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

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Farewell in Christe Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles Pray pray praye praye To my moste deare and faythfull brother in the lord T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ with continuall ioy comfort and quietnes of conscience through the mightye operation of the holy ghost be with you my most dearelye beloued brother V. to the encrease of your crowne and victorye nowe and euer Amen I haue bene often times earnestlye minded to write vnto you my deare hart in the Lord syth I receaued your moste godly and louing letter but the likelyhode hope which I haue often since conceaued to see you talke with you mouthe to mouth hath caused me to forbeare that loue hath so often prouoked me vnto But sith mine expectatiō is not yet certifyed nor as farre as I can perceaue is like to be in thys life I can no longer forbeare the scribling of these fewe lynes vnto you The which I desire you to take in good worth for as I haue done the same altogether in hast so is it the contentes of an hart somthing troubled and not altogether in so swete a securitie as it hath bene in tymes past and I dout not but it shal be so full wel agayne Ah my deare brother if I should not now then drinke wyth Christe of the bitter cuppe of inwarde afflictions I shoulde to muche neglecte my dutye towardes you and other my deare hartes in the Lorde whom the mighty God hath made worthy to feele with Christ the fellowship of his passions But blessed be my God and most deare louing father which of his great mercy infinite goodnes in Christ wyl vouch me worthy wyth you other of hys deare dearlings to cary as well the inward crosse which is most greuous and heauye as the outward crosse which is so lyght easy 2. Cor. 4 I know there is an exceding waight of glory prepared for me although Sathan now by gods permission seketh all meanes possible to persuade me to the contrary by castyng of hys cloudes mistes ouer me that he myght darkē the loue of my deare lord Christ which dyed for me yea that whē I was hys vtter enemye by nature the very chyld of wrath and perdition but I know that the loue of my Christe being so great wyll burst out agayne moste gloryouslye Oh God me thynkes euen now I feele it beginne to kyndle in my brest meruelously Praye for me deare hart pray for me that my soule maye sweetely turne to her olde reste agayne for verelye Sathan hath made a sore ruffelyng wyth her of late that he myghte haue bereft her of her vyrginitye wyth the fornication of mistruste and infidelitye But I see wel my God is faythfull as Sainct Paule sayth and wyll not suffer her to be tempted aboue the strength he wyl geue der Praye for me deare harte I saye agayne and prayse GOD moste hartely for hys greate mercy extended towardes me as by your letter I vnderstand you doe I thanke you most hartelye therefore and I promyse you by Gods grace I wil neuer forget you so long as the breth is in my body neither can I though I would And now myne owne bowels in the Lord I long much to heare of your state which I trust be most happy blessed Gladly would I heare that the celestiall brydegrome were at home wyth you and that in respecte of hys moste blessed and cherefull presence you had caste awaye all your mournyng garmentes Oh that I myght once beare you hartely synge wyth the spouse thys sweete verse Can. 2. My delyght is to sitte vnder the shadowe of my loue for hys fruite is full swete vnto my throte he bringeth me into his wine seller hys banner spreadeth ouer me his loue hys left hand lyeth vnder my head and hys ryght hand shal embrace me c. Oh my deare hart I am nowe constrayned to end for thys tyme but god will send me an other I doubte not to whose most mercifull defence I do hartely committe you Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles To my deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus christ the continuall comfortes of hys most pure holy spirit be with you my most deare frend and faythfull brother V. to the encrease of your fayth comfort of your sorowfull spirite which is to the father a sweete sacrifyce through Christe for whose sake he wyll neuer despyse your humble and contrite hart but doth fauourablye accepte the same and wil in most ample wise performe the desyre therof to hys glory and your eternall comfort in hym In the middes of my manyfold crosses troubles wherin I am constrayned to flee vnto God for refuge succoure by earnest and faythfull prayer I can not forget you my deare harte in the Lorde but esteminge your state for myne owne I doe poure forth my complaynte for you as I doe for my selfe and rather more as I thynke presence neede doth require desyring most hartely to heare of the good successe of the same in you The Lorde God for hys great mercyes sake accomplish my desire as I doubt not but he wil whē he seeth it good most to hys glory to your comfort and commoditye Oh that I myght once see you so mery in christ as you haue iust cause to be that you might say with Dauyd psalm 57. Awake my glory awake Lure and Harpe bryng forth the Psalter with the mery song that I myght synge a new songe of prayse and thankesgeuynge vnto the Lorde for the lyghte of hys fauourable countenaunce hys helpe and deliueraunce Psa 45. Oh that woulde refreshe me as a most precious oyle and gladden my poore harte whiche is assaulted with sorrow moe waies then one I doubt not but the same shall by your meanes receiue much comfort though for a tyme it doth mourne wyth you that we may be made both glad together yea and that with such gladnes as shall continue for euer But in the meane space I say most happye are you that so hartely mourne the absence of the brydegrome Math. 9. If you were not a weddyng child you could neuer doe it Onely Christes true Disciples do mourne for his absence therfore shal they doubteles reioyce at hys presence which wil be so much more ioyful by how much the absence is more sorowful Therfore my good brother take a good hart vnto you be of good chere Say wyth the prophet Dauyd psalme 42 O my soule why art thou so heuye and why art thou so disquieted with in me O put thy trust in god for I wil yet geue him thākes for the helpe of hys louing countenaunce and because he is my god Reade psalm the .41 and .42 for your comfort and consider that the holy king and Prophet at the making and first saying of them was euen in the same case that you are now in but he styll comforted hymselfe with
loueth me vnto the ende and wyll not lose me but wyll rayse me vnto lyfe at the last day psalm 27. The lord is my lyght and my defence of whom then should I be afrayde The lorde is the preseruer of my lyfe what can man then do vnto me I am one of the lordes elect who shal lay ought thē to my charge The lord hymselfe doth iustifye me Rom. 8. who shall then condempne me Sith Christ is myne and I am hys what shal make me carefull or who shal separate me from his swete loue which as Salomon saith in his sweete songes is mightier then the deathe No no let the Tyrannes come when they wyll I trust they shall fynd me ready and wyllyng to goe home to my heauenly father whether my good brethern be gone before me wyth ioy tryumphe and victorye ouer the bloodye Beast and her Babilonicall broode blessed be god therfore Your swete examples of Helias Daniel and the Israelites doe muche confirme my faith in Christ although I be farre inferiour to any of them But as you say full well god himself is my father doth loue me his prodigal sonne wyth an euerlastyng loue sure I am therfore he wil not see me lacke eyther for body or soule for he fedeth the birdes brute beastes yea and men that he much worse then they as you ful wel haue sayd And further my deare hart where as you say that your heauines and sorowe is when you call to remēbrance my crosse and double crosse c ah my good louing sister let not my crosses make your good tender harte heuie but rather be glad reioyce with me that God of hys great mercye will repute me worthye to beare them for his sake Sing psalmes with me of prayse thankesgeuing for God hath made me able to beare them paciently if they wer a thousande times so many moe as they bee as in deede my sinnes haue iustly deserued Wel is me the euer I was born that he woulde vouch me worthy to suffer at al hands or al sorts of men for hys sake or rather that it would please his goodnes to choose me poore caitiffe in whom him self would suffer For the enemies doe not punishe me for my sinnes as they might iustely doe but they do persecute swete Christe in me whose truth I do professe And now as concerning the most comfortable doctrine of our eternall election in him before the foundation of the world was laid I do protest before God man that if euery heare of my head were a mans lyfe I would willingly geue them all in the defence therof Full litle wotteth our free wil men what they do whē they go about so rashely to condēne that doctrine The Lord illuminate their mindes with the light of his holy spirit that they may once see the truth therof and leaue their kicking against the pricke In dede deare frend in the respect of thē and the peril which they be in you and I both haue good cause to mourne lament and be sory to pray for them day night that the Lord if it be his wil would conuert them And whether their blindnes be of simplicitye as I hope it is or of wilful obstinacie which thing is greatly to be feared yet haue I no cause to be angry with them for it is their own harme where as mine should haue bene the like if god had left me to my self as he myght most iustly haue done and for that I am as I am his name only haue the prayse and for hys sake I will alwayes seeke to do them good as much as lyeth in me And what soeuer they haue sayd or shall saye or do againste me I doe and will as hartely forgeue them al as I would be forgeuen of god my great sinnes trespasses For sure I am that what soeuer he be that hath any true tast or liuely felyng of the great mercye loue and kyndnesse of God towardes hym in Christe he can not beare hate or displeasure agaynste anye thynge but synne Sathā the only author therof Therfore in that they doe talke so muche of loue and let so little appeare in their dedes it doth euidently appeare how litle taste and liuelye feelyng of the free mercye of God in Christe they haue A weake fayth hath euer a colde charitie annexed vnto it which is quenched with euery vnkinde worde Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles To my deare Sister M. C. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinuall ayde strength comfort of hys most pure holy and mightye spirite with the increase of faith and liuely feling of hys eternall mercyes be moste effectuouslye wrought in your hart my deare and faithfull Syster to the full accomplishing of that good worke which the Lorde hath so graciously begonne in you that it may be to the setting forth of his glory the comfort of hys poore afflicted church and to your owne eternall consolation in hym Amen I thanke God most hartely for you my deare hart in the Lord with all remēbrance of you in my prayers as of duty I am bound not douting but you do the same for me to my great ioy comfort in the middest of my crosses which daily do increase yea and that in such sort that if the faythful god by your hartye prayer and others gods deare children dyd not put to hys helpyng hand I should surely syncke downe vnder thē Ah good sister begge hard of our deare father for me that he would shortly tread Sathan vnder my feete and that I may play the man in the Lordes battel as you bydde me be ioyfull in my Christ what payne or peril soeuer I suffer And reioyce wyth me good sister in the Lord and let vs be mery in him not only to chere the good harts of al our faythfull frends but also to anger the cankered hart of Sathā that croked Serpent our ancient enemy For I know that there is nothyng that can greue his malicious mind more thē the myrth gladnes and hartye reioysyng of the childrē of God in their good Christ Ah my faythfull frend if your good hart be heuye who cā make mine light If you be sory who cā make me glad But if you be mery and reioyce in the Lord there shal no trouble make me sad or sorowful Be of good cheare therfore my good sister comfort my swete brother V. Oh that I mighte once heare that he and his bridegrome were in bedde both together and that he had taken a swete slepe in hys louers armes as Iohn dyd vpon hys lappe on the Maundie night Iohn 13 Commend me vnto him most hartelye and desyre hym for the Lords sake to fulfyl my ioye increase my crowne Bid hym be mindefull of me in hys harty prayers as I neyther wyll nor can forget hym in myne Full deare is he vnto my soule So are you my good sister the Lord he knoweth
Margaret feare not them that can but kil the bodye and yet can they not do that vntill God geue them leaue but feare to displease him that can kill both body and soule and cast them into hel fire Let not the remembraunce of your children kepe you from God The Lorde hymselfe wil be a father and a mother better then euer you or I could haue bene vnto them He himselfe will do al things necessary for them yea as much as rocke the cradell if nede be He hath geuen his holy aungels charge ouer them therfore cōmit them vnto hym But if you may liue with a cleare conscience for els I would not haue you to lyue and see the bringyng vp of your children your self loke that you nourture them in the feare of God and kepe them farre from Idolatry superstition and all other kynd of wickednes and for gods sake helpe them to some learning if it bee possible that they may increase in vertue godly knowledge which shal be a better dowry to mary them withal then any worldly substaunce and when they be come to age prouide them such husbandes as feare god and loue hys holye worde I charge you take heede that you matche them wyth no papistes and if you lyue and marrye agayne your self which thing I would wishe you to do if nede require or els not good wyfe take heede howe you bestowe your selfe that you and my poore children be not compelled to wickednes But if you shal bee able well to lyue gods true widowe I would counsell you so to lyue stil for the more quietnes of your selfe and your poore children Take hede Margaret play the wise womās part You haue warning by other if you wil take an example And thus I committe you my swete children vnto gods most merciful defence The blessing of god be with you god send vs a mery meeting together in heauen Farewel in Christ farewel myne own deare harts all Pray pray To my deare Syster M. C. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus christ the cōtinuall comfortes of his most pure and holy spirit be wyth you my deare and faithful louing Sister and comforte your harte with the plenteous consolation in Christ that with the aboundance of the same you may according to your old custome comfort me in my sorowful estate that I may be occasioned therby to praise the lord with and for you and other his deare children Amen Albeit my dere faithful louing Sister that it were now my part very duty to shew myself so cōfortable ioyful in god for the greate triūphe glorious victory that he hathe so graciously geuē vnto his dere faithful child good M. Philpot that you al other whose sorrowes I dare saye are much encreased might be solaced by the same yet alas such is my losse lack of him that I cānot but so sore lamēt the same that I feare me I shal not onely discōfort you therw t but also displease god which for my sīne hath takē him away And thoughe it had ben both mine honesty duty seing my self to be in so much sorrow to haue kept the same to my self not to haue encreased yours therwith yet could I no lōger forbeare but to cōmunicate some part therof to the ende that you might communicate again to me either your ioy or sorrow whether so euer you haue most store of If your ioy in christ haue the victory as doutles it ought to haue in the respect of gods glory which is so mightely set forth by his swete saint thē I pray you come to me as shortly as you can cōmunicate some part thereof vnto me whose froward and stubborne harte cannot yet be cōtent to preferre the good wil glorye of god before myne own wil cōmodity as I ought to do But if sorrow in you haue gottē the vpper hand as in very dede it doth be guide to do in me good Sister come speake with me ●o lo●e as you can that we may measure our mourning together and in cōforting one an other may be both cōstrained to forget our sorrowes praise god with him who is now synging in sola●e ● hys swete companions that so constantly went before hym loking and wishing for vs two I dare wel say god graunt vs grace to follow their faith and fotesteppes vnto the end Amen Ah my dere harte me thinkes I am like a vessel of wine that after it hathe bene tumbled and tossed to and fro if it should not haue a vente would burst in pieces Euen so the takyng away of this very man of god whose swete cōfort my poore soule doth lacke so tosseth and tormoileth my poore heuy harte that excepte I shoulde as it were wyth a vent expresse the same to god wyth weping teares and opē the same to you wyth wordes and letters I thinke verelye it would burst in pieces which thyng were to me most happely welcome so that god were pleased therewithall Oh yf nature wil so worke in a wycked worldlyng to make hym hartely to lamēt the losse of his frende by whose death he doth yet obtaine diuers commodities howe can it be but the tender harts that be mollified with the good spirit of god must nedes bewayle the taking awaye of those deare hartes by whose death they are depriued of so many heauēly benefits which so farre without comparison do passe al earthly treasures Ah deare hart I neuer wiste what the benefit of that worthy Bradford was vntil now that I feele the wante of hys deare fellow Philpotte which full oft poured the precious water of lyfe and comforte vppon my poore afflicted foule But now alas for my great ingratitude negligence other my great sinnes god hath taken them bothe from me I shal no more hear thē in thys life the more is my sorrow declare vnto me the most cōfortable message of gods great mercy towards me Their worthy writings alas shal no more bring me the most ioyfull newes and mery tidinges of the Gospel to tel me that al my horrible sinnes and offences are frely forgeuē me Oh my great losse which maketh me much to lament and so vexeth and tormenteth my minde that I cannot wel tel what I write Oh true token of gods terrible wrath agaynst me in takyng away suche precious iewels of comforte from me But iust is the iudgement of god against me for my synne which haue largely deserued to be depriued of their swete and comfortable company not onely in thys life but also in the lyfe to come But yet I know the Lord wil not so do but of his great mercy he hath taken thē at thys time frō me that I might make the more haste with harty desyre to be dissolued to be with them Oh gracious god how much is thy mercy How meruelous is thy louīg power how great is thy goodnes and the aboundance of thine exceding kindnes which
victorye is once gotten you maye receiue the inmercessible crowne of glory of gods free gift through hys greate mercy in Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour To whome wyth the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory prayse thankes power rule and dominion for euer and euermore Amē The blessyng of God be wyth you all Iohn Careles ¶ To my faythfull and louyng brother VVilliam Aylsebury THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the continual aide strength comfortes of his most pure holye mighty spirite with the encrease of faith and liuely feelyng othys mercye be wyth you my deare and faythfull louyng brother W. Ailsebury to the increase of hys good gyftes in you and the full finishyng of that which the Lorde hath so gratiouslye begonne in you that the same maye bee to the setting forth of his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflicted churche and to your owne euerlastyng comforte in hym Amen Albeit my dere harte in the lord that at this very present my sorye slowe hande is something pestered with writyng to please my frendes which daily cal vpon me for the performance of my promise and duety towardes them by the meanes wherof I cannot now wryte vnto you in so ample maner as I fayne would yet lest by my to long silence my great ingratitude for your loue and godly letters shuld to muche appeare I haue here in haste scribled these fewe wordes vnto you desiring you to accepte the same in good parte vntyl the Lorde shall sende me a more conueniente tyme to expresse my good will and bounden dutye more largely vnto you promisyng you in the meane space that my poore praier shal supply that which wanteth otherwise as I trust you do not forget me in yours for verely I haue great nede of it My deare brother I thanke you most hartely for your godlye louing and moste comfortable letters in the which I do euidently perceiue the precious gyftes of God wherwith you are plentifully endued the Lorde be praised for you and from the bottome of my harte I do reuerence his spirite in you Wherfore my good brother bee not negligent in the talent that God hath deliuered vnto you but diligently applye the same as I knowe well you doe that the Lorde may receiue his owne wyth vauntage and you the rewarde of a faythfull seruaunt at the tyme of hys most ioyefull returne Truely I wyl not speake it to flatter you neither would I prouoke you to vaine glory but I wyll saye as I see iuste cause that god hathe aboundantly blessed you with the swete knowledge and pure vnderstandyng of his holy worde Be alwaies thankefull vnto god I charge you and humble and meke in your owne sight that GOD onely may haue al the glory from the bottome of your hart And loke that you be very circumspect in al your life conuersation that the light of your good workes may so shine before men that they may be occasioned to glorify your heauēly father on your behalfe Be diligent in your doings and quick trusty in al your Maisters busines that you go about that by al meanes you maye do honour to the doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Remēber that Sathan nowe wyll haue greater spite at you then at many other because you are such a mortall enemy to his kingdome on enerye syde Therefore bee you sure he will nowe lie bitynge at your heele to see if he can geue you a fall anye manner of waye that he myght make the truth of that godly doctrine which you constantly confesse to be slaundered by the meanes therof I knowe well that Sathans thoughtes are not hidde from you 2. Cor. 2. I doubt not but you will be more circūspecte thē I can declare notwithstanding I thought it my bounden duty to warne you as one whom I loue as myne owne soule wyshing you all the good I can possible Commend me vnto my deare frend Iohn Manning and thanke him for his manifold kindnes I am much to blame for him but if the lord do spare my lyfe a litle longer I wil write somthing to him for a remembraunce when I am gone Desire hym to praye for me as I do not forget hym I haue sente you your writinges agayne wyth thankes I pray you write me a copye of that cōcerning the Trinitie for I lyke it meruelous wel it is so briefe pithy I haue no leisure to write it yet wold I fayne haue it as knoweth the lord GOD to whose moste merciful defence I do hartely committe you wyth my good brother Iohn Manning that he with his grace and spirit wil guide you both with al the rest of his deare children vnto the ende Amen The blessing of God be with you nowe and euermore Amen Your owne vnfainedly Iohn Carelet prysoner of the Lorde Pray praye praye To my most faythefull and deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the continuall comfortes of his moste pure holy spirit be with you my deare and faythfull brother V. and in all thinges make you ioyfull throughe the liuelye feeling of hys fatherly mercy and godly prouidēce for you that you hauing daily more and more the sure sence of the same may be able of your owne good experience perfectly to comfort me and all other with the same comfort which you haue and further shal receiue of god who blesse and kepe you now and euer Amen I cannot expresse my deare harte in the Lord howe my ioyes do increase to see how god of hys great mercye dothe daily adde vnto his true church and poore afflicted congregation such as he in Christ hath elected to saluation before the foundation of the world was laid of which most happy nūber preserued only by his free mercy and grace the lorde no doubte hath chosen and doth recken you for one and hath registred your name in his booke of life where it shal remaine for euer and that so sure that neither Sathan deathe sinne nor hell shall euer be able to blot or scrape out the same thoughe for the further proofe and triall of your faith god many times suffreth the same to appeare to your senses farre contrary Reioyce therefore and with gladnes geue god most humble prayse and harty thankes that euer you lyued to see this day in the which he hath surely sealed you with his holy mighty spirite vnto the day of your final redemption and most happy deliueraunce from all corruption God make the same certayn vnto you by thou true testimony of the holy ghost in your hart whose witnes vnto your spirit that you are the adopted sonne of God is more sure and certain then al the outward oracles in the world And as this most true heauenly doctryne doth bring al mirth ioy peace and quietnes vnto a christian conscience so doth it set Satan in a most sore rage malice against the same for that auncient enemye of ours
gospells sake trowe ye that god will make vs able or geue vs a wil to forsake it for natures sake Die ye must once and leaue al ye haue God knoweth how soone and when will ye or will ye not And seing perforce ye must do thys will ye not willinglye nowe doe it for gods sake If ye go to Masse and do as the most part doth then maye ye liue at reste and quietly but if ye denye to go to it then shal ye go to pryson lose your goods leaue your children comfortles yea lose your lyfe also But my dearely beloued open the eyes of your fayth and see howe shorte a thing thys lyfe is euen a very shadowe and smoke Again see howe intollerable the punishment of hell fyre is and that endles Last of al loke on the ioyes incomprehensible which God hath prepared for al them world without end whiche lose eyther landes or goods for hys names sake And then do ye reason thus if we go to Masse the greatest enemy that Christ hath though for a litle time we shal liue in quiet and leaue to our children that they maye liue hereafter yet shall we displease god fal into his hands which is horrible to hypocrites and be in wonderfull hazard of falling from eternal ioye into eternal misery first of soule and then of body with the deuill all Idolaters Againe we shal want peace of conscience which surmounteth al the riches of the world and for our children who knoweth whether god wil viset our Idolatrye on them in thys life yea our house goodes are in daūger of losing as our liues be through many casualties and when God is angrye with vs he can sende alwayes when he will one meane or an other to take all from vs for our sinnes and to cast vs into care for our own sakes which will not come into some litle trouble for hys sake On this sort reason with your selues thē doutles god wil worke otherwise with you and in you then ye are ware of Where now ye thinke your selues vnable to abide persecution be most assured if so be ye purpose not to forsake God that God will make you so able to beare hys crosse that therin ye shall reioyce 1. Cor. 1● Faythful is god sayth Paul whiche will not tempt you further then he will make you able to beare yea he will geue you an outscape in the crosse which shal be to your comfort Thynke how great a benefite it is if God wil vouche you worthye this honoure to suffer losse of any thing for his sake He might iustly cast most greuous plages vpon you now he will correct you with that rodde wherby you shal be made like to his Christ that for euer ye maye reygne with him Suffer your selues therfore now to be made lyke to Christ for ells ye shal neuer be made like vnto him The deuill would gladly haue you now to ouerthrow that which godly ye haue of long time professed Oh how would he triumphe if he could winne hys purpose Oh how would the papistes triumphe against gods gospel in you Oh how would you confirme them in their wicked popery Oh how would the poore children of god be discomforted if nowe ye shoulde goe to Masse and other Idolatrous seruice doe as the world doth Hath God deliuered you from the Sweat to serue hym so Hath GOD miraculouslye restored you to health frō your greuous Agewes for such a purpose Hath God geuen you such blessings in this world good things al the dayes of your life hetherto now of equitie wil ye not receaue at his hands for hys sake some euil God forbyd I hope better of you Vse prayer and caste your care vppon God commit your childrē into his hands geue to god your goods bodyes and liues as he hath geuen them or rather lent them vnto you Say with Iob God hath geuen God hath taken away his name be praysed for euer Caste your care vpon him I say for he is careful for you and take it amonges the greatest blessings of God to suffer for hys sake I trust he hath kept you hetherto to that end And I besech thee O merciful father for Iesus Christes sake that thou wouldest be mercifull vnto vs comforte vs with thy grace and strengthē vs in thy truth that in harte we maye beleue in toung boldly confesse thy gospel to thy glorye and our eternal saluation Amen Pray for me and I by Gods grace wil do the same for you Iohn Bradforde An other letter to the same persons GOds mercy in Christ I wish you to fele my dere brother with my faythful sister your wife now for euer Amen Hauing thys occasion I could not but write something as wel to put my self in remembraunce of my duty to godwardes for you both in thankfulnes prayer as to put you in remēbrance of me your dutye towards god for me in praying for me for I dare not say in thankfulnes for me not that I woulde haue you to geue no thankes to God for his wonderful great sweete mercies towardes me vpon me in Christ his sonne but because I haue not deserued it at either of your hāds For ye both know right wel at least my conscience doth accuse me how that I haue not only not exhorted taught you as both my vocatiō your desertes required to walke worthy of that vocation which god hath made you worthy of with trembling feare to worke out your saluatiō that is in the feare of god to geue your selues to great vigilācie in prayer for the encrease of fayth to a wary circūspection in al your cōuersatiō not only in works wordes but also in thoughts because god is a sercher of the hart out of the hart it cōmeth that defileth vs in gods sight I haue I say not only not done this but also haue geuen you exāple of negligence in prayer watching fasting talking doing so that woe to me for geuing you suche offence Partely for thys cause deare brother sister god hath cast me and kepeth me here that I might repent me and tourne to hym that ye might also by this correction vpon me be more diligence to redresse these things and others if they in your conscience do accuse you My dearly beloued heuie is gods anger fallē vpon vs al doulefull is this day Now hath Antichrist all his power again now is Christes gospel trodē vnder fote now is gods people a derision a praye for the wicked Nowe is the greatest plague of al plagues fallē the want of gods word and al these we haue yea I alone haue iustly deserued Oh that as I write I alone I could with Dauid 1. Par. 21. with Ionas in hart say so But I do not I do not I se not howe greuouslye I haue sinned how great a misery is fallē for mine vnthākfulnes for gods
please it god neuer so much We read not the Iames Iohn Andrew and Simon when they were called put of the tyme tyl they had knowen their fathers frends pleasure but the scripture sayeth they forsoke all and by and by followed Christ Christe lykened the kyngdome of GOD to a precious pearle Mat. 13. the which whosoeuer fyndeth selleth all that he hath for to bye it Yea whosoeuer hath but a litle taste or glimmeryng how precious a treasure the kyngdome of heauen is wyll gladly forgoe both lyfe and goodes for the obtaynyng of it But the moste part now a dayes be lyke to Aesopes cocke which when he hadde founde a precious stone wyshed rather to haue founde a barelye corne So ignoraunte bee they howe precious a iewell the woorde of God is that they choose rather the thynges of thys worlde whiche being compared to it be lesse in value then a barlye corne If I woulde haue geuen place to worldlye reasons these myght haue moued me Fyrste the forgoing of you and my children the consideration of the state of my children being yet tender of age and younge apte and inclinable to vertue and learnyng and so hauynge the more neede of my assistance beinge not altogether destitute of gyftes to helpe them wythall possessions aboue the common sorte of men because I was neuer called to be a preacher or minister and because of my sickenesse feare of death in imprisonment before I shoulde come to my answere and so my death to bee vnprofitable But these and such lyke I thanke my heauenly father which of hys infinite mercy inspyred me wyth his holye ghost for hys sonnes sake my only Sauioure and redemer preuayled not in me but when I had by the wonderfull permission of GOD fallen into their handes at the first sight of the Sherife nature a little abashed yet or euer I came to the pryson by the working of god and through his goodnes feare departed I sayd to the Sherife at his cōmyng vnto me what matter haue you Maister Sherife to charge me withal He answered you shal know when you come before the Maisters And so takyng me with him I loked to haue bene brought before the Maisters to haue heard what they could haue burdened me withal But cōtrary to my expectatiō I was cōmitted fortwith to the Iayle not being called to my answere litle iustice being shewed therin But the lesse iustice a man findeth at their hands the more consolation in conscience shal he fynde from God for whosoeuer is of the world the world will loue hym After I came into prison had reposed my self there a whyle I wept for ioye and gladnesse my belly ful musing much of the great mercies of god and as it were saying to my selfe after thys sorte O Lorde who am I on whom thou shouldest bestowe thus thy great mercy to be numbred among the Saintes that suffer for thy Gospels sake And so beholding and considering on the one side my imperfection vnablenesse sinnefull misery and vnworthynesse and on the other side the greatnesse of Gods mercy to be called to so hygh a promotion was as it were amased and ouercome for a whyle with ioye and gladnesse concluding thus with my self in my hart O Lord thou shewest power in weakenesse wysedome in folishenesse mercye in sinnefulnesse who shall let thee to choose where and whom thou wilte As I haue zelouslye loued the confession of thy worde so euer thoughte I my self to be most vnworthy to be pertaker of the affliction for the same Not long after came vnto me Maister W. Brasbryge Maister C. Phinees Maister N. Hopkins trauelynge wyth me to bee dysmissed vppon bondes to whom my answeare was to my remembraunce after thys sorte For as muche as the Maisters haue imprysonned me hauyng nothynge to burdeine me with all if I shoulde enter into bondes I shoulde in so doinge accuse my selfe And seing they haue no matter to laye to my charge they maye aswell lette me passe wythoute bondes as with bondes Secondarelye if I shall enter bondes couenaunte and promyse to appeare I shall doe nothyng but excuse coloure and cloke theyr wickednesse and endaunger my selfe neuerthelesse beinge bounde by my promyse to appeare They alledged manye worldlye persuasions vnto me to auoyde the presente peryll and also how to auoyd the forfiture if I brake my promyse I sayde vnto them I hadde caste my penyworthe by Gods helpe They vndertoke also to make the bonde easie And when they were somewhat importune I sayd to Maister Hopkins that libertye of conscience was a precious thyng and tooke as it were a pause lifting vppe my harte to God earnestlye for hys ayde and helpe that I mighte doe the thing that mighte please hym And so when they had let their sute fall my harte me thoughte was wonderfullye comforted Maister Dudlye commoned wyth me in lyke manner whom I aunsweared in effecte as I dyd before Afterwarde debatinge the matter with my selfe these considerations came to my head I haue frō tyme to tyme with good cōscience God I take to recorde moued all suche as I hadde conference with all to be no daliers in Gods matters but to shewe them selues after so greate a lyghte and knowledge hartye earnest constante and stable in so manifest a truth and not to geue place one iote contrarye to the same Nowe thoughte I if I shall withdrawe my selfe and make anye shiftes to pull my own necke out of the collor I shall geue great offence to my weake brethren in Christe and aduantage to the enemyes to slaunder Gods woorde It will be sayd he hath bene a greate boldner of others to be earnest feruent to feare no worldly perills or daungers but he him self wil geue no suche example Wherefore I thoughte it my bounden dutye both to God and man being as it were by the greate goodnesse of GOD. maruelouslye called and appoynted hereunto to sette asyde all feare perilles and daungers all worldlye respectes and considerations and lyke as I hadde heretofore accordyng to the measure of my small gifte wythin the cōpasse of my vocation callyng frō the bottome of my hart vnfaynedly moued exhorted persuaded al that professed gods word manfully to persiste in the defence of the same not wyth sword vyolence but wyth sufferyng and losse of life rather then to defyle themselues agayne with the whoryshe abhomination of the Romysh Antichrist so the houre being come wyth my facte and example to ratifye confyrme and proteste the same to the hartes of all true beleuers to this end by the myghtye assistance of Gods holy spirite I resolued my self wyth much peace of conscience willingly to sustayne what soeuer the Romyshe Antichrist should doe agaynste me and the rather because I vnderstoode the Byshoppes comming to be at hande and considered that poore mens consciences shoulde be then sharpely assaulted So remayned I prysoner in Couentrye by the space of .10 or .11 daies being neuer called to
death for hys sonnes sake What a spectacle shall it beto the worlde to beholde so godlye a fellowshippe as you seruauntes of god in so iust a quarrel as the gospel of Christ is with so pure a conscience so stronge a fayth and so liuelye a hope to offer your selues to suffer moste cruell tormentes at the handes of Gods enemyes and so to ende your dayes in peace to receaue in the resurrection of the ryghteous life euerlasting Heb. 11. Be stronge therfore in your battayle The Lord God is on your syde and hys truth is your cause phi 3 and agaynst you be none but the enemies of the crosse of Christ as the Serpent and hys seede the Dragon wyth hys tayle Math. 3. Iohn 8. the marked mē of the Beast the ofspring of the Pharisees the congregation malignaunt the generation of Vipers murtheters as theyr father the deuyll hath bene from the beginnynge To conclude such are they are the Lord God hath alwayes abhorred and in all ages resisted and ouerthrowen God from whom nothing is hid knoweth what they are He that searcheth the hartes of men Psal 34. Heb. 4. he hath founde them oute to be craftye subtyll full of poyson proude disdaynefull stifenecked deuourers rauenees and barkers agaynste the truthe fylthye and shamelesse and therefore doth the spirite of God by the mouthes of his holye Prophettes and Apostles call them by the names of Foxes Iude. 1. Serpents Cockatrices Lions Leopardes Bulles Beares Wolues Dogges Swine Beastes teaching vs thereby to vnderstande that their naturall inclination is to deceaue poyson and destroye as muche as in them lyeth the faythfull and elect of God Psalm 76. But the Lord with his right arme shall defende hys little flocke agaynste the whole rabblement of these worldlings Matth. 20. Luk. 2i Math. 10. 1. Pet. 2. whiche haue conspired against him he hath numbred all the heares of hys childrens heades so that not one of them shall peryshe withoute hys fatherly will He keepeth the sparowes muche more will he preserue them whom he hath purchased with the bloode of the immaculate Lambe He wil keepe them vnto the houre appoynted wherein the name of God shall bee glorifyed in his Sainctes In the meane tyme let them woorke theyr willes Math. 10 Sapi. 3. let them enuye let them maligne let them blaspheme let thē curse banne betraye whyppe scourge hange and burne for by these meanes God will trye his electe as golde in the furnace and by these fruites shall they also bring themselues to be knowen what they be for all theyr shepes skinnes For as he that in suffering patiently for the Gospell of God is thereby knowen to be of Christe euen so in likewise is the persecutour of hym knowen Psal 7. to be a member of Antichriste Besydes thys their extreme crueltye shall be a meane the sooner to prouoke god to take pitie vppon hys seruauntes and to destroye them that so tyranouslye entreate hys people as we maye learne by the historyes as well in the bondage of Israell vnder Pharao in Egypte Exod. 13. Esd 3.13 as also in the miserable captiuitie of Iuda in Babilon Where as when the people of God were in moste extreme thraldome then did the Lord stretch forth his mighty power to deliuer hys seruauntes 2. Mach. 7. Iacob 4. i Pet. 5. Apo. 9. Heb 12. Iacob 2 Though God for a time suffer them to bee exalted in theyr owne pride yet shall they not scape hys vengeaunce They are hys roddes and when he hath worne them to the stumpes then wil he caste them into the fyer thys shall bee their fynall rewarde Our dutie is in the meane while paciently to abide the wil of god which worketh all thinges for the beste Thus dealeth he wyth vs partly for our trial 2 Cor i2 Esdras 36 partly also for our synnes which we most greuously haue committed to the great slaunder of hys gospel wherby the name of God was euill spoken of amonge his enemies Roma 2. for the whiche he nowe punisheth vs wyth hys fatherly corrections in this worlde i. Cor i Luke 15 that we should not be dampned wyth the worlde By thys meanes seeketh he hys sheepe that were lost to bryng them home to the folde agayne By this way seketh he to reforme vs that we may be like vnto him Ephesi 4 after the image of his sonne Iesus Christ in all holines and righteousnes before hym Finally thys way vseth his godly wisdome to make vs therby to know hym Ose 13. our selues in hym that afore tyme had in a maner forgotten him praysed bee his name therefore And as for these Balaamites which now do molest vs commit thē to the handes of god geue hym the vengeaunce and he will reward them Rom. 12. phil 2 Luke 8. Marke 4. psal 8. psal 4. Ieremy 12. Fal ye to prayer and let these belly gods prate For he is in heauen and slepeth not that kepeth Israell He is in heauen that made the seas calme when the Disciples were afraid Let vs now faithfully call vpon hym and he will heare vs. Let vs cry vnto the Lord for he is gratious and merciful When we are in trouble he is wyth vs he wyll deliuer vs and he wyll glorify vs. If we come vnto hym we shal fynde hym turned vnto vs. If we repent vs of our wickednes done against hym Ieremy 18 then shal he take away the plague that he hathe deuised against vs. Let vs therfore earnestly repent bryng forth the worthy frutes of repentaunce Let vs study to be hys then shall we not nede to feare what these hypocrites do agaīst vs Matth. 12. which with their pretensed holines deceiue the hartes of the symple and abuse the authoritie of god in hys Prynces causing them by their procurement to testify their ambicious prelacie and to erect vp their Idole agayne wyth the Romish Masie God in whose handes are the hartes of kynges Iob. i2 pro. 15.22 opē the harte of the Quenes hyghnes to espye them out what they be so to wede them out that they no longer be suffred to trouble the congregation of God to poyson the realme wyth Pope holy doctrine psal 24.30 78. God almighty for hys sonne Iesus Christes sake deliuer the Quenes highnes and this her church realme from these proude prelates which are as profitable in the churche of Christe as a polecatte in the myddes of a warren of connies To conclude my bretherne I commit you to God and to the power of hys worde whiche is hable to establysh you in all truth Hys spirite be wyth you and worke alway that ye maye be myndful of your dueties towardes hym whose ye are both bodye and soule Whome see that ye loue serue dreade obey aboue all worldly powers and for nothyng vnder the heauens defyle your conscience before God Dissemble not wyth hys worde
euē so are you you haue so surely knitte me to you with that bond of vnfayned loue whereby you are lyncked to the chyldren of God Oh blessed bonde of perfection and true badge of Christes Dysciples Oh true and vnfayned loue wroughte by hys spyrite in the hartes of all hys elect This is to vs a true sygne and sure seale that we are the verye children of GOD. Thys loue is that flower that neuer shall fade but floryshe daylye more and more and bee made perfect in that place where fayth and hope shall haue no offyce 1. Cor. 13. but possesse for euer that which they haue here long loked for wyth patience My deare hart be of good cheare for though our bodyes be here seperated a sūder for a litle time yet shal the lord bring vs together againe ere it be long into a place of great ioy where we shal dwel for euer Yea god cā wyll if he see it good for vs bring vs together agayn in this lyfe that we maye haue a mery meting further occasion to prayse hys holy name He can worke wonders when hym self listeth Psa 91. Oh what it is to dwell vnder the defence of the most highest and to sit vnder the shadow of the almighty The buggysh Byshops can not make such a one a feard because they can not take awaye one heare from our head vntil god geue them leaue which I am sure he wil not doe vntyl such time as he shall see it moste to hys glorye and the profytte of hys sainctes and when that time is once come who wyll desire to tarie here any longer Thus deare sister I haue scribled a fewe lines to you in haste I will not say that it shal be my last farewell although it be very like in this life Cōmend me to my good brethren M. Heath Robert Cole Iohn Lydley c. I would be glad to see them take my leaue of them if they may do it without daunger as I thinke they may but in no wise let them not daunger thēselues for that matter sure I am we shall all haue a most ioyfull meting shortly God strengthen you al in his truth and make you instrumentes of hys glory to defend the gospell of his grace against al sortes of enemyes therof Amongest whō me thinkes I do foresee deare sister the great plague that these frewill men shall poure vpon the poore afflicted Church of God for withoute all doubt the Dragon wil make the riuer of reproch Apo. 12 which you now sustaine for the verities sake a great floud or euer it be longe but in the end they shall drinke it vp all them selues as they now do that which they spued forth against our blessed brethren Bradford and Philpot. And yet the veritie doth floryshe and shall spyte of the Pye which greueth Sathan at the hart therfore he bestirreth him like a wode Liō knowing that his time is short The lord deliuer vs frō these poysoned tonges Verely I can not tell whether I maye more lament my long tarying amonges these Ismalites so geuen to malice or the leauing of you and other my deare louers in the Lord amonges them The Lord be mercifull vnto his elect and shorten these sorowful daies for their sakes as he hath sayd he will Farewel mine owne deare hart farewell in the Lord Iesus christ who poure his holy sprite plenteously vpon you that by the mighty operation of the same you may daily more more effectuously feele the sure certaintye of your eternall saluatiō in Iesus Christ that you may euer be able to comfort other with the same cōfortes wherwyth you are comforted in him To whose most mercifull defence I do hartely cōmit you now euer more Amen The blessing of God be with you all now and euer Amen Your own poore brother Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lorde abyding his good pleasure To my good Sister M. C. THe peace of god in Iesus Christe the eternall comfortes of his sweete spirite be with you my deare and fatithfull sister to the full accomplyshment of that good worke whiche he hath most graciously begōne in you that the same may be effectuall to the settyng forth of hys glorye and to your euerlastynge consolation in hym Amen My louing and faythfull syster in the Lorde I thanke you for all your louing kindnes shewed vnto me but specially for your godly remembrance of me in your feruent and faythfull prayers and for your most godly and comfortable letter wherby you do not only much encrease my ioye and comfort but also put me in remēbrance of my duty towards you Blessed be the Lord our God which of hys great mercy hath so beautifyed hys church in these our dayes that euen vnto many godly women he hath geuē most excellent giftes of knowledge and vnderstanding of hys truth so that they are not only wel able to enforme their own consciences in al things necessary to saluation but also most swetely to cōfort their sorowful brethrē sisters that sustaine any trouble for the testimony of gods truth yea that which is more euen in the middes of their greate confllictes of conscience Of which most happye nūber of godly vertuous women my deare hart you are one that of the chiefest being plentifully endewed with the giftes of gods most gracious spirit as it doth ful well appeare in your dayly doinges God only haue the prayse therfore For as much then as God hath geuen you the gifte to write I shall most hartely desyre you to let me heare frō you somtymes be it neuer so litle for truly I take great comfort courage therby specially in my poore conscience which is sore assaulted of subtyll Sathan in a maner oppressed of my synnes Pray deare syster that god may geue me true harty and earnest repentance and increase my fayth for they are both the good giftes of God only farre passe the reache of my power to take at my plearsure Therfore deare syster if you wil helpe me to begge the same of oure deare louing father I am sure that he both can will geue them me in his good time And as for the feare of death or terrour of the fyer I most hartely thanke my good God I feele it not only it is myne own sinnes and vnthankfulnes which holdeth hard battel wageth strong warre againste me which only goeth about to seperate me frō my good captayne Christ that I should not enioye hys glorious victorye but God being on my side as I am sure he is that can not continually preuaile agaynst me Though God for a time permitte Sathā to take his pleasure on me as he did vp on Iob yet I doubt not but in the end all shall turne to my profite through the merites of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whose most merciful defence I commit you deare sister with all the rest of the Lordes electe
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