde wyll trye vs. I truste you doe increase by readyng of the Scriptures the knowledge you haue of God and that you diligently applye your selfe to folowe the same for the knowledge helpeth not excepte the lyfe be accordyng there vnto Further I do hartely praye you to consider the state of your widowhode and if God shall put in your mynde to chaunge it remember the sayeng of Saint Paule 1. Corinthians 7 it is lawfull for the widow or mayden to mary to whom they list so it be in the lord that is to say to such a one as is of Christes religion Dearely beloued in Christ remember these wordes for you shal fynd therby great ioy and comfort if you chaunge your state Whereof I will when I haue better leysure as now I haue none at all further aduertise you In the meane time I commende you to God and the guidyng of hys good spirite who stablyshe and confirme you in all well doyng and keepe you blameles to the daye of the Lorde Watche and praye for this day is at hand Yours assured in Christ Ioh Hoper An aunswer to a frende of his for a woman that was troubled with her husband in matters of religion how she should behaue her selfe towardes him THe grace and peace of God our deare father throughe Iesus Christe oure Lord Amen As concerning the party whom you wrote vnto me of I haue here sent you mine aduise and what I thynke is beste in this case to be done Fyrste she shall
ye repente not if ye leaue not your Idolatry if ye tourne not spedely to the Lord if ye stil be ashamed of Christes truth whiche ye knowe Oh Perne repent Oh Thomson repente Oh ye Doctors Bachelors and Maisters repent Oh Maior Aldermen towne dwellers repente repente repente that ye maye escape the nere vengeaunce of the Lord. Rent your harts and come apace calling on the Lord. Let vs al say Peccauimus we haue synned we haue done wickedlye we haue not harkened to thy voyce O Lord. Deale not with vs after our deserts but be merciful to our iniquities for they are great Oh pardon vs our offences In thyne anger remember thy mercy Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde God of hostes for the glorye of thy names sake spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Let not the wicked people say wher is now their god Oh for thine own sake for thy names sake deale mercifully with vs. Turne thy self vnto vs and vs vnto thee and we shall prayse thy name for euer If in thys sort my dearly beloued in hart and mouth we come vnto oure father and prostrate oure selues before the throne of his grace then surely surely we shal find mercye then shal the Lord loke merely vpon vs for his mercye sake in Christ then shal we heare him speake peace vnto his people for he is gracious and mercifull of greate pitye and compassion he cā not be chiding for euer his anger can not last long to the penitent Though we wepe in the morning yet at night we shal haue our sorow to cease for he is exorable hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner he rather wold our conuersion and turning Oh turne you nowe and conuert yet once againe I humbly besech you then the kingdome of heauen shall draw nygh The eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of mā is able to conceaue the ioyes prepared for vs if we repente amende oure liues and hartely turne to the Lord. But if ye repente not but be as ye were and goe on forwardes with the wicked following the fashion of the world the Lord will lead you on with wicked doers ye shall peryshe in your wickednes youre blood will be vppon your owne heades your part shall be with hipocrites where shall be wepyng and gnashyng of teeth ye shall be caste from the face of the Lorde for euer and euer eternall shame sorrow woe and misery shall be both in body and soule to you worlde without end Oh therfore ryght deare to me in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you amend amend your liues departe from euill do good follow peace and pursue it Come out frō Babilon caste of the woorkes of darkenes put on Christ confesse hys truth be not ashamed of hys Gospel prepare your selues to the crosse drinke of Gods cuppe before it come to the dregges and then shall I with you and for you reioyce in the daye of iudgemente whiche is at hand and therfore prepare your selues therto I hartely besech you And thus I take my Vale in aeternum with you in thys presente lyfe myne owne deare hartes in the Lorde The Lorde of mercy bee with vs all and geue vs a ioyfull and sure meetyng in his kingdome Amen Amen Out of prison the .11 of February Anno. 1555. Your owne in the Lord for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To all those that professe the name and true religion of our Sauioure Iesus Christe in Lankeshyre and Chesshire and specially abyding in Manchester and theraboutes Iohn Bradford a moste vnworthy seruant of the Lord now not only in bondes but also cōdemned for the same true religion wisheth mercye and grace peace and encrease of all godlines frō god the father of all pietie throughe the desertes of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the workyng of the most mighty and liuely spirite the comforter for euer Amen I Heare it reported credibly my derely beloued in the lord that my heauēly father hath thought it good to prouyde that The enemies had apointed to burne hym at Māchester but the lord altered their purpose as I haue preached his true gospel and doctrine amonges you by worde so I shal testify and confyrme the same by deede that is I shall with you leaue my life which by his prouidence I firste receaued there for in Manchester was I borne for a seale to the doctrine I haue taught with you emonges you so that if from henceforth you wauer in the same you haue none excuse at all I know the enemies of Christ which exercise this crueltye vpon me I speake it in respect of mine offence which is none to thē wardes thinke by killyng of me amongs you to affray you and others lest they should attempt to teach Christ truly or beleeue hys doctryne hereafter but I doubte not but that heauenly father will by my death more confyrme you in his truth for euer And therfore I greatly reioyce to see Sathā and his souldiours supplanted in their own sapience which is playne folishnes emonges the wise in deede that is emonges such as haue heard gods worde and do followe it for they onely are accompted wyse of the wisedome of God our sauiour In dede if I shoulde simplye consider my lyfe wyth that which it ought to haue bene and as God in hys lawe requireth then could I not but crye as I do Iustus es domine omnia iudicia tua vera Righteous art thou O lord and all thy iudgements are true For I haue muche greued thee and transgressed thy holy precepts not onely before my professing the gospel but sythen also yea euen sithē my commyng into prison I do not excuse but accuse my selfe before god and all his church that I haue greuouslye offended my Lorde god I haue not lyued hys gospell as I shoulde haue done I haue sought my selfe not symply onely his glory and my brethernes commodity I haue ben to vnthākful secure carnal hypocritical vayn glorious c. Al which my euils the lorde of mercy pardon me for his christes sake as I hope certainly beleue he hath done for hys great mercy in Christ our redemer But whē I consider the cause of my cōdemnation I can not but lamēt the I do no more reioyce thē I do for it is gods verity and truth so that the condēnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ and his truth Bradford is nothing els but an instrument in whom Christ and his doctrine is condemned And therfore my dearely beloued reioyce reioyce and geue thākes with me for me that euer god did vouchsafe so great a benefit to our countrey as to choose the most vnworthy I meane my selfe to be one in whom it woulde please him to suffer any kynde of affliction much more thys violent kynd of death which I perceiue is prepared for me emongs you for his sake Al glory praise
before you though it be to come as euen now present lyke as you do and wyl your patientes to doe in purgations and other your ministrations to consyder the effecte that wil ensue where through the bitternes and lothesomnes of the purgatiō is so ouercome and the painfulnes in abydyng the workyng of that is mynistred is so eased that it maketh the patient willyngly ioyfully to receiue that is to be receiued although it be neuer so vnpleasaūt so I say set before you the ende of this straite way and thē doutles as Paule saith aeternū pōdus gloriae pariet whiles you loke not on the thyng sene for that is temporal but on the thing which is not sene which is eternall So dothe the husbandman in plowing and tilling set before him the haruest time so doth the fisher consider the draught of his nette rather thē the casting in so doth the merchaunt the returne of his merchaūdise and so shoulde we in these stormy daies set before vs not the losse of our goods liberty very lyfe but the reaping time the comming of our sauiour Christ to iudgement the fire that shall burne the wicked disobediēt to gods gospel the blast of the Trumpe the exceding glory prepared for vs in heauen eternally suche as the eie hathe not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of man can conceyue The more we lose here the greater ioye shall wee haue there The more we suffer the greater tryumphe For corruptible drosse we shall fynde incorruptible treasures for golde glorye for syluer solace without ende for ryches robes royall for earthely houses eternall Palaces myrthe wythout measure pleasure wythout payne felicitye endeles Summa we shall haue God the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste Oh happye place oh that thys daye woulde come Then shal the ende of the wicked be lamentable then shall they receiue the iust rewarde of thy vengeaunce then shall they crye woe woe that euer they dyd as they haue done Reade Sapien 2.3.4.5 Reade Mathew 25. Reade 1. Corrinthians 15. 2. Corrinthians 5. and by fayth whiche GOD encrease in vs consyder the thinges there set forth And for your comforte reade Hebrewes 11. to see what faythe hath done alwayes consyderyng the way to heauen to be by many tribulations that all they which wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution You know thys is oure Alphabet he that wyll bee my Disciple sayeth Christ must denye hymselfe and take vppe his crosse and followe me not thys Bishoppe nor that Doctour not thys Emperour nor that Kynge but me sayeth Christe for he that loueth father mother wyfe chyldren or verye lyfe better then me is not worthye of me Remember that the same Lorde sayeth Math. 8. he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall loose it Comforte your selfe wyth thys that as the Deuyls had no power ouer the Porkettes or ouer Iobes goodes wythout Gods leaue so shall they haue none ouer you Remember also that all the heares of your head are numbred wyth GOD. The Deuyll maye make one beeleue he wyll drowne hym as the Sea in hys surges threateneth to the lande but as the Lorde hathe appoynted boundes for the one ouer the whyche he cannot passe so hathe he done for the other On god therfore cast your care loue him serue him after hys worde feare him trust in him hope at his hande for all helpe and alwayes praye lookyng for the crosse and when soeuer it commeth bee assured the Lorde as he is faythfull so he will neuer tempte you further then he will make you able to beare but in the myddest of the tēptation wil make such an euasion as shal be most to his glorye and your eternall comfort God for his mercy in Christe with his holye spirite endue you comforte you vnder the winges of hys mercy shadow you and as his deare childe guide you for euermore To whose merciful tuition as I doe wyth my hartye prayer committe you so I doubte not but you praye for me also and so I beseche you to do stil My brother P. telleth me you would haue the last part of sainct Hieromes workes to haue the vse thereof for a fortenighte I cannot for these .iij. dais wel forbeare it but yet on thursday next I wil send it you if god let me not vse me that I haue as your owne The lorde for his mercy in Christe directe oure wayes to his glory Amen Out of pryson by yours to commaunde Iohn Bradford To Maystres M. H. a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauines and godly sorrow which the feeling and sense of sinne worketh in gods children I Humblye and hartelye praye the euerlyuyng good god and father of mercye to blesse and kepe your harte and mynd in the knowledge and loue of his truth of his Christ through the inspiration and workyng of the holy spyryte Amen Although I haue no doubte but that you prosper and go forwardes daily in the way of godlines more and more drawyng towardes perfection and haue no neede of anyethyng that I can wryte yet because my desyre is that you myghte be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you besechyng you bothe often and diligently to call vnto your mynd as a meane to styrre you hereunto yea as a thyng which god most straitly requireth you to beleue that you are beloued of god that he is your dere father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue tender kyndnes of god towards vs in Christ is aboundātly herein declared in that he hath to the godly worst of creation of this worlde made vs after his image redemed vs beyng lost called vs into his church sealed vs with his marke and signe manuel of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dais of our lyfe fed nourished defended and moste fatherlye chastised vs and nowe hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of hys feare faith loue and knowlege of hys Christ and truth and therfore we lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our frailenes our diffidence and waueryng in things wherin we should be moste certain Al these thyngs we shuld vse as meanes to cōfyrme our faith of this that god is our god and father and to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thynges before touched especially in that of all thinges god requyreth this faith and persuasion of hys fatherly goodnes as hys chiefest seruyce For before he aske any thyng of vs he saieth I am the Lord thy god geuyng hymselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our own And this he doth in respect of hymself of hys owne mercye and truth and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration wherof when he saieth Thou shalte haue none other gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy hart
Rom. 8 The Angels are ministers vnto them Their names are writtē in the boke of lyfe therfore Christ bad them reioyce as Paul doth the Philippians for nothing shall seperate them from the loue wherwith god loueth them in Christ Iesu who sayeth that it is impossible for them to erre finally to damnation Mat. 24 Psalm 18. Iohn 6.10 Heb. 3. Iohn 5.6 Iohn 17 Heb. 5. Rom. 8 Ioh. 10. 1. Cor. 6 1. Cor. 1. 1. Ioh 4 Psalm 67. Ose 6. for he is their lyght to illumine their darkenes They are geuē to hym to kepe he is faythful ouer al gods children He saith he wil kepe them so that they shal neuer peryshe After they beleue they are entred already into euerlasting life Christe hath set thē there already he hath cōmitted them into his fathers hands by prayer which we know is sure therefore death hel deuils nor all power sinnes nor mischiefe shall neuer pull vs out of oure heades hands whose mēbers we are therfore receauing of hys spirite as we do we cannot but bring forth the fruites therof though now then the flesh fayle vs. But the Lord euen our Lord be praysed whiche is more strong in vs then he which is in the world He alwaies putteth vnder his hand that we lye not styll nor shal do as the reprobate whose pietie is as the mornyng dewe sone come sone gone and therfore they can not continue to the ende Cānot No they wil not if they could because they hate god hys glory and therfore al thē that seeke it or set it forth wheras the elect loue all men and seke to do al men good in God suspending their iudgements of others Rom. 14 that they may stand or fall to the Lord and not to them Hetherto out of this one place of Paule to the Ephesiās if the matter of election predestination be so fully set forth to gods glory and to the cōfort of hys church how may we suppose is this matter set forth in the whole body bookes of the canonicall scripture Whereto I had rather send you with this cādell lighte which I haue now geuē you then in a matter so manifest to make more a do then nedeth Iohn Bradforde To a woman that desyred to know hys mynde whether she refrayning from the Masse myght be present at the popyshe Mattyns or no. I Besech almightye God our heauenly father to bee merciful vnto vs to encrease in you my good sister the knowledge loue of his truth and at thys present geue me grace so to write to you somthyng of the same as may make to hys glory and our own comforte and confyrmation in hym through Christ our Lord Amen Whether you may come with safe cōscience to the church now that is to the seruice vsed comonly in part as at Mattins or at Euēsong or noe is your desire to haue me to write somthing for your further stay My derely beloued although your benefites towards me might perchaunce make you to thinke that in respect therof I would beare with that which els were not to be borne withal yet by gods grace I am purposed simply without al such respect in this matter to speak to you the truth accordinge to my conscience as I maye be able to stand vnto when I shall come before the Lorde Fyrste therefore goe aboute to learne perfectly the fyrst lesson to bee learned of all that professe Christe that is to denye your selfe and in nothing to seke your selfe Secondly learne after thys to begynne at the next lesson to it which is to seeke God in all thynges you doe and leaue vndone Thirdly know that then you seke God whē in hys seruice you followe his worde and not mans fantasies custome multitude c. and when with your brother you follow the rule of charitie that is to do as you would be done by In these is a sūme of al the counsell I can geue you if that hereto I admonyshe you of the seruice now vsed which is not accordyng to gods word but rather against gods word directly and in maner wholy So that you going to the seruice is a declaration that you haue not learned the fyrst lesson nor neuer can learne it so long as you go thether therfore the second lessō you shal vtterly lose if you cease not the seeking your self that is if for cōpanye custome father or frend life or goods you seme to allow that which god disalloweth And this that you the better maye perceaue I purpose by gods grace brieflye to shewe First the Mattens Euensong is in a toūg forbiddē publikely to be vsed in the cōgregatiō that perceaueth not the toung Read how Paul affirmeth it 1. Cor. 14. to pray in an vnknowē toung to be against gods cōmaūdement This one I trow were enough if nothīg els were For how cā gods glory be sought where his word cōmaūdemente is wilfullye brokē How cā charitie to mā stande when charitie to god which is obedience to his word is ouerthrowē Againe both in Mattins in Euensong is idolatrye maintained for gods seruice for there is inuocation and prayer made to Sainctes departed this life which robbeth god of that glory which he wil geue to none other Esay 5. Moreouer thys seruice the setters forth of it condempneth the Englysh seruice as heresie therby falling into Gods curse which is threatned to al such as cal good euil and euil good wherof they shal be pertakers that do cōmunicate with thē Besides this this latten seruice is a plaine marke of Antichrists catholike Sinagoge so that the Cōmunicātes approuers of it thereby declare thē selues to be mēbers of the same Sinagoge so cut of frō christ his church whose exteriour marke is the true administratiō of gods worde sacraments Furthermore the exāple of your going thither to allow the religiō of Antichrist as doubtles you do in dede howsoeuer in hart you thinke occasioneth the obstinate to be vtterly intractable the weake papistes to be more obstinate the stronge Gospellers to be sore weakened and the weake gospellers to be vtterly ouerthrowen whiche thinges howe greate offences they bee no penne is able to vtter by letters All these euilles you shall hee giltye of that companye wyth these in religion exteriourly from whom you are admonyshed to fly If Christ be Christ followe hym gather with hym least you scatter abroade Serue God not only in spirite but also in body Make not your body now a mēber of Christ a mēber of Antichrist Come out from amongest thē sayth the Lord touch no vncleane thing Confesse Christe and hys truth not onely in hart but also in toung yea in very deede which fewe gospellers do In dede they denye him therefore had nede to tremble least that Christ wil denie thē in the last day the which day if it were set before our eyes often then would the
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.
grene and sappie tree and what followed then on the dry braunches Ieremye speaking in the person of God sayth in the City wherin my name is innocate Luke 14. will I beginne to punish but as for you meanyng the wycked you shal be as innocentes and not once touched Ieremy 15. for the dregges of gods wrathe the bottome of all sorrowes are reserued vnto them in the ende but gods householde shal drinke the flower of the cuppe of hys mercye 2. Para. 3. And therfore let vs saye with Ezechias play the men and shrynke not let vs comfort our selues for the lorde is with vs our helper and fighteth for vs. The Lord is saith he wyth you when you bee wyth hym and when you seke hym he wyl be found of you and agayne when you forsake hym he wil forsake you Wherfore we oughte not to be dismayde or discourage our selues but rather to be of good comfort not to be sadde but mery not sorrowful but ioyful in that god of his goodnes wyll vouchsafe to take vs as hys beloued children to subdue our sinfull lustes our wretched flesh and blood vnto his glory the promoting of his holy word and edifyeng of hys churche 2. Cor. 5. What yf the earthly house of this our habitation Paule meanyng the body be destroyed We knowe assuredlye we shall haue a building of God not made wyth handes but euerlasting in heauen wyth such ioyes as faith taketh not hope toucheth not nor charitye apprehendeth not They passe all desires and wishes Gotten they may be by Christ estemed they cannot be Wherfore the more affliction persecution the word of God bryngeth the more felicity greater ioy abydeth in heauē But the worldly peace idle ease wealthy pleasure and thys present pleasaunt transitory lyfe and felicity which the vngodly folishly imagine to procure vnto themselues by persecuting and thrustyng away the gospel shal turne vnto their owne trouble and at laste vnto horrible destruction and mutations of realmes and countreyes and after thys lyfe if they repent not into their perpetuall infelicity perdition and damnation 1. Regū 25 For they had rather wyth Nabal and hys temporal pleasures descend to the Deuyl then wyth poore Christ and his bodely troubles ascend into the kingdome of God hys father But an vnwise man saith the psalmist comprehendeth thē not negther doth the folish vnderstand them that is these bloody persecutours growen vppe and flourishyng like the flower and grasse in the fielde But vnto this ende do they so floryshe that they might be cut downe and caste into the fyre for euer Iob. 21. For as Iob saith their ioy lasteth but the twinklyng of an eye and death shall lye knawyng vpon them as doth the flocke vpon the pasture psal 4◠Mar. 9. yea the cruell worme late repentance as S. Marke saith shal lie gnawyng tormentyng and accusing their wretched conscience for euermore Let vs therfore good christians be constante in obeying God rather then men For although they slay our synfull bodies yea rather our deadly enemies for gods verity yet can they not do it but by gods sufferance and good wil to hys prayse and honour and to our eternall ioy and felicity For our bloode shedde for the gospell shall preache it with more fruite and greater furtheraunce then dyd oure mouthes lyues and writynges as dyd the bloud of Abell Steuen wyth many other moe What thoughe they laughe Christ and hys worde to scorne which sytte in the chayre of peruerse pestilent scorners To whom as to the wyse Gentiles of the world the gospell of Christe is but folishnes as it was to the Iewes a slaūder and a stumbling stone wherat they now beyng fallen haue prouoked the wrath and vēgeaunce of god vpon them Luke 2. These are the dayes of vengeaunce saith Luke that all thynges written may be fulfylled And surely it shall be no lesse then a huge storme of euylles that shall come vpon vs because that a longe and a cursed obstinate maliciousnes of vs hath gone before crying in the eares of the Lorde GOD of hostes who so manye tymes and so many wayes haue bene prouoked wyth the vnspeakable ryches of hys goodnes hys patience and longe sufferyng to amendment and haue neuertheles contemned the same Esay 3 and proceded forward to worse and worse prouokyng and styrryng the presence of gods maiesty vnto anger EZech. Now therfore sayth God by the mouth of hys Prophet I will come vpon thee and I wyl send my wrathe vpon thee vpon thee I say O Englande and punyshe thee accordyng to thy wayes reward thee after al thine abhominations Thou hast kyndled the fyer of gods wrathe and hast styrred vp the coales Esay 5. For thou wast once lyghtned and haddest tasted of the heauenly gifte and wast become pertaker of the holy Ghost and haddest tasted of the good worde of God Yea it is yet in thy mouth saith the Prophet Alas O England thou knewest thy Lord maisters wil but dydst nothing therafter thou must therfore saith he suffer many stripes many sharpe strokes walke on in the glittering whote flame of thyne owne fyer and in the coales that thou hast kindled This commeth to thee from my hand saith the Lord namely that thou shalt slepe in sorrowe yea euen so thou shalt The playne truth telleth the tale the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God and the ordinary course of hys plagues from the begynning confirmeth the same The ioy of our hart saith Ieremy is gone our glory is fallen away Ieremy 5. our mery singyng is turned into mournyng the garland of our heade is fallen Alas and weale away that euer we synned so sore Wo worth all abhominations and wyckednes wo worth cloked hypocrisie wo worth our carnall liberty wo worthe our most cursed Idolatry For because of these thynges sayth the Lord ye shall perishe wyth sword hunger and pestilence Wherfore let all the wycked enemies of Christ and all the vnbeleuers be afrayed to bee tormented and vexed wyth all hellish furies and cleane without hope at gods accountyng day which know not God in Christe to be theyr very rightuousnes their life Iohn 8. theyr onely saluation and alone Sauiour nor beleue not in hym They must saieth S. Iohn nedes abyde and perishe wyth their sinnes in death and in eternal damnation But we be the chyldrē of saints as the elder Toby dyd aunswer and loke for an other lyfe whyche God shall geue to all them which chaunge not their fayth nor shrynke not from hym Reioyce therfore ye christian afflicted brethern for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louyng father Matth. i0 and yf we abyde fast in Christe and turne not away lyke weathercockes surely we shall lyue for euer Christe affirmyng the same saying my sheepe here my voyce I knowe
sufferyng hys passion crucyfyed dead and buryed to the entent to bring vs again into fauour with god the father almighty to be a sacrifice host oblation Esa 48.43 Gen. 1.22 Esay 53. Act. 10. Math. 8. not only for original sinne but also for al actuall sinnes of the whole generatioÌ„ of mankind For al the works merites deseruings doings obedieÌ„ce of maÌ„ towards god although they be done by the spirit of god in the grace of god yet being thus done be of no validitye worthynes nor merite before god except god for his mercy grace accompt theÌ„ worthy for the worthines merites of Christe Iesus The same Christe went downe to the hels and trulye rose agayn the thyrd day and ascended into the heauens that he mighte there stil reigne haue dominioÌ„ ouer al creatures froÌ„ theÌ„ce shall come c. I beleue in the holy ghost coequal with god the father the soÌ„ne proceding froÌ„ theÌ„ both by whose vertue streÌ„gth operation the true catholike church which is the comunioÌ„ societie of Saints is guyded in al truth veritie kept froÌ„ al errours false doctrine the deuil all power of sinne Which church is sanctifyed hallowed with the precious blood spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ Iohn 10.8 Galat. 1. 1. Timo. 3. which hath also her signe and marke that she heareth foloweth the voyce of her only true pastour christ no straungers Thys church also is the house of god the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the liuing god the pyller of truth the liuely body of Christ a church both in name in dede I beleue the remission of synnes by the only meanes merites of christs death passioÌ„ who was made vnto vs of god that only sacrifice oblation offered once for al for euer for al theÌ„ that be sanctifyed I beleue the resurrectioÌ„ of the body wherby in the last day al meÌ„ shal ryse again froÌ„ death the soules ioyned againe to the bodyes the good to euerlastinge lyfe the wycked to euerlastyng payne punyshment And nothyng may more certaynly stablysh confyrme our fayth that we shal ryse agayn immortal both in body soule theÌ„ the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ our Sauiour fyrst fruites of the dead Now that Christ our head is rysen we being his body meÌ„bers must folow our head Death hell and synne can not sunder nor plucke vs from him For as the sonne can not be deuyded nor sundred froÌ„ the father nor the holy ghost from them both no more may we being the faythful meÌ„bers of Christ be seperated froÌ„ christ And for a confyrmatioÌ„ of our resurrection christ wold be sene after his resurrectioÌ„ in his most gloryous bodye hys wouÌ„des being handled felt speaking teaching eating drinking c. We looke sayth S. Paule Iohn 10 Iohn 1. Phil. 3. for Iesus Christ our Sauiour which shall transfygure our vile bodies conforme theÌ„ to his glorious body by the same power vertue wherwith he is able to subdue all things euen like as the grayn of wheate soweÌ„ in the grouÌ„d Iohn 12. is fyrst putrifyed brought as into a thiÌ„g of nought yet after that it spriÌ„geth vp freshly with a goodlyer colour forme beautye then it had before The bodye is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruptioÌ„ 1. Cor. 15 it is soâ—en in dishonour riseth in honour Thus I verely knowe and assuredly beleue the resurrection of our bodyes to haue lyfe eternal by Christ for Christes sake Verely verely I say vnto you sayeth Christe he that heareth my woorde and beleueth on hym that sent me Iohn 5. hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into dampnation but is escaped from death to lyfe It is Christ that died once for our sinnes Roma 10 Ose 13. and is rysen agayne neuer more to dye it is he that swallowed vppe death and hath caste it vnder hys fete for euer What nowe can death doe vnto vs Verely nothyng ells but for a little tyme seperate our precious soules from oure wretched bodyes that diuyne substance from a Masse of synne that eternall lyfe from a bodye of death and so send our soules out of this miserable wretched sorrowfull lyfe cumbred wyth all calamities vnto that most blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall As concerning the holye and reuerente sacramentes of Christes Church whiche be in number .ii. the Sacramente of baptiseme and the Supper of the Lord I beleue them to be as Saint Paule calleth them confyrmations or seales of Gods promises whiche haue added to them a promyse of grace and therefore they are called inuisible signes of inuisible grace The Sacramente of baptisme is a marke of Christes Churche a seale and confirmation of oure acceptation into the grace and fauour of God for Christes sake For hys innocencye hys ryghteousnesse hys holynesse hys iustyce is ours geuen vs of God and our synnes and vnryghteousnesse by hys obedience and abasing of hymselfe to the death of the crosse are hys whereof baptisme is the signe seale and confirmation Baptisme is also a signe of repentaunce to testifye that we be borne to the waues of perilles and chaunges of lyfe to the entent that we shoulde dye continuallye as longe as we liue from sinne and ryse agayne like new men vnto ryghteousnesse Rom. 6. The other sacrament which is the Supper holy maundy of our Sauiour Christ wherby the church of Christ is knowen I beleue it is a remembraunce of Christes death passion a seale confirmation of his most precious body geueÌ„ vnto death eueÌ„ to the vile death of the crosse wherwith we are redemed deliuered from synne death hel damnation It is a visible word because it worketh the same thing in the eyes which the word worketh in the eares For like as the woorde is a meane to the eares wherby the holy ghost moueth the hart to beleue Ro. 10 so thys Sacramente is a meane to the eyes whereby the holy ghoste moueth the harte to beleue it preacheth peace betwene God and man it exhorteth to mutuall loue and all godly life and teacheth to contemne the world for the lyfe to come when as Christe shal appeare which now is in heaueÌ„ no where els as concernyng thys humaine body Act. 1.3 â–ª Yet doe I beleue assuredly that hys very body is present in his most holy supper at the contemplatioÌ„ of our spirituall eyes so verely eaten with the mouth of our fayth For as sone as I heare these most comfortable heauenly words spoken and pronounced by the mouth of the minister thys is my bodye which is geuen for you when I heare I say thys heauenly harmonye of gods vnfallible promises truth I loke not vpoÌ„ neyther do I behold bread wyne for I take beleue the words simply and plainly euen as Christ spake them For hearing these words my senses be rapte vtterly
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
igitur deus qui nobis in tanta abundantia iniquitatis in tanta ruina pietatis talem nobis dedit in isthac veneranda canitie testeÌ„ sui Euangelij veritati Infoelix quem tanti viri tam grauis innocentis pietas constans confessio nihil permouere possuÌ„t ad cognoscendam veritatem dei Non peto iam frater vt mihi quicquam rescribas multum enim vereor ne literae intercipiantur quanquaÌ„ scias mihi de tua constantia fortitudine in Domini caussa audire semper fore gratissimum Et vt tuae fraternitati hactenus non rescripserim bis tameÌ„ vt potui tibi significandum curaui quod a me in tuis literis cognoscere voluisti Nec adhuc profecto frater possum animum meum mutare tot enim mihi videre videor pericula quae me impellunt vt consulam ne tuarum lucubrationum editionem festinare velis saltem sub titulo nominis tui Multum enim vereor ne hac occasione tibi os obstruatur in posterum alijs quoque captiuis omnia anferantur quihus alioqui multis deo ita volente poterunt ê“ desse Bene vale in Domino Chaaiss frater si qui alij in vestris aedibus suÌ„t vobiscum in causa Christi concaptiu ï precor illis meo nomine salutem vti possis velis impartiri et omnium uestruÌ„ precibus apud dominum me atque meos concaptiuos in domino etiaÌ„ atque etiam humillime commendo rursus atque in aeternum in Christo bene vale frater Chariss The same in english ¶ To my most deare brother and reuerend fellow Elder in Christe Iohn Hoper grace and peace MY dearely beloued brother and fellow Elder whoÌ„ I reuerence in the lord pardon me I besech you that hitherto since your captiuitie and myne I haue not saluted you by my letters wheras I do in deede confesse I haue receiued from you suche was your gentlenes two letters at suÌ„dry tymes but yet at such times as I could not be suffred to write vnto you againe or yf I might haue writeÌ„ yet was I greatly in dout lest my letters shuld not safely come vnto your haÌ„ds But now my dere brother for as much as I vnderstaÌ„d by your workes which I haue yet but superficially sene that we throughly agree wholy consent together in those thynges which are the groundes substaÌ„tial points of our religioÌ„ against the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dais howsoeuer in time past in smaller matters circuÌ„staÌ„ces of religion your wisdom my simplicity I coÌ„fesse I haue in som points varied Now I say be you assured that euen with my whole heart God is my witnes in the bowels of Christ I loue you in truth for the truthes sake which abideth in vs and as I am perswaded shall by the grace of God abyde with vs for euermore And because the world as I perceiue brother ceaseth not to play his pageant 1. Cor x. busely conspireth against Christ our sauior with all possible force and power exaltyng high thinges against the knowledge of god let vs ioyne handes together in Christ and if we cannot ouerthrowe yet to our power and as much as in vs lieth let vs shake those hyghe thinges not with carnal but with spiritual weapoÌ„s withall brother let vs prepare our selues to the day of our dissolution wherby after the shorte time of this bodely affliction by the grace of our lord Iesus Christ we shall triumphe together with him in eternall glory I pray you brother salute in my name that reuerend father Of this good fathers godly ende and constant coÌ„fession of the truth you shall read in the next editioÌ„ of the boke of martyrs your fellow prisoner Doctor Crome by whom since the first day that I heard of his most godly fatherly constancy in confessing the truth of the gospel I haue conceiued great consolation and ioy in the lord For the integritie and vprightnes the grauitie innoceÌ„cy of that maÌ„ al EnglaÌ„d I think hath knowen long ago Blessed be God therfore whiche in such abundance of iniquity decay of all godlinesse hath geuen vnto vs in this reuerend old age such a witnes for the truth of his gospel Miserable hard harted is he whoÌ„ the godlines constant confession of so worthy so graue innocent a maÌ„ wil not moue to acknowledge coÌ„fesse the truth of god I doe not nowe brother require you to write anye thing to me againe for I staÌ„d much in feare lest your letters should be intercepted before they can come to my hands Neuertheles know you that it shal be to me great ioy to heare of your constancie and fortitude in the lords quarel And albeit I haue not hitherto writen vnto you yet haue I twise as I could seÌ„t vnto you my mind touching the matter which in your letters you required to know neither can I yet brother be otherwise persuaded I see me thinkes so many perils wherby I am earnestly moued to couÌ„sel you not to hasteÌ„ the publishyng of your workes especially vnder the title of your own name For I feare greatly least by this occasion both your mouth should be stopped hereafter al things taken awaye from the reste of the prisoners whereby otherwise if it so please god they may bee able to doe good to many Farewell in the lord my most deare brother and if there be any more in prison with you for Christes cause I besech you as you may salute them in my name to whose praiers I do most humbly and hartely commeÌ„d my selfe and my fellow prisoners concaptiues in the lord and yet oâ—ce againe and for euer in Christ my most deare brother Farewell ☞ A letter of M. Edmunde Grindal then being in exile for the testimony of the truth and now bishop of London to D. Ridley prisoner in Oxforde whiche we thoughte good here to place for that the letter followyng is an aunswer therof GRatiam consolationem a Domino seruatore nostro Iesu christo Syr I haue often bene desirous to haue written to you and to haue heard from you but the iniquity of the tymes haue hitherto always put me forth of all hope and comfort Now at thys present god semeth to offer some likelyhode that these might come to your handes which I thought to vse referring the rest to Gods dispositioÌ„ Your present state not I only who of all other am most bouÌ„d but also all other our brethreÌ„ here do most hartely lament as ioyned with the most miserable captiuitie that euer anye church of Christ hath suffred Notwithstanding we geue god most humble thankes for that he hath so strengthened you and others your concaptiues to professe a good professioÌ„ before so many witnesses And I doubt nothyng but he that hath called you and them not onely to beleue vpon hym but also to suffer for hym dothe not leaue you
destitute of that vnspeakable comfort which he vseth to minister abundantly to his in the schole of the crosse He graunte that his name may be glorified in you whether it he by life or death as may be most to his honour and your euerlasting consolation Syr I thought it good to aduertise you partelye of our state in these parties We be here dispersed in diuers and seuerall places Certayne be at Tigurye good students of either vniuersity a number very well entreated of maister Bullinger of the other minysters and of the whole citye An other number of vs remayne at Argentine and take the commodity of maister Martyrs lessons who is a very notable father Maister Scory and certayne other with hym be in Frisland and haue an englishe church there but not very frequent The greatest number is at Frankeforde where I was at this preseÌ„t by occasioÌ„ a very fayre city the magistrates fauourable to our people with so many other coÌ„modities as exiles caÌ„ well loke for Here is also a church and now god be thanked well quieted by the prudency of maister Coxe and other whiche mette here for that purpose So that now we trust god hathe prouided for such as will flye forth of Babilon a restyng place where they may truly serue hym and heare the voice of their true pastour I suppose in one place and other dispersed there be wel nigh an hundreth studentes and ministers on this side the seas Such a lord is god to work dyuersly in his accordyng to his vnsercheable wisdom who knoweth best what is in man Cyprianus de lapsis Primus est victoriae titulus gentilium manibus apprehensum dominum confiteri Secundus ad gloriam gradus est cauta secessione subtractum domino reseruari Illa publica haec priuata confessio est Ille iudiceÌ„ seculi vincit hic contentus deo suo iudice conscientiaÌ„ puâ—aÌ„ cordis integritate custodit Isthic fortitudo promptior hic solicitudo securior Ille appropinquante hora sua iam maturus inuentus est hic fortasse dilatus est qui patrimonio derelicto idcirco secessit quia non erat negaturus confiteretur vtique si fuisset ipse detentus We haue also here certayn copies of your answeres in the disputatioÌ„ IteÌ„ Antoniana obiecta cum responsione The treatise in english against transubstantiatioÌ„ whych in tyme shal be translated into Latine It hath bene thought best not to printe them till we see what god will do with you bothe for incensyng of their malicious fury and also for restraining you and others from writing hereafter which should be a greater losse to the church of Christ than forbearing of these for a tyme. If I shal know your wil to be otherwise in it the same shal be folowed Thus much I thought good to let you vnderstaÌ„d coÌ„cerning these matters and coÌ„cerning the poore state of men here who most earnestly and incessantly do cry vnto god for the deliuery of his churche to behold the causes of the afflicted and to heare the grones of hys imprisoned knowyng that you who in this state haue more familiar accesse vnto god do not forget vs. God comfort you ayde you and assist you with his spirit and grace to coÌ„tinue his vnto thend to the glory of his name the edification of his church and the subuersion of Antichristes kyngdome Amen From Franckford the 6. of May. 1555. E. G. ¶ The aunswer of D. Rydley to the former letter BLessed be god our heauenly father which enclined your hart to haue such a desyre to write vnto me blessed be he againe which hath heard your request and hath brought your letters safe vnto my haÌ„ds and ouer al this I blesse him through our lord Iesus Christ for the great coÌ„fort I haue receiued by the same of the knowledge of your state and of other our dearly beloued brethren and couÌ„trey men in those parties beyonde the sea Dearly beloued brother Grindall I say to you all the rest of our brethren in Christ with you reioyce in the lord as ye loue me and the other my reuerend fathers and concaptiues which vndoubtedly are gloria Christi lamente not our state but I beseche you and them all to geue vnto our heauenly father for his endles mercies and vnspeakable benefites euen in the myddes of all our troubles geuen vnto vs most harty thankes For know ye that as the weight of his crosse hathe increased vppon vs so he hathe not nor doth not cease to multiply his mercies to strengtheÌ„ vs I trust yea by his grace I dout nothing but he will so do for Christ our masters sake eueÌ„ to th end To heare that you our other brethreÌ„ do find in your exile fauour grace with the magestrates ministers and citizens at Tigury at Frankforte and other where it doth greatly comfort I dare say al here that do in dede loue Christ and his true word I ensure you it warmed my hart to here you by chaunce to name some as Scory and Coxe c. Oh that it had come in your mynde to haue said somwhat also of Cheeke of Turner of Leauer of SampsoÌ„ of Chambers but I trust to god they be all well And syr seing you saye that there bee in those parties with you of students and ministers so good a number now therfore care you not for vs otherwyse then to wishe that gods glory may be set forth by vs. For whensoeuer god shall call vs home as we loke daily for none other but when it shall please god to saye Come ye blessed be God are enoughe through his aid to light and set vp again the lanterne of his word in England As coÌ„cernyng the copies ye say ye haue with you I wonder how euer they did wander and coulde fynd the way to come to you This disputatioÌ„ of his owne penning is in the boke of Martyrs My disputation excepte you haue that which I gathered my self after the disputatioÌ„ done I can not thynke ye haue it truely If ye haue that then ye haue there withall the whole maner after the which I was vsed in the disputation As for the treatise in english contra transubstantiationeÌ„ vix possuÌ„ adduci vt credam operoepretiuÌ„ fore vt in latinuÌ„ traÌ„sferatur CaeteruÌ„ quicquid sit nullo modo velim vt quicquaÌ„ quocunque modo meo nomine ederetur donec quid de nobis dnÌ„s coÌ„stituerit fieri vobis prius certo coÌ„stiterit thus much vnto your letters Now although I suppose ye knowe a good part of our state here for we are forth coÌ„ming eueÌ„ as wheÌ„ ye departed c you shal vnderstaÌ„d that I was in the tower about the space of ij monethes close prisoner after that had graunted to me without my labour the liberty of the tower so continued about half a yeare and then bicause I refused to allowe the masse with my presence I was shutte vppe in close pryson