he hath heretofore dealt with the companie off poore students at Zurick but also through vntrew reportes off all good mennes deuotions and liberalitie that hereafter woulde ells be bestowed Their reportes whiche amonge many other vntruthes to hinder this poore congregation they slanderously brute abroad are chiefly theis firste that the poore off this churche be so well prouided for that the worste hathe after the rate of 2. shillinges by the weeke SecoÌ„dly that some of the poore here be so stowte thaâ— they disdaine tâ— aske relieff in their nede so that oure poore seeme either not to nede or not to be worthie off helpe And thirdly that men here seeke to knowe the names off the geuers to this congregation to their great perill and vtter vndooinge whiche reportes be all vtterly vntrue but the truthe is that for lack many poore men haue byn driuen bothe to depart hence to seeke their liuinge in other places and some forced to go for relieff into England Theis speciallties besides muche more that we haue thought good and very necessarie that good godly men shulde knowe bothe that they shuld not conceaue anie euell opinion off this congregation by false reporte and also that mindinge to relieff the poore and miserably afflicted members off Christe their brethern in this churche they shulde when god shall moue them to departe with anie thinge to that vse so deliuer it as it maie sauffly come and iustly be distributed where they would haue it bestowed And therfore we considering the state off oure fellowe exiles liuinge here with vs in nede and pouertie and fedde by the onely good prouidence off god desier all Christian men for the loue off oure sauiour Iesus Christe to consider howe pleasant a sacrifice howe sweete a sauor the relieuinge off the poore for his sake is before the face off oure heauenly father A good mannes liffe is almoste nothinge ells then a continuall exercise off mercie All the daie longe he hathe mercy and pitie saith the prophet Dauid Geue almes off thy goodes saith the holie man Tobiah and turne neuer thy face from the poore and so shall it come to passe that the face off the lorde shall not be turned awaie from the. Be mercifull after they power yff thow hastâ— muche geue plenteouslie yf thou haste litle do thy diligence gladlye to geue of that litle for so gatherest thow thy selff a good rewarde in the daie off necessitie for almes deliuereth from deathe and suffreth not the soule to come in darknes A great comforte is almes before the high God vnto all them that doo it Blessed is he that consideth the poore saith the Prophet Dauid the lorde shall deliuer him in the tyme off trouble c. The good man saith Dauid hath distributed abroad and geuen to the poore his righteousnes remaineth for euer his horne shal be exalted with honor he that geueth to the poore shall not lack saith the Wyse man in the prouerbes As water quencheth burninge fire so dothe mercie reconcile synnes whiche god shall rewarde and not forget and the dooer shall fynde a staie to keepe him vpp when he falleth saithe Iesus the sonne off Sirach Break vnto the Hungrie thy bread saith the Prophet Esaie and bringe the poore fatherles into they howse when thow seeste the naked couer him and hide not they face from thine owne fleshe Then shall thy light break foorthe as the morninge and thy helthe flourishe right shortly thy righteousnes shall go before thee and the glorie of the lorde shal embrace thee TheÌ„ yf thow callest the lorde shall answere the yf thou criest he shall faye here I am Laie ye not vp treasures in earthe where the rust and the moth maie destroy it and theues maie digge it owte and steale it saithe Christe but laie vpp your treasures in heauen Geue almes off that ye haue and behold saithe Christe all is cleane vnto yow What ye geue to one off theis litle ones saithe he ye geue it vnto me And also he saith blessed are the mercifull for they shall finde mercie â–ª when the ydolatrus Kinge Nabucaâ—nezer shuld be conuerted vnto god what saied the Prophet Daniell vnto him redeeme they synnes with almes and thy wikednesse with mercie on the poore so perhappes god will pardon they sinnes Think ye that god forgate abdias that preserued the hundreth Prophetes in caues and fedd them there Paule and the other apostells diligently bothe with wordes and writinge did labor for the relieff of the poore brethern that were at Ierusalem and ells where And we hope that god will open your hartes and mindes to consider oure state and by theis saynges and examples moue yow to haue pitie on your poore brethern whiche yff it shall please his mercie to graunte yow cheerfully to doo it is not to be dowted but albeit he suffer yow to slyde and fall for a time yet will he heaue yow vp when it shal be his good pleasure and preserue yow so as at the lenght ye maie be partakers off the ioyfull kingdome off god whiche oure sauior Ie-Christ hathe purchased for his electe with the price off hiâ— blood The holy spirite off god be allwayes with yow amen This controuersie which yow haue now harde from the â—3 off Ianuary hitherto I finde written by the handes off such as are bothe lerned and off credit but yet I muste nedes say by those that were parties in this broyle And for so much as Maister Chambers in this controuersie is very sore charged amonge the reste who yet was thought off manie wise and godlymen to be verye godly vpright and honest aÌ„d so no dowte he tooke his leaue of this lyffe I haue therfore here thought good to place a letter whiche is yet off his owne hande to be seene wrytinge the same in his owne defence touchinge theis matters so as the reader wayinge bothe the one and the other maie vse his iudgemente with discretion â–ª The copie off the letter To the worship Maister Iohn Hales M. Thomas Crawley Maister Iohn Willford and to Maister Whitthead Tho mas Sorsby William Maister and Iohn olde at Franckford Immanuell I wishe vnto yow the peace off god with my commendations The tenor of your demaunde hathe caused me to differr answeringe to your letters vntill this time not off purpos to geue no answere but that I then vppon the suddain wanted sure knowledge in that thinge wherby yow chiefly charge me At my comminge from Zurick to Frankford I was intreated by certaine men to continewe my traueiles in gatheringe the Almes and liberalities off godly meÌ„ to relieue therwith such poore dispersed Englishe brethern As I shuld think moste meete to be relieued euen as before time I had done This requeste put in writinge subscribed by certeine was deliuered vnto me not as letters testimoniall off authoritie whiche as I neded not or I required them not neither yet that I shuld by force off them gather for the church off Franckford onely or
he saied onely by warrant of mans authoritie and no grownde in godds worde for the same and had also a longe tyme verye superstitiously in the masse byn wickedly abused But yff he might not be suffred to minister the Sacraments accordinge to his conscience he then requested that some other might minister the Sacraments and he woulde onely preache Iff nether coulde be admitted be besought them that he might be discharged But to that the congregation woulde in no wise consente Whiles these things were thus in handlinge came maister Leuer before elected who assemblinge the congregation requested that he might withe their consentes appointe suche an order as shulde be bothe Godly withowt respecte off the Booke off Geneua or anye other requestinge farther that for so muche as that office was off so great importaunce aÌ„d that he had not byn in the like before that he might betweene that and Easter haue a triall off them and they off him and so at the ende off that terme either take or refuse whiche time off triall as it was willingly graunted him so when they vnderstoode that the order whiche he woulde place and vse was not altogether suche as was fit for a right reformed churche they woulde in nowise yelde to the same Knox whittingham and others perceyuinge that theis beginnings woulde growe to some what yff it were not staid in time drewe forthe a platt off the whole booke off England into the lattin tonge sendinge the same to maister Caluin off Geneua and requestinge his iudgement therin and shewinge him that some off their countrie men went abowte to force them to the same and woulde admit no other sayinge that it was an order moste absolute and that yff euer they came in to their countrie they woulde do their beste to establishe it againe Nowe folowethe the description A description off the Liturgie or booke off seruice that is vsed in Englande FIrste off all morninge praier offreth it selff The minister hauinge put on a white garment whiche they call a surplesse beginninge withe some sentence off holie scripture as for example â–ª yff we shall saie that we haue no sinne we deceyue oure selues c. or some suche of like sorte Then he takethe in harde the exhortat on whiche stirreth vp to a confession off synnes whiche the minister pronounceth with a loude voice the people sainge after him To this is added an absolution and when these thinges are done he rehersethe the lordes praier and afterward lorde open thow my lyppes and my mouthe shall shewe forth thy praise O god be redie to be my helpe c. Then come and let vs singe vnto th Lorde c. By and by also there folowe 3. Psalmes together at th ende off euery one Then foloweth the first lesson whiche conteinethe a whole chapiâ—er off the olde Testament After this lesson they saie or singe we praise â—he lorde or Blessed be the Lorde c. Then an other lesson owte off the Newe testamente vnlesse peraduenture the solemnization off some highe feast haue other set and apointed lessons Nowe in cathedrall churches they vtter their lessons in plaine songe and theÌ„ afterwards is Benedictus added This booke warnethe that they keepe this order through owte the whole yere Afterwards the crede is pronounced by the Minister all the people in the meane tyme staÌ„ding vp Afterwards fallinge downe vppon their knees the Minister saithe The Lorde be with yow The answere And with thy spirite Then Lorde haue mercy vppon vs Christe haue mercy vppon vs Lorde haue mercy vppon vs c. our father c. pronounced owte alowde off all with all boldnesse Then the Minister when he standeth vpp saithe o lorde shewe vs thy mercy The answere and geue vnto vs thy sauinge helthe O Lorde saue the king In the day wherin we shall call vppon thee Iuduâ— thy Ministers withe righteousnes And make thy chosen people ioyfull O Lorde saue thy people And blesse thyne inheritaunce Geue peace in our tyme o Lorde c. At lenghtâ— Collects are had â—n place off a conclusion the firste for the daie the seconde for peace the laste is for the obteininge off Grace Nowe the eueninge praiers are saide 〈◊〉 manner as the other are sauinge that after the firste lessen foloweth my soule doth magnifie the lorde After the 2. lessen Now Lorde c. and in steed off that collect God whiche arte the Author off peace is vsed o God from whom all holie desiers c. besides there is caution added that all Ministers shall exercise them selues continually aswell in morninge praiers as eueninge praiers except perhapp by studie in dyuinitie or some other busynes they be greatly and necessarely let or hindred· Besides vppon euery Sabothe daie wensdaie and fridaie there is yet in vse certeine suffrages deuised off Pope Gregory whiche beginnethe after this manner O God the father off heauen haue mercy vppon vs miserable synners O God the sonne redemer off the worlde c. onely leauinge owte the inuocation off saincts otherwise we vse a certaine coniuringe off god By the misterie off his incarnation by his holy natiuitie and circumcision by his haptisme fastinge and temptation by his agonie and bloudie sweate c. yea it comprehendethe in plaine wordes a praier to be deliuered from suddain deathe the people answeringe to the ende off euery clause either spare vs good lorde or ells Good Lorde deliuer vs or we beseche thee to heare vs Good Lorde O Lambe off God that taketh awaie the sinnes off the worlde is thrise repeated Then Lorde haue mercy vpon vs thrise and then the Lords praier with this praier also o Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes to the same adioined passinge ouer some things least we shulde seeme to syfte all those drosses which remaine still amonge vs. Nowe the manner off the supper is thus The nomber off three at the leaste is counted a fitt nomber to communicate and yet it is permitted the pestilence or some other common siknes beinge amonge the people the Minister alone maie communicate withe the sicke man in his house First therfore the Minister muste be prepared after this manner in a whit lynnin garmente as in sayinge the other seruice he is apointed and muste stande at the Northeside off the Table Then is had the Lords praier after the custome then he reciteth the collect and after folowe in order the ten commaundements but so notwithstanding that euery one off the people maye answere lorde haue mercy vpon vs and inclyne oure hartes to keepe this lawe After the rehersall off the commandements the collect off the daie as it is called and an other for the kinge is had By and by the Epistle and Gospell folowethe to witt suche as the callender apointethe for that daie And there in this place there is a note that euerie holy daye hathe his collect Epistle and Gospell whiche fill 73. great leaues off the booke â— when the reste fill scarse fiftie For all holy daies
backe as vnmindfull off gods prouidence whiche hathe procured vs one free from all dreggs off superstitious ceremonies What thinke yow yf the Prophet Dauid had had this offre who desired to be porter in the house of God and more esteemed one daie so spente then a thousande otherwaies Either what mente he when he saied one requeste I demaunde off the Lorde Whiche I will seeke after that is that I maie dwell in the howse off the lorde all the daies off my lyfe Had Dauid no experience or felte he not what grieff yt was to wante the congregation And surely we muste graunt that he was farre more perfect then we be For he beinge conuersant in this worlde sett his delight wholie in heauenly things And many off vs we speake it to our shame as if we had already forgotteÌ„ the ende of our creation are plunged in earthlye affectioÌ„s and worldly respectes so that throughe oure infirmities this excellente benefit is like to be frustrate For some dowte who shal be preferred others seeke increase off lerninge â–ª Many followe the commoditie off lyuinge certein looke for a newe vocation so that it is a wonder to se the deformitie off mans affecâ—ions God grante we maye lerne at their ensamples whiche beinge called to the mariage came not what it is to esteeme in time the worthenes off gods benefits leaste by the losse off the same we after fall vnto vnprofitable repentance seekinge againe oure losse withe teares as the reprobate Esau and yet neuer the neere We charge no one man brethren nor yet meane all and on what considerations theis excuses were pretended we suspende oure Iudgmentes referringe the same to our imperfection and infirmitie wherby the aduersary ceasethe not to batter dailie the walles off Gods temple As touchinge the pointe off prefermente we are perswaded throughly that it hathe this meaninge that euery maÌ„ thought of himself modestlie humblie submittinge himself to all meÌ„ vnablinge no man for so muche as your knowe that he whiche seketh ambition glory aduantage or suche like is not moued withe gods spirite as witnesse the instructions that Christâ—â—ur Maister gaue to his disciples who laboring of like disâ—â—â—e were admonished that he whiche did excell amonge theÌ„ shoulde abase himself to his inferior whiche malady S. Paul perceauinge to infecte like a canker moste diligently framethe his style that he might not seeme to preferr hiÌ„ selffe to others in the course of his ministery And as for lerniÌ„ge as we wishe to all men moste abuÌ„dantly so we moste ernestly require that coÌ„paringe the congregations necessitie with your owne priuate coÌ„moditie your woulde rather for Christs sake chose the better yea and we assure your one good aduertisemente that thorowe gods grace when we shal be asseÌ„bled together suche order wil be taken that besides those thinges whiche oure natioÌ„ shal be able to furnishe we haue the citie moste forwarde to procure others Yff anye woulde pretende the hardnes off the countrie and charges oure experience maâ—e sufficiently satiffie them who hauinge traveiled throwgh moste places where the gospell is preached haue not founde so manie commodites nor lesse charges Restethe the tyme off callinge whiche we referre to your consciences besechinge your for Christes sake to descende into your selues withowt all parcialitie wayinge the grauitie off the matter whiche is goddes and the selie excuse whiche the fleshe ministrethe Consider what god woulde saie I haue prepared a plentifull and ripe harueste whiche standethe in a redines and waitethe for the mower and I haue appointed thee thy taxe I haue geuen instrumentes and all things fit for the labor yff thow forslowe it the croppe is in daunger yff thow loke for oft warning thow declarest great negligence This speache Dearly beloved or very like god vsed to Noah Abraham Ieremiah c. and they thought their vocation stronge But yow through Goddes benefit do not onely heare god thus perswadinge in your hartes but also haue bene by externe callinge confirmed and accordinge therunto haue walked to the great glorie off God and profit off the coÌ„gregation We truste therfore brethern and in Iesus Christe require it that your woulde hyde your talent no longer but hauinge newe occasion to imploye it your woulde put it forthe for your Maister his aduantage and your owne discharge For iff your feele in your hartes comforte as wee doo whiche are here assembled to heare the worde of god preached and the Sacramente ministred we assure yow yow should sensiblie perceaue that which the Prophet speakethe in theis termes as the harte chased pantethe for gredines off waters euen so o lorde my soule seekethe after thee My soule burnethe for thirste in seekinge the Lorde and saithe Alas when shall I be able to appeere before the face off the lyuinge god what thinge then ought we to haue in greater recommendation then the order and policie whiche god hathe established in his churche that we maie be taught by his worde thaâ— we maie worshippe him and call vpon his name with one accorde that we maie haue the true vse off his Sacraments to helpe vs to the same For theis be the means wherby we muste be confirmed in the faithe in the feare off God in holynes off conuersation in the contempte of the worlde and in the loue off life euerlastinge And for this consideration S. Paule saithe not that this order whiche the Lorde hathe set in his churche shulde onely be for the rude and symple but makethe it common to all exceptinge no man For he hathe ordeined saithe he some to be Apostles some prophetes some Euangelistes others to be teachers and instructors to confirme the godly and to labor to finishe the buildinge off Christes body till we be all brought to one consente in faithe to the knowledge off the sonne off god to a perfect man and finally to the iuste measure off a ripe Christian age Let vs all marke that he saithe not that god hathe left the scriptures onely that euery one shulde reade it but also that he hathe erected a policie and order that their shulde be some to teache and not for one daye but all the time off our lyffe euen to the deathe for that is the tyme off our perfection Wherfore brethren let vs submit our selues and leaue off farther to tempte God seinge that yff we wil be off the body off Christ we must obeie to this generall rule Let no respecte off worldly policie staie vs Let no perswasion blinde vs But let vs fulfyll in oure selues that whiche Esaias forwarnethe that goddes children shal be as pigions whiche flee by flocks in to their douehouse whiche is the place where the worde of god is preached the sacraments ministred and praier vsed To conclude therfore dearely beloued let euery man call his conscience to counsaile and besides these sweete allurements let vs learne to preuent our aduersaries who sekinge euer to obscure goddes glorie maye easelie cauell at this
came to passe not many daies after that the lorde began to shewe mercy vnto Englande in remouinge Queene Mary be deathe and placinge the queens maiestie that nowe is whom god longe preserue in the seate the newes wherof as it was ioyfull to all suche as were in exile So it appeared that the churche off Geneua was not behinde the reste who after that they had geuen to god hartie thankes for his great goodnes consulted amonge themselues and concluded that for so muche as there had byn iarres betwene them and other churches abowt the Booke off common praier and ceremonies it was now expedient and necessary not onely that vnfained reconciliation shulde be betwene them but also that they might so ioine together in matters off religion and Ceremonies that no Papist or other enemie shuld take holde or aduantage by a farther dissention in their owne countrie whiche might arise in time to come yff it were not in time foreseen and preuented To this ende was William kethe one off the congregation chosen to do this message to them off Arrowe Basill Strasbrough Wormes Franckford c. And to them off Arrowe and Francford this letter was wrytten which folowith and subscribed by the ministerie in the name off the whole congregation The Copie off the letter written the 15. off December The Father of mercies and god of all coÌ„solation confirme and increase yow in the loue off his sonne Iesus Christ that beinge in the conduite off the lion off the tribe off Iuda ye maie be victorious against Sathan and Antechriste to the ouerthrowinge off Papistrie and errour and establishinge of Christes glorious kingdome AFter that we hearde dearely beloued of the ioiful tidingâ— off Gods fauoure and grace restored vnto vs by the preferment off the moste verteous and gratious Queene Elizabethe We lyfted vp our hartes and voices to oure heauenly father who hathe not onely by his dewe prouidence norished vs in oure banishement preserued vs and as it were caried vs in his winges but also harde oure praiers graunted our requestes pitied oure countrie and restored his worde So that the greatnes off this maruelous benefit ouercomethe oure Iudgements and thoughts howe to be able worthely to receaue it and to geue thankes for the same And when we had withe great comforte wayed the matter to the inteÌ„t that we might at the leaste shewe our selues mindefull off this most wonderfull and vndeserued grace we thought amonge other thinges howe we might beste serue to godes glory in this worke and Vocation off fartheringe the gospell off our sauiour Iesus Christe And bicause all impedimentes and cauillacions off aduersaries might be remoued it seemed good to haue your godly counsell and brotherly conference herein whiche we desier to lerne by this bearer our louinge brother kethe that we might all ioyne hartes and handes together in this great worke wherin no dowte we shall finde many aduersaries and staies Yet iff we whose suffraunce and persecutions are certeine signes off oure sounde doctrine holde faste together it is most certeine that the enemies shall haue lesse power offences shall sooner be taken awaie and religion best proceade and florishe For what can the papiste wishe more then that we shulde dissent one from an other and in steed off preachinge Iesus Christe and profitable doctrine to contende one againste an other either for superfluous Ceremonies or other like trifles froÌ„ the whiche god off his mercy hathe deliuered vs Therfore beare brethern we beseche yow as we dowtâ— not but your godly iudgements will think it so beste that what so euer offence hathe byn heretofore either taken or geuen it maie so cease and be forgotten that hereafter god laie it not to oure charges yff thereby his blessed worde shulde be any thinge hindred And as we for oure partes freely remitt all offences and most intirely imbrace yow oure deare brethern So we beseche yow in the lorde that vnfainedly yow will do the like on your behalff wheroff albeit we assure oure selues as bothe by â–ª good experience we haue proued and also haue receaued by your letters yet â— to cut off all occasions from Papistes and other cauillors we thought it beste to renewe the same amitie and to confirme it by theis oure letters Moste earnestly desiringe yow that we maie altogether teache and practise that true knowledge off Goddes worde whiche we haue lerned in this oure banishment and by goddes mercifull prouidence seene in the beste reformed churches That consideringe oure negligence in times paste and goddes punishemente for the same we maie with zeele and diligence endeauour to recoÌ„pence it that god in all oure doinges maie be glorified oure consciences discharged and the members off Iesus Christ releued and comforted The whiche thinge the lorde god who hathe mercifully visited and restored vs graunt and performe To whom be all honour praise and glory for euer and euer Your lovinge frinds and in the name of vvhole churche Christopher Goodman Miles Couerdale Iohn Knox Iohn Bodliegh VVilliam VVilliams Anthony Gilby Frances VVithers VVilliam Fuller Iohn Pullain VVilliam Bevoyes VVilliam VVhiâ—tingham The Answere returned from Franck. by W. Kethe The grace off god and the assistaunce off the holy goste lighten and strengthen yow to the vnderstanding and constant reteining of his truthe to the fartheraunce off his honor and glorie and to the edifinge and maintenance off his churche in Christe Iesu oure lorde DEarely beloued as your letters were moste welcome vnto vs bothe for that ye reioice at the prefermeÌ„t off our godly queene and alâ—o thaâ— yâ— studie howe to promote the glorie off god So are wâ— right sory that they came not afore the departure off suche as ye seeke a charitable reconciliatioÌ„ with all For where as ye require that all suche offences as haue byn gyuen and taken betwene yow and vs maie be forgotten hereafter there be not here paste foure left which were then present when ye dwelt here and not one off the lerned â— sorte sauinge M. Beesley Yet we dowte not but as they promised in their former letters to forget all displeasures afore conceaued so they will performe the same and esteeme yow as their brethern And for oure partes as we haue had no coÌ„tention with yow at all afore time so we purpos not as we trust there shall be no cause to entre into contention with yow hereafter For ceremonies to coÌ„tende where it shall lye neither in your hands or oures to appoint what they shall be but in suche mennes wisedomes as shall be appointed to the dâ—uising off the same and whiche shall be receyued by coÌ„mon consent off the parliament it shal be to small purpos But we truste that bothe true religion shall be restored and that we shall not be burthened with vnprofitable ceremonies And therfore as we purpos to submit oure selues to such orders as shall be established by authoritie beinge not of themselues wicked so we would wishe yow willingly to do the same