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
Lordes cause VVilliam Coker A letter of Nicholas Shetterden a faith full Martyr of Iesus Christ written to hys Mother a little before hys death O My good Mother whoÌ„ I loue with reuerence in the Lorde according to my dutye I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenesse of all my misdedes towards you Oh my deare Mother in fewe wordes I wyshe you the same saluation whiche I hope my selfe to feele and partly taste of before thys come to you to read and in the resurrection I verely beleue to haue it more perfectlye in bodye and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye GOD graunte you to see my face with ioye but deare Mother then beware of that greate Idolatrye and blasphemous Masse O let not that be your GOD whiche Mice and wormes can deuoure beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no GOD yea the fyre that consumeth it and the moystnes that causeth it to moulde And I take Christs Testament to wytnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a mere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocentes bloode and nowe that GOD hath shewed it vnto you be warned in tyme. O geue ouer old customes and become new in the truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God let vs followe the counsel of his word deare Mother embrace it with hartye affection reade it with obedience let it be your pastime and cast of all carnall affections and loue of worldly thinges so shall we meete in ioye at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my frendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioye Amen From Westgate the .11 of Iuly .555 Nicholas Shetterden appoynted to be slayne for Christes cause and the mayntenaunce of hys most sounde and true religion A letter wrytttn by the Ladye Iane Gray to her Syster the Lady Katheryne immediatly before she suffered I Haue here sent you good Syster Katherin a booke which although it be not outwardly trymmed with gold This booke was a newe Testament in Greke in the end whereof she had written this letter yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Syster of the law of the Lorde it is his testament and last wyll which he bequethed vnto vs wretches whiche shall lead you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good mynd do read it with an earnest purpose follow it it shall bring you to an immortal euerlasting life It wil teach you to liue learne you to die It shal winne you more theÌ„ you shold haue gayned by the possessioÌ„ of your woful fathers lands For as if god had prospered him you should haue in herited his lands so if you apply diligently this boke seking to directe your life after it you shal bee an inheritour of suche riches as neither the couetous shal withdraw from you neither the these shal steale neither yet the mothes corrupte Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstand the law of the Lord your god Liue stil to die that you by death may purchase eternal life And trust not that the tendernes of your age shal lengtheÌ„ your life for as sone if God cal goeth the young as the old And labour alwayes to learne to die Defye the world denye the deuil despise the flesh delight your self only in the Lord. Be penitent for your sinnes yet despayre not be strong in faith yet presume not desire with S. Paule to be dissolued to be with christ with whoÌ„ eueÌ„ in death there is lyfe Be lyke the good seruaunt euen at midnight be wakyng lest wheÌ„ death coÌ„meth and stealeth vpon you lyke a thefe in the night you be with the euil seruaunt found slepyng and least for lacke of oyle you be found lyke the fyue folyshe women like hym that had not on the weddynge garmente and so be caste out from the mariage Reioyce in Christ as I prayse God I do Folow the steppes of your maister christ take vp your crosse lay your sinnes on his backe alwais embrace him And as touchyng my deathe reioyce as I do good Sister that I shal be deliuered froÌ„ this corruptioÌ„ and put on incorruption for I am assured that I shal for loosing of a mortal lyfe winne an immortal life The which I pray god graunt you send you of hys grace to lyue in hys feare and to dye in the true christian faith from the which in gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarne neither for hope of life nor for feare of death For if you wil deny his truthe to lengthen your life God wil deny you and yet shorteÌ„ your daies And if you wil cleaue vnto him he wil prolong your dais to your comfort his glorye to the which glory god bring me now and you herafter wheÌ„ it pleaseth him to cal you Fare you wel good Sister and put your only trust in god who only must helpe you Letters of M. George Marshe a godly faythfull and learned pastour in Christes churche put to deathe at VVestchester wyth moste cruell kyndes of tormentes as you may see in the booke of Martyrs fol. 1122 for the constant and faythfull confession of Christes Gospell To the professours of gods worde and true religion in the towne of Langhton GRace be wyth you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it my duty to wryte vnto you my beloued in the lord at Langhton to stirre vp your harts to cal to your remeÌ„brance the words which haue ben told you before and to exhort you as that good man and full of the holy ghost Barnabas dyd the AntiochiaÌ„s that with purpose of hart ye continually cleaue vnto the lord Actes â—â— and that ye stand fast be not moued away from the hope of the gospel wherof God be thanked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you by your late pastour M. Saunders other faythful ministers of Iesus Christ Luke 8. Rom. 1 which now when persecution aryseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truth being ashamed of the gospell wherof they haue bene preachers but are willing and redy for your sakes which are Christes mistical body to forsake not onely the chiefe principal delites of this lyfe I meane their natiue countreyes frendes liuings c but also to fulfill their ministery vnto the vttermost that is to wyt with theyr paynful imprisonments bloodshedings if nede shal require to confirme and seale christes gospel whereof they haue bene ministers and as S. Paule saith they are ready not onely to be cast into prison Acts. 12 but also to be kylled for the name of the lord Iesu Whether these beyng that good salte of the earth Matth. 5. that is true ministers of gods worde by whose doctrine being
the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but payneful but afterward it rendreth the fruit of ryghtuousnes on them whiche are exercised in it Wherfore let vs be of good chere good brethren and let vs pluck vp our feble members that were fallen or began to fainte harte handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vprighte and straighte that no lymping nor haultyng bryng vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be presente but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastlye beholde the thynges that bee euerlastyng in heauen and so choose rather in respect of that which is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare christes crosse then for this short life time to enioy all the riches honors and pleasures of the broad world Why shoulde we christians ferre death Can death depryue vs of Christ which is all our comforte our ioye and our lyfe Nay forsothe But contrary deathe shall delyuer vs from thys mortall bodye whyche lodeth and beareth downe the Spirite 2. Cor 5. that it can not so well perceyue heauenly thinges in the whiche so long as we dwell we are absent from God Wherfore vnderstandyng oure state in that we be christians that yf our mortall bodye whiche is oure earthlye house were destroyed we haue a building 2. Cor. 5 a house not made wyth handes but euerlastyng in heauen c therefore we are of good cheare and knowe that when we are in the bodye we are absente from God for we walke by faythe and not by cleare syghte Neuerthelesse we are bolde and hadde rather be absent from the bodye and presente wyth God wherfore we stryue whether we be presente at home or absent abroad that we may always please hym And who that hath true faith in our sauiour Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truly what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternal sonne of God lyfe lyght the wisdome of the father all goodnes al rightuousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that hart can desire yea infinite plēty of al these aboue that that mans hart can eyther conceyue or thynke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the father and made of God to be our wisdome 1. Cor. 1. our rightuousnes our holines and our redemptiō who I say is he that beleueth this in dede that would not gladly be with his maister Christ Phili. 1. Paule for this knowlege coueted to haue bene losed from the body and to haue bene with Christ for that be counted it much better for himselfe had rather to be losed than to liue Therfore these wordes of Christ to the thiefe on the crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace this daye thou shalt be with me in paradise Luke 23. To dye in the defence of Christes gospell it is oure bounded duety to Christ and also to our neyghbor To Christ Rom. 9 1. Iohn 3. for he died for vs rose again the he might be lord ouer all And seyng he dyed for vs we also saieth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our lyfe for our bretherne And this kynd of geuyng and losyng is gettyng and wynnyng in deede for he that geueth or loseth his lyfe thus getteth and wynneth it for euermore Apo. 14. Blessed are they therfore that die in the lorde and if they die in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise than for a momēt to make the flesh to smart but that our faith which is surely fastened and fyxed vnto the worde of god telleth vs that we shall be anone after death in peace in the handes of god in ioy in solace and that from the death we shall go straight vnto life For S. Iohn saith Iohn 11. Iohn 5 he that liueth beleueth in me shal neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therfore this death of the christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlastynge life Therfore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paule 2. Pet. 1. 2. Cor. 5 a puttyng of of this Tabernacle or dwelhouse meanyng thereby the mortal body as wherin the soule or spirit doth dwell here in thys world for a smal time Yea this death may be called to the christian an ende of all miseries For so long as we liue here Actes 14. we must passe through manye tribulations before we can enter into the kyngdome of heauen And now after that death hath shot hys bolt al the christian mans enemies haue done what they can and after that they haue no more to do What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the ryche mans gate hys former penury and pouerty hys miserable beggerye and horryble sores and sycknes For so soone as deathe had stricken hym with his dart so sone came the angels Luke 16. caried him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What loste he by death who frō misery payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioye and solace Farewell deare brethren farewel and let vs comfort our hartes in all troubles and in death with the word of God for heauen and earth shall perishe but the word of the lorde endureth for euer Farewel christes dearely beloued spouse here wandring in this worlde as in a straunge land farre from thyn own countrey and compassed about on euery hande with deadly enemies which cease not to assaulte thee euer seekyng thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of god here lyuyng vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true mysticall bodye of Christ the very household and family of god and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewel O thou little flocke of the hygh heauenly pastor Christ Luke 12 for to thee it hath pleased the heauēly father to geue an euerlastyng and eternall kyngdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of god thou holy and roi all priesthode thou chosen generation thou holye nation thou wonne spouse Fare wel Farewell N. R. ¶ This that followeth which he further wrote concerning his cruell handlyng in the scholes at Oxford also of the condēnation of him O. Cranmer M. Latymer c we would not here omitte though in order in should before haue bene placed next after the preface to his disputation Folio 78. KNow gentle Reader that maister Prollocutour dyd promyse me in the disputations publikely that I should see myne aunswers how they were collected and gathered of the Notaries and that I should haue licence to adde or diminishe to alter or chaunge afterwarde as I should thynke best would make for me to the aunsweryng of the propositions He promised moreouer publikely that I shoulde haue both tyme and
true honoryng of God also that can shew you the descente of Christes church from the begynning of it vntyll thys daye that ye maye perceaue by the lyfe of your forefathers these two thynges the one that Chrystes woorde whych sayde that al hys must suffer persecutiō and trouble in the world be true the other that none of all hys before our time escaped trouble then shall ye perceiue that it is but a folly for one that professeth Christe trulye to looke for the loue of the worlde Thus shall ye learne to beare trouble and to exercise youre religion and feele in deede that Chrystes woordes be true in the worlde ye shall suffer persecution Iohn 16 And when ye feele your religion in deede saye yee be no better then youre forefathers but be gladde that ye maye be counted worthye souldioures for thys warre and praye to God when ye come together that he wyll vse and order you and youre doyinges to these thre endes whyche ye muste take heede of the fyrste that ye gloryfye God the nexte that ye edifye the churche and congregation the thyrde that ye profyte your owne soules In all youre doynges beware ye be not deceaued For although thys tyme be not yet bloodye and tyrannous as the time of oure forfathers that coulde not beare the name of Christe wythout daunger of lyfe and goodes yet is oure tyme more perellous both for bodye and soule Therefore of vs Chryst sayde Luke 18. thinke ye when the sonne of manne commeth he shall fynde anye fayth vpon earth He sayde not thynke ye he shal fynde anye man or woman chrystened and in name a christian but he spake of the faythe that saueth the christian man in Chryst and doubtles the scarsitye of faith is now more and wyll I feare increase then it was in the time of the greatest Tyrannes that euer were and no maruell whye Reade yee the syxte chapter of Saynte Iohns Reuelation and ye shall perceyue amonges other thynges that at the opening of the fourthe seale came out a pale horse and he that satte vppon hym was called deathe and hell followed hym Thys horse is the time wherein hypocrites and dissemblers entred into the Churche vnder the precente of true religion as monkers Friers Nonnes massynge priestes wyth suche other that haue killed moe soules wythe heresyes and superstystitiō thē al the Tyrānes that euer were killed bodies with fyre sword or banishement as it appereth by hys name that sitteth vpon the horse who is called death for all soules that leaue Christ and trust to these hipocrytes lyue to the diuil in euerlasting payne as is declared by him that followeth the pale horse which is hel These pretēsed and pale hypocrites haue stirred the earthquakes that is to witte the princes of the world agaynst Christes church and haue also darkned the sonne and made the moone bloody and haue caused the starres to fall from heauen that is to saye haue darkned wyth mistes and daylye doe darken as ye heare by they re sermons the cleare sonne of Gods moste pure woorde the moone whiche be Gods true preachers whiche fetche onelye lyghte at the sonne of Gods woorde are turned into blood prisons and chaines that theyr light can not shine vnto the world as they would Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that the stars that is to say Christian people fal frō heauen that is to witte from Gods moste true word to hypocrisye most deuelyshe superstition and idolatrye Let some learned man shew you al the articles of your belief and monuments of Christian fayth from the time of Christe hetherto and ye shall perceiue that there was neuer mention of such articles as these hypocrites teache God blesse you and praye for me as I do for you Out of the Flete by your brother in Christe Iohn Hoper To all my deare brethren my relieuers and helpers in the City of London THe grace of God bee with you Amen I haue receaued from you dearelye beloued in our sauioure Iesus Christe by the hands of my seruant william Downton your liberality for the which I do most hartly thank you and I prayse god hyghly in you and for you who hathe moued youre heartes to showe this kindnes towardes me prayinge hym to preserue you from all famyne scarcity and lacke of the truth of hys word which is the liuely foode of your soules as you preserue my body from hunger and other necessities which should happē vnto me were it not cared for by the beneuolence and charity of godly people Suche as haue taken all worldlye gooddes and landes from me and spoyled me of all that I had haue emprisoned my bodye and appoynted no one halfepeny to feede or to relieue me wythall But I doe forgeue them and praye for them daylye in my poore prayer vnto God and from my hearte I wyshe their saluation and quietlye and pacientlye beare theyr iniuries wyshyng no farther extremity to bee vsed towardes vs. Yet yf it seeme contrary beste vnto oure heauenlye father I haue made my reckenyng and fullye resolued my selfe to suffer the vttermost that they are able to do against me yea death it selfe by the ayde of Christ Iesu who dyed the moste vyle deathe of the crosse for vs wretches and myserable synners But of thys I am assured that the wycked world with all his force and power shall not touche one of the heares of our heades wythout leaue ad lycence of oure heauenly father whose wyll be done in al thynges If he wyll lyfe lyfe bee it if he wyll deathe deathe be it Onelye we praye that oure wylles maye bee subiecte vnto hys wyll and then althoughe bothe we and all the worlde see none other thynge but deathe yet yf he thynke lyfe best we shall not dye no althoughe the sword be drawen oute ouer oure heades as Abraham thoughte to kyll his sonne Isaac yet when god perceaued that Abraham had surrendred hys wyll to Gods wyll and was contente to kill hys sonne god then saued hys sonne Dearely beloued if we be contented to obeye gods wyll and for hys commaundementes sake to surrender oure goodes and our selues to be at his pleasure it maketh no mater whether we kepe goods and lyfe or loose them Nothing can hurte vs that is taken from vs for Gods cause nor nothyng can at length doe vs good that is preserued contrary vnto Gods commaundemente Lette vs wholye suffer God to vse vs and ours after hys holye wysedome and beware we neyther vse nor gouerne oure selues contrarye to hys wyll by oure owne wisedome for yf we doe oure wisdome wyll at lengthe proue folishnes It is kept to no good purpose that we kepe contrarye vnto his commaundementes It can by no meanes be takē from vs that he would should tary with vs. He is no good christian that ruleth hym selfe and his as worldlye meanes serueth for he that so doth shall haue as many chaunges as chaunceth in the world To daye wyth the
stay your owne conscience wyth the sure truth faithful word of god 1. Cor. 3 with the infallible testimonies of holy scripture For although gods mercy is ouer al hys works Psal 3. Heb. 3. yet it doth not extend but only to them that hold fast the confydence reioicing of hope vnto the end not being weary in wel doing but rather waxe euery day strōger and stronger in the inward man Therfore in the Reuelatiō of S. Iohn 2. Cor. 4. where it is entreated of the beast and hys image it is also said here is the sufferaūce of saints here are they that kepe the commaundements the fayth of Iesus Christ Wherby almighty god doth shew plainly that he doth vse those wycked men as instruments for a tyme to try the patience fayth of hys peculiar people without the performance wherof we can haue no part among the lyuyng but as it is said in the same Reuelation the feareful shal haue theyr part in the lake that burneth wyth fyre and brymstone whych is the second death But peraduenture ye wyll obiect and saye vnto me what shal we do Shal we cast our selues hedlong to death I saye not so But this I saye that we are all bounde yf euer we loke to receyue saluation at gods hand in this case wholy to be obedient to hys determinate counsel and foreknowlege 1. Corin. 12 expressed by the gyft of the spiryt in holy Scripture and then to cast all our care vpon hym who worketh al in al for the best vnto them that loue hym Roma 28. thus he geueth commaundement saying come away from her my people Apo. 18. that ye bee not partakers of her synnes and that ye receyue not of her plagues Now who hearyng thys terrible voyce of god which must nedes be fulfylled wyl not wyth al spede dyligēce apply hymself to do therafter except such as wyll presūpteously tempt hym And as touchyng suche the wyse man sayeth Ecclesi 3. he that loueth peryl and daunger shal peryshe therein but they that be of the fayth of Abraham euen as he dyd so wyl they in al assayes trials be obediēt to the heauenly voyce howsoeuer it semeth contrary to theyr own natural wyl carnal reasō Psalm 36. according to the sure word of fayth which sayth hope thou in the lord kepe hys way hold thee styl in the lord abyde patiently vpon hym Let not thy ielousy moue thee also to do euil 2 Cor. 6. Come out from among thē ioyne not your selues to their vnlawful assembles yea do not once shew your selues wyth the least part of your body to fauour theyr wycked doyngs but glorify god as most ryght is so wel in your whole body outwardly 1. Cor. 6. as inwardly in your spirit or els you can doe neyther of hothe wel for your body doth belōg to god so wel as your spirit At the dreadful day of iudgement we shal al receyue the works of our bodyes accordyng to that we haue done 2. Cor. 5 whether it be good or bad Therfore whatsoeuer we do we may not bring the spirit in bondage to the body but contrariwise we must subdue the body and the will of the flesh to the spirite that the spirit may freely accomplishe the will of God in all thinges for otherwise we shall neuer bee partakers of his promise with the true children of Abrahā For as S. Paule saith they which are the children of the flesh are not the childrē of god if we shal liue according to the flesh we shal die For to be carnally minded is deth but to be spiritually minded is life and peace because that the fleshly mynded is enmity of god for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neyther can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Nowe chose you which way you wil take either the narrow way that leadeth vnto life which christ himself and his faithful folowers haue gone through before or els the broad path way that leadeth to destruction which the wicked worldlings take their pleasure in for a while I for my part haue now written this short admonition vnto you of good wyl as God be my witnes to exhort you to that way which at length you your selues should proue and finde to be best yea and reioyce therof And I do not onely write this but I wil also wyth the assistance of gods grace ratify confirme and seale the same wyth the effusion of my blood when the full time shal be expired that he hath appointed which so farforth as I maye iudge muste nedes be within these few dayes Therfore I now byd you al most hartely farewel in the lord whose grace be with your spirit Amen Watch pray watch and pray pray pray So be it Iohn Hullyet ⧠Letters of Maister Robert Glouer a gentleman of muche godlye learnynge innocencye and vpryghtnes of lyfe and hartye zeale to the worde of God burnte at Couentrie for the faythfull testimonye of the same the .14 daye of September In the yere of our Lord .1555 To my moste intyrelye beloued wyfe Marye Glouer THe peace of conscience whiche passeth all vnderstanding the sweete consolation comfort strength and boldenesse of the holy ghoste be continuallye increased in your hart through a feruent earnest and stedfaste fayth in our most deare and only Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen I thanke you hartelye moste louyng wyfe for your letters sent vnto me in my imprysonment I redde them wyth teares more then once or twyse wyth teares I say for ioy and gladnesse that God had wroughte in you so mercyfull a worke fyrst an vnfayned repentaunce secondlye an humble and harty reconciliation thyrdly a willyng submission and obedience to the wyll of God in all thynges Whiche when I redde in your letters and iudged them to proceede from the bottome of your hart I coulde not but be thankfull to God reioysing with teares for you and these hys greate mercyes poured vppon you These your letters and the hearyng of your moste Godlye procedynges and constante doinges from tyme to tyme haue muche releued and comforted me at all tymes and shall bee a goodlye testimonye wyth you at the greate daye agaynste manye worldlye and deintye daines whiche set more by their owne pleasure and pelfe in this world then by Gods glory litle regarding as it appeareth the euerlasting healthe of their owne soules or others My prayer shal be whylest I am in this world that god whiche of his great mercy hath begonne his good worke in you will finishe it to the glory of his name and by the myghtie power and inspiration of hys holye spirite so strengthen stablishe and confyrme you in all his wayes to the ende that we maye together shewe forth his prayses in the worlde to come to our vnspeakeable consolation euerlastingly Amen So long as God shall lende you continuance in this
slea hys brother Moste manifest examples agaynst the parentes 1. Reg. 3. for the offences of theyr childrē Contrariwse how greatly myght Hānah reioyce ouer Samuell her sonne 2. Reg. 13 whom she had broughte vp in the house of the Lord What thanks should Tobias wife geue for her sonne Toby 3e Reg. 1 How happy was Salomon to be taught by the prophete Nathan But aboue all wydowes thryse blessed was the happy mother of seuen sonnes that so had instructed thē in the feare of God ◠Mach. 7 that by no torments they would shrynke from the loue of hys truth Of the laste parte Sainct Paule sheweth that a widow shoulde be chosen if she haue nouryshed her chylderne yf she haue bene lyberall to straungers yf she haue washed the saintes fete and yf she haue ministred to them in aduersitie Herein it is euident how earnestly Saint Paule would haue wydowes bent towardes the poore for that as thoughe they onelye had bene therfore mete he apointed onely wydowes to minister vnto the Saintes and to gather for the poore Which vse also continued almost throughout the primitiue church that wydowes had the charge and gatheryng for poore men and straungers Of your neighbours I nede not to put you in remembraunce seyng you daily fede them wyth good hospitality by which meanes also many foreiners are of your relieued but of the poore almes houses myserable prysoners here in London manye lackyng their libertye wythoute cause some vnder the colour of religion some only kept for fees and some on priuate mens displeasure Alas that Christe so hungreth and no man wil fede hym is so sore opprest wyth thrust and no man wyl geue hym to drynke destitute of all lodgyng and not releued naked and not clothed sicke and not visited emprisoned and not sene In tyme paste men could bestowe large summes of money on copes vestmēts and ornaments of the church Why rather follow we not Saint Ambrose example which solde the same to the reliefe of the poore or Chrisostomes commaundement whyche wylleth fyrste to decke and garnyshe the lyuyng temple of God But alas suche is the wyckednes of these oure laste dayes that nothyng moueth vs neither the pure doctryne the godlines of lyfe nor good exāples of the aunciēt fathers If in any thyng they erred yf they haue written any thing that serueth for sectes and dissention that wyll their charitable children embrace publish and mayntayne wyth sword fagotte and fire But all in vayne they striue agaynste the streame For though in despyte of the truthe by force of the ores of craftye persuasion they maye bryng themselues into the hauen of hell yet can they not make all men beleue that the bankes moue whiles the shyppe sayleth nor euer shal be able to turne the directe course of the streame of gods truthe Our Lord Iesus Christe strengthen you in all pure doctryne and vpright lyuyng and geue you grace vertuously to bryng vp your chyldren and family and carefullye to prouyde for the poore and oppressed Amen At Newgate the .20 of Ianu. 1556. Your assured Bartelet Grene. To my very louyng frendes and maysters M. Goring M. Farneham M. Fletewode M. Roses wel M. Bell M. Hussey M. Calthorpe ▪ M. Boyer and other my Maisters of the Temple Bartelet Grene wissheth health of body and soule VEry frendes are they which are knit together wyth the knotte of Charity Charity dothe not decay but increase in them that dye faythfullye Whereof it followeth that though we be absent in body yet are we present in spirite coupled together wyth the vnitie of fayth in the bond of peace which is loue How is be worthy the name of a frend that measureth hys friendship wyth the distance of place or partyng of persons If thy frende be out of sight is thy frendship ended If he be gone into the coūtrey wilt thou cease to loue hym If he be passed the seas wilt thou so forsake him If he be caried into heauen is charity hyndred therby On the one syde we haue the vse of the fathers from the primatiue church that gaue thākes for their frends that died in the fayth to proue that charity died not wyth death On the other side saith Horace Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt What speake I of Horace Saith not S. Paule the same thyng For we are mēbers of hys body of hys fleshe and of hys blood yea we are members one of another Is the hande or arme foote or legge a member when it is disseuered from the body How can we be members except we be ioyned together What is the line that coupleth vs but loue When all thinges shall fayle loue fayleth neuer Hope hath his ende when we get that we hoped for Fayth is fynyshed in heauen Loue endureth for euer loue I say that procedeth of charity For carnall loue when that which he loued is lost doth peryshe wyth the flesh Neither was that euer but fleshly loue which by distaunce of place or seueryng of bodies is parted a sunder If loue be the end or sūme of the lawe yf heauen and earth shal perishe if one iote of gods word shall not decay why should we thynke that loue lasteth not euer I nede not to wryte much to you my frends neyther can I haue leysure now that the kepers are risen But thys I say if we kept Christes commaundement in louyng eche other as he loued vs then should our loue be euerlastyng Thys frendshyp Paule felt when it moued hym to say that neyther length nor bredth meaning no distance of place neither height nor depth should seuer him from the loue of Christe Wey well thys place and mete it wyth Paules measures so shall you finde that if oure loue bee vnfayned it can neuer be ended Nowe maye you saye why writest thou this Forsoth to the end that if our frendship be stable you may accomplish thys the last requeste of your frende performe after my death the frendship we beganne in our life that amitie may encrease vntil god make it perfect at our next meting together Maister Fletewode I besech you remēber Wittrance Cooke two singular mē amōges cōmon prisoners Maister Fernhā M. Bel with M. Hussey as I hope wil dispatche Palmer and Richardson with his companions I praye you M. Calthrop thinke on Iohn Groue an honest poore man Traiford and Rice Aprice his accōplices My Cosin Thomas Witton a scriuener in Lomberd strete hath promised to further their deliuerye at the least he can instruct you which way to worke I dout not but that Maister Boyer will laboure for the good wyfe Cooper for shee is worthye to be holpen and Gerard the Frenchman There be also diuerse other wel disposed men whose deliuerance if ye will not labour for yet I humbly besech you to seke their reliefe as you shall see cause namely of Henry Aprice Lancelote Hobbes Lother Homes Carre and Buckingham a yong man
loueth father mother wife or children Math. 10. goods or landes or yet his owne life more then me saith he is not worthy of me And S. Paul affirmeth to you plainly 2. Timo. 3. that al without exception that will liue Godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecutiō And in an other place he saith Phil. ◠to you it is geuen not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Now tell me I pray you whether these textes of Scripture do not proue that all suche as will not gladlye suffer with Christe doe neither loue him nor serue hym nor yet be any of his Disciples Say what you will and thinke what you liste yet shall you finde this full true that all suche as will not suffer with Christ here shall not reigne with him elsewhere neither is it meete that they shoulde But now me thinketh I heare some of you saye to me why Syr we do suffer with Christ as it becommeth Christians in helpyng you to beare the crosse with our liberal relief If we had loued oure goods more thē we do Christe as you seeme to laye to oure charge then woulde we not haue bestowed so muche of them vppon you and other as we haue done yea and daungered our selues to brynge it to you c. In deede deare frendes in thys poynte I muste needes confesse that you haue done youre dewtye towardes vs the Lorde GOD graunte you to doe the reast belonging to him aswell for verelye thys is not all that GOD dothe at this time requyre of you as all those good men and women can tel that haue as largelye sowed the frutes of faith amongst vs as any of you haue done and yet neuer came at any of Antichristes seruice God will not be answered with a piece of your goodes sith you haue promised to forsake all for his loue You must not play the part that Ananias and Saphira his wife dyd Act. 5. for the holy ghoste will not suffer himselfe to be dissembled withall therfore be warned by that example Also God doth not thinke it sufficient that you do forsake all your goodes and landes but doth loke that you should suffer in your owne persons also for his sake yea the very losse of your lifes if he so permitte And but reason sith Christ did not onely geue vs the giftes of his grace and all other good thynges that we doe here possesse but also his very lyfe yea that whē we were his verye enemies He gaue vs that frely which was his own and shall we thinke scorne to render vnto him againe that which is his and but for a tyme lent vs specially seing that we shal receiue the same in a far more glorious wise Leaue it we shall shortly wil we nil we and God he knoweth in what horrour feare or trembling And were we not better then to wishe the same taken from vs by suche meanes as myghte not onely make moste to the settyng forthe of gods glory and the cōmoditie of his church but also to our own euerlasting ioy comfort being certified by the same that we be the true seruantes or rather the chosen childrē of god whose death is ryght dere precious in his sight Ah why do we not with the Apostles desire to be reputed worthye to suffer for Christs sake seing the same is the greatest dignity highest promotion that god can bring vs vnto in this lyfe yea and an honour that the hyghest Angel in heauen is not permitted to haue Oh lord that the crosse whiche is nowe come amongest vs for the trial of our faith should seeme a straūge thing vnto vs that professe the name and gospel of Christ wheras in very dede we should be most familyarlye acquainted therwith as with our inseparable companion in this lyfe Loke vpon all the holy patriarkes prophetes before the comming of Christ looke vppon al the apostels Martyrs Virgines and confessours since the comming of Christ and tel me if any one of them all dyd not cōtinually cary the crosse as long as they liued and al in a maner in the ende died for gods sake yea moste chiefly of al looke vpon Iesus Christ himselfe the very dere and only sonne of god and tell me if all hys lyfe and deathe was not full of moste painfull and bitter crosses and will you loke to be hys disciples yet thynke scorne to beare your crosse wyth hym Disdaine you to drinke of that same cup that your lord and maister hath done before you Wil you loke to enter into the kingdom of god otherwise thē all other haue done that are gone before you I pray you shew me your priuiledge tell me where you haue this prerogatiue aboue the rest of your bretherne yea aboue the sonne of god himselfe concernyng hys humanitie My deare frendes and faithfull louers of London bee not deceyued with selfe loue and your owne fleshlye imagination for at one word this is true euen as God in heauen is most true that if you do not forthwyth euen oute of hande flie from that filthy whore of Babilon and all her abhominable Idolatry and superstition you shal surely perishe wyth her in the plagues that god shal shortly poure vpon her And furthermore I say that if you wyll not here willingly suffer with Christ for the testimony of his euerlasting truth you shall suffer with the world here for your own wickednes and then shall you not raigne wyth Christe in glory at his gracious commyng vnto the whiche I hope now it be not very long For thys is the firme decree and purpose of the immutable God reueled in hys euerlasting worde that al they which will liue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution 2. Timo. 3. and that euerye one of his elected sonnes shal be scourged proued tried as gold in the furnace or fire And these wordes of Christ shall continue for euer and be most effectuously fulfilled that whosoeuer shal be ashamed of hym Marke 8. or of his word amongest this sinful and adulterous generation of hym wil the sonne of man bee ashamed before his father and hys aungels and he that goeth about by such wycked meanes to saue his life shal surely lose it for euermore Therfore deare hartes loke to your selues in time and cōsider your callyng Lay away al vayne excuses for verely they wil not serue for your discharge when he shal come that will rewarde euery man after the workes of their bodies but he will require of you in thys pointe all that he hath cōmaunded you as he afore hand hath told you bothe plainly and often enough God geue you grace to take it as a warning And if you fele your selues to weake to confesse gods truthe before the tyrannes then for your refuge the Lord hath geuen you leaue to flye from place to place and that is the vttermost that he will permitte you to do which doing yet
these boysterous wyndes that blow The Lord can lay them when he luste And bring the raging waues full lowe But your safegard shall styl remayne In a strong castell of defence God graunt vs well to meete agayne With myrth and ioye in his presence Iohn Careles To the afflicted Christian ☞ Feare not for death passe not for handes Onely in God put thy whole trust For god wil requyre thy blood at their hands And this thou doest know that once die thou must Onely for Christ thy lyfe if thou geue Death is no death but a meane for to lyue A letter of Doctor Taylour of Hadley written to his wife This pacâ—er is called syr Robert Bracher a false protesstant in Kyng Edwardes dayes afterward a deadlye enemye to that religion whiche he had professed and now is become a protesstante agayne serueth at S. Denys in LoÌ„don in Fannâ—-church strete calleth hym self Harry Bradshawe Thys pedler coÌ„myng to the buryal of hys frende and gods great enemye Walter Clarke of Hadley albeit he came somewhat to late to the market as he sayd yet beâ—ng desyrous to vtter hys ware opened there his packe ful of most pâ—stilent poysoned doctrine Thys was one of theÌ„ that so vnmercâ—fully thrust D. Taylours wife childreÌ„ out of the doâ—es as she hâ—◠〈◊〉 can testifye whiche we haue here placed as it came to our handes with certayne other letters following DEare wife I pray god be euer with vs through Christ our only Mediatour Amen I thanke you for my cap I am somthing proud of it for it is one steppe froÌ„ the cleargy in these dayes I thank god my harte is cleane deuided from their proceedings For I know that no maÌ„ can serue .ij. Maisters specially if they agree no better theÌ„ Christ Antichrist do I am glad that Hadley can skil of such packing ware as was brought thether the fyrst day of May last past Christes shepe caÌ„ discerne christs voice froÌ„ the voyce of straungers theues or hyrelings The packe bringer was sory that he came to late to the funeral market of hys faythfull frend But here I wil leaue theÌ„ both to Gods iudgement someting touche the matter wherof the packer made mentioÌ„ on his opening day At the first he called the scripture as I heare ful of darke sentences but in dede it is called of S. Dauid a candle to our fete a light to our pathes Our Sauiour Christe calleth his word the light which euyll doers do flye froÌ„ hate lest their dedes should be reproued therby S. Paul wold haue vs to walke as childreÌ„ of light in any wise not to coÌ„tinue in ignoraÌ„ce or darknes But al we in the world perteyn to .ij. princes eyther to the father of light truth or els to the prince of darknes lyes In these dayes preachers declare euidently of whoÌ„ they are sent and with what spirit they speake to what prince they belong For they cry out againste Gods lightes sunne moone sterres torches lampes lanternes cressets caÌ„dels in gods booke the Bible prouided of gods great goodnes mercy to auoyd al foule darknes cloudes mistes or daungerous doubtful waies in this our iourney to our heaueÌ„ly father long home mansioÌ„ houses derely purchased heritage Esay gods faithfull messenger sayeth woe be vnto theÌ„ that call sweete sower good euil light darknes Therfore coÌ„meth my people into captiuitie because they haue no vnderstaÌ„dyng Our sauiour Christ pronouÌ„ceth errours heresyes to remaine amoÌ„g the people so long as ignorance of the scriptures remaineth And hereby it appeareth to al good coÌ„sciences what they meane which defame or accuse gods blessed word being ful of light as though it were ful of darknes These oules wold haue al day lightes scraped out of bokes harts churches Oh lord turne their hartes tonges bowe theÌ„ froÌ„ the way of darkenes lest they go to the prince of darknes be cast into the paradise of vtter darknes where is weping gnashing of teeth Now touching the packes of wolle packes of cloth I feare they were as al other their wares be transsubstantiate into flockes eueÌ„ his very finest packing stuffe against only fayth iustifying â–ª for the corporal presence of Christes body in the sacrameÌ„t for praying for soules departed for auriculer coÌ„fessioÌ„ Abrahams iustification by faith by grace by promise not by workes is plainly setforth both in the Epistle to the Rom. cap. 4 to the Gala Cap 3. And Abrahams works of obedience in offring vp his sonne so long after his iustification must nedes be takeÌ„ as a fruit of a good tree iustifying before men not of iustificatioÌ„ before god for theÌ„ had maÌ„ to glorye in then did Christ die in vaine And where as the .6 chap. of S. Iohn was alleaged to proue the Christ did geue his body corporally in his supper eueÌ„ as he had promised in the said 6. chap. it is most vntrue For only he gaue his body sacramentally spiritually effectually in his supper to the faithfull Apostles and corporally he gaue it in a bloody sacrifice for the life of the world vpoÌ„ the crosse once for al. There in his own persoÌ„ in his own natural body he bare al our sines by whole stripes we were healed as S. Peter proueth 1. Pet. 2. Esay cap 53. In dede receauing Christs sacrameÌ„t accordiÌ„gly as it was instituted we receaue Christes body Christs blood euen as I sayd before the Apostles dyd But the popysh Masse is an other matter The Masse as it is now is but one of Antichristes youngest doughters in the which the deuill is rather present receaued then our Sauiour the .2 person in Trinitie god man O Lorde god heauenly father for Christes sake we besech thee to turne againe England to the right way it was in in King Edwardes tyme from thys babilonicall stewyshe spirituall whoredome conspiracye tyranny detestable enormityes false doctrine heresye hardnesse of hart and contempte of thy worde coÌ„mauÌ„dements froÌ„ this euident opeÌ„ Idolatry sacriledge simony blasphemy superstitioÌ„ hypocrisy transubstaÌ„tiate Angel of light day deuil kingdoÌ„e of lies foule vain schismes sectes sedition apostasie gaye swete poyson honied and sugered viperous venime wily woluishnes Sathanical subtiltye and abhomination in the sight of God and of all such as put on the true spectakles of holy scripture I am the more plaine now in this matter because I feare greatly the many wil be to much ready to go froÌ„ Christ to Antichrist from the Bible true gods seruice religioÌ„ to latine lying legendes portases Massebokes superstition They say their church can not erre in any point when in dede they be not of gods church and therefore they can do nothing but erre euen as they do almoste in all cases of true fayth But to come again to the packer rather theÌ„ preacher he briÌ„geth S. Chrisostomes sentence writing ad popuâ—uÌ„ antiochenum
of my fal also deliuered me his name be praised foreuermore Amē Neyther deuil nor cruel Tyrāne can plucke any of christes shepe out of hys hand Of the whych flocke of christes shepe I trust vndoubtedly I am one by meanes of his death bloudshedyng which shal at the last day stand at hys right hand and receyue wyth other his blessed benediction And now beyng condēned to dye my cōscience mind I prayse god is quyet in Christ I by his grace am very wel willyng content to geue ouer thys body to the death for the testimony of hys truth and pure religiō agaynste Antichriste and all hys false religion and doctryne They that reyort otherwyse of me speake not truely And as for Fountayne I saw him not all thys while Thomas Whittle Ministes Another letter of M. Thomas VVhittell written to a cerrayne godly woman OH my deare and louing Sister in Christ bee not dismayd in this storme of persecution for Paul calleth the gospel the word of the crosse because it is neuer truly taught but the crosse and cruell persecution immediatlye and necessarilye doth followe the same and therefore it is a manifeste token of Gods truth that hath bene here and is styl abroade and that is a cause of the rage and crueltye of Sathan agaynste Christ and hys members whiche muste bee corrected for their sinnes in thys worlde their fayth muste bee tryed that after tryall and paciente suffering the faythfull maye receaue the crowne of glorye Feare not therefore my welbeloued but proceede in the knowledge and feare of GOD and he will keepe you from all euill Call vppon hys holy name and he will strengthen you and assiste you in all your wayes and if it please hym to lay his crosse vppon you for his Gospells sake refuse it not neyther shake it of by vnlawfull meanes leste you shoulde as God forbyd fynde a more greuous crosse and tormente of conscience if you shoulde dissemble and denye the knowen veritye then is any persecution or death of bodye Oh howe happye are they that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse sake Their rewarde is greate in heauen The momentane afflictions of thys lyfe are not worthy of the glorye that shall bee shewed vppon vs. Oh remember the Godly wemen of the olde testamente and newe whiche liued in Gods seruice and feare and therefore are nowe in blisse and cōmended for euer as namely Iudith Hester Abigaell the Mother of the .vij. sonnes Marye Elizabeth Susanna Lidia and Phebe and others Set their examples before your eyes and feare nothing for Sathan is conquered by our Sauiour Christ sinne is putte to flyght and the gate of immortalitie and eternall life is sette wyde open God graunt we may enter therin through the doore Iesus Christe Amen Thomas Whittel Maister Bartlet Grene to certayne of hys frends a litle before his death BEtter is the day of death sayth Salomon then the day of byrth Mā that is borne of woman liueth but a short time and is replenyshed with many miseries but happy are the dead that die in the Lord. Man of woman is borne in trauell to liue in misery Man through Christ doth die in ioye and liue in felicitie He is borne to die and dyeth to liue Strayght as he commeth into the world with cryes he vttereth his miserable estate strayghte as he departeth with songes he prayseth god for euer Scarce yet in hys cradell in deadly enemyes assaultes him after death no aduersarye maye anoye him Whilest he is here he displeaseth god whē he is dead he fulfilleth his will In thys life here he dyeth through sinne in the life to come he liueth in righteousnes Through manye tribulations in earth is he still purged with ioye vnspeakeable in heauen is he made pure for euer Here he dyeth euerye houre there he liueth continualy Here is synne there is righteousnesse Here is tyme there is eternitie Here is hatred there is loue Here is payne there is pleasure Here is myserye there is felicitie Here is corruption there is immortalitie Here we see vanitie there shall we beholde the Maiestie of God with triumphant and vnspeakeable ioye in glorye euerlasting Seeke therfore the thynges that are aboue where Christe sitteth on the ryghte hand of God the father vnto whom with the sonne and the holy ghost be all honour and glorye worlde wythoute end Amen Christe deus sine te spes est mihe nulla salutis Te duce vera sequor te duce falsa nego In Englyshe thus O Christ my God sure hope of health besides thee haue I none That truth I loue and falshode hate thou arte my guyde alone Yours in Christe Bartlet Grene. A letter of Iohn Careles to one Mystres Cotton THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the eternall comfortes of his most pure holy mightye spirit with the encrease of fayth liuely feeling of his swete mercies be with you dere frend faythfull louing Sister good Mystres Cotton to the ful encrease of your ioye in Christe now and euermore Amen As from the very bottome of my poore hart I wish vnto you health both of body soule my deare louing Syster in the Lord so will I neuer cease praying vnto god for the same according vnto my most boūdē duty Howbeit of your body vpō conditiō but of your soule without any conditiō being wel assured that the lord for his deare sonnes sake wil perfectly graūt me the same so farre forth as shal be most for your profite So that if the health of your body wil stand with the wealth of your soule I am sure I shal haue my peticiō graunted for the health of the same But if the sicknes of your body be for the health of your soule as I am sure it is then haue I also my desire graūted because I aske the same no further thē it maye stand with the other But for the euerlasting health of your soule do I hartely pray without the additiō of any conditiō for it is the lords good wil I should so do Therefore I am sure my request is already graunted therin for his sake who hath redemed the same with his most precious blood yea in whō you were elected before the foūdation of the world was layd This is moste true therfore let nothīg perswade you to the contrary Rest vpō this rocke be you sure the gates of hel shal not preuaile agaīst you I know deare hart that you haue done much good to the poore for Iesus Christs sake yet beware you do not put any truste or confidence in your good dedes merits or deseruings but only in Iesus christ which hath geuē you him self wholy to be yours with al his holynes righteousnes iustificatiō redēptiō al that euer he may On the other side he hath takē vpon himself al your sinnes misery infirmitye hath made a full satisfaction for them with the sacrifice of his own
amend it as I thought good The which though both the bishop of Gloucester and also the kyng and Quenes proctors promised me yet haue they altogether broken promise with me and haue not permitted me to correct my sayde aunsweres accordinge to my request and yet notwithstandyng haue as I vnderstande regestred the same as actes formally done in place of iudgemente Finallye forasmuch as all thys my trouble commeth vpon my departinge from the byshop of Rome and from the popishe religion so that nowe the quarel is betwixte the Pope himselfe and me and no man can be a lawfull and indifferente iudge in his owne cause it seemeth me thinke good reason that I should be suffered to appeale to some generall counsell in thys matter speciallye seinge the lawe of nature as they saye denyeth no man the remedye of appeale in such cases Now since it is very requisite that this matter shoulde be kepte as close as mayē be if perhappes for lack of perfect skill herein you shall haue nede of further aduise then I beseche you euen for the fidelity and loue you beare to me in Christ that you wyl open to no creature aliue whose the case is And forasmuch as the time is now at hand and the matter requireth great expeditiō let me obteine thys much of you I beseche you that layng a side all other your studies and busines for the time you wyll applye thys my matter onlye tyll you haue broughte it to passe The chiefeste cause in very deede to tell you the truth of thys myne appeale is that I myghte gayne time if it shall so please God to lyue vntill I haue finished myne aunswere againste Marcus Antonius Constantius which I haue now in hand This Constantius was Steuen Gardiner as constant in dede as a wether cock who thus named him selfe writing against thys good father But if the aduersaryes of the truthe wil not admyt myne appeale as I feare they will not Gods wyl be done I passe not vpon it so that God may therein be glorified be it by my life or by my death For it is muche better for me to dye in Christes quarell to raigne wyth hym then here to be shutte vp kept in the pryson of thys body vnlesse it were to continue yet stil a whyle in this warrefare for the commodity and profite of my Brethren and to the further aduauncyng of Gods glorye to whome be all glorye for euermore Amen There is also yet an other cause whye I thynke good to appeale that where as I am cited to goe to Rome to aunswere there for my selfe I am notwythstandyng kepte her faste in prison that I cannot there appeare at the tyme appoynted And moreouerforasmuch as the state I stande in is a matter of lyfe and death so that I haue greate neede of learned counsel for my defence in thys behalfe yet when I made my earnest request for the same all manner of coūsell and helpe of proctors aduocates and lawers was vtterlye denyed me Your louing frende T.C. To maistres Wilkinson a godlye matrone exhorting her to flye in the time of persecution and to seke her dwellyng where she might serue God accordinge to hys word THe true comforter in all distresse is only God thorow his sonne Iesus Christ and who soeuer hath him hath cōpany enough although he were in a wildernes al alone and he that hath xx thousand in hys company if god be absent is in a miserable wildernes and desolation In hym is all comfort and with out him is none Wherefore I besech you seeke your dwelling there as you may truly and rightly serue God and dwell in hym and haue him euer dwelling in you What can be so heuy a burden as an vnquiet conscience to be in such a place as a mā can not be suffred to serue God in Chrysts true religiō If ye be loth to depart from your kin frendes remember that Christe calleth them hys mother suffers brothers that do his fathers wil. Math. 3. Wher we find therfore god truly honored accordyng to his wyl there we can lack neither frend nor kin If you be loth to departe for slaunderyng of gods worde remember that Christ when his howre was not yet come departed out of hys coūtrey into Samaria Iohn 4. Mat. 5 to auoyde the malice of the scribes and phariseis and commaunded hys Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should flye to an other And was not Paule let downe by a basket out at a window to auoid the persecution of Areta 2. Corin. 2. And what wisdō policye he vsed frō time to time to escape the malice of hys enemies the acts of the Apostles do declare And after the same sort did the other Apostles albeit whē it came to such a poynt that they could no longer escape daunger of the persecutours of gods true religiō thā they shewed thē selues that theyr flyeng before came not of feare but of Godlye wisdome to doe more good and that they woulde not rashelye without vrgente necessitye offer themselues to death which had bene but a tēptation of god Yea when they were apprehended and coulde no longer auoyde then they stode boldly to the profession of Christ thē they shewed how litle they passed of death how much they feared god more then men howe much they loued and preferred the eternal lyfe to come aboue this short miserable life Wherfore I exhort you aswell by Christs commaundemēt as by the example of him and his Apostles to withdraw your selfe from the malice of your and gods enemies into some place where god is most purely serued which is no slaunderyng of the truthe but a preseruing of your selfe to god and the truth and to the societie and comfort of Christes litle flocke And that you will doe do it with spede leaste by your owne follye you fall into the persecutors handes and the Lord sende hys holy spirite to leade and guide you where soeuer you go and all that be godly will say Amen T. C ⧠Letters of Doctor Rydley late Byshop of London who afterlonge imprisonment was spitefully and cruellye martyred in Oxford for the constante confession of godes true religion In the yeare of oure Lorde God .1555 the xvi day of October ☜ Ad fratres in captiuitate carnis per varios carceres dispersos sed in vnitate spiritus atque sacrosanctae religionis in visceribus Iesu Christi conglutinatos GRatia vobis pax ac misericordia multiplicetur Quam gratiarū actionem pro vobis fratres red dere possumus domino super omni consolatione quam de vobis concepimus in domino qui Sathana saeuiente peromnia fallaciarum genera mundo imponere studente regnum suum iampridem collabascere ruinamque minitari incipiens erigere atque denuo instaurare sedulo satagente tanquam in Petra firmissime fundati permanetis immobiles Iamque licet Sathan per suos satellites ac
an other He rekeneth all and so he may to be his who soeuer preuayle so that truth preuayle not Neuerthelesse good brother I suppose that the vniuersal plage is most daungerous which at this day is alas fostered and maisterfully holden vp by wytte worldly policy multitude of people power and al worldly meanes As for other the deuilles Galtroppes that he casteth in our wayes by some of hys busye headed yonkers I truste they shall neuer be able to do the multitude so greate harme For blessed be god these heresies before time when Satan by his seruants hath bene about to broch them haue by gods seruantes alredy bene so sharpely truly confounded that the multitude was neuer infected with them or els where they haue bene infected they are healed againe that now the perill is not so greate And where you say that if your request had bene heard things you thinke had bene in better case then they be know you the coÌ„cerning the matter you meant I haue in latin drawne out the places of the scripures and vpon the same haue noted what I can for the time Syr in those matters I am so fearful that I dare not speak farther yea almost none otherwise then the very texte dothe as it wer lead me by that haÌ„d And where you exhort vs to help c He meaneâ— here the matter of Gods election wherof he afterward Wrote a godly and comfortable treatise remaynyng yet in the haÌ„des of soâ—â—â— and hereafter shal come to light if god so will O lord what is els in this world that we now shold list to do I blesse my lord god I neuer as me thinketh had more nor better leasure to be occupied with my pen in such things as I caÌ„ do to set forth when they may come to light gods glory And I blesse my lorde god through Iesus Christe my hart and my worke are therin occupied not so fully perfectly as I wold but yet so as I blesse god for the same Fare well deare brother the messenger tarieth I may not now be longer with you The lord I trust verely shall bring vs thether where we shall eche one with other in Christe oure sauiour reioyce and be mery euerlastingly Your brother in Christ N. R. ¶ To maister Bradford DEarely beloued brother Bradforde I hadde thought of late that I had written vnto you your last farewel vntill we should haue met in the kingdome of heauen by our deare brother Austine and I sente it to meete you in Lankeshyre whether it was said here you were appoincted to be sent to suffer But now sith they haue chauÌ„ged their purpose and prolonged your death I vnderstande it is no other thyng then that once happened to Peter and Paule The whiche although they were of the firste which were cast in prison and as litle shoned peryll as any other did yet god would not haue them put to death wyth the first because he had more seruice to be done by their ministery which his gratious pleasure was they should do so without doubte deare brother I am persuaded that the same is the cause of the delay of your Martyrdome Blessed be the holy Trinity the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste for you threefolde confession I haue redde all three wyth great comforte and ioye and thankesgeuyng vnto God for his manifolde giftes of grace wherewith it is manifesse to the godlye reader that GOD dyd assyste you mightilye And blessed be God agayne and agayne which gaue you so good a mynde and remembraunce of your othe once made against the bishop of Rome least you should be pertaker of the common periury which all men almost are nowe fallen into in bringyng in agayne that wicked vsurped power of hys Ieremy 4. Which othe was made accordyng to the Prophete in iudgement in ryghteousnes and in truth and therfore can not without perintye be reuoked let Satan roare and rage and practise all the cruelty he can Oh good lord that they are so busye with you about the church It is no new thing brother that is happened vnto you for that was alwayes the clamor of the wycked bishops and priestes against gods true prophets the teÌ„ple of the lord the teÌ„ple of the lord the teÌ„ple of the lord EZechi 7. they said the law shal not departe froÌ„ the prieste nor wisdom froÌ„ the Elder and yet in them whom they only estemed for theyr priests and sages there was neither gods law nor godly wisdome It is a maruelous thyng to heare what vayne communication is spreade abroad of you It is said here that you be pardoned your lyfe and when you were appointed to be banished and to go I can not tel whether you should say that you had rather here suffer then go where you could not lyue after your conscieÌ„ce and that this pardon should be begged for you by Borne the Bishop of Bathe for that you saued his lyfe Agayne some say and amonges other myne hostes reported that you are hyghlye promoted and are a great man with my lorde Chauncelor This I could not beleue but did denye it as a false lye so surely was I alwayes perswaded of your constancye What god will do with vs he knoweth In the meane tyme wonderfull it is to behold how the wysedome of GOD hath in fatuated the policye of the worlde and scattered the crafty deuises of the worldlye wyse For when the state of religion was once altered and persecution beganne to waxe whote no man douted but Cranmer Latymer and Rydley shoulde haue beene the fyrste to haue beene called to the stake But the subtyle policye of the world settyng vs aparte fyrst assaulted them by whose infirmity they thought to haue more vauntage but god disapoynted their subtyll purpose For whom the world estemed weakest praised be god they haue found most strong sounde and valyaunte in Christes cause vnto the death to geue suche an onset as I dare say all the aungels in heauen do no lesse reioyce to behold in them then they dyd in the victorious constancy of Peter Iohn 15. Paule Esay Helyas or Hieremy For greater loue no man hathe than to bestowe hys lyfe c. Good brother haue me and vs all continuallye in your remembraunce to god in your prayers as God willyng we shal not be in our prayers forgetfull of you Your owne in Christ N. R. ¶ To maister Bradford BRother Bradford I wishe you in Christ our Sauiour grace mercy and peace and to al theÌ„ which are with you or any where els captiues in Christ and to heare that ye be al in good health and stand constaÌ„tly in the confession of Christes gospell it dothe hartely reioyce vs. Knowe you lykewyse that we all here bee thankes be to god in good health and comforte watchyng wyth our lampes lyght I trust in god when it shall please our maister the brydegrome Math. 25. to call vs to wayte vpon hym vnto the mariage
it and in the steade of Gods holye worde the true and righte administration of Christes holye Sacramentes as of Baptisme and others they mixte theyr ministerye with mennes folishe fantasies and manye wicked and vngodlye traditions withall In the steade of the Lordes holye table they geue the people with muche solemne disguising a thyng which they call theyr Masse but in dede and in truth it is a verye maskyng and mockerye of the true supper of the Lord or rather I maye cal it a crafty iuglynge whereby these false theeues and iuglers haue bewitched the mindes of the symple people that they haue broughte them from the true worshippe of GOD vnto pernicious idolatry and make them to beleue that to bee Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour which in deede is neyther God nor man nor hathe any life in it selfe but in substance is the creature of breade and wyne and in vse of the lordes table is the Sacramente of Christes bodye and bloude and for thys holy vse for the whych the Lord hath ordeyned them in hys Table to represent vnto vs hys blessed bodye torne vppon the crosse for vs and hys bloud there shedde it pleased hym to call them hys bodye and bloude whych vnderstandyng Christe declareth to bee hys true meaning when he sayeth Luke 22. doe thys in the remembraunce of me And agayn Saincte Paule lykewyse dothe set out the same more plainly speakyng of the same Sacrament after the wordes of the consecration sayâ—ng as often as ye shal eate of thys bread and drynke of thys Cuppe â— Cor. 11. ye shall set forthe he meaneth wyth the same the Lordes deathe vntyll hys commyng agayne And here agayne these theues haue robbed also the people of the Lordes cuppe contrary to the playne wordes of Christ written in hys Gospell Nowe for the commen publique prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue these theues haue brought in agayne a straunge tongue whereof the people vnderstande not one word Wherein what doe they elles but robbe the people of theyr diuyne Seruice wherein they oughte to praye together wyth the mynyster and to praye in a straunge toungue what is it but as Saincte Paule calleth it barbarousnes chyldishenes vnprofitable follye yea and plaine madnesse For the godly articles of vnity in Religion and for the wholsome Homelies what doe these theeues place in the stead of them but the Popes lawes and decrees lying Legendes and fayned fables and myracles to delude and abuse the symplycitye of the rude people Thus thys robbery and thefte is not onelye committed nay sacrilege and wycked spoyle of heauenlye thynges but also in the stead of the same is brought in and placed the abbominable desolacion of the tyraunte Antiochus of proude Senacheryb of the shameles faced kyng of the Babilonical beaste Vnto thys robberye thys thefte and sacrilege for that I cannot consente nor God wyllyng neuer shall so long as the breath is in my bodye because it is blasphemye againste God hyghe treason vnto Christe our heauenly Kyng lord maister and oure onely Sauiour and redemer it is playne contrarye to Gods worde and to Christes Gospell it is the subuersion of all true godlines and agaynste the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule and of all my brethren and systers whome Chryste my Sauioure hathe so dearely boughte wyth no lesse pryce then wyth the effusion and sheddyng forthe of hys moste precious bloude therefore all ye my true louers in GOD my kynsefolke and countreymen for thys cause I say know ye that I am put to deathe whiche by Gods grace I shall wyllynglye take wyth hartye thankes to GOD therefore in certayne hope wythout any doubtyng to receyue at gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace euerlastyng life Althoughe the cause of the true man slayne of the thefe helpyng hys neyghboure to recouer hys goodes agayne and the cause wherefore I am to bee put to deathe in a generalitye is bothe one as I sayde before yet knowe ye that there is no small difference These theeues against whome I doe stande are muche worse then the robbers and theues of the borders The goodes whiche they steale are much more precious and theyr kindes of fight are farre dyuers These theeues are worse I say for they are more cruelll more wycked more false more deceytfull and craftye for those will but kyll the bodye but these wyll not stycke to kyll bothe bodye and soule Those for the generall thefte and robberye be called and are in deede theues and robbers but these for theyr spirituall kynd of robberye are called Sacrilegi as ye woulde say churche robbers They are more wycked for those goe aboute but to spoyle men of worldlye thynges worldlye ryches gold and syluer and worldlye substaunce these goe aboute in the wayes of the Deuill their ghostlye father to steale from the vniuersall churche and peritcularlye from euerye man all heauenlye treasure true faythe true charitye and hope of saluation in the bloude of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe yea to spoile vs of our Sauiour Christ of hys gospel of hys heauenlye spirite and of the heauenlye heritage of the kingdome of heauen so dearelye purchased vnto vs wyth the deathe of oure Maister and Sauyoure Christe These be the goodes and godlye substaunce whereuppon the Christian before God must lyue and withoute the whiche he cannot lyue these goodes I saye these theues these churche robbers goe aboute to spoyle vs of The whiche goodes as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldlye treasure so to wythstande euen vnto the death suche theues as goe aboute to spoyle both vs and the whole churche of such goods is most hyghe honourable seruice done vnto God These churche robbers be also much more false craftye and deceytfull then the theues vpon the borders for these haue not the crafte so to commende theyr thefte that they dare auouche it and therefore as acknowledgyng themselues to be euyll they steale commenlye vppon the nyghte they dare not appeare at iudgements and sessions where iustice is executed when they are taken brought thether they neuer hange any man but they bee ofte tymes hanged for theyr faultes But these Church robbers can so cloke and coloure theyr spiritual robbery that they can make the people to beleue falshed to be truth and truth falshod good to be euel euell good light to be darknesse and darknesse light superstition to be true religion and idolatry to be the true worshyppe of god and that which is in substance the creature of breade and wine to be none other substance but onlye the substance of Christ the liuing Lord both God and man And wyth this their falshed and craft they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstaÌ„ding of the simple that they dare auouch it openly in courte and in towne and feare neyther hanging nor hedding as the pore theues of the borders do but stoute and strong like Nembrothe dare condemne to be burned in
flaming fyre quicke and aliue whosoeuer will goe aboute to bewray their falshed The kind of fight against these church robbers is also of an other sorte and kinde then is that whiche is agaynste the theues of the borders For there the true men go forth against theÌ„ with speare launce with bow and byl and al such kind of bodelye weapons as the true men haue but here as the enemyes be of an other nature so the watchmen of Christs flocke the warriours that fight in the Lordes warre muste be armed and fight with an other kinde of weapons and armour For here the enemies of God the souldiors of Anti-Christ although the battel is set forth against the churche by mortall men being flesh and bloud and neuerthelesse members of theyr father the deuil yet for that theyr graund maister is the power of darknesse theyr members are spirituall wickednes wicked spirites spirites of erroures of heresies of all deceate and vngodlines spirites of idolatry Ephe 6 superstition and hipocrisye which are called of S. Paule Principates powers Lordes of the world rulers of the darknesse of this world and spiritual subtilties concerning heaueÌ„ly things therfore our weapons must be fit and mete to fyght agaynst such not carnall nor bodely weapons as speare and launce but spiritual and heauenly we must fight agaynst such with the armor of God not entendinge to kill they re bodyes but their errours theyr false craft and heresies theyr idolatry superstitioÌ„ and hipocrisy Eph 6. and to saue as much as lieth in vs both theyr bodies and soules And therfore as S. Paule teacheth vs we fighte not against fleshe and bloude that is we fyght not with bodely weapon to kyll the man but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errours vice and to saue both body and soule Our weapons therfore are faythe hope charitye righteousnesse truthe pacience prayer vnto God and our sword wherwyth we smite our enemies we beate and batter and beare down all falshed is the word of God With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fyght euer hauinge our eye vpon our graunde Maister Duke and captayne Christe and then we recken our selues to triumphe and to winne the crown of euerlastinge blesse when enduringe in this battaile withoute anye shrinking or yelding to the enemies after the example of our graund Capitaine Christ our Mayster after the exaÌ„ple of his holy Prophetes Apostles and Martyrs when I say we are slayne in oure mortall bodyes of our enemies are most cruelly and without all mercy murdered down like a me any of shepe And the more cruel the more payneful the more vyle and spitefull is the kind of the death whereunto we be put the more glorious in God the more blessed and happye wee recken withoute all doubtes oure Martyrdome to be And thus much dere loeuers frends in god my country men kinsfolk I haue spoken for your comfort least of my deathe of whose life you loked peraduenture sometimes to haue had honestye pleasures and commodities ye myghte be abashed or thinke any euill whereas ye haue rather cause to reioyse if ye loue me indeede for that it hathe pleased God to call me to a greater honoure and dignitye than euer I did enioye before eyther in Rochester or in the Sea of London or euer shoulde haue had in the Sea of Durham whereunto I was last of all elected and named yea I count it greater honoure before God in deede to die in his cause whereof I nothynge doubte then is any earthlye or temporall promocion or honoure that canne be geuen to a man in thys worlde And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Goddes to be Chrystes quarell and of hys Gospell to bee the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God of all the inheritoures of the kingdome of Heauen who is he I saye that knoweth this assuredlye by Goddes woorde and the testimonye of hys owne conscience as I through the infinite goodnes of god not of my self but by hys grace acknowledge my self to do who is he I say that knoweth this both loueth fereth god in dede in truth loueth beleueth hys maister Christ and hys blessed gospel loueth his brotherhode the chosen children of god and also lusteth and longeth for euerlastinge life whoe is he I say againe that woulde not or can not fynde in his harte in thys cause to be content to dye The Lord forbid that any such shoulde be that shoulde forsake this grace of God I truste in my Lord God the God of mercies and the father of all comfort throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde that he whiche hathe put thys mynde will and affection by hys holye spirite in my harte to stande agaynste the face of the enemie in hys cause to chose rather the losse of all my worldly substaunce yea and of my life to then to denye hys knowne truthe that he well comfort me ayd me and strengthen me euermore euen vnto the ende and to the yelding vp of my spirite and soule into hys holye handes wherof I most hartely besech hys moste holye sacred Maiestye of hys infinyte goodnes and mercye throughe Iesus Christe our Lord. Amen Now that I haue taken my leaue of my countrey menne and kinsfolke and the Lorde doth lende me life and geueth me leysure I wyll bydde my other good friendes in God of other places also farewell And whome fyrste or before other then the Vniuersytye of Cambridge whereas I haue dwelte longer founde more faythfull and hartye frendes receyued more benefites the benefytes of my naturall parentes onlye excepted then euer I did euen in mine owne natyue countrey wherein I was borne Farewel therfore Cambrydge my louyng mother and tender nurse If I shoulde not acknowlege thy manyfold benefits yea if I shold not for thy benifits at the lest loue the agayn truly I were to be counted vngrate vnkind What benyfytes hadst thou euer that thou vsest to geue bestow vpon thy best beloued childreÌ„ that thou thoughtest to good for me Thou diddest bestowe on me all thy Schole degrees of thy common offyces the Chaplaynshyppe of the vniuersity the office of the Pâ—ortorship of a coÌ„mon reader and of thy priuate coÌ„modyties emolumeÌ„tes in colledges what was it that thou madest me not partner of Fyrst to be Scholer then Fellow and after my departure froÌ„ thee thou calledst me agayne to a Mastership of a right worshipful colledge I thanck thee my louing mother for all this thy kindnes and I pray God that his lawes the syncere Gospel of Christ may euer be truly taught faythfully learned in thee Farewell Pembroke hall of late mine own Colledge my cure my charge what case thou artin now God knoweth I know not well Thou wast euer named sithens I knewe thee which is nowe a .xxx. yeares agoe to be studious well learned and a greate
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
them close after the marchaūts fashion that they be not opened William Dounton my seruant hath the fyrst copy of that I wrote concerning mayster Hales hurt I woulde mayster Bradforde did se it and then the copy to be well kept least anye man of malice should adde any thing to the matter more and worse then I haue made it I passe not of that maye come of it I thanke God and my conscience beareth me recorde that I did it of zeale to the word of God which the byshop of Winchester called the doctryn of desperation Not only my hart but also my mouth my penne and all my power shall be agaynste him euen till death by Gods helpe in this case let god do with the matter as it pleaseth his highe maiestye to whom I commend you 29. April 1554. Yours Iohn Hoper To my dearely beloued frende in Christe mayster Iohn Hal. THe grace of God be with you Amē It was much to my comfort I assure you when I vnderstoode by thys bearer my faithful seruant William Doūton that you and your wife were in health Many times I had occasion to enquire for you before the departure of my poore wife to haue holpē her out of the land from the hands of the cruel but I coulde heare nothing wher you were It was told me you abode in the coūtrey with your wife to whom make my harty commendations and to the rest of al your house that feare God and my trust is you do not forget your duty towardes God in this troublesome worlde See that you tarye with him in one howre of trouble and doubtles he will kepe you for euer with him in the ioyes euerlasting I would write more but this bearer can tel what nede I haue to make hast Fare you well as my self be stronge in Christ for I thanke him for my part I am not ashamed of his gospel neither afeard of the Pope the deuill nor the gates of hel The lordes will be done Written the .4 day of August Anno. 1554. Your poore frend Iohn Hoper ☞ An exhortation to patience sent to his godlye wife Anne Hoper wherby all the true members of Christe may take comforte and courage to suffer trouble and affliction for the profession of his holy Gospell OVr sauiour Iesus Christ derely beloued my godlye wife in S. Mathewes gospell said to his disciples Math. 18. that it was necessary slaūders should come and that thei could not be auoyded he perceiued as well by the condition of those that should perish and be lost for euer in the worlde to come as also by theyr affliction that should be saued For he saw the greatest part of the people would contempne and neglect what soeuer true doctrine or godlye wayes shoulde be shewed vnto them or els receaue it vse it as they thought good to serue theyr pleasures without any profit to their soules at all not caringe whether they liued as they were commaunded by Gods word or not but would thinke it sufficient to be coūted to haue the name of a Christian man with such workes and frutes of his professiō and christianity as his fathers elders after their custome and maner esteme and take to be good frutes faythfull workes will not trye them by the word of God at all These men by the iuste iudgemente of God be deliuered vnto the craft and subteltye of the deuill that they may be kept by one slaunderous stumblinge block or other that they neuer come vnto Christ Math. 2 4 who came to saue those that were lost as ye may see how god deliuereth wicked men vp vnto theyr owne lustes to do one mischief after an other careles vntil they come into a reprobate mind Rom i 1. Thes 2. that forgetteh it selfe and cannot knowe what is expediente to be done or to be left vndone because they close theyr eyes wyl not see the lighte of Gods word offered vnto them and being thus blinded they preferre theyr owne vanities before the truth of Gods word Whereas such corrupt mindes be there is also corrupt election and choise of Gods honour so that the mind of manne taketh falshode for truth supersticion for true religion death for life dampnation for saluatiō hell for heauen and persecution of Christes members for Gods seruice and honoure And as these menne wilfullly and voluntarily reiecte the woorde of God euen so God most iustly deliuereth them into the blyndnes of mynd Iohn 8.9 and hardnes of hart that they cannot vnderstand nor yet consēt to any thing that God would haue preached and setforth to his glory after his owne wil and word wherfore they hate it mortally and of all thinges most derest gods holy worde And as the diuel hath entred into their hartes that they thē selues cannot nor will not come to Christe to be instructed by his holy word euen so can they not abyde any other man to be a christian man and to leade his life after the worde of God but hate him persecute him robbe him imprison him yea kil him whether he be man or woman if God suffre it And so much are those wicked mē blinded that they passe of no lawe whether it be gods or mans but persecute suche as neuer offended yea do euell to those that dayly haue prayed for them and wish thē Gods grace In their Pharaonicall and blinde fury they haue no respecte to nature for the brother persecuteth the brother the father the sonne moste deare frendes in deuelishe slaunder and offence are become most mortall enemyes And no maruayle for whē they haue chosen sundrye maysters the one the deuill the other God th one shall agree with the other as god and the diuell agre betwene thēselues For thys cause that the more parte of the world doth choose to serue the deuil vnder cloked hipocrisy of Gods title Christ sayd it is expedient and necessary that slaunders should come and many means be deuised to kepe the little babes of Christ frō the heauenly father Math. 18. But Christ sayeth wo be vnto him by whome the offence commeth yet is there no remedy man being of such corruption and hatred towardes God but that the euell shal be deceaued and persecute the good and the good shall vnderstande the truthe and suffre persecution for it Gene. 4 Gala. 4 vntill the worldes ende For as he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted in tymes paste hym that was borne after the spiryte euen so it is now Seyng therefore we liue for this life emonges so many greate perils and daūgers we must be well assured by gods word how to beare them and how pacientlye to take them as they be sent to vs from God We must also assure our selues that ther is no other remedy for christians in the time of trouble Luke ij then Christ him self hath appointed vs. In S. Luke he geueth vs this commaundemente ye shall
possesse your lyues in pacience sayeth he In the which words he geueth vs both commaundement what to do and also greate consolation and comforte in all troubles He sheweth also what is to be doone and what is to be hoped for in troubles and when troubles happen he biddeth vs be pacient and in no case violently nor seditiously to resist our persequutors because God hath such cure and charge of vs that he wil kepe in the myddes of all troubles the very heares of our heade so that one of thē shal not fall away without the wil pleasure of our heauenly father Math. 10. Whether the heare therfore tarye in the heade or fall from the heade it is the wil of the father And seing he hath such care for the heares of our head how much more doth he care for our life it self wherfore let gods aduersaryes do what they lust whether they take the life or take it not they can do vs no hurte for theyr crueltye hath no further power then god permitteth them and that whiche commeth vnto vs by the wyll of our heauenlye father can be no harme no losse neyther destruction vnto vs but rather gayne wealth and felicitye For all troubles and aduersity that chaunce to such as be of god Rom. 8. by the wil of the heauenly father can be none other but gayne aduauntage That the spirite of man may feele these consolations the geuer of them the heauenly father must be prayed vnto for the merites of Christes passion Iacob 1. 1. Cor. 1.8 for it is not the nature of man that can be contented vntill it be regenerated and possessed with gods spirite to beare pacientlye the troubles of the mind or of the body When the minde and hart of a man seeth of euery side sorrowe and heauines and the worldlye eye beholdeth nothinge but suche thinges as be troublous wholy bent to robbe the poore man of that he hath also to take from him his lyfe except the man waigh these brittle and vncertayne treasures that be taken from him wyth the riches of the life to come and this life of the bodye wyth the life in Christes precious blood and so for the loue and certeynty of the heauenly ioyes contemne al thinges presente doubtles he shall neuer be able to beare the losse of goods life or any other thynges of this world Therfore S. Paule geueth a verye godlye and necessarye lesson to all menne in thys short transitorye life and therein sheweth how a manne maye beste beare the iniquytye and troubles of thys world Col. 3. if ye be risen agayne wyth Christ sayth he seke the thynges whiche are aboue where Chryste sitteth at the ryght hand of God the father Wherfore the christian mans fayth must be alwaies vpon the resurrection of Christe whē he is in trouble and in that glorious resurrectiō he shal not onelye see continuall and perpetuall ioye and consolation but also the victorye and triumphe of all persequution trouble synne death hell the diuell and all other persequutors and tyrannes of Christe and of Christes people the teares and weepinges of the faythfull dryed vp they re woundes healed theyr bodies made immortall in ioy theyr soules for euer praysynge the Lord and coniunction and societye euer lasting with the blessed company of Gods electes in perpetual ioy But the wordes of S. Paule in that place if they be not marked shal do little profite to the reader or hearer and geue him no patience at al in this impaciēt and cruel world In the fyrst part Saynt Paule commaundeth vs to thinke or set our affections on things that are aboue When he biddeth vs seke the things that are aboue he requireth that our mindes neuer cease from prayer and study in Gods worde vntyll we see knowe and vnderstande the vanities of thys world the shortnes and mysery of this lyfe the treasures of the world to come the immortality therof and the ioyes of that life and so neuer cease seking vntill such time as we know certeynly and be perswaded what a blessed man he is that seeketh th one and findeth it and careth not for thother though he lose it and in seking to haue ryght iudgement betwene the life present and the life to come we shal find how little the paynes imprisonment slaunders lies and death it selfe is in this world in respect of the paynes euerlastinge the prison infernal and doungeon of hel the sentēce of gods iust iudgement and euerlasting death When a man hath by seeking the word of God found out what the thinges aboue be then must he as Saynte Paule saythe set his affections vpon them And this commaundement is more hard then thother For mans knowlege many times seeth the beste and knoweth that there is a lyfe to come better then this life present as you may se how dayly men and women can prayse and commend yea and wysh for heauen and to be at rest there yet they set not theyr affection vpon it they do more affect loue in dede a trifel of nothing in this worlde that pleaseth theyr affection then a treasure of all treasures in heauen whiche their owne iudgemente sayeth is better then all worldlye thinges Wherefore we must set our affections vpon the things that be aboue that is to say when any thyng worse then heauē vpon the earth offereth it selfe to be ours yf we wyll geue our good willes to it and loue it in our heartes then to see by the iudgemēt of gods word whether we may haue the world wtout offēce of god and such thynges as be for this worldly lyfe wythout his displeasure If we cannot S. Paules commaundement must take plate set your affection on thinges that are aboue If the riches of this worlde maye not be gotten nor kepte with gods law neyther our lyues be continued with out the denyall of hys honour we must set our affection vpon the riches and lyfe that is aboue and not vpon things that be on the earth Therfore this second commaundemēt of S. Paule requireth that as our myndes iudge heauenly thinges to be better then thinges vppon the earth and the lyfe to come better then the life present so we should choose them before other preferre thē and haue suche affection to the best that in no case we set the worst before it as the most part of the world doth and hathe done for they choose the best and approue it and yet follow the worst But these things my godly wife requyre rather cogitation meditation and prayer then wordes or talke They be easy to be spoken of but not so easy to be vsed and practised Wherfore seyng they bee gods giftes and none of ours to haue as our own when we would we must seke them at our heauenly fathers hande who seeth and is priuye howe poore and wretched we be and how naked how spoyled destitute of all his blessed giftes we bee by
reason of sinne He dyd commaunde therfore his disciples when he shewed them that they should take patiently the state of this present life ful of troubles persecutiō Math. 24. Luke ij to pray that they might wel escape those troubles that were to come and be able to stād before the sonne of man When ye finde your selfe to muche oppressed as euery man shall be sometyme with the feare of gods iudgement vse the 77. psal that beginneth psalm 77. I wyll try vnto god with my voice and he shall harken vnto me In which psalme is both godly doctrine and great consolation vnto the man or woman that is in anguish of mind Read also his exposition vpon this psalm most cōfortable for all broken and afflicted hartes Vse also in such troubles the .88 psalme wherin is conteyned the prayer of a mā that was brought into extreme anguish and misery and beyng vexed with aduersaries and persecutions saw nothyng but death and hell and although he felt in himselfe that he had not onely man but also god angrye towardes hym yet he by praier humbly resorted vnto god as the onely porte of consolation and in the middes of his desperate state of trouble put the hope of his saluation in him whom he felt his enemye Howe be it no man of hym selfe can do this but the spirit of god that striketh the mans hart with feare Rom. 8 prayeth for the man striken feared with vnspeakable groninges And when you feele your selfe or know any other oppressed after suche sort be glad for after that god hath made you to know what you be of your self he wil doutles shew you comfort Note this well to thy comfort that art afflicted and read the 4. chap. of Eccle. declare vnto you what you be in Christ hys only sonne vse prayer often for that is the meanes wherby god wil be saught vnto for his gifts These psalmes be for the purpose when the minde can take no vnderstādyng nor the hart any ioye of gods promises therfore were these psalmes also made .6.22.30.31.38.69 frō the which you shal learne both patience consolation Remēber that although your lyfe as all christian mens be be hyd and appeareth not Col. 3. what it is yet is it safe as S. Paule saith with god in Christ and when Christ shal appeare thē shall our liues be made open in him with glory But in the meane time with seekyng and settyng our affections vpon the thynges that be aboue we muste patiently suffer whatsoeuer god shall send vnto vs in this mortal lyfe Notwithstandyng it might fortune some would saye who is so perfect that can let all thynges passe as they come and haue no care of them suffer all thynges and feele nothyng be attēpted of the deuill the worlde and the fleshe and not be troubled Verily no man liuyng But this I say that in the strēgth of Iesus Christ thinges that come may passe with care for we be worldly yet are we not caried with thē frō Christ for we be in hym godly We may suffer things and fele them as mortall men yet beare them and ouercome thē as christian men We may be attempted of the deuil the flesh the world but yet although these thinges pinche they doe not pearce and although they worke sinne in vs Rom. 8. yet in Christe no damnation to those that be grafted in hym Hereof may the christian man learne both consolation patience Consolation in that he is compelled bothe in hys bodye and goodes to feele payne and losse and in the soule heauines and anguish of mynde how be it none of thē both shall separate him from the loue that God beareth hym in Christ He may learne patience for as much as his enemies both of the body and soule and the paines also they vexe vs withal for the time if they tary with vs as long as we liue yet when death commeth they shal auoide and geue place to such ioyes as be prepared for vs in Christ for no paynes of the worlde be perpetuall and whether they shall afflicte vs for all the tyme of our mortall lyfe we knowe not for they be the seruauntes of god to go and to come as he cōmaundeth them But we must take hede we meddle not forceably nor seditiously to put away the persecution appointed vnto vs by God but remember Christes saying Luke 2 possesse you your liues by your patience And in this commaundement god requireth in euery man and woman this patient obedience He sayeth not it is sufficient that other holye Patryarckes Prophetes Apostles Euangelistes and Martyrs continued theyr lyues in patience and pacient sufferyng the troubles of this worlde but Christe sayeth to euerye one of his people by your owne patience ye shall continue your lyfe not that man hathe patience of hym selfe but that he must haue it for hymselfe of God the onelye geuer of it if he purpose to be a godly man Now therfore as our profession and religion requireth patience outwardlye withoute resistaunce and force so requireth it patience of the mynde and not to be angrye wyth God althoughe he vse vs that be his own creatures as him listeth We may not also murmure against God but say alwais his iudgements be right iust and reioyce that it pleaseth him by troubles to vse vs as he vsed heretofore suche as he most loued in this worlde haue a synguler eare to this commaundemēt Gaudete exultate be glad reioyce for he sheweth great cause why Math. 5. your reward saith he is great in heauen These promises of hym that is the truth it selfe shall by gods grace worke both consolation patience in the afflicted christian person And when our sauiour Christ hath willed men in trouble to be content and pacient because god in the ende of trouble in Christ hath ordeyned eternall consolation he vseth also to take from vs all shame and rebuke as thoughe it were not an honour to suffer for Christe because the wycked worlde dothe curse and abhorre suche poore troubled Christians Wherfore Christ placeth all his honourably Math. 24. and saith euen so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you We may also se with whom the afflicted for Christs sake be estemed Heb. 11. by S. Paule to the Hebrewes where as the number of the blessed and glorious company of Sainctes appeare nowe to our faith in heauen in ioye yet in the letter for the tyme of thys lyfe in suche paynes and contempte as was neuer more Let vs therfore consider bothe them and all other thinges of the worlde sithens the fall of man and we shall perceiue nothing to come to perfection but wyth such confusion and disorder to the eye of the worlde as thoughe thinges were rather lost for euer then like to come to anye perfection at all For of godly men who euer came to heauē no not Christ himselfe
countrey being otherwise at gods cōmaundement For though father and mother and other frendes are deare and nere yet none are so derely and nerely ioyned together Ephe. 5. Heb. 13. as mā and wife in matrimony which must nedes be holy for that it is a fygure and similitude of Christ hys church They know that S. Paule geueth a great prayse to matrimony calling it honourable and that not to among many but to and among al men without exception whosoeuer haue nede of that Gods remedy for mans and womās infirmitie They know that if there were any sinne in matrimony it were chiefly to be thought to be in the bedcompanye but S. Paule sayth that the bed company is vndefyled Gene. 18. Exod. 18. Genes 25. Gene. 31. 2. Reg. 7. Math 1. They know that the hauing of a wife was not an impediment for Abraham Moyses Isaac Iacob Dauid c. to talke with God neither to the Leuites bishops priestes office in the tyme of the olde Testamente or the newe They know that Christ would not be conceaued or borne of the blessed mother the Virgine Mary before she was espoused in mariage his own ordinance They know by S. Ciprian and S. Austine that a vowe is not an impediment sufficient to let matrimony or to diuorce the same They knowe that S. Chrisostome sayth it is heresie to affyrme that a Byshop may not haue a wife They know that S. Ambrose wil haue no cōmaundement but counsell only to be geuen touchyng the obseruing of virginitie They know that Christ with his blessed mother and Apostles were at a mariage Iohn 2. beautifyed honoured the same with his presence and fyrst miracle To be short they know that al that I haue here written touching the mariage of priestes is true and they know that the papistes thēselues do not obserue touching that matter theyr own lawes canons and yet they continue marked in consciēce with an hote iron as detestable heretikes in this behalf The lord geue thē grace to repēt if it be his good wil Amē My second cause why I was cōdemned as an heretike is that I denied the transubstantiation concomitation two iugling words of the papistes by the which they do beleue and wil cōpel al other to beleue that Christs natural body is made of bread that the godheade by by is ioyned therunto so that immediatly after the words called the wordes of consecration there is no more bread and wine in the sacramēt but the substance only of the body and bloud of Christ together with his godhead so that the same being now Christ both god man ought to be worshipped with godly honour to be offred to god both for the quicke and the dead as a sacrifice propitiatory and satisfactory for the same This matter was not long debated in words but bycause I denyed the foresaid papistical doctrine yea rather plainly most wicked Idolatry blasphemy and heresye I was iudged an heretike I dyd also affyrme the pope to be Antichrist poperye Antichristianitie and I cōfessed the doctrine of the Bible to be a sufficiēt doctrine touching al singular matters of Christian religion and of saluation I also alledged that the othe against the Supremacy of the byshop of Rome was a lawful othe and so was the othe made by vs all touchyng the kings or Queenes preeminence For Chrisostome saieth that Apostles Euangelistes and all men in euery Realme were euer ought to be euer touching both body goods in subiectiō to the Kingly authority who hath the sweard in his hand as gods principall officer gouernour in euery Realme I desired the Bishops to repent for bringing the Realme frō Christ to Antichrist frō light to darkenes from verity to vanitie Thus you know a sūme of my last examination condemnation Pray for me I wil pray for you God be praysed since my condemnation I was neuer affraid to die Gods wil be done If I shrinke frō gods truth I am sure of an other māner of death thē had iudge Hales But God be praysed euen frō the bottome of my heart I am vnmoueably setled vpō the rocke nothing douting but that my dere god wil performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me other To him be al honour both nowe and euer through Christ our only whole Sauiour Amen R. T. A letter which he sent to his wife and children and other of his frends in Hadley as his farewel and last testament I Say to my wife to my children the Lord gaue you vnto me the Lord hath taken me from you and you frō me blessed be the name of the Lord. I beleue that they are blessed which die in the Lord. Apoc. i4 Luke 12. God careth for sparowes and for the heares of our heades I haue euer found him more faythfull and fauourable then any father or husband Trust ye therfore in him by the meanes of our deare Sauiour Christes merites beleue loue feare and obey him pray to him for he hath promised to helpe Count me not dead for I shal certainly liue and neuer die I go before ye shall followe after to our long home I go to the rest of my childrē Susan George Ellē Robert and Zacharie I haue bequethed you to the only omnipotent I say to you my deare frēds of Hadley to al other which haue heard me preach that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine for the which I pray you thanke god with me for I haue after my litle talent declared to other those lessons that I gathered out of gods boke the blessed Bible Therfore if I or any Angel from heauen should preach to you any other gospel Gala. 1 then that ye haue receaued Gods great curse vpon that preacher Beware for Gods sake that ye denie not God neither decline from the word of fayth least god decline from you and so ye do euerlastingly perish For gods sake beware of popery for though it appeare to haue in it vnitie yet the same is in vanity and Antichristianitie and not in Christes fayth and veritie Beware of the sinne against the holy ghost now after such a light opened so playnly and simply truly throughly and generally to al England The Lord graunt all men his good holy spirit encrease of his wisedome encrease of contempning the wicked worlde encrease of desiring hartely to bee with God and the heauenly company through Iesus Christ our only mediatour aduocate ryghteousnesse lyfe sanctification and hope Amen Amen Pray Pray ¶ Rowland Taylour departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternal saluation I thanke god my heauenly father through Iesus Christ my certayne sauiour Amen 5. Februarye Anno. 1555. ⧠Letters of Maister Laurence Saunders parson of Alhollowes in Bredstrete in London who after faythfull testimonye of hys doctrine by long imprisonment was condemned to the fyre
and at Couentrie by gods prouidence no doubt to confirme that he had in that countrey also fruitfully taught suffred with most valiant and chereful courage as ye may read in the boke of marters Fol. 1048. The .8 day of Febr. In the yere of our Lord. 1555. ¶ To my most deare and reuerend fathers in Christ D. Cranmer D. Rydley and D. Latimer prisoners in Oxforde IN my most humble wyse I salute you moste reuerend Fathers in Christ Iesus our Lord. Immortall thankes euerlasting prayses be geuē vnto that our father of mercies Collo 1. which hath made vs mete to be pertakers of the inheritaunce of saintes in light which hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued sonne by whom we haue redemption through his bloud c. Oh most happie estate Collo 3. that in an vnspeakeable wise our life is hid with Christ in God but whensoeuer Christ which is our life shall shewe hymselfe then shall we also appeare with him in glory 1. Cor. i3 2. Cor. 5. In the meane seasō as our sight is but in a glasse euē in a darke speaking so we walke in fayth not after outwarde appearaunce The which fayth although for want of outward appearaunce reason reputeth but as vaine yet the chosen of God do know the effect therof to bring a more substantiall cast liuely fruition of very felicitie and perfect blessednes then reasō can reache or senses conceaue By this fayth we haue in our professiō all good things yea euen those which the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard 1. Cor. 2. neyther haue entred into the hart of man c. Then if hereby we do enioy al good things it followeth that we must nedes possesse haue and inioy you most reuerend fathers who be no small part of our ioy good things geuen vs of God We heretofore haue had the fruitiō of you by bodily presence to our inexplicable benefite praysed be that our gracious God therfore and now in spirit we haue the experience of vnspeakeable cōfort by your reuerend fatherhodes Math. 5. for that in this so glorious sort ye become a towne set vpon a hill a candle vpon a Candlesticke 1. Cor. 4. Phi. 1. a spectacle vnto the world to the Angels and vnto men So that as we to our great comfort do fele ye also maye assuredly say with S. Paule that the thyngs which happē vnto vs do chaūce vnto the great furtherance of the Gospel so that our bondes in Christ are manifest not only throughout al the iudgement hal but in all whole Europa in so much that many of the brethren in the Lord being encouraged through our bondes dare more boldlye speake the woord without feare And herein as you haue with S. Paule greatly to reioyce so we do reioyce with you we do in dede with you geue thankes for this excellent worthy fauour of our God towards you that Christ is thus magnifyed in you yea and hereafter shal be magnifyed in your bodyes whether it be through life or death Of whiche thing truely we are assured in our prayers for you and ministring of the spirite And although for your owne partes Christ is vnto you life and death aduantage and that your desire is as in dede it were better for you to be loosed Phil. 1. and to be with Christ yet for the church of Christ were it muche more necessary that ye should abide in the flesh Yea that merciful god euen for his Christs sake graūt that ye may abide continue for the furtheraunce of the churche reioysyng of fayth that the reioycing thereof may be the more aboundaūt through Iesus Christ by your restoring again Amen Amen But if it seme better otherwise vnto the diuine wisedome that by spedy death he hath appoynted you to gloryfye him the Lordes wil be done Yea euen as we do reioyce both on your behalfes also on our own that god is magnifyed by lyfe should be more aboundauntlye glad for the continuaunce therof so we shall no lesse reioyce to haue the same wrought by death We shall geue thankes for thys honour geuē vnto you phi 1. reioycing that ye are accompted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ that it is geuen to you of god not only that ye should beleue in him but also that ye should suffer for his sake And herein we shal haue to reioyce in the be halfe of the church of Christ whose fayth may be the faster fixed vpō gods veritie being cōfyrmed with three such worthy witnesses Oh thanks be to god for thys hys vnspeakeable gift And now moste reuerend fathers that ye may vnderstande the truth of vs and oure estate how we stand in the Lorde I doe assure your reuerences partlye by that I perceaue by suche of oure brethren as bee here in bondes with me partly by that I heare of them which be in other places and partly by that inward experience which I most vnworthy wretch haue of Gods good comfort more abundaunce wherof I know there is in others ye may be assured I say by gods grace that ye shall not bee frustrate of your hope of our cōstant continuaunce in the chereful confession of Gods euerlasting veritie Ephe. i. For euen as we haue receaued the word of truth euen the Gospell of our saluation wherin we beleuing are sealed with the holy spirite of promyse which is the earnest of our enheritaunce Rom. 8 the whiche spirite certifyeth our spirit that we are the children of God and therefore God hath sent the spirite of his Sonne into oure heartes crying Abba father Gal. 4. so after suche portion as God measureth vnto vs we with the whole churche of Christ and with you reuerend Fathers receauing the same spirit of fayth according as it is written I beleued therefore I haue spoken we also beleue and therfore speake 2. Cor. 4. Psa 116. For the which we in this daungerous bondage and other afflictions hauing euen such a fyght as we haue sene in you and haue heard of you phil 1. we are in no wyse affrayde of our aduersaryes And forasmuch as we haue such an offyce euen as God hath had mercy on vs we go not out of kinde but euē with you after our litle power we labour to mainteyne the faith of the gospel knowing most certainly 2. Cor. 4. that though we haue this treasure in earthē vessels that the excellency of the power might be gods not ours yet shal we not be dashed in peeces for the lord wil put his hād vnder vs. When we are troubled on euery side yet are we not wtout shift when we are in pouerty we are not vtterly without somthing when we suffer persecution we are not forsaken therin when we are cast down yet we shal not perish but to communicate with
2◠but the spirite sayth it must be brought whether it would not Here is the victory of the world here is true fayth euerlasting glory Who is he which desireth not to be foūd faithful to his maister And now is the time that euery faithfull seruaunt of Christ hath iust oportunitie to shew himself a glorious soldiour in the Lords sight Now do the Amalachites inuade the true Israelites that the Israelites might with spede be glorified I nede not for want of vnderstāding to admonish you here of but as a willing souldiour in Christ to exhorte you so to runne as you may get the victory and that spedely with vs. A man that is bydde to a glorious feast wysheth hys frend to go with him and to be partaker therof God doth call me most vnworthye among other to drinke of the bridecup of his sonne wherby we shal be made worthy as many of our brethren haue bene before vs to sit at the ryght hand and at the left hand of Christ O what vnspeakeable conditiō is that may any worldly thing stay vs frō the desire thereof Since we seke the kyngdome of God why do we not apprehende it being so nere offred vnto vs Let vs approche nere vnto God and god wil drawe nere vnto vs. God drawe vs after hym that we may all runne after the sauoure of hys sweete oyntmentes Christ annoynt vs that we may be suppled in these euil dayes to runne lyghtly vnto the glory of the lord Shame imprisonment losse of goodes and sheeding of our blood be the iust price which we must willingly bestow for the same Wherfore dearly beloued in the Lorde let not the great charges kepe you backe from bying this glory for the reward is ten thousand told greater thā the price That you haue maried a wife whom God blesse I can not excuse you from this marte but you must bring your wife for a vsurye to the Lord whose pleasure is in godlye yokefellowes I wishe you to be as I am excepte these horrible bandes but yet most comfortable to the spirite assuring vs that we are made worthy through Christ of the kingdome for the which we suffer Praysed be the Lord for the afflictiō which we suffer he geue vs strength to continue to the ende Cōmende me to M. Heath and tel him that I would wishe hym with me to proue how apt he is to cary the crosse of Christ I pray for his continuance in Christ as for myne owne Commend me to his wife and to Maistres Hall certefiyng them that I am broughte to the gates of hell that I mighte neuer enter into the same but bee raysed vppe from hell to heauen through the word that sanctifyeth vs. Commend me to M. Elsinge his wife and thanke them that they remembred to prouide me some ease in prison and tel them that though my Lords Colehouse be but very blacke yet it is more to be desyred of the faythful then the Queenes palace God make her a ioyful mother and preserue them both to the comforte of Gods people Thus for this time farewel deare brother Written in post hast bicause of straite keping This day I loke to be called before the commissioners againe Pray deare brother for the spirite of wisedome to remaine with me Cōmende me to your wife I thanke you both for your tokēs Your token I haue sent to your wife my tokē vnto you is my faythful hart with this letter Cōmend me to al my frendes tel them I thanke God I am chereful in Christ wishing them to feare god more then mā and to learne to despise earnestly the vanities of this world desiring you al to pray for me that I may ende my iourney with fidelitie Amen Iohn Philpot. To Maister Robert Glouer prisoner in Couentrye for the mayntenaunce of Gods Gospel THe knowledge of god which hath illightned your mynde with the true religion of Christ and now doth in the beginning of darkenes shine in you to the cōmendation of your true faith to the strēgthning of many weake brethren remain with you to the ende through the mighty operatiō of the holy ghost Amē It is a singular comfort to the afflicted flock of Christ to behold such as haue bene ministers and professours of his truth in religiō to stand in the same that in the tyme of persecution whē as the same may not be abidden by before the face of the ryche mighty in this world to be preached without present daūger So Paule willeth Timothe both in season out of season to be earnest in sowing the worde And praysed be God that we here in prison for the testimony therof doe heare of your diligence in this behalfe which cease not to do the office of an Euangeliste although it be with daūger of afflictiō Such faythful ministers be to be honoured that do submitte their own heades to peril for the loue of the gospel Such Christ wil acknowledge and confesse before his father in heauen that they are those which haue biddē with him in temptations ▪ therefore shall eate and drinke with him at his table in the kingdome of heauen I thought it therfore my dutie at the motion of this bearer albeit I haue no bodily acquaintance with you to exhort you as s Paul willeth vs to exhort one an other as long as we are in this life boldly to continue in this good necessary worke of the Lord specially in these euil daies in the which Sathan rageth against the church of Christ daily imprisoneth and robbeth the members therof for their faythfull testimonye and be you assured he will not leaue you vntouched for aboue all other he seeketh to suppresse the good ministers of the woorde for they bee such as haue destroyed his kingdome but you muste not for feare of his odious and tedious assaultes withdraw your selfe from your vocation but rather prouoke him by your constant profession to do his worst knowing that the same shall turne vnto you to the best euen to the crowne of your glory There is none crowned but suche as holde out to the gole end and therefore our sauiour Christ sayth in the gospell Beatus qui perseuerat vsque in finem You rūne wel god is praysed therin the afflicted church much comforted by so faythfull a captayne runne out therfore as I doubt not you wil and feare nothing of that you shall suffer for your laboure for if you be faythful vnto death you shal assuredly haue the reward of eternal lyfe Many go on wel til they come to the pikes and then they turne their backes and geue ouer in the plaine field to the shame of Christ and his church that hath so faynte harted soldiours in his host at the time of nede in that which his glory ought most māfully to be shewed I done not but you haue alredy cast the price of thys your building of the house of god that it is
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
heauen Actes 14. Nowe will god make knowen his children When the winde doth not blowe thē can not a man know the wheate from the chaffe but when the blaste cōmeth then flyeth away the chaffe but the wheate remaineth and is so farre frō being hurte that by the wind it is more clensed from the chaffe and knowē to be wheate Golde when it is caste into the fire is the more precious so are gods children by the crosse of affliction Alwayes God begynneth hys iudgement at hys house Christ and the Apostles were in most miserye in the lande of Iewry but yet the whole land smarted for it after so nowe Gods children are fyrst chastised in this world that they should not be dampned with the world for surely great plagues of god hang ouer this realme Ye all know there was neuer more knowledge of god lesse godly liuing true seruīg of god It was counted a folishe thing to serue god truely earnest praier not past vpon Preaching was but a pastime The communion was counted to cōmon Fasting to subdue the fleshe was farre out of vse Almes was almost nothing Malice couetousnes and vncleannes was cōmon euery where with swearing dronkennes idlenes God therfore now is come as you haue heard me preach and because he will not dāpne vs with the worlde he beginneth to punyshe vs as me for my carnal liuing For as for my preaching I am moste certayne it is and was gods truth and I trust to geue my life for it by gods grace but because I liued not the gospel truly but outwardly therefore doth he thus punyshe me naye rather in punishing blesse me And in dede I thanke hym more of this prison then of any parler yea then of any pleasure that euer I had for in it I fynde God my moste sweete good god alwayes The flesh is punished fyrst to admonish vs now hartilye to liue as we professe secondlye to certifye the wicked of their iuste dampnation if they repent not Perchaunce you are infirmed weakened of that which I haue preached because god doth not defēd it as you thinke but suffereth the olde popishe doctrine to come agayne and preuaile but you muste knowe good Mother that God by this doth proue and trye his children and people whether they wil vnfainedly and simplie hang on him his woord So did he with the Israelites bringing them into a deserte after their comming out of Egipt where I meane the wildernes was want of al things in comparison of that which they had in Egipt Christe when he came into thys worlde brought no worldly wealth nor quietnes with him but rather warre the worlde sayeth he shall reioyce Iohn 16. but ye shall mourne weepe but your weping shal be tourned into ioy and therfore happy are they that mourne and weepe for they shal be comforted They are marked then with gods marke in their foreheades and not with the beastes marke I meane the Popes shauen crowne who now with his shauelinges reioyce but woe vnto them for they shall be cast down they shall weepe and mourne The riche Glutton had here hys ioy and Lazarus sorrow but afterwards the time was chaūged The end of carnal ioy is sorrowe Nowe let the whoremonger ioy with the dronckard swearer couetous malicious and blynd bussard Syr Iohn for the Masse wil not bite them neither make them to blushe as preaching woulde Nowe maye they doe what they will come deuills to the Church and go deuils home for no man muste fynde fault And they are glad of thys now haue they theyr hartes desyre as the Sodomites had when Loth was gone but what followed Forsoth when they cryed peace all shall be well then came Gods vengeaunce fyre and brymstone from heauen and burnte vppe euerye mothers childe euen so deare Mother will it doe to our papistes Wherefore feare God sticke to hys woorde though all the worlde woulde swarue from it Dye you muste once and when or howe you can not tell Dye therefore with Christe suffer for seruing hym truly after his word for sure may we be that of al deathes it is most to be desired to dye for gods sake This is the most safe kinde of dying we can not doubt but that we shal go to heauen if we dye for hys names sake And that you shal dye for hys names sake Gods woorde will warrant you if you sticke to that whiche GOD by me hath taughte you You shall see that I speake as I thynke for by Gods grace I will drinke before you of thys cuppe if I bee put to it I doubt not but God wil geue me hys grace strengthen me therunto praye that he wold and that I refuse it not I am at a poynte euen when my Lord God will to come to hym Death nor life pryson nor pleasure I trust in God shal be able to separate me from my Lord God and his Gospel In peace whē no persecution was then were you content and glad to heare me then dyd you beleeue me and wil you not do so now seing I speake that which I trust by gods grace if nede be to verefye with my lyfe Good Mother I write before God to you as I haue preached before hym It is gods truth I haue taughte It is that same infallible word wherof he hath sayd heauen earth shal passe but my word shal not passe The masse and such baggage as the false worshippers of god and enemies of Christes crosse the papistes I say haue brought in againe to poyson the church of God withal dyspleaseth God highly and is abhominable in his syghte Happye maye he bee whiche of conscience suffereth losse of lyfe or goodes in disalowing it Come not at it If God bee God followe hym If the masse bee God let them that will see it heare or be present at it go to the deuil with it What is there as God ordayned Hys supper was ordained to be receaued of vs in the memorial of his death for the confyrmation of our fayth that his body was broken for vs his bloodshed for pardon of oure synnes but in the Masse there is no receauyng but the prieste keepeth all to hym selfe alone Christe sayeth take eate no sayeth the Prieste gape pepe There is a sacrificyng yea killing of Christe agayne as muche as they maye There is Idolatry in worshipping the outwarde signe of breade and wyne there is all in Latten you can not tel what he sayeth To conclude there is nothyng as God ordayned Wherefore my good Mother come not at it Oh wil some say it wyl hynder you if you refuse to come to masse and to do as other do But God will further you be you assured as you shal one day find who hath promysed to thē that suffer hinderance or losse of any thyng in thys world his great blessing here Mathe. 19 and in the world to come lyfe euerlasting You shal be coūted an
with God I thanke God my common disease doth lesse trouble me now then whē I was abroad which doth teach me the merciful prouidence of god towards me Commend me to Maistres Wilkinson whom we pray god to strengthē in his truth grace vnto the end Vse true and harty prayer and you shall perceaue god at length will declare him selfe to see where now many thinke he sleepeth Out of the Tower by the Lordes prisoner Iohn Bradford To Maistres I. H. a faythfull woman and fearyng God whom he exhorteth to bee pacient vnder the crosse not to feare death MY dearly beloued I besech our mercifull father to comfort your heauie and pensiue hart with his own cōsolations in Christ as I am assured he will in his good time which with pacience loke for good sister after the example of Iob Iames. 5. Helias Abrahā and al the deare Sainctes of God whiche are set forth vnto vs for patrons of pacience god graunte vs well to cutte oure clothe after them for God is the same God nowe and the ende will shewe that he is a mercifull Lorde and full of compassion My deare sister you shall vnfaynedly feele it at the length though presently it semeth otherwise vnto your sense you shall after you be a litle exercised herein Heb. 12 finde a quiet fruite of righteousnes the God of grace which hath called you vnto hys eternal glorye confirming strengthning you being some deale afflicted with your brethren and sisters that be in the worlde 1. pet 5 for alone you suffer not as I truste you knowe It comforted me to reade in your letters that no displeasure of father mother husband children c. doth moue you to be ruled after the counsell of the worlde and therefore you will me not to bee afearde for you Oh my beloued what thankes shoulde I geue to our god and deare father for thys hys excedyng kindenes towards you His name be magnified for you for euer his mercy be more and more multiplyed vnto you in you vpon you for euer and euer Amen God make me thankefull herefore But you adde that the feare of death doth now and then moue you a little Howbeit you saye that as I haue counseyled you you wyll stryue there agaynste My good Ioyce I take you at your woorde keepe promyse I praye you that is stryue agaynste it and I promyse you in the name of the Lord that you shall haue the victorie which I woulde wishe you to set before your eyes also so shall the terrour of death trouble you the lesse Souldiers goinge to warre set not before their eyes simplye the stripe but rather the victorye and my good sister will not you herein followe them In your trauaile with childe doth not the hope of the babe to be deliuered mitigate the maladye Doth not the sicke in taking bitter and lothsome Phisicke set before him the commoditie which wil ensue And my deare sister wil not you by these be somthing enformed Consider what this life is consider what death is consider what is prepared for you after death Concerning thys life you knowe that it is full of miserye vanitie and woe it is a playne exile and hath nothing in it permanente It is therfore compared to a vapor to a smoke to a shadowe yea to a warrefare a wildernes a vale of wretchednes wherein we are compafed on euery side with moste fearce and fearefull enemyes and shoulde we desire to dwell here Should we lust to liue in this lothsome and laborious life Shoulde we wyshe to tarrie in thys wretchednes Shoulde we haue pleasure to remaine in thys perillous state Daniells denne is not so dreadfull as is this dongeon we dwell in Concerning death to them that be as I knowe you are Gods deare children my tenderlye beloued sister what other thynge is it then the dispatcher of all displeasure the ende of al trauaile the doore of desires the gate of gladnes the porte of paradyse the hauen of heauen the rayle of reste and quietnes the entraunce to felicitie the beginnyng of all blisfulnes It is the very bedde of doune and therefore wel compared to a sleepe for the doulefull bodies of Gods people to reste in oute of the whiche they shall rise and awake moste freshe and lustye to life euerlasting It is a passage to the Father a chariot to heauen the Lordes messenger a leader vnto Christ a going to oure home a deliueraunce from bondage and prison a dimission from warre a securitie from all sorrowes and a manumission from all miserye So that the very heathen dyd in some places cause the daye of their death to be celebrated with myrth melody and minstrelsie and should we be dismayde at it Shoulde we be afrayde of it Should we tremble to heare of it Should such a frend as it is be vnwelcome Should the foulnes of hys face feare vs from his good conditions Should the hardenes of his huske hinder vs from his swete cornell Shoulde the roughnes of the tide tie vs to the bancke and shore there to be drowned rather then the desire of oure home dryue vs to go aburde Shoulde the hardnes of the saddle set vs on our feete to perish by the waye rather then to leape vp and endure the same a litle and so to be where we woulde be Concerning that which is prepared for you after death if I shoulde go about to expresse it the more I should so do the further I should be from it For the eye hath not seene neither the eare hath heard nor the harte of man is able to conceaue in any poynte the ioye myrth melodye pleasure power welth riches honour beautie fellowshippe deynties odours glorye wisedome knowledge threasures securitie peace quietnes and eternall felicitie which you shal haue and enioye world without ende with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost with the Aungels Archangels with the Patriarckes and Prophetes with the Apostles and Euangelistes with the Martyrs and Confessors and with all the Saintes of God in the Palace of the Lorde in heauen the kingdome of God the glorye of the Father Oh woe to the blyndnes of our eyes that see not this Woe to the hardnes of our hartes that feele not this Woe to the deafnes of our eares that heare not thys in suche sort as we should do wherthrough we might be so farre from fearyng death that rather we shoulde wish it crying with Simeon Now let thy seruaunt depart in peace With Paul I desire to be desoulued and to be with Christ With Dauid when shall I come and appeare before thee And agayne Oh woe is me that my habitation is thus prolonged c. Psa 119. But halas deare sister great is oure vnbeliefe Full faynte is oure fayth or elles nyghte and daye teares shoulde be oure bread and drinke Psal 41. whilest it is sayde vnto vs where is your GOD It is a token of little loue
champions or els yf ye feele suche infirmitie in your selues that ye be not hable geue place to violence and go where ye maye with free and safe conscience serue the lord Thinke not this counsel to come by chaunce or fortune but to come from the Lorde other oracles we may not looke for nowe As God tolde Ioseph in a dreame by an aungel that he shoulde flye so yf ye feele such infirmity in your selues as shoulde turne to gods dishonor and your owne destruction wythal know that at this present I am as gods aungel to admonish you to take tyme whyles ye haue it and to see that in no case Gods name by you myghte be dishonoured Ioseph myghte haue obiected the omission of his vocation as perchaunce ye wil doe but deare hartes let vocations and all things els geue place to gods name the sanctifyeng therof Thys I speak not as though I wuld not haue you rather to tary to staÌ„d to it but I speake it in respect of your infirmity which if ye feele to bee so greate in you that ye are not certayne of thys hope that god wyll neuer tempt you aboue you hability fly and get you hence and know that therby god wil haue you tried to your selues to others For by this you shal know how to take thys world and your home here as no home but that ye loke for an other and so geue occasion to others lesse to loue thys world and perchaunce to some to doubte of their religion Wherin though they be earnest yet would not they loose so much as ye do for your religion which ye confyrme to me others by your geuyng place to violence Laste of all ye haue cause to reioyce ouer these daies because they be dayes of conformation in the which and by the which god our father maketh vs lyke to christes image here that we may be like to him elswhere For if we suffer with him we shall reigne with him if we be buryed with him we shal rise with him if we coÌ„pany with him in afflictions we shall reioyce with him in glorye if we sowe with him in teares we shal reape with him in gladnes if we coÌ„fesse him before men he will confesse vs before his Father in heauen if we take his part he will take ours if we lose ought for his names sake he wil geue vs all thinges for his truthes sake So that we ought to reioyce bee glad for it is not geueÌ„ to euery one to suffer losse of couÌ„trey life goods house c. for the Lords sake What can god the father do more vnto vs then to cal vs into campe with his sonne What may Christe our Sauiour doe more for vs then to make vs his warriours What can the holy ghost doe to vs aboue this to marke vs with the cognisaunce of the Lord of hostes This cognisance of the Lord standeth not in forket cappes tippettes shauen crownes or such other baggage and antichristian pelfe but in suffering for the Lords sake The worlde shall hate you saith Christ Loe there is the cognisance and badge of gods children the world shal hate you Reioyce therfore my dearly beloued reioyce that god doth thus vouchsafe to beginne to conforme you and make you like to Christ By the triall of these dayes ye are accasioned more to repeÌ„t more to pray more to contempne this worlde more to desire life euerlasting more to be holy for holy is the ende wherfore GOD doth afflict vs and so come to gods company Which thing because we can not do as long as this body is as it is therfore by the doore of death we must entre with Christ into eternall life and immortalitie of soule and body which God of his mercy send shortlye for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen Iohn Bradford To myne owne deare brother Maister Laurence Saunders prisoner in the Marshalsee GOds sweete peace in Christe be with you my good brother in the Lord Iesus with all your concaptiues AmeÌ„ I was letted this morning from musing on that which I was purposed to haue thought on by reasoÌ„ of you against whoÌ„ I sawe my selfe giltie of negligence euen in this poynt that I would not write I should say that I had not written vnto you as yet therfore out of hande in maner I prepared my selfe to purge my self hereof not that I wil go about to excuse my fault for that were more to loade me but by asking both god and you pardon to get it no more layde to my charge Now then as I was thus purposing partly doing coÌ„meth there one with a letter from you for the which as I haue cause to thanke god and you howbeit not so that you should thinke I geue not the whole to god so I see my selfe more blame worthye for thus longe holding my peace Howbeit good brother in this I haue geuen a demonstration to you to behold my negligence in all other things and especially in praying for you and for the church of god whiche for my sinnes and hypocrisie hypocrisie in dede euen in this writing god deliuer me from it haue deserued to bee punished Iust is god for we haue deserued all kindes of plaggues at his hands but yet merciful is he that will on thys wise chastise vs with this world ne cuÌ„ muÌ„do condeÌ„nemur He myght otherwise haue punished vs I meane he might haue for other causes cast vs in prison me especially then for his gospell and wordes sake Praysed therfore be his name whiche voucheth vs worthy thys honour Ah good god forgeue vs our sinnes and worke by this thy fatherly correction on vs on me especially effectually to loue thee and thy Christ and with ioyfulnes vnto the end to cary thy crosse through thicke and thinne Alwayes set before our eyes not this gallowes on earth if we still sticke to thee but the gallowes in hell if we denye thee or swarne from that we haue professed Ah good brother if I coulde alwayes haue GOD hys maiestie mercye heauen hell c. before mine eyes then should I obdurare as Paule writeth of Moses Heb. 11. obdurauit in quit perinde quasi vidisset eum qui est inuisibilis Praye for me as I know you doe and geue thankes also for in domino spero non nutabo Psal 22. Si ambulauero per valleâ—n vmbrae mortis non timebo quia tu domine mecum es Amen I thinke we shall bee shortly called forth for now legeÌ„ habent secuÌ„duÌ„ legem c. otherwise will they not reason with vs and I thynke theyr shootanker wil be to haue vs to subscribe The which thing if we do though with this condition so farre as the thing subscribed to repugneth not agaynst Gods word yet thys will be offensiue Therefore let vs vadere planê and so sanê I meane let vs all confesse that we are no chaungelinges but reipsa are the same we were in
way Math. 7 2. Timot. 3 2. Cor. 5 Math. 14. which few walke in for fewe lyue godly in Christ Iesu few regard the lyfe to come few remember the day of iudgement fewe remember how Christ will deny them beforh hys father that do denye him here few consider that Christ wyll be ashamed of them in the last day which are ashamed now of hys truthe true seruice few cast theyr accomptes what will be laid to theyr charge in the day of vengeaūce fewe regard the condemnation of their owne consciences in doyng that which inwardly they disalow few loue god better then theyr goodes Rom. 14. but I trust yet ye are of these few my derely beloued I trust ye be of the little flocke which shall enherite the kyngdome of heauen I trust ye are of the mourners and lamēters which shal be comforted with comfortes which neuer shal be taken from you if ye nowe repente your former euils Luke 10 if nowe ye stryue agaynste the euyls that are in you if now ye cōtinue to call vppon God if nowe ye defile not your bodies with anye Idolatrous seruice vsed in the Antichristian churches Ephesi 4. if ye moleste not the good spirite of God which is geuen you as a gage of eternal redēption a coūseller master to lead you into all truth whiche good spirit I beseche the father of mercy to geue vs all for hys dere sonnes sake Iesus Christ our lord Acts. 20 to whom I cōmend you al to the word of his grace which is able to helpe you all saue you all that beleue it follow it serue god therafter And of this I would ye were al certain that al the heares of your heades are numbred so that not one of thē shal perish Math. 8. Iob. 1. Psa 104 Psa 13. 1. pet 5 neither shal any man or deuil be able to attempt any thing much lesse to doe any thing to you or any of you before your heauēly father which loueth you most tēderly shal geue thē leaue when he hath geuen them leaue they shal go no further then he wyll nor kepe you in trouble any longer then he wyll Therfore caste on hym all your care for he is carefull for you onely studye to please him and to kepe your consciences cleane and your bodies pure from the Idolatrous seruice which now euery where is vsed and god will meruelously and mercifully defend and comforte you whiche thing he doe for hys names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen Iohn Bradforde To my good Lady Vane THe true sense and swete feelyng of gods eternall mercies in Christe Iesus bee euer more and more liuely wrought in your hart by the holy ghost Amen I most hartely thanke you good madame for your comfortable letters where as you would be aduertised what were beste to bee done on your behalfe concernyng your iij. questions the truthe is that the questions are neuer well sene nor aunswered vntil the thynge whereof they arise bee well considered I meane vntill it be sene how great an euill the thing is If it be once in dede in your hart perceaued vpon probable and pithy places gathered out of gods booke that there was neuer thing vpon the earthe so great so much an aduersary to gods true seruice to Christes death passion priesthode sacrifice and kingdome to the ministery of gods worde and sacraments to the church of God These questions were concerning the masse wherin she desired hys iudgement to repentaunce faith and all true godlines of life as that is wherof the questiōs arise as most assuredly it is in dede then cannot a christiā hart but so much the more abhorre it and al thynges that in any point might seme to allow it or anye thyng pertainyng to the same by howe much it hath the name of gods seruice Agayne your Ladiship doth know that as all is to be discommended and auoyded which is followed or fledde from in respect of our selues in respecte of auoyding Christes crosse so the ende of all our doynges should be to godwards to his glory to our neighbours to edification and good example wherof none can be geuen in allowing anye of the .iii. questions by you propoūded But because this which I write now is breefe and needeth the more consideration or explication as I doubt not of the one in you so from me by Gods grace you shall receaue the other shortly For I haue alreadye written a little booke of it which I will send vnto you He meaneth his booke whiche he calleth the hurt of hearīg masse in the which you shall haue your questions fully aunswered and satisfied and therefore I omitte to write any more hereaboutes presentlye beseching God our good father to guide you as his deare childe with his spirite of wisedome power and comforte vnto eternall life that you may be stronge and reioyce in him and with his church to cary Christes crosse if he shall so thinke it neede 1. Pet. 1. which is a thyng to be desired wished and embraced if we looked on thinges after the iudgement of Gods word and tryed them by that touchstone If you be accustomed to thinke on the breuitie vanitie and miserie of this life and o◠the eternitie truth and felicitie of euerlasting life if you looke on thinges after their endes and not after their present appearaunce only if you vse your self to set gods presence power and mercy alwayes before your eyes to see thē as god by euery creature would you should I doubt not but you shall finde such strength and comforte in the Lord as you shall not be shaken with all the power of Sathan Gods mercy in Christ be with you and his good spirite guide you for euer Amen An other letter to the Lady Vane AS to myne owne soule I wishe to your Ladiship grace and mercy from God our deare Father in Christe our Lorde and Sauioure I thanke God that something he hath eased you and mitigated his fatherly correction in vs both I woulde to God he had done so much in the behalfe of the greefe of the body to you as he hath done to me For as for the soule I trust you feele that which I pray god encrease in you I meane his fatherly loue and graunte that I may with you feele the same in such degree as may please him I wil not say as you feele least I should seeme to aske to muche at one time God doth often muche more plentifullye viset with the sense of hys mercye them that humble them selues vnder his mightye hande and are sore exercised as you long haue bene then others whiche to the face of the worlde haue a more shewe and appearaunce Therfore I wysh as I do and that not only for myne own commoditye but also that I myght occasion you to the consideration of the goodnesse of God which I by your letters doe well espye which is in
maye make to his glory and the commodity of his chruch Amen All here god therfore be praised prepare theÌ„selues wyllyngly to pledge our captayn Christ euen when he wil and how he will By your good prayers we shal al fare the better therfore we al pray you to continue to crye to god for vs as we god willyng do and wyll remember you My bretherne here wyth me haue thought it their duety to signify this nede to be no lesse then I make it to preuente the plantations which may take roote by these men Yours in the Lorde Robert Ferrar. Rowlande Taylor Iohn Bradford Ihon Philpot. ¶ To Maister Shalcrosse and hys wyfe dwellyng in Lankeshyre THe peace of conscience in Christ and through fayth in hys bloud which as it passeth and is farre better then any worldly ryches or ioye so is it to be redemed wyth the losse of the derest treasures we haue rather then we should lose it this peace I wishe vnto you good M. Shalcrosse and vnto your good yokefellow my good sister in the Lord now and for euer Amen Hertherto although I could not write vnto you yet as I trust you pray for me so I haue not bene forgetful of you in my poore prayers to almyghtye GOD my deare father through Christe to whome I geue humble prayses that he hathe geuen you grace as yet for so I heare to kepe your selfe vndefyled in hys seruice which farre differeth from the Romyshe ragges reuiued of late and iustlye for our synnes and vnthankeful vsing hys true religion and holy ceremonies once agayne in place and vse emongest vs. In token whereof I meane that I haue not bene forgetfull of you I thought good now when I may wryte to sygnifye the same aswel to renewe our mutuall loue in GOD and care one for an other by hartye prayer as to excite and prouoke you bothe to thankefulnes for gods graces hetherto especially in the poynte before spoken of and to be diligent and wary that you vnto the ende continue in the same for you know that perseueraunce in godlines and puritie is required of vs 2. Timot. 2 and that none other shal be crowned but suche as fyght lawfully Go to therfore and fyght on a good fyght floutly and manfullye that is as you know God is not to be worshipped and serued but after hys word written and not after vnwriten verities or the deuise fantasy and pleasures of men or women in what state soeuer they bee accordynglye behaue your selfe as inwardlye in gods syghte so outwardlye before your bretherne Seeme not to approue by your outewarde man that which the inwarde man detesteth It is not enoughe to beeleue wyth the harte excepte the mouthe and facte confesse the same Nor it is not enoughe wyth the mouthe to acknowledge a veritye and by oure facte and dede to destroye the same Paule speaketh sometimes of denyers of god not only with their lyppes tonge but also wyth theyr dede and life Let not the world or the more part of men be an example to you to followe them or do as they do in the seruice of God Christ sayth follow me speakyng of hymselfe whiche is the patrone and sampler we shoulde set before vs and not the worlde or more part whiche wyndeth the wyde and broade waye whose ende dothe leade to perdition and euerlastynge woe but rather let the example of such as walke in the narrowe and strait way which bringeth to life endles encourage you to walk wyth them althoughe the number of them bee but sâ—we the personages of theÌ„ be vttyrly contemned with the worlde in the world which worlde cannot loue no not knowe in dede the children of god because it cannot receiue the sprite of God and therefore as the Ape her younge ones so it the world I meane doth thinke her owne birdes the fayrest conteÌ„ning with deadly hate al others that wil not follow her iudgemeÌ„t But what saith christ Be of good there although the world wil persecute you yet I haue ouercome the world Oh coÌ„fortable sentence I haue ouercome the worlde This vndoutedly he meaneth for you me all other hys childreÌ„ that he hath ouercome the world for vs. But by what meanes Surely by suffring coÌ„tempt wrong false reportes and euen very shameful most bitter death Yf he went this way wan the victory thys way as I trust we knowe let vs as his seruants whose state ought not to be aboue our maisters not be dismaid of contempte of wrong of losse of goods or life it self but rather ioyfully suffer the same as meÌ„ knowing we haue better portions in heauen that thys is the sure way to victory most victorious for by many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ if we wil come thether excepte for tribulation sake we will with ease and worldly quietnes go to hell You know that Paule saieth all that wyll lyue godlye in Chryste Iesu muste suffer persecution Wherfore in that you are in Christe Iesu I dare say you wil continue though persecutioÌ„ come to you being assured that it cannot come except god haue so decreed and if he haue so decreed then can not you but receiue it or els a crosse which will be much worse Willingly therfore take what crosse the lord shaloffer then the lord wil make you able to beare it neuer tempte you further theÌ„ he will make you stroÌ„g enough yea al the heares of your head he wil nuÌ„ber kepe so that one of theÌ„ shal not perish but if you should refuse gods crosse especially in suffring the losse of any thing for his sake which geueth you al the good that euer you haue kepeth it if I say you refuse be certaine the plagues of God wil be poured downe first on your soule conscieÌ„ce in hardning your hart blinding your minde either by bringing you into dispaire or into a conteÌ„pt carnal security whereafter wil ensue losse of the derest things you haue if god loue you or els he wil conserue the same to your eternal destruction I wryte not this as distrusting your coÌ„stancie in gods cause God forbyd for me thinke I am assured of your godly zeale but I do it as I sayde that you maye bee the more heedye ware diligent and earnestly geuen to cal vpon the name of god for hys helpe and grace of perseuerance which is more redy to geue then we to aske I know this kynde of writyng is madnes to the world folishnes to reason and sower to the flesh but to you which are a man of God and by profession in baptisme haue forsaken the worlde and doe consider thinges after the reache of faythe and haue tasted of the good spirite of God and of the lyfe to come vnto such a one I say as I trus you be thys kynd of writyng is otherwyse estemed For heare you are but a pylgryme your home is in heauen your
take or pul vnto you trouble or that I wuld not haue you to vse such honest lauful meanes as ye may in the feare of god with good conscience to auoide the crosse and geue place to euil but that I wold haue you willing to put for t your hand to take it when god offreth it in such sort as with good conscience ye cānot escape Then take it kysse it thāke god for it for it is euē a very sacrament that god loueth you as he saith whom I loue thē do I chastice if ye be not pertakers of correctiō surely ye are no children but if he once chastice you if that ye kisse the rod verely he wil case the rod into the fyre colle you kisse you as the mother doth her child whē she perceiueth the child to take in good part the correction But why do I compare god your fathers loue to a mother in that it farre passeth it For saith he though it be possible that a natural mother should forget the child of her wōbe yet wil not I forget thee saith the lord our good god and father through Christ Though he seme angry towards euenyng yet in the morning we shal fynd him wel pleased if in Christe we come to him and cry Abba dere father helpe vs and as thou hast promised tempt vs not further then thou wylte make vs able to beare Therfore my dere hartes in the lord be of good comfort be of good comfort in the lord Confesse hym and hys truth and feare not prison losse of goodes or lyfe Feare rather that prison out of the which there is no deliuerance feare rather the losse of those goods which last for euer feare rather the losse of the life which is eternall wherunto ye are called the way by which god wyll bringe you to it in that ye certainly know not whether it wil be by prisō fyre halter c. whensoeuer these come as I said before let them not dismay you nor seme straunge to you For no smal number of gods chyldren are gone that way and we are a good cōpany here together which are ready to folow the same way through gods grace yf god so wyll I beseche you make you ready and goe with vs or rather be readye that when we come we may go wyth you The iorney is but short though it be vnpleasaunt to the fleshe Perchaunce yf we should die in our beddes on a corporal malady it would be much longer and also more painful at the least in gods syghte it cannot bee so precious and gayneful as I knowe thys kynde of death is whereto I exhorte you to prepare your selues myne owne deare hartes in the bowels and bloode of oure sauiour Iesus Christ to whose tuition grace gouernance and protection I hartely commend you all and besech you that ye woulde do the lyke vnto me in your harty prayers Out of the tower of London 1554. By your owne to vse in the Lorde for euer Iohn Bradford An other letter wrytten to certayne godly persons to the same effecte GRatious god and most merciful father for Iesus Christes sake thy dearely beloued sonne graunt vs thy mercy grace wisedome and holy spirite to counsaile comforte and guide vs in all our cogitations words and workes to thy glory and our euerlastyng ioye and peace for euer Amen In my last letter ye myght perceyue my coniecturyng to be no lesse towardes you then now I haue partly learned But my derely beloued I haue learned none other thing then before I haue tolde you would come to passe if ye cast not away that whiche I am sure ye haue learned I doe appeale to bothe youre consciences whether herein I speake truth as wel of my tellyng though not so often as I might and shoulde god forgeue me as also of your learning Now God wil trye you to make others to learne by you that which ye haue learned by others The lady lasts her husbād were beheaded that day ▪ by them which suffred this day ye myght learne if already ye had not learned that lyfe and honour is not to be set by more then gods cōmaundement They in no poynte for all that euer their ghostly fathers could do hauing Doctor Death to take their part would consent of seme to consent to the popysh Masse and papistical God otherwise then in the daies of our late King they had receaued And this their faith they haue confessed with their deathes to their great glory and all our comfortes if we follow thē but to our confusion if we starte backe from the same Wherfore I besech you both to consider it aswel to prayse god for them as to go the same way with them if god so will Consider not the things of thys life which is a very prison to all gods childrē but the things of euerlasting life which is our very home But to the beholding of this geare ye must open the eyes of your minde of fayth I should haue sayd as Moses dyd whiche set more by trouble with Gods people then by the riches of Egipt Pharaos court Your house home and goods yea lyfe and al that euer ye haue god hath geuen you as loue tokens to admonishe you of his loue and to winne your loue to him agayne Now wil he try your loue whether ye set more by him then by his tokens or no. If ye for his tokens sake that is for your home house goods yea life wil go with the worlde least ye shoulde lose them then be assured your loue as he can not but espie it to be a strompettes loue so wil he caste it away with the world Remember that he which wil saue his life shal lose it if Christe bee true but he which aduentureth yea loseth his life for the gospels sake the same shall be sure to finde it eternally Do not ye both know that the waye to saluation is not the broade way which many runne in but the straite way which fewe now walke in Before persecution came men might partly haue stand in a dout by the outward state of the world with vs although by gods word it was plaine whether was the hygh waye for their was as many pretended the gospell as poperye but now the sonne is risen the wind bloweth so that the corne which hath not takē fast roote cānot nor wil not abide and therfore easlye ye may see the straite waye by the small number that passeth throught it Who will nowe aduenture their goods and lift for Christs sake which yet gaue his life for oursakes Math. 8. We now are Gergesites that would rather lose Christe then our porkets A faythfull wife is neuer tryed so to be but whē she reiecteth with standeth woers A faythful Christian is then found so to be whē his fayth is assaulted If we be not able I meane if we will not forsake thys world for gods glorye and
of mercye in Christe blesse you both kepe you both and sende you both aswell to do as I wishe to my dearest and best beloued frendes and brethren in the Lorde I praye you continue to praye for me as I doubte not you doe and so geue thankes to God for me for he is good and hys mercye endureth foreuer The daye will come when we shall meere together and neuer departe God send it shortly Amen Iohn Bradforde To the worshipfull Syr VVilliam Fitzwilliams then being Knyghte Marshall of the Kinges Benche THe peace of god proper to his people the holy ghost worke daily and depely in your hart through Iesus Christ our Lorde Amen I thanke my Lorde and God throughe hys Sonne our mediatour and sauioure for hys mercyes and graces geuen to your Mastership the whiche I beseche hys goodnesse to encrease in you continuallye to youre euerlastyng comforte in hym By hys mercyes towardes you I meane not in your landes possessions offices naturall wysedome rychts healthe forme c. whiche in deede be giftes of God geuen to you of hys mercye withoute your desertes and therefore shoulde he bee daylye of you praysed for the same as I doubte not but he is for elles your ingratitude woulde prouoke hym to punyshe you in them and by them if he loue you but I meane hys mercyes towardes you in the knowledge and loue of hys truthe in religion The whiche benefite in that you amongest the not manye of youre estate and condition 1. Co. 1 as Sainte Paule witnesseth haue receaued as a verye testimoniall of youre election in Christ I woulde bee sorye that you shoulde neede anye suche as I am to moue you to thankefulnesse for I am not in a mammerynge whether you be thankful to god for thys great mercy which is much more to be estemed thē al that euer you haue I hūbly besech God in hys Christ to encrease the same in you to the very end And that by me he myght doe the same in some part I thought it good and also my bounden dutie deepely deserued on your behalfe towardes me for the whiche I beseche the Lord to reward you to send to you thys treatise of the doings of Maister Ridley at Oxford concernyng hys disputation about the Sacrament This treatyse of M. Ridleyes disputation which he sent to hym you shal read in the booke of Martyrs Fol. 963. I know that there hath gone diuerse copies abroade but none of them were as I knowe thys is for I haue translated it out of that copye in Latten which was corrected with hys owne hand whiche came vnto me not without hys own consente and therfore dare I be bolde to saye that thys hath not before beene seene on thys sorte In readyng whereof you shall well see thys I speake to be most true and also that whiche causeth me to suppresse commendations of the thyng the excellencye and worthines therof I meane because I thinke I cānot speake any thing so worthely as vndoubtedly these hys doings do deserue Vnto your Maistership I sende them as a token of my dutie towardes you thereby to declare that as you deserue muche of me so I woulde shewe my selfe willynge to recompence the same if I coulde but in that I can not and also youre doinge is simplye in respecte of GOD and hys cause I wyll accordyng to your expectation leaue the recompence vnto hym in the meane season prayinge hym that of hys goodnes he would as encrease the knowledge and loue of hys truth in you so strenghen you after your vocation both purelye to walke and manfullye to confesse hys Gospel if he shall thynke it needeful to call you to that honoure for surelye of all honours it is the greatest to suffer any thyng for Christes sake Most happye maye that man thynke hymselfe that hath any thyng for hys cause to lose As he shall bee sure to fynde for hys owne parte eternall felicitie and honoure endles so shall hys posteritye euen temporallye proue thys to be moste true For gods sake therefore ryghte worshipful Syr consider well thys geare and waye it not as the worlde and your mother witte wyll moue you to do but as the word of God doth teach you there shal you see thys I speake of to bee matter of much myrth ioye and glory though to the world it seme cleane contrary Gods good spirite alwayes guide you to hys glorye geue you the spirit of prayer continually to praye that God neuer further tempt you then he will make you able to beare Amen In that thys copie is not so fayre written as I wishe and woulde haue had it I shall desire you to consider where I am and how I can not haue thinges so done as I woulde and therefore you haue it as maye bee when it may not be as I woulde it were and shoulde be From the Kinges Benche Your humble Iohn Bradforde To my good brother Maister Coker at Maldon in Essex ALthoughe I haue presentlye both litle tyme and lesse oportunitie otherwyse to write as I would yet as I maye I thoughte better to write somethynge thē vtterlye to be silente For if I shoulde not so do hauing so conuenient a messenger as I mighte towardes you incurre the suspision of ingratitude and forgetfulnesse so might I not satisfye the desire of thys my poore brother and frende Iohn Searchfield which cōmeth vnto you for helpe and comforte in this troublesome time Thys dare I say that the man feareth God and for Gods sake and conscience towardes hym susteyneth both losse and labour For our common fathers sake therefore in Christ helpe him to some hole to hyde him selfe in for a litle time if conueniently you may and remember that he that receaueth one of Christes litle ones receaueth Christe as he him selfe in the last day will acknowledge Which laste daye let vs often loke on and set before vs as the thing which most maketh to our comfort Nowe we sorrowe and sighe to see the sea swell and rage on this sort as it doth And to confesse the truth we haue double cause as wel because we haue deserued this sower sauce by reasō of our vnthankfulnes and many sinnes which the Lord pardon as because gods glory is troden vnder foote But thys comfort we haue that as God our good father will not the death of a sinner so wyll he order this geare most to his glory and our ioye and comforte if we repent now and hartely lament our euilles vse earnest humble and often yea continuall prayer and caste our selues wholy on hym and hys goodnes still labouring to lothe thys life and longing for the life to come for the which we shoulde accompte thys as it is a very vale of miserye much to be mourned in because the time of our habitation herein and exile is prolonged God graunte vs hys holy spirite to strengthen vs in his truth professed that we may perseuer to the end in the
lament mourne syghe sobbe wepe and haue your wyldernes to wander in your purgatory and euen hell to purge and burne vp your synnes Ye are not of them which crye let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shal die Ye are not of that nōber which say they haue made a couenaunt with death and hel for hurting of them Esay 28 Mal. 3. Apo. 3. Ezech. 8. Psa 73. Math. 4. Dani. 3. Ye are not of thē which take it for a vaine thing to serue the lorde Ye are not of thē which are lulled and rocked a slepe in Iesabels bed a bed of securitie Ye are not of the number of thē which say tushe god is in heauen and seeth vs not nor much passeth what we doe Ye are not of the number of thē which wil fall downe for the mucke of the world to worshyppe the Feende or for displeasing of men to worshippe the golden mage Math. 8. 1 Mach. 1.2 Exod. 13 3. Reg. 22. Rom. 6.7 Coloss 3 Finallye yeare not of the number of them which set more by your pygges then by Christ which for ease and rest in this lyfe wil say and doe as Antiochus byddeth you do or say and wil follow the multitude to do euil with Zedechias and the 300. false Prophets yea Achab Iesabel and the whole courte and countrey But ye are of the number of thē which are dead alredy or at least be in dyeng daily to your selues to this world Ye are of them which haue made a couenaūt wyth god to forsake your selues in thys worlde and Sathan also Ye are of thē which say Luk. 12. Mala. 3. nay the lord hath al things written in hys memoriall booke for suche as feare hym and remember hys name Luke 12. psa 33.14.101 Ye are of thē which haue their loines girded about and their lyghtes burning in their hands like vnto men that wayte for their lordes cōming Ye are in the number of them that say the lord loketh downe from heauen and beholdeth the chyldren of men from the habitation of his dwelling he considereth al them that dwell vpon the earthe Luke 3. Dan. 3. 1. pet 2. Psal i20 i. Mac. 2 Math. 7 3. Reg. 22. Ye are of the number of them whiche will worshyp the only lord god and wyl not worshyp the workes of mans handes though the ouen burne neuer so hote Ye are in the nūber of them to whom Christ is precious deare which cry out rather because your habitation is prolonged here as Dauyd did Ye are of them whiche follow Mathathias and the godly Iewes which know the way to lyfe to be a straite way and few to go through it whiche wyll not stycke to follow poore Micheas although he be racked and cast into pryson hauing the Sunne Moone seuen Starres and all agaynste hym Thus therfore dearely beloued remember fyrste that as I sayde ye are not of thys worlde that Sathan is not your Captayne your ioye and Paradyse is not here your companions are not the multitude of worldlings and such as seke to please men and liue here at ease in the seruice of Satan phil 3. Heb. 13 But ye are of an other world Christ is your Captayne your ioy is in heauē where your cōuersation is your companions are the fathers Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Martyrs Virgins confessors and the deare sainctes of God Apo. 7 Iob. 78.14 Psalm 9. Iames. 4 whych follow the Lambe whether soeuer he goeth dippyng their garments in hys blood knowyng this lyfe and world to be full of euill a warfare a smoke a shadow a vapour and as replenished so enuironed wyth all kynde of myseries This is the fyrst thyng which I would haue you often and diligently wyth your selues to consider to muse wel vpon namely what ye be and where ye be Nowe secondlye forgette not to call to mynde that ye oughte not to thynke it anye straunge thyng if miserye trouble aduersitie persecution and displeasure come vpon you 1. pet 4 Iohn 14. 1. pet 5 For howe can it otherwyst bee but that trouble and persecution muste come vppon you Canne the world loue you which are none of hys Can worldlye men regard you which are your chiefe enemies souldiours Can Satan suffer you to be in rest Math. 7. which wyl do no homage vnto hym Can this way be chosen of any that make it so narrow and straite as they doe Wyll ye looke to trauayle and to haue no fowle way or rayne Wyll shypmen shrynke or saylers on the sea geue ouer if stormes aryse Doe they not loke for suche And dearely beloued did not we enter into gods shippe and Arke of Baptssme at the fyrst 1. pet 4 Wyll ye thē counte it straunge if perilles come or tempestes blowe Are not ye trauailing to your heauēly City of Ierusalē where is all ioye and felicitie and wsll ye now tary by the way for stormes or showers Iohn 9 Mat. 25 The Marte and faier wil then be past the night wil so come vpon you that ye cannot trauayle the dore wyll be sparde and the bryde will be at supper Therfore away wyth daintye nicenesse Wyll ye thynke the father of heauen wyll deale more gently wyth you in thys age thē he hath done wyth others hys dearest frends in other ages What way Gen. 4 6.7.8.9 c. yea what stormes and tempests what troubles and disquietnes founde Abell Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob good Ioseph Which of these had so fayre a lyfe and resteful tymes as we haue had Exod. 2.3.4.5 c Moyses Aaron Samuell Dauyd the kyng and all the good kynges Priestes Prophetes in the olde testament at one tyme or other if not through oute theyr lyfe dyd fele a thousand partes more misery then we haue felte hetherto As for the new Testament Lord god how great was the affliction of Marye of Iosephe of Zacharye of Elizabeth of Iohn Baptiste of all the Apostles and Euaungelistes Math. ii yea of Iesus Christ our Lord the deare sonne and dearlyng of God And since the time of the Apostles Euseb eccl hist Tripart hist howe many and great are the number of Martyrs Confessours and such as haue suffered the sheeding of their bloode in this life rather then they would be stayed in their iourney or lodge in anye of Sathans Innes leste the stormes or windes whiche fell in their trauailinges myght haue touched them And dearelye beloued let vs thinke what we are and howe farre vnmeete to be matched with these with whom yet we looke to be placed in heauen Psa 49 But with what face can we looke for thys that are so fearefull vnwilling and arsward to leaue that which will we nyll we we muste leaue and that so shortly as we know not the time when Where is oure abrenouncing and forsaking of the worlde and the fleshe whiche we solemnely toke vpon vs in baptisme Ah shamelesse cowardes that we bee
1. pet 5. whiche will not followe the trace of so many Fathers Patriarckes Kinges Priestes Prophettes Apostles Euaungelistes and Saintes of God yea euen of the very Sonne of God Howe manye nowe goe with you lustelye as I and all your brethren in bondes and exile for the Gospell Pray for vs for God willing we wyll not leaue you nowe we will goe before you Ye shall see in vs by Gods grace 1. Pet. 2 that we preached no lies nor tales of tubbes but euen the verye true woorde of God for the confyrmation whereof we by Gods grace and the helpe of your prayers will willinglye and ioyfully geue our bloode to be shedde as already we haue geuen our liuings goods frendes and naturall countrey for nowe bee we certayne that we be in the highe waye to heauens blysse as Saincte Paule sayeth Act. 14. by manye tribulations and persecutions we muste enter into Gods kingdome And because we woulde goe thether our selues and bring you thether also therefore the deuill stirreth vppe the coles And forasmuche as we all loytered in the way Math. 8. Math. 14. he hath therfore receaued power of god to ouercast the whether and to stirre vp stormes that we gods children might more spedely go on forwards make more hast as the counterfaites and hipocrites will tary linger tyl the stormes be paste and so when they come the market will be done and the doores sparde as it is to be feared Read Math. 25. Thys wynde wyll blowe gods children forwards and the deuils dearlinges backeward Therfore lyke Gods children let vs goe on forwarde apace the winde is on oure backes Thren 3 Heb. 6. hoyse vp the sayles lift vp your hartes and handes vnto god in prayer and kepe your anker of fayth to cast out in tyme of trouble on the rocke of Gods worde and mercye in Christ by the gable of gods veritye and I warrant you And thus much for you secondly to consider that affliction persecution and trouble is no straunge thing to Gods children and therfore it should not dismaye discourage or dyscomforte vs for it is none other thing then all Gods deare frendes haue tasted in their iourney to heauen wardes As I would in this troublesome time that ye woulde consider what ye be by the goodnesse of God in Christ euen Citizens of heauen though ye be presently in the fleshe euen in a straunge region on euery side ful of fierce enemyes and what wether and way the dearest frends of god haue found euen so would I haue you thyrdly to consider for your further comforte Phil. 3. that if ye shrinke not but goe on forwardes preassyng to the marke appointed al the power of your enemyes shal not ouercome you nor in any poynte hurt you But thys must not you cōsider according to the iudgement of reasō the sense of olde Adam but accordyng to the iudgement of gods word and the experience of fayth the newe man for els you marre all For to reason and to the experience of our sense or of the outward man we poore soules whiche flicke to Gods word to serue hym as he requyreth onely are counted to be vanquished and to be ouercome in that we are caste into prison lose oure liuynges frendes goodes countreye and lyfe also at the lengthe concernynge thys worlde But dearly beloued Gods woorde teacheth otherwyse and fayth feeleth accordingly Is it not written whoe shall seperate vs from the loue of God Rom. 8 Shall tribulation or anguishe or persecution eyther hunger eyther nakednesse eyther peryl either sworde As it is written Psal 44. for thy sake are we kylled all day long are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayne Neuerthelesse in al these thyngs we ouercome through hym that loued vs. For I am sure that neyther death neyther lyfe neyther aungels nor rule neyther power neither things present neither things to come neyther hygh nor lowe neyther any creature shall be hable to part vs from that loue wherwith god loueth vs in Christ Iesu our Lorde Thus spake one which was in afflictiō as I am for the Lordes gospelles sake hys holy name be praysed therfore and he graunt me grace with the same to continue in lyke suffering vnto the end Thys I say one spake which was in affliction for the gospel but yet so farre frō being ouercome that he reioyced rather of the victory whiche the gospel had For though he was boūd 2. Timo. 2. yet the gospel was not bound And therfore geueth he thankes vnto god which alway geueth the victory in Christ 2 Cor. 2 and openeth the sauour of his knowledge by vs such as suffer for his truth although they shut vs vp neuer so muche and driue vs neuer so farre out of our own naturall countrey in euery place The world for a time may deceaue it self thinking it hath the victory but yet the end wil try the contrary Gen. 4. Did not Caine think he had the victory whē Abel was slaine But how say you now is it not foūd otherwise Thought not the old world men thē liuing that they were wise wel and Noe a sole Gen. 7.8 which would crepe into an Arke leauing hys house landes possessions for I thinke he was in an honest state for the world but I pray you who was wise whē the floud came Abrahā I trowe was coūted a fole to leaue his own coūtrey and frends kyth kinne because of gods worde Gen. i2 but dearly beloued we know it proued otherwise I wil leaue al the Patriarkes come to Moses the children of Israel Tel me were not they thought to be ouercome and starke mad whē for feare of Pharao at gods word they ran into the red sea Exod. 14. Did not Pharao and the Egiptians thinke them selues sure of the victorye But I trowe it proued cleane contrarye Saule was thought wel and Dauid in an euyll case 1. Regū 16 17.18.19 and moste myserable because he hadde no hole to hyde hym in but yet at the length Saules myserye was seene and Dauids felicitye beganne to appeare The Prophette Mycheas being caste into prison for telling Achab the truth 3. Reg. 22. was thoughte to bee ouercome of Zedechias and the other false Prophettes but my god brethren and sisters the holye historye telleth otherwyse Who dyd not thinke the Prophettes vnhappye in their time Ieremy 20 Esay 8. 4. Regū 2. 1 Cor. 4 For they were slaine prysoned laughed to scorne and iested at of euery man And so were all the Apostles yea the dearelye beloued frende of God then whom among the children of women none arose greater I meane Iohn Baptiste who was beheaded and that in prison euen for a daunsing Damosells desyre As all these to the iudgemente of reason were then counted heretikes runagates vnlearned fooles fishers Publicanes c so nowe vnhappie and ouercome in dede if gods word and
to their owne wisdome polices prouidence diligence as though they were the procurers of their owne fortune and workers of their owne weale But when the crosse commeth and that in suche sorte as their wittes policies and frendes cannot helpe thoughe the wicked dispaire runne frō god to Saintes suche other vnlawful meanes yet do the godly therin beholde the presence the prouidence and power of God For the Scripture teacheth al things to come from God weale and woe Amos. 3 and that the same shoulde be loked vpon as gods worke although Sathan the Deuil be often an instrument by whome god worketh iustlye and mercifully Iustly to the wycked mercifully to the godly Thren 3 Esay 45 Math. 10. as by the examples of wicked Saule and godly Iob easely we may see gods worke by Satan hys instrument in them both The childrē of god therfore which before forgatte god in prosperitie now in aduersitie are awaked to see God in hys worke and no more to hang on their owne forecastes power frendes wisdom riches c but learne to cast them selues on gods prouidence and power whereby they are so preserued and gouerned and verye often miraculouslye deliuered that the verye wycked cannot but see gods prouidence presence and power in the crosse and affliction of hys children as they his childrē I meane to their ioy do feele it Esay 45. Ose 1. 1 Reg. 2 Luke 1. Psalm 139 1. pet 5 thereby learning to knowe GOD to be the gouerner of al things He it is that geueth peace he it is that sendeth warre he geueth plenty and pouerty he setteth vp and casteth downe he bryngeth to death after geueth lyfe hys presence is euery where his prouidence is within wythout hys power is the pyller wherby the godly stand and to it they leane as to the thyng no lesse able to set vp then to cast down Which thing ful wel the apostle saw in his afflictiōs therfore reioyced greatly in thē 2. Cor. 4 that eminentia virtutis Dei gods power myght singulerly be seene therein Concernyng thys thyng I myght bryng forth innumerable examples of the affliction of gods childrē both in the old and new testament wherein we may see how they felt gods presēce prouidence and power plentifully But I wil omitte examples because euery one of vs that haue ben or be in trouble cannot but by the same remember gods presence whiche we fele by hys hand vpon vs his prouidence which leaueth vs not vnprouided for without any of our own prouision and his power which both preserueth vs frō many other euils which els woulde come vpon vs also maketh vs able to beare more then we thought we coulde haue done So very often dothe he delyuer vs by suche meanes as haue bene thought most folish and little to haue bene regarded and therfore we shake of our slepe of security forgetting of god our trust shift in our own pollicies out hanging on men or on our owne power So that the crosse you see is commodious fourthly for to see gods presence prouidence power our negligēce forgetfulnes of god security self loue trust and confidēce in our selues and things in this life to be cast of as the other are to be taken hold on And this shall suffice for the commodities which come by the crosse wherethrough we may be in loue with it for the commodities sake which at length we shal find thoughe presently in sence we fele thē not Heb. 12 No castigatiō or punishmēt is swete for the presēt instant saith the apostle but afterwards the ende worke of the thing is otherwise As we see in medicines the more wholsom that they be the more vnpleasaunt is the tast therof as in pilles potions and such like bitter stuffe yet we will on the Phisitiōs word drinke them gladly for the profit which cōmeth of them And derely beloued although to lose lyfe and goods or frēdes for gods gospel sake it seme a bitter sower thing yet in that our phisition which cānot lie Iesus Christ I meane doth tel vs that it is very wholsō howsoeuer it be tothsome let vs with good chere take the cup at his hand drinke it merily If the cuppe seme vnpleasaūt the drinke to bitter Exod. 15 let vs put some sugar therein euen a piece of that which Moises cast into the bitter water and made the same pleasaūt I meane an ounce yea a drāme of christes afflictions crosse 1. pet 4 which he suffred for vs. If we cal this to mind cast of them into our cup considering what he was what he suffred of whom for whō to what end what came therof surely we cannot loth our medicine but winke drinke it lustely Lustely therfore drinke the cuppe which christ geueth and wil geue vnto you my good brethern and Sisters I meane prepare your selues to suffer whatsoeuer god will lay vpon you for the confessing of his holy name If not because of these .iij. things that ye are not of the world ye suffer not alone your trouble shal not hurt you yet for the commodities which come of the crosse I beseche you hartely to embrace it The fight is but short the ioy is exceding greate Oportet semper orare Luke 18 we must pray alway Then shal we vndoubted lye be directed in all things by gods holy spirit which christ hath promised to be our doctor teacher and comforter and therfore we nede not to feare what man or deuil can do vnto vs eyther by false teaching or cruel persecution Iohn 14 15 16. for our pastour is such a one that none can take hys shepe out of hys handes Thus much Psal 27 Heb. 13 1. pet 2 Ioh. 10 1. pet 5. Act. 2. Exo. 20 my dere brethern and sisters in our dere lord sauiour Iesus Christ I thought good to write vnto you for your cōfort From the which if ye for feare of mā losse of goods frends or life do swarue or depart thē ye depart and swarue frō Christ so snarle your selues in Satās sophistry to your vtter subuersiō Therfore as S. Peter saith watch be sober for as a roring Lion he seketh to deuoure you Be strong in faith that is māmer not nor wauer not in gods promises but beleue certainly that they pertain to you that god is with you in trouble that he wil deliuer you glorifye you Psalm 93. Math. 26. But yet see that ye call vppon hym specially that ye enter not into temptation as he taught hys Disciples euen at such tyme as he sawe Sathan desyre to sifte them Luke 22. as nowe he hathe done to syfte vs. O deare sauiour preuent him now as thou dydst then wyth thy prayer I besech thee and graunte that our fayth faynt not but strengthē vs to cōfirme the weake that they deny not thee and thy Gospell 2. Pet. 2 Math.
10. Heb. 6.10 Mar. 8. Luke i1 that they returne not to their vomyte stumblyng on those synnes from the which there is no recouery causing thee to deny theÌ„ before thy father making their later end worse theÌ„ the beginning as it chauÌ„ced to Lothes wife Iudas Iscariot FrauÌ„ces Spira and to many others But rather strengthen them and vs all in thy grace and in those thynges which thy worde teacheth that we may here hazarde our lyfe for thy sake and so shal we be sure to saue it as yf we seke to saue it Math. 6 we cannot but loose it and that beyng lost what profyte can we haue yf we wynne the whole worlde Oh set thou alwayes before our eyes not as reason doth thys lyfe the pleasure of the same death of the body and prysonment c but euerlastyng lyfe and those vnspeakable ioyes which vndoubtedlye they shall haue which take vp the crosse and follow thee and eternal hell fire and destruction of soule and bodye for euermore which they must nedes at leÌ„gth fal into the which are afrayde for the hoare froste of aduersitye that man or the Deuil styrreth vppe to stoppe or hynder vs for goyng forward our iourney to heauens blisse to the which do thou bryng vs for thy names sake Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ To my deare frende and brother in the Lorde Maister George Eaton ALmightye God our deare father geue to you dailye more and more the knowledge of hys truth and a loue and lyfe to the same for euer in all thynges throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde Amen I shoulde begynne with thankes geuyng to god and to you as hys steward for the great benefites I haue oftentymes receyued from you and speciallye in this tyme of of my most nede farre aboue my expectatioÌ„ but because thankfulnes lyeth not in wordes or letters and because you loke not to heare of your wel doyng of man I am purposed to passe it ouer wyth sylence and to geue my selfe presentlye to that whiche is more profitable vnto you that is as god shall lend me hys grace briefly to labour or at least to shew my good wyl to helpe you in gods gifte to me as you by your doyng the lyke in gods gyfte vnto you haue as alreadye done so occasioned me greatly hereto I woulde gladlye haue done it heretofore but I haue bene discouraged to write vnto you leaste hurte thereby mighte come vnto you which is the only cause I haue not hetherto writted nor now would not haue done but that I stand in adout whether euer herafter I shal haue liberty to write vnto you And therfore whilest I somthing may I thought good to doe thus much to declare vnto you howe that as I thynke my selfe muche bounde to God for you so I desyre to gratifye the same as God should enable me The dayes are come and more and more do approch in the whych tryal wyl be of such as haue vnfainedly redde and hearde the gospel for all others wyll abyde no tryall but as the worlde wyll But of you because I haue better hope I cannot but as pray to god in hym to confyrme you so to beseche you of the same I knowe it will be a daungerous thinge in deede to declare that whiche in woorde you haue confessed and in harte haue beleued speciallye concernyng the papisticall Masse but notwithstandyng we must not for daungers departe from the truth excepte we wyll depart from God For in as muche as GOD is the truth and the truth is God he that departeth from the one departeth from the other Nowe what a thyng it is to departe from God I nede not to tell you because you know it is no lesse then a departyng from all that good is and not onely so but also a coupling of your selfe to all that euill is for there is no meane eyther we departe from god and sticke to the deuill or departe from the deuyll and sticke to God Some men there be whiche for feare of daunger and loâ—le of that they must leaue when where and to whom they knowe not doe deceaue them selues after the iuste iudgement of God to beleue the deuill because they haue no luste to beleue God in harkenyng to Sathans counsaile of partynge stake with God as to be persuaded that it is not euyll or elles no great euill inwardlye in harte to conceale the truth and outwardly in facte to betraye it And therefore thoughe they know the Masse to be abhomination yet they make it but a strawe in going to it as the world doth in whiche thynge the Lorde knoweth they deceaue them selues to dampnation dreame they as they luste For surely the bodye departyng from the veritye and so from god wil drawe and drowne in dampnation the soule also For we shall receaue accordyng to that we doe in the body good or badde And therefore the matter is more to bee considered then men make of it the more it is to bee lamented But I trust my ryghte dearely beloued you wyll consider thys with your self and call your conscience to accompt as gods word maketh the charge Beware of false Auditours which makyng a false charge can get no quietnesse of the conscience after gods woorde Therefore caste your charge and there shall you see that no beliefe of the harte iustifyeth whiche hath not confession of the mouth to declare the same No man can serue .ii. Maisters He that gathereth not with Christ as no masse seer vnreprouyng it doth scattereth abroade Gods chosen are such as not only haue good hartes but also kisse not their hands nor bowe their knee to Baal Christes Disciples are none but such as deny theÌ„selues take vp their crosse folow him He that is ashamed of Christ his truth in thys generation must loke that Christ wil be ashamed of him in the day of iudgement He that denyeth Christ before men shal be denyed before God Now two kindes of denial there be yea three kindes one in hart an other in worde the thirde in deede In the which kindes al masse gospellers be so bitten that all the Surgeons in the world can laye no healing playster therto till repentaunce appeare and drawe out the matteâ— of vsing the euill and resorting to the Masse For pure should we be froÌ„ all spottes not onely of the flesh but also of the spirite And our dutye is to departe not only from euill that is from the Masse But also from the appearaunce of euil that is from coÌ„ming at it Woe vnto theÌ„ that geue offence to the children of God that is which occasion by any meanes any to tarye in the church at Masse time much more then they which occasioÌ„ any to come therto most of all they which enforce any therto Assuredly a most heuie vengeaunce of goâ— hangeth vpon such Suche as decline to their crokednes God wil lead on with wicked workers whose portion shal be snares Psa 11. fyre
haue good cause If your welfare ioy and saluation hanged vpon any other thyng then only gods mercy and truth then might you wel be sad heauy and stand in a doubte But in that it hangeth only vpon these two tell Satan he lyeth when he would haue you to stand in a maÌ„meryng by causyng you to cast your eyes which only in thys case should be set on Christ your sweete sauiour on your selfe in some parte In dede looke on your selfe on your fayth on your loue obedieÌ„ce c. to awake you vp from securitie to styrre you vp to diligence in doyng the things apperteyning to your vocatioÌ„ but when you would be at peace wyth god and haue true consolation in your coÌ„science altogether loke vpon the goodnes of god in Christ Thynke on this commaundement which precedeth all others that you must haue no other gods but the Lorde Iehouah which is your Lord and god the which he could not be if that he dyd not pardon your synnes in very dede Remember that Christe commaundeth you to call hym father for the same entente And hereto call to mynde all the benefites of god hetherto shewed vpon you and so shal you fele in very dede that which I wyshe vnto you now and praye you to wyshe vnto me farewell or welfare in the Lord Iesus wyth whome he graunte vs shortlye to meete as hys chyldren for hys name and mercyes sake to oure eternall welfare Amen Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ An other letter to Mystres A.VV. ALmighty god our heauenly father for hys christes sake encrease in vs fayth by which we may more and more see what glory and honour is reposed and safely kept in heauen for all them that beleue wyth the hart and confesse Christe and hys truthe wyth the mouthe Amen My derely beloued I remember that once heretofore I wrote vnto you a Vale or a farewell vpon coniecture but now I wryte my farewell to you in thys lyfe in dede vpon certaine knowledge My staffe standeth at the dore I continually looke for the Shiriffe to come for me and I thank God I am ready for hym Now go I to practise that which I haue preached Now am I climing vp the hil it wil cause me to puffe and blow before I come to the cliffe The hill is stepe and high my breath is short and my strength is feble pray therfore to the lord for me that as I haue now through hys goodnes euen almost come to the toppe I may by hys grace be strengthned not to rest til I come where I should be Oh louing Lord put out thy hande and drawe me vnto thee for no man coÌ„meth but he whome the father draweth Se my derely beloued gods louing mercy he knoweth my short breath and great weakenes As he sent for Helias a fâ—ry chariote so sendeth he for me for by fyre my drosse muste be purifyed that I may be fine gold in hys syghte Oh vnthankefull wretche that I am Lorde do thou forgeue me myne vnthankfulnes In dede I confesse ryghte deare to me in the lord that my synnes haue deserued hell fyre much more then thys fyer But loe so louyng is my Lorde that he conuerteth the remedye for my synnes the punishmente for my transgressions into a testimoniall of hys truth and a testification of hys verity which the Prelates doe persecute in me and not my synnes therfore they persecute not me but Christ in me which I doubte not wyl take my part vnto the very ende Amen Oh that I had so open an harte as coulde so receiue as I should do this great benefite and vnspeakable dignitye which God my father offreth to me Now pray for me my derely beloued pray for me that I neuer shrinke I shal neuer shrynke I hope I trust in the Lorde I shal neuer shrinke for he that alwayes hath taken my parte I am assured wil not leaue me when I haue most nede for hys truth merties sake Oh Lord helpe me into thy handes I commende me wholy In the Lorde is my my truste I care not what man can do vnto me Amen My derely beloued say you Amen also and come after if so god call you Be not ashamed of the gospell of Christ but kepe company wyth hym stil He wyll neuer leaue you but in the myddest of temptation wil geue you an outscape to make you able to beare the brunte Vse harty prayer reuerently reade and heare gods worde put it in practise looke forthe crosse lift vp your heades for your redeÌ„ption draweth nigh know that the death of gods saintes is precious in hys syght be mery in the Lorde pray for the mitigation of gods heauy displeasure vpon our countrey God kepe vs for euer God blesse vs wyth his spirituall blessynges in Christ And thus I bydde you farewell for euer in thys present lyfe Pray for me praye for me for gods sake pray for me God make perfecte hys good worke begonne in me Amen Out of prison this 7. of February Yours in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ To certayne godlye men relieuers and helpers of hym and others in theyr imprisonmente THe peace of Christ which passeth all pleasure and worldly felicity be daily more and more felte in your hartes my right derely beloued in the Lord by the inwarde workyng of the holy spirite the earnest of our inheritaunce and guider of gods electe wyth the whyche god our dere father more more endue vs al vnto the ende for hys beloued sonnes sake our lord Iesus Christ Amen Praysed be god the father of our lord Iesus Christ which is a father of mercy a god of al consolation that hath blessed you with the knowlege loue of his truth not only to your own coÌ„fortes but also the great ease coÌ„fort of many which without the helpe of god by you hetherto had bene in much more misery By your releuing the lordes prisoners I am brought to see the rote wherof the worke doth spring euen the knowlege loue of gods truth wherfore we are in haÌ„des The which knowledge loue in that it is a blessyng of all blessings the greatest for it is euen eternal life Ioh. 17 I caÌ„not but praise god for you on this behalfe that it hath pleased hym to much you worthy so excelleÌ„t singuler a benefit which is more to be estemed desired cared for theÌ„ any thyng els The world for al that euer it hath caÌ„not attayne by any meanes to this blessing which God our father hath geueÌ„ you freely of his own good wil through christ eueÌ„ before ye were purposed to desire it Therfore I besech you al to be thankful with me to reioyce in the lord For if he haue geueÌ„ vs such a gift vnasked vndesired yea vnthought vpoÌ„ how can it be the he wil deny vs any good thing now which may be necessary for vs Wil he trow ye sowe his sede in the ground of your hartes
professours and through the grace of GOD the constaunte confessoures of the same are as it were the out swepynges of the worlde yet I say the veritye it selfe is a thyng not vnworthye for your eares to heare for your eies to see and for your hands to handle helpe and succour accordyng to that the Lord hathe made you able and placed you where you are for the same purpose Your hyghnes and honours ought to know that there is no innocency in wordes or dedes where it is enoughe and suffiseth onely to accuse It behoueth kynges Quenes and all that be in authoritye to knowe that in the administration of their kyngdomes they are gods Ministers It behoueth them to know that they are no Kinges but playne tyrannes whiche raigne not to thys ende that they maye serue and set forth gods glorye after true knowledge And therefore it is required of thē that they woulde be wyse and suffer themselueh to be taught to submit them selues to the lordes discipline and to kisse their Soueraign lest they perishe as al those Potentates wyth theyr pryncipalities and dominions cannot long prosper but peryshe in dede yf they and their kyngdomes be not ruled wyth the scepter of God that is wyth hys worde which who so honoureth not honoureth not GOD and they that honour not the Lord the Lord wyll not honour them but brynge them into contempte and at the length take hys own cause whiche he hathe most chieflye committed vnto them to care for into hys owne hands and so ouerthrow them and set vp hys truth gloriously the people also perishing with the Prynces where the worde of prophecy is wantyng muche more is suppressed as it is nowe in thys Realme of Englande ouer whyche the eyes of the Lorde are set to destroye it your hyghnes and all your honours yf in tyme you loke not better to your office and duties herein and not suffer your selues to bee slaues and hangemen to Antichriste and hys prelates which haue brought your highnes honours alreadye to lette Barrabas lose and to hange vppe Christe As by the grace and helpe of God I shall make apparante yf first it would please your excellent maiestye and all your honoures to take to harte gods doctryne whiche rather through the malice of the Pharisees I meane the Bishops and prelates then your consciences is oppressed and not for oure contemptible and execrable state in the syghte of the worlde to passe the lesse of it For it the doctryne I meane is hygher and of more honour maiestye then al the whole worlde It standeth inuincible aboue all power beyng not our doctryne but the doctryne of the euerlyuynge GOD and of hys Christe whome the father hath ordeyned Kyng psal 72 to haue dominion from sea to sea and from the ryuer vnto the endes of the worlde And truely so dothe he and wyll the raigne that he wyll shake all the whole earth wyth hys yron brasen power wyth hys golden siluery brightnes only by the rodde of hys mouth to shyuers in such sorte as though they were pottes of clay accordyng to that whiche the Prophetes doe wryte of the magnificence of hys kyngdome And thus much for the thyng I meane the doctryne and your dueties to harkē to propagate defend the same But now wyll our aduersaries mainly cry out against vs bicause no man may be admitted once to whist agaynste them that we pretend falsely the doctryne and word of god calling vs the most wycked contemners of it and heretikes schysmatikes traytors c. Al which their sayings how malicious and false they are though I myght make reporte to that which is writē by those men whose workes they haue condemned and all that reteyne any of them publikelye by proclamation yet here wil I occasion your maiesty and honours by this my writyng to see that it is farre otherwyse thē they reporte of vs. God our father for his holy names sake directe my penne to be hys instrumēt to put into your eies eares and hartes that which most may make to hys glorye to the sauegard of your soules and bodies and preseruatiō of the whole realme Amen Iohn Bradford To a faythefull and deare frende of hys entreatyng of this place of S. Paule to the Romaynes The feruente desyre of the creature wayteth when the children of God shal be delyuered GRace and peace wyth encrease of all godlynes in Christe I wyshe vnto you my dearely beloued Because thys morning I had some knowledge more then before I had howe that my lyfe stoode in greate danger that euen thys weke so farre as men myght both by the doynges and sayinges of such as be in authoritie attempted and spoken concernyng me iudge and perceiue I thought good my ryght dearely beloued in the Lord to go about somthyng whyche might be on my behalf as it were Cygnea cantio That is which myght be a speciall comfort to hym beīg thē ready to be burnt as the Swannes soung is swetest a little before his death a Swānes song and towardes you both a monumente of the kynde of my loue and also a helpe or at the leaste an occasion for you to profyte in that whiche I beare you recorde you moste desire I meane euerlastyng life and the state therof And thys will I attempt vpon the laste talke we had betwixt vs when you were here with me I know you haue not forgotten that we talked together of the place of S. Paule to the Rom. cap. 8. concerning the groninges of the Creature and hys desyre of the reuelation of the childrē of god You demaūd whether thys word Creature was to be vnderstand of man or no and I tolde you that though some dyd take Creature there for man because there is no kinde of creature whiche may not be acknowledged in man yet sayde I the texte it self considered with that which the Apostle writeth of Christ Eph. 1. Col. 1. the restorer and reformer of all thynges that be both in heauen in earth and with the argument which S Paule presentlye hath in hand there doth enforce a Godlye mynde to take euery creature there as also S. Chrisostome and. S. Ambrose do for the whole worlde and euerye creature both heauenly and earthly All thyngs I told you were made for man according to mans state so are they When man was without sinne in gods fauour there was no malediction curse or corruption But when mā by synne was caste out of fauour then was the earth curse For the wickednes of the inhabitauntes fruitfull landes are tourned into salte grounde as for their pietie barreine countreyes are made fruitfull Psae 107. The Angels them selues doe reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth thereby geuing vs notice that in their kinde they lament ouer the impenitent In readyng the Prophets you may see how that all thyngs do depende of man When they Prophecye any great blessing or plague to come to gods
corruption And let vs consider these thinges so that we wholy may bende our selues to put away all the oldenes of our flesh whence in dede corruption and death doth come and that we may prouoke our selues to the newnes of the spirite and the lyfe of Christe wherin is all incorruption and the true taste of the resurrection for to thys ende the holy ghost dyd wryte this by the Apostle That therfore this spirit might lead vs hereunto let vs pray then we shall vnderstand this place of Paule wyth profit If perchaunce it wyll moue you that the Apostle speaketh not of thys delyueraunce of the creature from corruption in anye other place but here neither anye other holye wryter I would you would thynke that the misery of the restauration of Israel also of Antichrist is not expounded but in the Apostels writyngs and that but in one place yea the manner of our resurrection is not written but in .ij. places We oughte to knowe that they are the wordes of the Lorde what soeuer the Apostle hathe lefte to vs written Again the simplicity of this place Rom. 8 is plaine And thus my dearely beloued I haue written to you so muche as I thynke is sufficient about thys mater and therfore nede not to tary herein any longer or to spende anye more tyme about the answeryng of that which is but curiositye God our father geue vs nowe hys holye spirite to leade vs into thys and all other necessary truth in such sort that we may haue a liuely feelyng of eternall lyfe begonne in vs that we may become first new and so loke for new heauen and earthe wherin ryghteousnes dwelleth which God impute to vs and begynne in vs for hys Christes sake Amen Amen Your owne for euer in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ⧠Certayne letters of mayster Thomas Whyttel a godlye and a faythefull Minyster and preacher of gods worde who after he had relented by the tyrannye and cruel dealyng of Bonner returned agayne wyth greate constancye and stoode to the defence of the truthe vnto the fyre The .12 of Ianuary In the yeare of our Lorde 1556. To my beloued frende and faythfull Brother in Christe Iohn Careles prysoner in the Kynges Benche THe peace of god in Christ be wyth you continually dearely beloued brother in Christe with the assistaunce of gods grace and holye spirite to the workyng and performyng of those thynges which may comforte and edifye hys churche as ye daily do to the glorye of hys name and the increase of your ioy and comforte of soule in thys lyfe and also your rewarde in heauen wyth Christ our captayn whose faythful souldiour you are in the lyfe to come Amen I haue greatly reioyced my deare hart with thankes to god for you synce I haue heard of your fayth and loue towards god and hys saintes wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the verity of Christes doctrine and religiō which I haue heard by the reporte of many but specially by the declaryng of that valiaunt captaine in Christes church that stout chāpion in gods cause that spectacle to the world I meane our good brother Philpot who now lyeth vnder the aultare swetely enioyeth the promysed rewarde And speciallye I my condemned fellowes geue thankes to God for your louyng and comfortable letter in the depenes of our trouble after the fleshe sente vnto vs to the consolation of vs al but most specially to me most sinfull myser on mine owne behalfe but happy I hope through godslouing kindnes in Christ shewed vnto me who suffred me to fainte and fayle through humayne infirmity by the workyng of the Archenemye in hys sworne souldiours the byshops and priestes In whome so liuely appeareth the verye visage and shape of Satan that a man if it wer not preiudice to gods word might wel affirme them to be Deuils incarnate as I by experiēce do speake Wherfore who so shal for consciēce matters come into their hands had nede of the wilines of the Serpent to saue hys head though it be with the woundyng of his body and to take diligent hede how he consenteth to theyr wycked writyngs or setteth hys hand to their couenaūtes Sore dyd they assault me and craftelye tempte me to theyr wycked wayes or at least to a denegation of my faythe and true opinions though it were but by colour and dissimulation and alas somethyng they dyd preuayle Not that I any thyng at all lyked their opinions and false papisticall religion or els doubted of the truth wherin I stand but only the infirmity of the flesh begyled me desiryng lyberty by an vnlawfull meanes God lay it not to my charge at that day so I desire you hartely to pray How be it vncertain I am whether more profite or disprofite came therby profit to me in that god suffred Satan to buffit me by his foresayd ministers of myschiefe shewyng me mine infirmitye that I should not boste nor reioyce in my selfe but only in the Lord. Who when he had led me to hel in my conscience through the respect of hys fearefull iudgementes agaynste me for my fearefulnes mistrust and crafty clokyng in suche spirituall and weighty matters in the whiche myne agony distresse I found thys old verse true Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus yet he left me not there but brought me from thence againe to the magnifieng of hys name suspectyng of fleshe and bloud and cōsolation of myne own soule also that I myght fele the disprofite in offending the congregatiō of god which peraduenture will rather adiudge my fal to come of doutfulnes in my doctrine religion thē of humain imbecillity Wel of the importune burdē of a troubled consciēce for denying or dissembling the knowē verity I by experience could saye very much more which perhaps I wil declare by writyng to the warnyng of other if god graunt time for now am I my fellowes redy to go hēce euen for Christes cause Gods name be praysed who hathe hetherto called vs. Pray I pray you that we may end our course wyth ioy and at your appointed tyme you shal come after But as the Lord hath kepte you so wyll he preserue your lyfe styll to the intent you should labour as you do to appease and conuince these vngodly contentions and controuersies which now do to muche raigne brauwlyng about termes to no edification GOD is dishonoured the church disquieted and occasion to speake euyll of the Gospel ministred to our aduersaries But such is the subtilty of Sathan that whom he cannot wynne with grosse idolatrye in open religion them he seketh to corrupt and deceyue in opinions in a priuate profession But here I wyl abrutply leaue least wyth my rudenes and symplicity I shuld be tedious to you desiring you my louyng brother if it shal not seme greuous vnto you to wryte vnto me and my fellowes yet once agayne if you may haue leasure and we tyme to the same and sende me worde
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.
Iude. 1. as Peter Paul Iude prophecyed it shold be to poison kil our soules wyth false doctrine And where he fayleth hys purpose that way then moueth he hys members to persecute the sely carcases of the Saints because they wyl not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuyng Christ confesse a dead bready christ and honour the same as Christ god man Exod 20. 1. Iohn 5. 2. Corin. 10 contrary to gods cōmaundements Thys is the working of Sathā who knowing hys own iust dāpnation would al mankynd to be pertakers wyth him of the same such a mortal hatred beareth he agaynst god his people Matth. 4. And therfore when thys wicked tempter could not kyll Christ with suttel temtation to fal down worship him thē he stirred vp hys seruantes the byshops Pharisees to kil hys body wherby notwithstanding the deuyl lost hys title enterest which he had to mans soule and mā by his precious passion and death was raunsomed frō the deuil death hel to immortalitie lyfe euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in kylling of Christ he lost all and so shall he do in vs if we abyde constant and strong in the fayth of our lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ vnto the end God graunt it for his mercyes sake in Christ blessed are al they that put their trust in hym Amen Wherfore my hartely beloued brethrē sisters be of good cōfort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is strōger thē he that is in the world Therfore draw ye nere to god Iames. 2 he wil draw nere to you Resist the deuil he wil as Iames saith flee frō you Beware of the leuē of the Pharisees Math. 16. Touch not pitche least ye be defiled therewith Eate no swynes fleshe for it is against the lawe I meane defyle not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with thys false wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitch Apo. 13.14 Apo. 18 2. Cor. 6. swynes flesh Beware of the beastes marke lest ye drinke of the cup of gods wrath If god haue geuē you knowlege fayth dissēble not therwith Deny not the knowen verity before men lest Christ denie you before hys father Come away frō Babilon as Iohn biddeth you touch no vncleane thing but seperate your selues from the companye of the vngodly as Paul commaundeth you What soeuer ye haue done amysse heretofore now repent and amend psal 129. for with the lord there is mercye and plenteous redemption The third thing note which I gather out of the foresayd words of Peter is this that he sayth reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christs passiōs Our sufferings my welbeloued are christs sufferings and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he rekoneth it to be done to himself as he said to Paul Act. 9. Saule Saule why persecutest thou me Col. 1. Therfore we ought to reioyce in our sufferings as Paul writeth which we suffer with Christ one with an other as Peter sayth so to fulfyll that which is behinde of the passions of Christ in our flesh which Christ hath by hys passion fully redemed saued vs in hys own person howbeit hys elect must suffer with him for him vnto the worldes end Mat. 5. that he may be glorifyed in thē and they therby corrected clensed frō sinne in thys world be made more mete temples for the holy ghost and also obtain a great reward in heauē for their suffering for righteousnes sake according to his promise And therfore I say my brethrē reioyce in the lord alwayes agayne I say reioice Let vs reioyce in the crosse of our lord Iesus Christ Phil 3. Galat. 6. wherby the word is crucifyed to vs we to it And why shoulde we so greatly reioyce in the crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because saith Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his words aboue writē Wherin is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this world but at his coming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayn and then shall they that haue sowen in teares reape in ioy as christ sayth blessed are they that wepe here for they shal laughe Blessed are ye when mē hate you thrust you out of their company rayling on you abhorring your name as an euel thīge for the sonne of mās sake Luke 6 reioyce ye in that day and be glad for your rewarde is great in heauen Wherfore my dearly beloued through hope of thys heauenly ioye reward 1. Cor. 2. Heb. 12 which he that cā not lie hath promised which ioy is so great that no eare hath heard no eie hath sene nor the hart cā thinke where we shal dwel for euer in the heauenly citie the celestiall Ierusalē in the presence of God the father Iesus Christ our mediatour as Paul sayeth and in the cōpany of innumerable Angels and with the spirits soules of al faythful iust men reioyce be glad seīg ye be called to so great glory 2 pet i. see that ye make your election vocation sure by good workes specially by suffering aduersitie for the Gospels sake Phil. 1. for it is geuen vs of god saith Paul not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer pray for me that I may end my course with ioye Haue brotherly loue amongest your selues Iohn 14 which is a tokē that ye be Christs distiples Edifie cōfort one an other in the word of the lord the god of peace loue be with you alwaies Amē For your liberalitie kindnesse shewed vpō the prisoners afflicted people of god in this time of persecutiō the lord wil reward you whē he cometh to reward euery mā according to their dedes and wil not leaue a cup of cold water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you rich in al grace Matth. 10. 2. Cor. 8. that ye alwayes hauing sufficient may be ryche vnto al manner of good workes The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of god and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother nowe in bondes for the gospell Thomas Whittell To my louyng and faythfull brother Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kynges Benche THe same faith for the which Abrahā was accompted iuste and Mary blessed wherby also al iust men liue the lorde god our louing father encrease and stablyshe in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and swete Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen I cā not worthely sufficiently prayse god my hartely be loued brother for the consolation ioye that I receaued by reasō of your louing letters repēting me much that
I being so long so nere you did not enterpryse to stirre vp familiaritie comunicatiō betwene vs by writing to our mutual cōsolation in Christe For what is there vpon earth wherin to reioyce where al things are transitory vaine yea mā him self respecting this life but as Dauid saith Psal 16 the Saints that dwel vpon the earth such as excel in vertue But here now I consider that if the felowship loue ioy of faythful men and children of god being as we now be in double bondage the body within clay walles the soule wtin these frayle earthly bodies be so great and comfortable howe vnspeakeable wil those ioyes be when we shal be deliuered frō al corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of god Where we shal be present together continually in our glorified bodies beholding the face of our father presently whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth with his dere sonne christ our redemer brother and the blessed companye of Angels al faithful saued soules Oh the incomparable good things and heauenly treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by christ Iesu For the obteyning wherof we ought to set light by al tēporal grefes and transitory afflictions so much the more in that our good God is faythful wil not suffer vs to be tēpted aboue oure strength that namely in the end of our life Eccle. 11. whē the tree where it falleth lieth stil as the preacher sayeth when euerye one causa sua dormit causa sua resurget for els before the end he suffereth hys somtime to fal but not finally to perysh as Peter sincked vpon the sea but yet was not drowned and synned greuously vpon the lande throughe infirmitie denying his Maister but yet found mercye for the ryghteous falleth oftentymes And Christs holy Apostles are taught to say remitte nobis debita nostra Yea thoughe the righteous fall saieth Dauid he shal not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth hym wyth hys hande Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God toward vs miserable sinners He vouchsafe to plante in my harte true repentance and fayth to the obteyning of remission of al my synnes in the mercyes of God and merites of Christe hys sonne and therto I pray you say Amen Oh my hartely beloued it greueth me to see the spoyle hauocke the Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe but what remedye This is gods wil ordinance that his people shal here both be punished in the flesh tried in their fayth as it is writtē many are the troubles of the righteous but the lord deliuereth thē out of al for by a strait path narowe dore must we enter Whether Into the ioyful kingdome of heauē Therfore blessed are you other that suffer persecutiō for christs sake for the possessing of the same Pray for me my felowes good brother that we may fyght a good fyght that we may kepe the fayth and end our course with ioyful gladnes for now the tyme of our deliuerāce is at hand The lord guide defēd and kepe vs you al his people in our iourney that we may safely through a short death passe to that long lasting life Farewel my dere and louing brother fellow souldiour in Christ farewel I say in him who receaue our soules in peace when they shal depart frō these tabernacles and he graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection and a mery metyng at the last day and continuall dwelling together in hys eternall and heauenly kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Yours with my poore prayer other pleasure can I do you none Thomas Whittell minister To my deare brethren M. Filles and Cutbert MY dere and welbeloued brethren in Christ M. Filles and Cutbert I wish you al welfare of soule body Welfare to the soule is repentance of synne faythful affiance in christ Iesus a godly life Welfare to the body is the health of the same with al necessary things for this bodely life The soule of mā is immortal therfore ought to be wel kept lest immortalitie to ioy should turne to immortalitie of sorow As for the body be it neuer so wel kept much made of yet shortly by nature wil it perysh decay But those that are engraffed and incorporated into Christ by true fayth feeling the motion of Gods holy spirite as a pledge of their electition and enheritaunce excityng and stirring them not onelye to seke heauenly thyngs but also to hate vyce embrace vertue wyll not onely do those things but also if neede requyre wyll gladlye take vppe theyr crosse and followe theyr Captayne Mat. 26. Mar. 14 theyr Kynge and theyr Sauioure Iesus Christe as hys poore afflicted Churche of Englande nowe doth agaynste that false and Antichristian doctrine religiō nowe vsed and specially that blasphemous masse wherein christes supper and holy ordinaūce is altogether peruerted and abused contrary to his institution Luke 22. 2. Cor. 1◠and to Paules procedinges so that that whiche they haue in their Masse is neyther sacramēt of christ nor yet sacrifice for sinne as the priestes falsely pretende It is a sacrament that is as S. Augustine saith a visible signe of inuisible grace when it is ministred to the communicantes accordyng to christes example and as it was of late yeares in thys realme And as for sacrifice there is none to be made now for sinne Heb. 9.10 for Chryste with one sacrifice hath perfited for euer those that are sāctified Beware of false religion and mens vaine traditiōs and serue god wyth reuerence and godly feare accordyng to the doctryne of hys Gospel Luke i1 whereto cleane ye that ye maye be blessed though of wycked men ye be hated accursed Rather drinke of the cup of Christ wyth his church Apo. 18. then of the cup of that rose coloured whore of Babylon which is ful of abhominatiōs Rather striue ye to go to heauē by that path which is strayte to fleshe and bloud wyth the little flocke then to go the wyde way followyng the enticements of the worlde and the flesh which leadeth to damnation Lyke as Christ suffered in the flesh saith S. Peter pet 4.3 so arme ye yourselues with the same minde for Christe suffered for vs leauyng vs example to follow hys footesteppes Blessed are they that suffer for hys sake great is their reward in heauē He that ouercommeth saith S. Iohn shal eate of the tree of lyfe he shal haue a crowne of life Apoca. 2.3 and not be hurt of the second death he shall be clothed with white aray not be put out of the booke of life yea I wil confesse hys name sayth Christ before my father and before hys aungels he shal be a piller in the house of God and sit with me on my seate And thus I bydde you farewel mine owne bretherne and deare fellowes in Christ whose grace and peace be alwaye
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
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
reuerent obediēce vnto her in al godlines Be not vnkind nor vnthākful Praye for her preseruation cōtinuance amongest you Pray that she may be an ensample to you in al the waies of the Lord. And how ye may be haue your selues towards god your mother and al other estates and degrees let alwayes gods word be your rule Exercise your selues therin night and day ioyning alwaies praier therewith God send you a good guide good passage if it be his wil out of this idolatrous blody realm And as Christ cōmitted his mother to Iohn so I cōmit you in this world to the Angell of God Augustine Bernher Hys aduertisement if you wil folow I trust you shal not decline frō the feare of god Be thankful for him cease not to pray for hys preseruation And thus I cōmit al aswell seruaunts as wife children to the merciful tuition of our most mercifull god and father to his deare sonne our onely Sauiour Iesus Christ with the holy ghoste the comforter to hym be al prayse now and for euer Amen I hartely forgeue you al and doubt not but that you do the same to me Robert Glouer Be faythfull vnto the death and I will geue thee the crowne of lyfe Apoc. 2. ⧠Letters of Robert Smyth one of the Chappell at Wyndsor who as a true and constant witnes of Gods woorde which he most faythfullye had professed was cruellye Martyred at Vrbridge the .14 daye of Auguste In the yeare of oure Lorde 1555. To all them whiche loue God vnfaynedlye and entend to lead a Godly lyfe accordyng to hys gospell and to perseuer in his truth vnto the end grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen BE not afraid most dearely beloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ at these most perilous daies This letter is thought of some to be M. Hopers partely for that in one copie amonges diuers it is entitled vnto him and also by the phrase and manner of writing it may be well coniectured so to be wherein by the sufferaunce of God the prince of darkenes is brokē lose and rageth in hys members agaynst the elect of god with all crueltye to sette vp againe the kingdome of Antichrist agaynst whom see that ye be strong in fayth to resiste hys moste deuelyshe doctrine with the pure Gospell of God armynge your selues with pacience to abyde what soeuer shall bee layde to your charge for the truthes sake knowing that thereunto ye be called not onelye to beleue in him but also to suffer for him Oh howe happye are ye that in the syght of God are counted worthye to suffer for the testimonye of Christe Quyet therefore your selues Oh my louynge brethren and reioyce in hym for whome ye suffer for vnto you doe remayne the vnspeakeable ioyes which neyther the eye hath sene nor the eare hath heard neyther the harte of man is hable to comprehend in any wise Be not afrayd of the bodely death Apo. 17. for your names are wrytten in the booke of life And the Prophette doth recorde Psalm 115. that in the fighte of the Lorde precious is the death of hys Sainctes Watche therefore and praye that ye be not preuented in the day of temptation Nowe commeth the daye of your tryall wherein the waters rage Matth. 7. and the stormye windes blowe Nowe shall it appeare whether ye haue builded vppon the fleting sande Ephe. 2 or vpon the vnmoueble rocke Christe whiche is the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets whereon euery house that is builded groweth into an holy temple of the Lorde by the mightye woorking of the holye ghoste Nowe approcheth the daye of your battaile wherin it is required that ye shewe your selues the valiaunte souldiours of Iesus Christe 2. Tim 8 Ephe. 6 phil 2 Heb. 12. Col. ◠wyth the armoure of God that ye maye be hable to stande faste againste all the craftye assaultes of the deuill Christe is your Captayne and ye be hys souldiours whose cognisance is the crosse to the which he willingly humbled hym selfe euen vnto the death and thereby spoyled his enemies and nowe triumpheth he ouer them in the glorye of his father making intercession for them that here doe remayne to suffer the afflictions that are to bee fulfilled in his misticall bodye Pet. 5. It behoueth therefore euery one that will be counted hys scholer to take vppe his owne crosse and followe hym as ye haue him for an ensample and I assure you that he being on your side nothing shall be hable to preuaile againste you And that he will be with you euen to the worldes ende ye haue his promise in the .28 of Mathewe He will goe forth with his hoste as a conquerer to make a conquest He is the man that sitteth on the whyte horse Apoc. 6 1. Cor. 1. crowned with immortalitie and ye brethren are hys felowshippe whereof he is the heade He hath your harte in hys hande as a bowe bente after his godlye will he shall direct the same according to the ryches of hys glory into al spirituall and heauenly cogitations He is faythfull 1 Cor i◠and wil not suffer you to be further assaulted thē he wil geue you strēgth to ouercome and in the most daunger he will make a way that ye maye be hable to beare it Shrynke not therefore deare hartes when ye shall hee called to aunsweare for the hope that is in you i. Pet. 3. for we haue the comforter Luk. 13. Act. 2. psalme 52. euen the spirite of truth whiche was sente from the heauens to teach vs. He shall speake in vs he shall strengthen vs what is he then that shall be able to confoūd vs Nay what Tiranne is he that now boasteth hym selfe of hys strengthe to doe mischiefe whom the Lord shall not with the same spirite by the mouthe of hys seruauntes stryke downe to hell fyre Yea sodainly will the Lorde brynge downe the glorye of the proude Philistians by the handes of hys seruaunte Dauid Their strengthe is in speare and shielde ◠Regū 17. psal 6. 2. Cor. 6 Heb. 8. Psalm 32. but oure helpe is in the name of the Lorde whiche made both heauen and earth He is our buckler and our wall a stronge tower of defence He is oure God and we are his people He shal bryng the counsels of the vngodlye to nought He shall take them in their owne nette He shal destroye them in their owne inuentions The ryghte hande of the Lorde shall woorke thys wonder Psalm 117. Psalm 52. psal 65. Hys power is knowen amonge the children of men ▪ Their fathers haue felt it and are confounded In lyke maner shall they knowe that there is no counsell agaynste the Lorde when their secretes are opened to the whole worlde and are founde to be agaynst the liuyng God Woorke they neuer so craftelye Gene. 12. builde they neuer so stronglye yet downe shall
all thinges whiche the Lord hath spoken to thee shall be fulfilled So I saye to you my deare hartes in the Lorde happye are ye all yea twyse happye shall ye bee for euermore because ye haue stedfastlye beleued the moste swete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his own mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythful seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shal be blessed euer world wtout end The promises of God your sweete father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record the god is true The testimony wherof ye haue full worthely borne to the world and shortly will full surely seale the same with your blood yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiaunt souldiers of the high Captaine Iesus Christ who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hell and hath geuen you full victory ouer theÌ„ for euer more Oh worthy witnesses most glorious Martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proud sturdie bragging prince of the world and al his wicked army ouer whoÌ„ ye shall shortly triumphe for euermore Ah my swete hartes the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heaueÌ„ The immercessible and most glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon al your happy heads The holy Aungels of your heauenly father are already appointed to conduct your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heauenly host reioyceth alreadye for that they shall shortlye receaue you with ioye and felicitye into their blessed fellowship Selach Reioyce with double ioy be glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then caÌ„ be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde maye lie and lamente with the holye Prophet saying psalm 119. woe is me that the daies of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Sathan which hath caused me so sore to offende my moste deare louing father wherby my exile and banishment is so much prolonged Oh Christ my aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustelye deserued that he maye take me home to him in his sweete mercy Oh that I might nowe come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy wil Oh Lord be effectuouslye fulfilled for it is onely good turneth al things to the best for such as thou in thy mercyes haste chosen And now farewell my deare hartes moste happye in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortlye to see you in the celestiall Citye wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free Citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heauen where your treasure doth remaine with your swete lord redemer Iesus christ whose calling you haue heard with the eares of your harts therfore ye shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shal neuer be remeÌ„bred be they neuer so many so greuous or so great for your Sauiour hath cast theÌ„ all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them froÌ„ you as farre as the east is froÌ„ the west psalm 103. his mercy hath much more preuailed ouer you then is distance betwene heauen and earth and he hath geuen you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holines righteousnes iustification yea and the holy ghost into your hartes wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the day of redemption to certifie you of your eternal electioÌ„ and the ye are his true adopted soÌ„nes wherby ye may boldely crie vnto god Abba deare father for euer more so that nowe no creature in heaueÌ„ earth nor hel shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly King Gen 3. SathaÌ„ is now cast out from you he him self is iudged hath no part in you He wil once more bite you by the heele and then he hath done for at the time you shal squise his head through your own good Christ so haue finall victorie for euer more In ioyfull triumph wherof ye shall swetely ascende into the place of eternal rest whether your eldest brother Christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy Alter with Cranmer Latymer Ridley Rogers Hoper Saunders Farrer Tailour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your coÌ„ming to see vi moe of their appointed number that their blood may so much the soner be reuenged vpon them that dwel on the earth Thus I make an end committing you al to gods moste merciful defence whose quarrell ye haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory ye haue set forth and whose name ye haue constantlye confessed Farewell for a while my dere hartes in the Lord I wil make as much hast after you as I may Al our deare brethren salute you They praie for you and praise god for you continually Blessed be the dead that die in the Lord for they rest froÌ„ their labours saith the holy ghost Apo. â—1 and their workes followe them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable seruaunt of the Lord yet of hys great mercy prysoner for his sake abiding his further good pleasure Pray praye praye To M. Greene M. VVhittell and certaine other prysoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimony of the Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christ the continuall comfort of his most pure holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithful brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appoynted shepe vnto the slaughter to the good performance of the great and notable worke of the lord which he hath so graciously begoÌ„ne in you all that the same may redownd to the setting forth of his glory and to the commoditie of his churche and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him So be it Ah my dere harts most faithful brethreÌ„ sisters in the lord what high laudes praise yea what humble and continuall thankes am I bouÌ„d to geue to god oure father for you on your moste happie behalfe who so mightely hath magnified himself in you thus farforth in geuiÌ„g you his holy mighty spirit to the constant confessing of christes veritye euen to the cruel condeÌ„pnation I dout not but he wil do the same to the death Oh happie blessed are you the euer you were borne that the lord wil vouch you worthie of this great dignitie to die for his sake Doubtles it is the greatest honour the god can geue you in this life Yea if they be so blessed of god that die in the Lord as the holy ghost saith they be how much more blessed happie then are you that die not only in the lord Apo. 11. but also for the lord Oh that it were the good will of god that the good houre were now come that I might go with you Ah that my sinnes made
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
of GOD or elles we doe moste wickedly transgresse the greate and fyrste commaundemente But doe we obeye and beleue that thys is true So shall we of force by the same bee constrayned to fulfyll the seconde parte that is to saye loue hym wyth all oure harte c. For whoe seeing the goodnesse of GOD towardes hym in Iesus Christe for whose sake onelye he hath geuen hym selfe wholye to bee oures in most large ample wise that may be who I say seing thys woulde not with all his hart soule and minde loue the Lord againe and of loue not only leaue the doing of such things as might displease him but also be ready and willing to doe what so euer is acceptable in his sight yea moste gladly and ioyfullye suffer what soeuer he wil appoint vs to do for his sake knowing assuredly that nothing can come vnto vs no not the diminishing of one heare of our head wtout his good wil pleasure and merciful appointment and that he louing vs so wel that he would geue hys sonne him selfe the holye ghoste and finally all other thinges in Christe to vs will not appoynt any thing vnto vs otherwise then shall bee to the setting forth of his glory and our euerlasting commoditie This great aboundaunt bottomles loue and mercye of god did holy S. Paule depely feele when he made that bold proclamation in the latter ende of the .8 Chap. to the Rom. saying who is it or what is it that shal bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord Reade the whole Chapter often times I besech you Thus deare hart you see the eternall loue fatherly care prouidence of God towardes you In respecte whereof I trust you do not onely caste al your care vpon him but also most louingly obeye him in all his holy ordinaunces euermore meekely submitting your will vnto his in all and euery thing knowing that the same wil make all thinges turne to your beste and that without his pleasure a poore sparow shall not peryshe in the foulers nette muche lesse you or your deare husband your good Vncle M. Latymer or any of yours Let this fayth and godlye persuasion euer more be firme in your hart without doubting or wauering for â—ouâ— it al that euer you go about is in vaine yea without this faith in God you can not please him you can not commit and betake your self wholy vnto him you can not truly feare him you can not loue him in deede you can not call vpon him or hartely praye vnto him neither yet prayse him a tyght Therefore let this be your alone and continual endeuour to be confirmed more and more of this that GOD is your owne moste deare louing father throughe Christ that he hath a moste tender care ouer you and for you as alwayes he hath hadde and euer wyll haue both in soule and body for this life for eternal life how so euer things haue or shal happeÌ„ to appeare vnto you According to this your fayth and as you beleue so shal it be vnto you and as you thinke god to be vnto you so shal you feele him Thinke therfore swetely of the lord of his goodnes thaÌ„ke him most hartely that euer he would vouch you worthy to sustaine the losse of your chefest treasures in earth for his sake and that he would euer geue you any thing to bestowe for his loue And as you prayse the Lord for his great mercyes manifolde benefites so largelye geuen vnto you before many other so do you faythfully pray vnto him that he wil continue hys louing kindnes towards you and kepe you blamelesse through loue in Christ vnto the ende yea make you worthye stronge and able to suffer the losse of your owne life for the testimonye of his truth whiche as your good Vncle sayde to me once and your deare husband full often is the greatest promotion and dignitie that God can bring vs vnto in this life yea it is an honour which the highest Aungells in heauen be not permitted to haue And in this your hartye and faythfull prayer I doe moste humblye require you to remember me a moste miserable wretch I feare me not compted worthye to become one of his constante witnesses vnto the worlde in such sorte as I woulde fayne be pray for me my deare hart pray for me as I will neuer forgette you nor your blessed childreÌ„ so long as I am in this prison of the body CoÌ„mende me vnto Hewgh Glouer Marmaduke and to their younger brother and sister The Lord god comfort and blesse them and poure his good spirite vpon them wherewith their good father was plentifully endewed I praye you do my hartye commendations vnto my good brother her Augustine and his wife and I hartely thanke you for your goodnesse towardes them Desire them also to praye for me for now the needefull time doth approche I prayse God I am more harty then euer I was and so I beseche hym to make you all to bee I haue manye thinges to say more but I am here constrayned to make an end Al my doinges come to an ende with extremitie God graunt that I may enter into his glory through the straite gate though I struggle striue thrusting amonge the preasse with great violence I beseche you yet once againe all my deare frends in god to ayde strengtheÌ„ me with your praiers as I wil neuer forget any of you so long as this wrasteling life of mine doth laste as knoweth God to whose most merciful defence I do hartely coÌ„mitte you and al yours The swete blessing of god the father the sonne the holy ghoste be with you all Amen Your dayly and most bounden Oratour Iohn Careles prysoner of the Lorde pray praye for me in fayth To my good brother M. Iohn Bradford THe peace of god in Iesus Christ the eternal coÌ„fort of his swete spirite which hath surely sealed you vnto eternall saluation be with you and strengthen you in your ioyfull iourney towards the celestial HierusaleÌ„ my deare frend and most faythfull brother M. Bradforde to the setting forth of Gods glory and to your eternall ioy in Christ Amen Euer since the good M. Philpot shewed me your last letter my deare hart in the lord I haue continued in great heuynes perplexitie â–ª not for any hurt or discoÌ„moditie that I caÌ„ perceaue comming towardes you vnto whom doubtles death is made life and great felicitie but for the greate losse that gods chuch here in England shal sustaine by the taking away of so godly worthy and necessary an instrument as the lord hath made you to be Oh that my life a thousand such wretched liues moe might goe for yours Oh why doth god suffer me such other Caterpillers to liue that caÌ„ do nothing but consume the almes of the church and take away you so worthy a workmaÌ„ labourer in the Lords vineyard But woe
might be the better by them if he returne not agayne Euen so dearly beloued and ryght worshipfull my good frendes I hauing shortlye to passe vnto my heauenly inheritaunce whiche is hidden with Christ to our common countrey and eternal dwelling place which we shal haue ◠god neuer to returne before the latter day in the whiche our soules shall come to iudgement and receaue their bodyes to be glorifyed according to their doings haue thought it my dutye to cōmunicate vnto you somthing with whō I haue foūd great humanitie of the fewe heauenly treasures with the whiche God among others hath endued me in Christe whereby he hath made me his childe and assuredly the enheritour of the kingdome of heauen wich all those which vnfaynedly loue him and constantly cleaue to his holy gospell and that is by the renouation of his Image whereunto man was first created lyke vnto god which is to be in the fauour of God to know God truly to liue iustely to delight feruently in the contēpplacion of God to bee continually happye to be immortall voyde of al corruption and sinne the which blessed Image through synne is deformed in vs and in maner loste sauing that it hath pleased GOD of his mercye who willeth not the death of a sinner to restore that Image by grace throughe knowledge and beliefe of the Gospell whiche otherwyse in our nature is cleane suppressed extinguished Therefore we knowing the greate and lamentable losse whiche we doe sustaine in Adam ought moste earnestly to seeke the recouerye thereof that we mighte eternallye liue like vnto God in immortalitie and felicitie the whiche we shall neuer recouer vnlesse we goe aboute to mortifye our outwarde man all the dayes of our life more and more and bee renewed in spirite according to the true knowledge of GOD the whiche if we bee then may we bee assured that we haue found that ioye felicitie and eternall life whiche Adam had in paradise yea and more then that tenne thousand folde for that it is suche as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart cā cōceaue which christ hath prepared for vs. This image of god whosoeuer by faith doth fynd he hath found the most precious treasure that any man can finde for he is euen here a citizen of heauen and in possession of eternal life Therefore I cōmit vnto you principally a dailye care of the renouation of this image as the chiefest iewel you can desire in this world And hereof now I am the more moued to put you in remembraunce because I loue you entierly in the lord and desyre your fellowshyp which the iniquity of our tyme will not permit me to enioy here And for asmuche as we haue a better life to come then this present is an eternall societie with Christ whiche neyther the malice of tyme neither the distance of place can dissolue or separate I exhort you now as one that hath obtained mercy of god in the reparacion of hys image in me to embrace the care therof with earnest desyre to attayn the same wherby we shal al haue a perfect fruition of our loue frendship which alreadye we haue here begon with god in heauen shal bee wythout all doute made ioyfully perfect Let this be a perpetual remembrance of your poore afflicted frend which daily loketh through fire to enter into that eternal life where he trusteth assuredly to enioy your fellowship if the image of god be renued in you through the knowledge of Christ which you haue receyued do know Loke whose image the coyne beareth his it is Semblably if your conuersation be after the gospell verely you are the elect of Christ but if it be according to the world his seruants you are whom your lyfe doth expresse We haue all in Baptisme put on Christ whom if we endeuour to represēt we are in dede the sonnes of God and inheritours wyth Christ One good rule S. Paule to the Rom. in the xij chap. doth appoint for the restauration of this our image of God Fashion not your selues saith he vnto thys world but be ye chaūged in your shape by the renewyng of your mynde that ye maye proue what is the will of god which thing is good acceptable perfect God graūt that this rule may take place with you then doutles our companye shall be inseparable wyth all the saynts of God in eternall blesse Be you not deceyued by the vayne possessions and vncertayne pleasures of this worlde whiche serue to none other purpose then to blynde your eyes that they mighte not behold the things which be glorious and permanent for euer The thynges whiche we see are mortall but the thynges which we see not but certainly hope for be immortall For all flesh as the Prophete Esay saythe is but grasse and the glory therof as the flower of the fielde Oh that you whiche haue the possessions of thys world would so accompt thē not sel your eternal inheritance for a messe of porrige as Esau dyd God open your eyes that you may see the glory of Christ in the mount wyth Peter Iohn and Iames. Then I doubte not you would say with Peter Lord it is good for vs to abyde here let vs here make our dwelling places We haue in this world no fyrme mansion but we seke after that which is to come the which yf we seke nowe where it maye be found we shal surely finde it If we mortify the image of Adam which through synne raigneth in our flesh then shal the image of Christ reuiue in vs to our eternall glorye We are all baptised to die wyth Christe to the ende we shoulde walke in newnes of lyfe as persons dead to the world and liuyng to God And if we dye with hym by crucifieng our concupiscence and lustes we shall eternally lyue Infidelitie is the cause of all our misery which causeth vs to feare mā more then GOD and to esteme the thynges presence more then the thynges to come God illighten our eyes that we may vnderstand how precious an inheritaunce Christ hath prepared for suche as hunger and thurst therafter Then I doubte not we would say wyth Sayncte Paule I am surely persuaded that neyther deathe nor lyfe neyther Aungels nor rule neyther power neyther thynges present neyther thynges to come neyther anye other treasure or creature shall separate vs from the loue whych is in Christe Iesus The Lorde encrease our fayth and geue vs hys holy spirite to discerne wyth our selues howe muche we are growen in hys image and are lyke vnto hym for howe muche we are vnlyke to the worlde so muche more are we like vnto god and so much the more do we approche vnto hym The lord drawe you by hys holye spirite and fashion you vnto hys lykenes that we may eternally lyue together The meanes to come therevnto is diligent exercise in gods worde continuall and faithfull prayer a desyre and loue to
mercy and not sacrifice Reade the 25. chap. of Math. The third is wheÌ„ we make our body a quick sacrfice holy acceptable vnto God that is when we mortify and kil our fleshly concupisâ—nces and carnall lustes so bring our flesh through the helpe of the spirite vnder the obedience of Gods holy law This is a sacrifice to god most acceptable which the apostle calleth our reasonable seruing of God And let vs be sure that vnlesse we doe nowe at thys present take better hede to our selues and vse thankefullye the grace of God offred to vs by the gospell preaching these yeares past wherby we are induced brought to the knowlege of the truth Ephes 3 vnlesse I say we kepe Christ and his holy word dwellyng by faith in the house and teÌ„ple of our harts the same thyng that Christ threatneth vnto the Iewes shal happen vnto vs Math. 14 that is to wytte the vncleane spirite of ignoraunce superstition idolatry and infidelitie or vnbeliefe the mother and head of all vices which by the grace of god was cast out of vs bringyng with him seuen other spirites worse then hymself shal to our vtter destruction returne again into vs so shal we be in a worse case then euer we wer before 1. Pet. 2 For if we after we haue escaped from the fylthines of the world through the knowlege of the lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be yet tangled therin agayne ouercome then is the latter ende worse then the beginning it had bene better for vs not to haue knoweÌ„ the way of ryghteousnes then after we haue knowen it to turne from the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t geueÌ„ vnto vs Prouer. 26 for it happeneth theÌ„ vnto vs according to the true prouerbe the dogge is turned to his vomite agayne and the sow that was washed to wallowyng in the myre And thus to continue and perseuer in infidelitie to kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce and with a dispayre of the mercye of god in Iesu Christ is to sinne agaynst the holy ghost which shal not be forgeuen neither in thys worlde neyther in the world to come Math. 23 Heb. 6 For it is not possible saieth S. Paule that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gyft and were become partakes of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of god of the power of the world to come if they fal away should be renued again â–ª by repentaÌ„ce for asmuch as they haue as concernyng themselues crucified the sonne of god againe makynge a mockynge of hym Sainct Paules meaning in this place is that they that beleue truly vnfainedly gods word do continue abide sted fast in the knoweÌ„ truth If any therfore fal away froÌ„ Christ and his word it is a plaine tokeÌ„ that they were but dissembling hypocrites Math. 26 for al their faire faces outwardly neuer beleued truely as Iudas Simon Magus Demas Hymeneus Philetus others wer which al fel away froÌ„ the knowen verity made a mocke af Christ which S. Paule dothe cal here to crucify Christ a newe because that they turning to their old vomit again did most blaspemously tread the benefites of christes death passion vnder their fete They that are such caÌ„ in no wise be cenued by repeÌ„tance for their repeÌ„tance is fleshly as the repeÌ„tance of Caine Saule and Iudas was which being without godly coÌ„fort breedeth desperatioÌ„ vnto death These are not of the nuÌ„ber of thelect as S Iohn doth say they went out froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs 1 Iohn 2. for if they had bene of vs they woulde haue remained with vs vnto the ende Also the apostle saith in an other place Heb. 10 yf we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowlege of the truth ther remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearful loking for iudgemeÌ„t violent fyre which shal deuoure the aduersaries They sinne willingly which of a set malyce and purpose do wthold the truth in vnrighteousnes lying Rom. 1. kyâ—kyng against the manifest open knowen truthe which although they do perfectly know that in all the worlde there is none other sacrifice for sinne but only that omnisufficieÌ„t sacrifice of christes death yet notwithstanding they wyll not commit theÌ„selues wholy vnto it but rather despise it allowyng other sacrifices for synne â—inueÌ„ted by the imaginatioÌ„ of man as we see by daily experience vnto whoÌ„ yf they abide stil in their wickednes and sinne remaineth a most horrible and dreadful iudgement This is that synne vnto death for whych S. Iohn would not that a man should pray Wherfore my derely beloued in Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. Cor. 10 Apoc. 12 Math. 24. Rom. 1 let vs on whoÌ„ the endes of the worlde are come take diligeÌ„t hede vnto our selues that now in these last perilous tymes in the which the Deuil is come doune hath great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short wherof the prophets Christ the apostles haue so much spokeÌ„ geueÌ„ vs so earnest forewarning we wthold not the truth in vnrighteousnes beleuing doing or speaking any thing against out knowlege coÌ„scieÌ„ce or wtout faith For if we do so for what cause soeuer it be Iohn 8. phi .. 2. Math. 3 it is a wilful obstinate infidelity a sinne vnto deathe as our Sauiour Christ saieth if ye beleue not ye shall die in your sinnes For vnlesse we hold fast the word of life both beleuing it also bring forth fruit worthy of repeÌ„tance we shal with that vnprofitable figge tree which did but cuÌ„ber the ground Luke 13 bee cut doune our talent taken froÌ„ vs geuen vnto an other that shal put it to a better vse we through our own vnthaÌ„kfulnes put froÌ„ the mercy of god Matth. 18. shal neuer be able to pay our debts that is to say we shall altogether bee lost and vndone Heb. 6. For the earth that drinketh in the rayne that commeth ofte vppon it and bryngeth foorth herbes meete for them that dresse it receyueth blessing of God But that grounde that beareth thornes and brears is reproued and is nygh vnto cursyng whose ende is to be burned Neuertheles dere frendes we trust to see better of you and such things as accompany saluation and that ye being that ground watered with moistnes of gods word plenteously preached amongs you Luke 8 Iames. 1. wil with a good hart heare the worde of god kepe it bringing forthe fruite with patience and bee none of those forgetfull and hypocritishe hearers whiche althoughe they heare the worde Math. 13 yet the Deuil commeth and catcheth away that which was sowen in the hart eyther hauyng no roote in themselues endure but a season and as sone as tribulation or persecution aryseth because of the worde by and by they are
offended either wyth the cares of this worlde and deceitfulnes of riches choke the worde and so are vnfruitful Read the parable of the sower amonges other things note and marke that the most parte of the hearers of gods worde are but hypocrites and heare the word wythout any fruite or profite yea onely to their greater condemnation for onely the fourth part of the seede doth bryng forth fruite Therfore let not vs that be Ministers or professours and followers of gods worde be discouraged thoughe that very fewe do credite and followe the doctrine of the Gospell and be saued Math. 11. Whosoeuer therfore hath eares to heare let him heare for whosoeuer hath to hym shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundaunce but whosoeuer hath not from hym shal be taken away that he hath that is to saye they that haue a desyre of righteousnes and of the truthe shal be more and more illuminated of God On the contrary parte they that doe not couet after righteousnes and truth are more hardened and blynded though they seeme vnto themselues most wise For God doth here follow an example of a louyng father which when he seeth that fatherly loue correction doth not helpe towardes hys children vseth an other way He ceaseth to be beneficial vnto them and to minister vnto them fatherly correction he geueth them ouer vnto themselues suffering them to lyue as they luste themselues Heb. 6 Mat. 8 But we truste to see better of you my derely beloued and that ye lyke Gaderenites for feare to lose your worldly substaunce or other delytes of this life Actes 14. wil not banysh away Christ his Gospell froÌ„ amongst you but that ye â— all diligeÌ„ce of mynd wyll receaue the word of god taught you by such ministers as now when persecuioÌ„ aryseth because of the word 2. Tim. 1 2. Tim. 2. are not ashamed of the testimony of our lord Iesus but are conteÌ„t to suffer aduersity with the gospel therin to suffer trouble as euil doers euen vnto bondes And if ye refuse thus to do your own blood wil be vpon your own heads And as ye haue hadde plenteous preaching of the gospell more theÌ„ other haue had Acts. 18 so shal ye be sure if ye repent not bryng forth fruites worthy of repentaunce to be sorer plagued to receaue greater vengeance at gods hand then others and the kyngdome of God shal be taken from you and be geuen to an other nation which wil bring forth the fruites therof Wherfore my dearly beloued in christ take good heede to your selues â–ª ponder wel in your mindes how feareful and horrible a thing it is to fal into the hands of the liuing god And see that ye receaue not the word of god in vaine 2. Cor 6. Iame. 2. but continually labour in fayth and declare your fayth by your good works which are infallible witnesses of the true iustifying fayth which is neuer idle but worketh by charitye Gala. 5. Tit. 2. Rom. 13. Geue your selues I say continually to al maner of good works Amonges the which the chiefest are to be obedient to the Magistrates syth they are the ordinaunce of god whether they be good or euil vnlesse they coÌ„maund Idolatry vngodlynesse that is to say things contrary vnto true religioÌ„ for then ought we to say with Peter we ought more to obeye God then man But in any wise we must beware of tumult Act. 5. insurrection rebellion or resistance The weapon of a christiaÌ„ maÌ„ in thys matter ought to be the sword of the spirit Eph. 6 which is gods word prayer coupled wyth humilitye due submissioÌ„ wyth readines of hart rather to dye then to doe any vngodlynes Iohn 19. Iob 34. Rom. 14 Christ also doth teache vs that all power is of god yea eueÌ„ the power of the wicked which god causeth oftentymes to reygne for our synnes disobedience towards hym hys worde Whosoeuer then doth resiste any power doth resiste the ordinance of god and so purchase to hym self vtter destruction vndoing We must also by al meanes be promoters of vnitie peace concord 1. Pet. 2 Eph. 6 We must honour and reuerence princes al that be in authoritie pray for them and be diligent to setforth their profit coÌ„modity SecoÌ„dly we must obey our parentes 1. Tim. 5. or theÌ„ that be in their romes be careful for our housholdes that they be prouided fed not only with bodely foode but much rather with spiriturall fode which is the word of god Thirdly we must serue our neighbours by al meanes we can Math. 7 1. Tim. 2 remeÌ„bryng well the saying of Christ what soeuer ye would that meÌ„ shold do vnto you do ye likewyse vnto theÌ„ for this is the law and the Prophets Fourthly we must diligently exercyse the necessary worke of prayer for al estates knowing that god therfore hath so much coÌ„maunded it hath made so great promises vnto it doth so wel accept it After these works we must learne to know the crosse Math. 5. what affection mind we must beaâ—e towardes our aduersaryes enemies what soeuer they be to suffer al aduersities euil paciently to pray for theÌ„ that hurt persecute trouble vs. And by thus vsing our selues we shal obtayne an hope and certainty of our vocation that we be the elect children of god And thus I coÌ„meÌ„d you brethreÌ„ vnto god to the word of his grace 2. Pet. 1 Actes 20. which is able to build further geue you an enheritance among al theÌ„ which are sanctifyed beseching you to helpe M. SauÌ„ders me your late pastours al theÌ„ that be in bondes for the gospels sake with your praiers to god for vs that we may be deliuered froÌ„ al theÌ„ that beleue not from vnreasonable froward men Rom. 15. Coloss 4 Phil. 1. that thys our imprisonments affliction may be to the glory profite of our christiaÌ„ brethren in the world that Christ may be magnifyed in oure bodyes whether it be by death or by lyfe Amen Salute froÌ„ me al the faythful brethren and because I write not seueral letters to them let them eyther read or heare these my letters The grace of our Lord be with you al Amen The .28 of Iune by the vnprofitable seruaunt of Iesus Christ and now also hys prisoner George Marshe Saue your selues from this vntoward generation praye pray Acts. 2. pray neuer more nede To certayne of his dearly beloued frendes dwelling at Manchester in Lankeshyre GRace be with you and peace from God our father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Amen After salutations in Christ to you with thankes for your frendly remembraunces of me desiryng and wyshing vnto you not only in my letters but also in my daylye prayers suche consolation in spirit and taste of heauenlye treasures that ye maye thereby
continuallye woorke in fayth labour in loue perseuer in hope and be pacient in all your tribulations and persecutions euen vnto the ende and gloryous comming of Christ Coloss 2. Phil 2. 1. Pet. 3 Mat. 10 Luk. 11. these shall be earnestly to exhort and besech you in Christ that as ye haue receaued the Lord Iesus euen so to walke rooted in hym and not to be afrayde of anye terrour of your aduersaryes be they neuer so many and mighty and you on the other side neuer so fewe and weake for the battaile is the Lordes And as in tymes paste God was with Abraham Moses Isaac Dauid the Machabees and other and fought for them and deliuered all their enemyes into their hands euen so hath he promised to be with vs also vnto the worldes ende and so to assist strengthen and helpe vs that no man shall bee able to withstande vs. Math. 28. Iosua 1. For as I was with Moses so will I bee with thee sayeth God and neither leaue thee nor forsake thee Be stronge and bolde neither feare nor dread for the Lorde thy God is with thee whether so euer thou goest Nowe if God be on our side who caÌ„ be agaynst vs Rom. 8. In thys our spirituall warfare is no man ouercome vnlesse he trayterouslye leaue forsake his Captaine either cowardly caste awaye his weapons or willingly yeld him self to hys enemies either fearfully turne his backe and flye Be strong therfore in the Lord deare brethren and in the power of hys myght and put on all the armour of god Eph. 6. that ye may be able to stand stedfast against the craftye assaultes of the deuill Now what weapons ye muste fight with all 2. Cor 11.12 Act. 21. learne of S. Paule a champion both much exercised and also most valiaunt and inuincible For we muste thinke none other but that the lyfe of man is a perpetuall warfare vpon earth as the examples of all godly men throughout al ages do declare The valiaunt warriour S. Paule being deliuered froÌ„ the hands of the vngodly and that so many tymes from so many extreme perils and daungers of death as he him selfe doth witnesse is fayne to coÌ„mitte hym selfe in the end to the rough waters of the sea where he was in greate perill and ieoperdie of his own life Act. 12. yet was god alwayes to the greate comforte of all that heare of it moste readye to comfort and succour hym gloriously deliuered hym out of al hys troubles so that no man that did inuade him could do hym any harme in the end he was coÌ„pelled to say I haue fynyshed my course 2. Tim. 4. Phil. 1. Rom. 15. the time of my departyng is at hand I long to be losed to be wyth christ which thing is best of al most hartely desiring death These things be wrytteÌ„ for our learning coÌ„fort be to vs a sure obligatioÌ„ that if we submit our selues to god his holy word no maÌ„ shal be able to hurt vs that he will deliuer vs from al troubles yea eueÌ„ froÌ„ death also vntyll such tyme as we couet desyre to dye Heb. 12. Let vs therfore runne with pacience vnto the battel that is set before vs loke vnto Iesus the captayn fynysher of our fayth after his example for the rewards sake that is set out vnto vs paciently beare the crosse despise the shame for all that will liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. Math. 3.4 Christ is no soner baptised declared to the world to be the sonne of god but SathaÌ„ is by by ready to teÌ„pt him Which thyng we must loke for also yea the more we shal encrease in fayth and vertuous liuing the more strongly will SathaÌ„ assault vs whoÌ„ we muste learne after the example of Christ to fyght agaynst ouercome wyth the holy sacred scriptures Eph. 6. Math. 4 word of God which is our heauenly armour sword of the spirit And let the fasting of christ while he was tempted in the wildernesse be vnto vs an example of sober liuing not for the space of fortye dayes as the papistes doe fondly fansye of their owne braynes but as long as we are in the wildernes of this wretched lyfe assaulted of Sathan who like a roaring LyoÌ„ walketh about ceaseth not seking our vtter destruction 1. Pet. 5. neither caÌ„ the seruauntes of god at any time come stand before god that is lead a godly lyfe walke innocently before god but Sathan commeth also among theÌ„ Iob. 1.3 that is he dayly accuseth fyndeth faulte vexeth persecuteth troubleth the godly for it is the nature propertie of the deuil alwayes to do harme to hurt vnlesse he be forbidden of god for vnlesse god do permit him he can do nothyng at al Math. 8 no not so much as enter into a fylthy hogge but we are more of price them many hogges before God if we cleaue vnto hys sonne by fayth Let vs therfore knowing Sathans deceites and rancour Eph. 6. walke the more warely and take vnto vs the shielde of fayth wherwith we maye bee able to quenche and ouercome all the fierye and deadlye dartes of the wicked Let vs take to vs the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of god learne to vse the same according to the exaÌ„ple of our grauÌ„d Captain Christ Let vs fast pray continually Mat. 4. Math. â—7 for this frantike kynde of deuills goeth not out otherwise as Christe doth teathe vs but by faithfull prayers fasting which his true abstinence sobernes of liuing if we vse the same according to the doctrine of the gospell word of God Fasting is acceptable to god if it be done withoute hypocrisie that is to say if we vse it to this entent that therby this mortal body disobedient carcase may be tamed broughte vnder the subiectioÌ„ of the spirit and againe if we fast to this intent that we may spare wherwith to helpe succour oure poore nedy brethren This fast do the true christians vse al the daies of their life although among the common sort of people remaineth yet stil that supersticious kind of fasting which god so earnestly reproueth by his Prophet Esay Esay 58 For as for true chastening of the body abstayning froÌ„ vice with shewing mercy towardes our nedy neighbours we wil neither vnderstand nor heare of but still thinke with the Iewes that we do god a great pleasure wheÌ„ we fast that we then faste wheÌ„ we abstaine froÌ„ one thing fill our bellies with an other And verely in this poynt doth our superstition muche excede the superstition of the Iewes for we neuer read that they euer toke it for a fast to abstayne froÌ„ fleshe and to eate either fyshe or whyte meate as they cal it To fastyng
prayer must be ioyned almes and mercy towards the poore nedy And that our almes may be acceptable vnto god three things are chiefly requyred First 2. Cor. 9. that we geue with a cherefull ioyful hart for the lord loueth a cherefull geuer Secondly that we geue liberally putting a syde al nigardship knowing that he the soweth litle shal reap little and he that soweth plentifully shal reape plentifully Let euery mā therfore do according as he is able The porest caitife in the world may geue as great acceptable an almes in the syght of god as the rychest man in the world can do The poore wydowe that did offer but two mytes Marke 12 whiche make a farthing did hyghly please Christ in so much that he affyrmed wyth an othe that she of her penury had added more to the offrings of god then al the rych mē which of their superfluitie had cast in very much For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to the a man hath not according to that a mā hath not Thirdly we must geue wtout hypocrisie ostentatiō not seking the prayse of mē or our own glory or profite And althoughe the scriptures in some places ake mentiō of a reward to our almes other good works yet ought we not to think that we do merite or deserue any thīg but rather we ought to acknowledge that god of his meere mercy rewardeth in vs his own giftes For what hath he that geueth almes that he hath not receaued He than the geueth vnto a poore mā any maner of thing geueth not of his own but of those goods which he hath receaued of god What hast thou saith the Apostle that thou hast not receaued If thou hast receaued it ◠Cor. 4 why reioycest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it This sentence ought to be had in remēbrance of al mē for if we haue nothing but that which we haue receaued what can we deserue or what nede we to dispute reasō of oure own merites It cōmeth of the free gift of God that we liue that we loue god that we walke in his feare where is our deseruing them ▪ We must also in this our spirituall warfare arme our selues with continual prayer a very necessary strong inuincible weapon Math. 26. Heb. 4. ◠Mach. 4 after the exāple of Christ al other godly men cry hartely vnto god in fayth in all our distresses anguyshes Let vs goe boldely to the seate of grace where we shal be sure to receaue mercy and fynde grace to helpe in time of nede For now is pryde and persecution encreased now is the time of destruction and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore my dere brethren he ye feruent in the law of god ieoperd ye your liues if nede shal so require for the testament of the fathers so shall ye receaue great honour an euerlasting name Remēber Abrahā was not he foūd faythful in temptation Gene. 22. Gene. 41. Num. 25. it was reckned vnto him for ryghteousnesse Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the cōmaūdemēt was made a Lord of Egipt Phinees was so feruent for the honour of god that he obtayned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthod Iosua 1 Num. 14 1. Regū 24 Iosua for fulfilling the word of God was made the captayne of Israell Caleb bare recorde before the congregation and receaued an heritage Dauid also in hys merciful kindnes obtained the throne of an euerlasting kingdome 4. Regū 2 Elias being zelous and feruent in the law was takē vp into heauen Annias Azarias Dan. 3. Misaell remayned stedfast in the fayth and were deliuered out of the fyre In lyke maner Daniell being vngiltie Dan. 6. was saued frō the mouth of the Lyons And thus ye maye consyder throughout al ages synce the world began that whosoeuer put their trust in god were not ouercome Feare not ye then the words of vngodly men for their glory is but donge wormes Psal 38. To day are they set vp to morrowe are they gone for they are turned into earth their memorial cōmeth to nought Wherfore let vs take good hartes vnto vs quyte our selues like mē in the law for if we do the things that are cōmaunded vs in the law of the lord our god we shal obteyn great honour therin Beloued in Christe let vs not faynt because of affliction wherwith God tryeth al thē that are sealed vnto life euerlasting for the only way into the kyngdome of god Act. 14. 4. Esdr 7. is through much tribulation For the kingdome of heauen as god teacheth vs by his Prophet Esdras is lyke a citie builded and set vpō a broad field full of all good things but the enteraunce is narrow sodayne ful of sorow trauaile perils labours like as if there were a fyre at the right hand a depe water at the left and as it were one strayte pathe betwene thē both so small that there could but one man go there If thys citie nowe were geuen to an heyre and he neuer went through the perilous way how would he receaue his enheritance Wherfore seing we are in this narowe strayt way which leadeth vnto the most ioyful pleasant citie of euerlasting life let vs not stagger either turne back being afraid of the daūgerous perillous way but folow our Captayn Iesus Christ in the narow strayt way be affrayd of nothyng no not euen of death it selfe for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneyes end open vs the dore vnto euerlastīg lyfe Cōsider also the course of thys world how many there be which for their Maisters sake or for a litle promotions sake would aduēture their liues in worldly affayres as cōmonly in warres yet is their reward but light transitorye ours is vnspeakeable great and euerlasting They suffer paines to be made Lordes on the earth for a shorte season howe muche more oughte wee to endure lyke paynes yea peraduenture muche lesse to bee made kinges in heauen for euer more Consider also the wycked of this world which for a litle pleasures sake or to be auenged on their enemies wil fyght with sword weapons putte thē selues in daunger of imprisonment hanging So much as vertue is better then vyce god myghtyer thē the deuil so much ought we to excel thē in this our spirituall battell And seing brethrē it hath pleased God to set me that most worthy minister of Christ ▪ Iohn Bradford your countreymē in the forefront of this battel where for the time is most daunger I beseche you all in the bowels of Christ to helpe vs al others our felow souldiers stāding in like perilous place with your prayers to god for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord geue some exāple of boldnesse constancie mingled
with pacience in the feare of god that ye others our brethren through our example may be so encouraged and strengthened to followe vs that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethren in the world to followe you Amen Consider what I say the Lord geue vs vnderstandyng in all thinges 2. Tim. 2 3. Cor. 7 1. Iohn 2. Brethren the time is short it remayneth that ye vse this world as though ye vsed it not for the fashion of this world vanysheth away Se that ye loue not the world neither the things that are in the world But set your affectioÌ„ on heaueÌ„ly things where Christ sitteth on the right hand of god Be meke long sufferiÌ„g serue edisy one an other with the gift that god hath geueÌ„ you Beware of strauÌ„ge doctrine lay aside the old coÌ„uersatioÌ„ of gredy lustes walke in a new lyfe Beware of al vncleannes couetousnes folish talking false doctrine dronkennes reioyce be thankful towards god submit your selues one to an other Cease froÌ„ synne spend no more time in vice be sober apt to pray be pacient in trouble loue ech other let the glorye of god profite of your neyghbours be the only marke you shote at in al your doings Repent ye of the life that is past take better hede to your doings hereafter And aboue al things cleaue ye fast to hym who was deliuered to death for our sinnes rose agayne for our iustification To whom with the father the holy ghost be al honour rule for euer more Amen Salute froÌ„ me in Christ al others whiche loue vs in the fayth and at your discretion make them partakers of these letters and praye ye all for me and other in bondes for the gospel that the same god which by his grace hath called vs from wicked papistrye vnto true christianitie and nowe of loue proueth our patience by persecution will of his mercy fauour in the end gloriously deliuer vs eyther by death or by lyfe to hys glory AmeÌ„ At Lancaster the .30 of Aug. 1554. By me an vnprofitable seruaunt and prisoner of Christ George Marshe The copy of a letter wrytten by Steuen Cotton to his brother Iohn cotton declaryng how he was beaten of Bonner BRother in the name of the Lord Iesus I commend me vnto you and I do hartely thanke you for your godlye exhortatioÌ„ and counsel in your last letter declared to me And albeit I do perceiue by your letter you are informed that as we are diuers persons in number so are we of contrary sectes conditions and opinioÌ„s contrary to that good opinion you had of vs at your last being with vs in Newgate be you most assured good brother in the Lord Iesus the we are al of one mind one raith one assured hope in our lord Iesus whome I trust we altogether wyth one spirite one brotherly loue do daily call vpon for mercy and forgeuenes of our sinnes wyth earnest repentance of our former lyues and by whose precious blood hedyng we truste to be saued onely and by no other meanes Wherefore good brother in the name of the lord seyng these impudent people whose mindes are altogether bent to wickednes enuy vncharitablenes euill speakyng doe go aboute to slaunder vs wyth vntruth beleue them not neither let their wycked sayings once enter into your minde And I trust one day to see you again although now I am in gods pryson which is a ioyful schole to them that loue their lord and god and to me beyng a simple scholer most ioyful of al. Good brother once again I do in the name of our lord Iesus exhort you to pray for me that I may fight strongly in the lordes battail to be a good souldiour to my captaine Iesus Christ our lord and desire my Sister also to do the same and do not ye mourne or lamente for me but bee ye glad and ioyfull of thys my trouble For I trust to be losed out of this dongeon shortly and to go to euerlasting ioy which neuer shal haue ende I heard howe ye were wyth the commissioners for me and how ye were suspected to be one of our company I praye you sue no more for me good brother But one thing I shal desire you to be at my departing out of thys lyfe that you may beare witnes with me that I shal die I trust in god a true christian I hope all my coÌ„panions in the lord our God therefore beleue not these euil disposed people who are the authors of all vntruth I praye you prouide for me a longe shirt against the day of our deliueraÌ„ce for the shirt you gaue me last I haue geueÌ„ it to one of my coÌ„panioÌ„s who had more neede then I and as for the money and meate you sent vs the bishops seruantes deliuered none to vs neither he whoÌ„ you had so great trust in Brother there is none of them to trust to for qualis magister talis serâ—us I haue ben twise beateÌ„ and threatened to be beaten againe by the bishop hymselfe I suppose we shal go into the countrey to Fulham to the bishops house and there be araigned I would haue you to harken as much as you can for when we shal go it shal be sodainly done Thus fare ye wel From the Colehouse thys present Friday Your brother Steuen Cotton A letter of Richard Rothe burnte at Islington to certayne condemned at Colchester ready to die for the lordes cause writen with his own blood O Deare brethren and Sisters how much haue you to reioyce in god that he hath geuen you suche fayth to preuail against these bloudthirsty tyrannes thus farre and no doubt he that hath begon that good worke in you will fulfil it vnto the ende O deare hartes in Christ what a crown of glorye shal ye receyue wyth Christe in the kingdome of god Oh that it had bene the good wil of god that I had ben redy to haue gone with you for I lye in my lordes litle ease in the day and in the night I lie in the Colehouse froÌ„ Rafe Allerton or any other And we loke euery day wheÌ„ we shal be condeÌ„ned for he sayd that I shold be burned wythin .x. dais before Easter but I lie styl at the pooles brynke and euery man goeth in before me but we abyde patiently the Lords laysure with many bandes in fetters stockes by the which we haue receyued great ioy in god And now fare you wel dere brethreÌ„ and Sisters in this world but I trust to see you in the heauen face to face O brother Munt with your wyfe my deare Sister Rose oh how blessed are you in the Lord that god hath found you worthy to suffer for hys sake with all the rest of my dere brethern Sisters knowen vnknowen O be ioyful euen vnto death feare it not saith Christ for I haue ouercommen death Oh dere hartes seyng that Iesus Christ