before you though it be to come as euen now present lyke as you do and wyl your patientes to doe in purgations and other your ministrations to consyder the effecte that wil ensue where through the bitternes and lothesomnes of the purgatiō is so ouercome and the painfulnes in abydyng the workyng of that is mynistred is so eased that it maketh the patient willyngly ioyfully to receiue that is to be receiued although it be neuer so vnpleasaūt so I say set before you the ende of this straite way and thē doutles as Paule saith aeternū pōdus gloriae pariet whiles you loke not on the thyng sene for that is temporal but on the thing which is not sene which is eternall So dothe the husbandman in plowing and tilling set before him the haruest time so doth the fisher consider the draught of his nette rather thē the casting in so doth the merchaunt the returne of his merchaūdise and so shoulde we in these stormy daies set before vs not the losse of our goods liberty very lyfe but the reaping time the comming of our sauiour Christ to iudgement the fire that shall burne the wicked disobediēt to gods gospel the blast of the Trumpe the exceding glory prepared for vs in heauen eternally suche as the eie hathe not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of man can conceyue The more we lose here the greater ioye shall wee haue there The more we suffer the greater tryumphe For corruptible drosse we shall fynde incorruptible treasures for golde glorye for syluer solace without ende for ryches robes royall for earthely houses eternall Palaces myrthe wythout measure pleasure wythout payne felicitye endeles Summa we shall haue God the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste Oh happye place oh that thys daye woulde come Then shal the ende of the wicked be lamentable then shall they receiue the iust rewarde of thy vengeaunce then shall they crye woe woe that euer they dyd as they haue done Reade Sapien 2.3.4.5 Reade Mathew 25. Reade 1. Corrinthians 15. 2. Corrinthians 5. and by fayth whiche GOD encrease in vs consyder the thinges there set forth And for your comforte reade Hebrewes 11. to see what faythe hath done alwayes consyderyng the way to heauen to be by many tribulations that all they which wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution You know thys is oure Alphabet he that wyll bee my Disciple sayeth Christ must denye hymselfe and take vppe his crosse and followe me not thys Bishoppe nor that Doctour not thys Emperour nor that Kynge but me sayeth Christe for he that loueth father mother wyfe chyldren or verye lyfe better then me is not worthye of me Remember that the same Lorde sayeth Math. 8. he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall loose it Comforte your selfe wyth thys that as the Deuyls had no power ouer the Porkettes or ouer Iobes goodes wythout Gods leaue so shall they haue none ouer you Remember also that all the heares of your head are numbred wyth GOD. The Deuyll maye make one beeleue he wyll drowne hym as the Sea in hys surges threateneth to the lande but as the Lorde hathe appoynted boundes for the one ouer the whyche he cannot passe so hathe he done for the other On god therfore cast your care loue him serue him after hys worde feare him trust in him hope at his hande for all helpe and alwayes praye lookyng for the crosse and when soeuer it commeth bee assured the Lorde as he is faythfull so he will neuer tempte you further then he will make you able to beare but in the myddest of the tēptation wil make such an euasion as shal be most to his glorye and your eternall comfort God for his mercy in Christe with his holye spirite endue you comforte you vnder the winges of hys mercy shadow you and as his deare childe guide you for euermore To whose merciful tuition as I doe wyth my hartye prayer committe you so I doubte not but you praye for me also and so I beseche you to do stil My brother P. telleth me you would haue the last part of sainct Hieromes workes to haue the vse thereof for a fortenighte I cannot for these .iij. dais wel forbeare it but yet on thursday next I wil send it you if god let me not vse me that I haue as your owne The lorde for his mercy in Christe directe oure wayes to his glory Amen Out of pryson by yours to commaunde Iohn Bradford To Maystres M. H. a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauines and godly sorrow which the feeling and sense of sinne worketh in gods children I Humblye and hartelye praye the euerlyuyng good god and father of mercye to blesse and kepe your harte and mynd in the knowledge and loue of his truth of his Christ through the inspiration and workyng of the holy spyryte Amen Although I haue no doubte but that you prosper and go forwardes daily in the way of godlines more and more drawyng towardes perfection and haue no neede of anyethyng that I can wryte yet because my desyre is that you myghte be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you besechyng you bothe often and diligently to call vnto your mynd as a meane to styrre you hereunto yea as a thyng which god most straitly requireth you to beleue that you are beloued of god that he is your dere father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue tender kyndnes of god towards vs in Christ is aboundātly herein declared in that he hath to the godly worst of creation of this worlde made vs after his image redemed vs beyng lost called vs into his church sealed vs with his marke and signe manuel of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dais of our lyfe fed nourished defended and moste fatherlye chastised vs and nowe hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of hys feare faith loue and knowlege of hys Christ and truth and therfore we lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our frailenes our diffidence and waueryng in things wherin we should be moste certain Al these thyngs we shuld vse as meanes to cōfyrme our faith of this that god is our god and father and to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thynges before touched especially in that of all thinges god requyreth this faith and persuasion of hys fatherly goodnes as hys chiefest seruyce For before he aske any thyng of vs he saieth I am the Lord thy god geuyng hymselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our own And this he doth in respect of hymself of hys owne mercye and truth and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration wherof when he saieth Thou shalte haue none other gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy hart
igitur deus qui nobis in tanta abundantia iniquitatis in tanta ruina pietatis talem nobis dedit in isthac veneranda canitie testeÌ„ sui Euangelij veritati Infoelix quem tanti viri tam grauis innocentis pietas constans confessio nihil permouere possuÌ„t ad cognoscendam veritatem dei Non peto iam frater vt mihi quicquam rescribas multum enim vereor ne literae intercipiantur quanquaÌ„ scias mihi de tua constantia fortitudine in Domini caussa audire semper fore gratissimum Et vt tuae fraternitati hactenus non rescripserim bis tameÌ„ vt potui tibi significandum curaui quod a me in tuis literis cognoscere voluisti Nec adhuc profecto frater possum animum meum mutare tot enim mihi videre videor pericula quae me impellunt vt consulam ne tuarum lucubrationum editionem festinare velis saltem sub titulo nominis tui Multum enim vereor ne hac occasione tibi os obstruatur in posterum alijs quoque captiuis omnia anferantur quihus alioqui multis deo ita volente poterunt ê“ desse Bene vale in Domino Chaaiss frater si qui alij in vestris aedibus suÌ„t vobiscum in causa Christi concaptiu ï precor illis meo nomine salutem vti possis velis impartiri et omnium uestruÌ„ precibus apud dominum me atque meos concaptiuos in domino etiaÌ„ atque etiam humillime commendo rursus atque in aeternum in Christo bene vale frater Chariss The same in english ¶ To my most deare brother and reuerend fellow Elder in Christe Iohn Hoper grace and peace MY dearely beloued brother and fellow Elder whoÌ„ I reuerence in the lord pardon me I besech you that hitherto since your captiuitie and myne I haue not saluted you by my letters wheras I do in deede confesse I haue receiued from you suche was your gentlenes two letters at suÌ„dry tymes but yet at such times as I could not be suffred to write vnto you againe or yf I might haue writeÌ„ yet was I greatly in dout lest my letters shuld not safely come vnto your haÌ„ds But now my dere brother for as much as I vnderstaÌ„d by your workes which I haue yet but superficially sene that we throughly agree wholy consent together in those thynges which are the groundes substaÌ„tial points of our religioÌ„ against the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dais howsoeuer in time past in smaller matters circuÌ„staÌ„ces of religion your wisdom my simplicity I coÌ„fesse I haue in som points varied Now I say be you assured that euen with my whole heart God is my witnes in the bowels of Christ I loue you in truth for the truthes sake which abideth in vs and as I am perswaded shall by the grace of God abyde with vs for euermore And because the world as I perceiue brother ceaseth not to play his pageant 1. Cor x. busely conspireth against Christ our sauior with all possible force and power exaltyng high thinges against the knowledge of god let vs ioyne handes together in Christ and if we cannot ouerthrowe yet to our power and as much as in vs lieth let vs shake those hyghe thinges not with carnal but with spiritual weapoÌ„s withall brother let vs prepare our selues to the day of our dissolution wherby after the shorte time of this bodely affliction by the grace of our lord Iesus Christ we shall triumphe together with him in eternall glory I pray you brother salute in my name that reuerend father Of this good fathers godly ende and constant coÌ„fession of the truth you shall read in the next editioÌ„ of the boke of martyrs your fellow prisoner Doctor Crome by whom since the first day that I heard of his most godly fatherly constancy in confessing the truth of the gospel I haue conceiued great consolation and ioy in the lord For the integritie and vprightnes the grauitie innoceÌ„cy of that maÌ„ al EnglaÌ„d I think hath knowen long ago Blessed be God therfore whiche in such abundance of iniquity decay of all godlinesse hath geuen vnto vs in this reuerend old age such a witnes for the truth of his gospel Miserable hard harted is he whoÌ„ the godlines constant confession of so worthy so graue innocent a maÌ„ wil not moue to acknowledge coÌ„fesse the truth of god I doe not nowe brother require you to write anye thing to me againe for I staÌ„d much in feare lest your letters should be intercepted before they can come to my hands Neuertheles know you that it shal be to me great ioy to heare of your constancie and fortitude in the lords quarel And albeit I haue not hitherto writen vnto you yet haue I twise as I could seÌ„t vnto you my mind touching the matter which in your letters you required to know neither can I yet brother be otherwise persuaded I see me thinkes so many perils wherby I am earnestly moued to couÌ„sel you not to hasteÌ„ the publishyng of your workes especially vnder the title of your own name For I feare greatly least by this occasion both your mouth should be stopped hereafter al things taken awaye from the reste of the prisoners whereby otherwise if it so please god they may bee able to doe good to many Farewell in the lord my most deare brother and if there be any more in prison with you for Christes cause I besech you as you may salute them in my name to whose praiers I do most humbly and hartely commeÌ„d my selfe and my fellow prisoners concaptiues in the lord and yet oâ—ce againe and for euer in Christ my most deare brother Farewell ☞ A letter of M. Edmunde Grindal then being in exile for the testimony of the truth and now bishop of London to D. Ridley prisoner in Oxforde whiche we thoughte good here to place for that the letter followyng is an aunswer therof GRatiam consolationem a Domino seruatore nostro Iesu christo Syr I haue often bene desirous to haue written to you and to haue heard from you but the iniquity of the tymes haue hitherto always put me forth of all hope and comfort Now at thys present god semeth to offer some likelyhode that these might come to your handes which I thought to vse referring the rest to Gods dispositioÌ„ Your present state not I only who of all other am most bouÌ„d but also all other our brethreÌ„ here do most hartely lament as ioyned with the most miserable captiuitie that euer anye church of Christ hath suffred Notwithstanding we geue god most humble thankes for that he hath so strengthened you and others your concaptiues to professe a good professioÌ„ before so many witnesses And I doubt nothyng but he that hath called you and them not onely to beleue vpon hym but also to suffer for hym dothe not leaue you
therof wyll be so pitifull withoute spedye repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I woulde to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that fredome of conscience mighte begenen vnto them I write as god knoweth not of presumption but onlye lamentinge they re state whome I thought nowe in thys daungerous time should haue geuen bothe you and me comfortable instructions But alas in stede therof we haue perswasions to follow I lament me to rehearse it superstitions idolatrye yea that worste of all is they will seeke to proue it by the scripture The Lord for his mercy turne theyr hartes Amen Yours N. R. A letter which he wrote as his last farewell to al his true and faythefull frendes in God a little before he suffred with a sharpe admoniton by by the way to the papists the enemies of the truth AT the name of Iesus let euery kne bow both of thyngs in heauen and things in earth and thinges vnder the earth and let euerye tonge confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the father Amen As a man minding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commenly and naturally hath a desire to byd his frendes farewell before hys departure so likewise now I loking dayly when I shoulde be called for to departe hence from you O al ye my dearely beloued brethren and sisters in oure Sauioure Christe that dwel here in this world hauing a like mind towardes you all also blessed be God of this such time leasure whereof I right hartely thank his heauenly goodnes do byd you all my deare brethren and sisters I say in Christ that dwel vp on the earth after such manner as I can Farewell Farewel my deare Brother George Shypside whome I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louinge in all state and condicions and now in the time of my crosse ouer all other to me most frendly and steadfast that which liked me best ouer all other thinges in Gods cause euer harty Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am gladde to beare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse whiche is layed now blessed be God both on thy backe and mine in good parte Thanke thou GOD that hathe geuen thee a godly and a louing husband se thou honor him and obey hym according to Gods lawe Honour thy mother in lawe his mother and loue al those that perteyne vnto hym being ready to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy chyldren I doubte not of thy husbande but that he whyche hathe geuen hym a hearte to loue and feare God and in God them that pertayne vnto hym shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vnto thy children euen as yf they had bene gotten of hys owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Rydley of the Waltowne and you my gentle and louyng Syster Elizabeth whome besydes the naturall league of amitye your tender loue whiche you were sayde euer to beare towardes me aboue the reste of youre brethren dothe bynde me to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this youre louyng affection and to haue acquyted it wyth dedes and not wyth woordes alone Youre daughter Elizabeth I byd farewell whom I loue for the meeke and gentle Spiryte that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the syght of God Farewell my beloued Syster of Vnthancke wyth all youre chyldren my nephewes and nices Synce the departure of my Brother Hughe my mynde was to haue beene vnto them in the steade of theyr father but the Lorde god must and will be theyr father if they wil loue hym and feare him and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewell my welbeloued and worshipfull Cosyns maister Nicholas Ridley of Wyllimountswick and your wife and I thanke you for all youre kyndnesse shewed bothe to me and also to all youre owne kynsefolke and myne Good Cosyn as GOD hath sette you in that oure stocke and kyndred not for anye respecte of youre personne but of hys aboundaunte grace and goodnesse to bee as it were the Belweather to order and conducte the reaste and hathe also endued you wyth his manyfold gyftes of grace bothe heauenlye and worldlye aboue others so I praye you good Cosin as my truste and hope is in you continue and increase in the mayntenaunce of truthe honestye rightuousnesse and all true godlynesse and to the vttermost of your power to wythstande falsehode vntruthe vnryghteousnesse and all vngodlynesse whych is forbid and condempned by the word and lawes of God Farewel my yong Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was verye shorte wyth me my mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caughte in that little tyme a losse but I truste it shall bee recompenced as it shall please almighty god Farewell al my whole kyndred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lorde which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that accordyng to my hartes desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you and to haue brought wyth me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospell accordyng to the duetye of that office and ministerye wherevnto among you I was chosen named and appoincted by the mouth of that our late piereles Prince king Edwarde and so also denounced openly in hys court by his priuye counsayle I warne you all my welbeloued kynsfolke and countreymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thynke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my life and therfore I thanke my Lorde GOD hartely for it that it hath pleased hym to cal me of hys great mercye vnto this hyghe honour to suffer deathe wyllynglye for hys sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he called the holy Prophets hys dearly beloued Apostels and hys blessed chosē martyrs For knowe ye that I doubte no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to deathe are gods causes and the causes of the truthe then I doubte that the Gospell whyche Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christe or that Paules Epystles are the verye worde of GOD. And to haue a harte wyllyng to abyde and stande in gods cause in Christs quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O man it is an inestimable and an honourable gyft of GOD geuen onely to the true electes and dearely beloued children of GOD and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen For the holye Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause Sayncte Peter sayeth ◠Pet. 4 yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of Chryste that is in Christes cause and for hys truthes sake then are ye happye and blessed for the glorye of the Spirite of God resteth vppon you If for rebukes sake suffered in Chrystes name a man is pronounced by the mouthe of that holye Apostle blessed and happye howe muche more happye and blessed is he that hathe
and that with whole purpose of harte to cleaue vnto the Lord to fynde such ryches in hys heauenly worde through hys spirite obtayned by prayer My deare frendes and brethren Maister Harrington and Maister Hurlande Praye pray Math. 26. Spiritus quidem promptus est caro autem infirma When I loke vpon my self quid ego stupidus attonitus habeo quod dicam Luke 5. Psa 119. nisi illud Petri exi a me domine quia homo peccator sum But then fele I that swete comfort lucerna pedibus meis verbum domini lumen semitis meis hec mea est consolatio in humilitate mea Iohn 6. Then waxe I bolde with the same Peter to say domine ad quem ibimus verba vitae eternae habes Thys comfort haue I when the geuer therof doth geue it But I loke for battailes which the rote of vnfaithfulnes the which I feele in me will moste egerlye geue vnto my conscience when we come once to the combate We be I weene within the sounde of the trompe of oure enemyes playe ye that be abroade the part of Moyses orantes in omni loco sustollentes puras manus Gods people shal preuayle yea oure bloode shal be their perdition who doth most triumphantly spil it and we thē being in the handes of our god Sapien. 5. shal shine in his kingdome shal stand in greate stedfastnes agaynste them which haue dealt extremely with vs. And whē these our enemyes shal thus see vs they shal be vexed with horrible feare shal wonder at the hastines of the sodayne health and shal say with thēselues hauing inwarde sorrow mourning for very anguish of mind these are they whō we sometime had in derisiō iested vpon we fooles thought their liues to be very madnesse and theyr end to be without honour but loe how they are accompted among the children of God The blessyng of God be with you al. Salute I pray you my sister B. S. with other our frendes in the same house gods grace keepe thē with al the reast of our godly acquaintance louers of the truth furtherers of the true confession of the same whō al I bid most hartely to be mery in the lord reioycing in hope preparing them selues to be pacient in tribulation with cōtinuaunce in prayer Let some bodye bye for me a pensill of lead to write with al for I shal hardly haue pen and Inke here sith al libertye of writyng is taken away from vs. L. S. An other letter to hys wyfe and to Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland GRace and comfort c. Wyfe you shal do best not to come oftē vnto the grate where the porter may see you Put not your self in daunger where it nedes not you shal I thinke shortly come farre enough into daunger by keping fayth and a good conscience which deare wife I trust you do not slacke to make rekoning accompt vpon by exercising your inward man in meditation of Gods most holy woorde being the sustenaunce of the soule and also by geuing your selfe to humble prayer for these two things be the very meanes how to bee made mēbers of our Christ mete to inherite his kyngdome Do thys deare wife in earnest not leauing of and so we two shal with our Christ and all his chosen children enioy the mery world in the euerlasting immortalitie where as here wil nothing els be found but extreme misery euē of thē which most greedely seke thys worldly wealth and so if we two continue Gods children graffed in our Christ the same Gods blessing which we receaue shal also settle vpon our Samuell Though we do shortly depart hence and leaue the poore Infant to our seeming at al aduentures yet shal he haue our gracious God to be hys God for so hath he sayd and he can not lye I will be thy God sayeth he and the God of thy sede Yea if you leaue him in the wild wildernes destitute of all helpe being called of God to do hys wyll eyther to dye for the confession of Christ eyther any worke of obedyence that God whiche heard the crye of the litle poore infante of Agar Saraes handmaiden and dyd succour it wil doe the like to the chylde of you or any other fearyng hym and putting your truste in hym And if we lacke fayth as we doe indeede many tymes let vs call for it and we shall haue the encrease both of it and also of any other good grace nedefull for vs and bee merye in GOD in whom also I am very merye and ioyfull O Lorde what greate cause of reioysyng haue we to thynke vppon that Kingdome which he voucheth safe for hys Christes sake frelye to geue vs forsakyng oure selues and following hym Deare wyfe thys is truely to followe hym euen to take vp our crosse and follow hym and then as we suffer with hym so shall we reygne with hym euerlastingly Amen Shortly shortly Amen My deare frendes Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland Praye praye and bee merye in God and I beseche you as you maye let the good brethren abroade be put in mynde of oure deare tryed brethren and sisters who haue the Lorde be praysed made knowen theyr constancye in confessyng the truth to the glorye of GOD and comforte I doubt not of hys Churche abroade Thus haue they sowen spirituall thynges confessing Christ I trust they wil not be forgetfull that they may reape of them whiche are of habilitie and at libertye theyr carnall thynges Hereof I speake now bycause of my tender desyre towardes these deare brethren here now in bondes and in other places and also for that I doubte whether I maye haue wherewith to write hereafter The keper sayeth he muste needes see that we write not at al. The deuil roreth but be of good cheare he will shortly be troden vnder foote and the rather by the bloude of Martyrs Salute in my most hartye manner good Maisters Harrington and my good Ladye F. I am theyrs as longe as I lyue and praye for them desyre them to do likewyse for me and for al vs shepe appointed to the slaughter A prisoner in the Lorde Laurence Saunders An aunsweare to a frende of hys who sent to knowe what Doctor VVeston dyd at the Marshalse MAister Weston came to conferre with M. Grymbold what he hath with hym concluded I know not pray that it maye bee to Gods glory Amen Maister Weston of his gentlenes visited me offred me frendship in hys worldlye wilye sort c. I had not so much maner to take it at his hāds saying that I was well enough and ready chearefully to abide the extremitie to kepe therby a good consciēce You be a slepe in synne sayd he I would awake qoth I do not forget vigilate orate what church was there qoth he .xxx yeres past What church was there in Helias time quoth I c. Ioane of Rente quoth he was of
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
as an heretyke I am condemned shall be burned wherof I aske god hartely mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it maye please my deare lorde and Sauiour to suffer For albeit my manyfolde synnes euen sythen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onelye this temporall but also eternall fyer in hell much more then my former synful life which the lord pardō for his christs sake as I know he of his mercy hath done neuer wil lay my iniquities to my charge to condemnatiō so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name although I say my manyfold greuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that man or deuil can do vnto me and therfore I cōfesse that the lord is iust that his iudgements be true deserued on my behalfe yet the bishops and prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his word his truth and religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioyce that euer I was borne hetherto kept of the lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth the heauēly father to glorify his name to testify his truth to cōfirm his verity to oppugne his aduersaries Oh good god merciful father forgeue me my great vnthākfulnes especially herein And you my derely beloued for the lord Iesu christs sake I humbly hartely in his bowels blood do now for my last Yale farewel in this presēt life besech you euery of you that you wil cōsider this worke of the lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hypocrisie carnal security Professe not the gospel with tong lips only but in hart veritye frame and fashiō your liues accordingly Be ware gods name be not euil spokē of the gospel lesse regarded by your cōuersatiō God forgeue me that I haue not so hartely professed it as I should haue done but haue sought much my self therin The gospel is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wine therfore cannot be put in old bottels without greater hurt then good to the botlels If we will talk with the lord we must put of our shooes carnal affectiōs if we wil heare the voyce of the lord we must wash our garmēts be holy if we wil be christes disciples we must deny our selues take vp our crosse folow christ We cānot serue ij masters if we seke christes kingdō we must also seke for the righteousnes therof To the petition of let thy kingdome come we muste ioyne thy wyll be done done done on earthe as it is in heauen If we wil not be doers of the word but hearers of it we sore deceiue our selues Yf we heare the gospel loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles builders vpō the sand The lordes spirit hateth faining disceitfulnes the lord abhorteth If we come to him we muste beware we come not with a double hart for thē it may chāce that god wil answer vs according to the blocke which is in our harte so we shal deceiue our selues and others To faithe see that we couple a good conscience lest we make a shipwracke To the Lorde we must come with feare and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucify our fleshe wyth the lust and concupiscences thereof If we wyl be vnder grace synne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the lord and draw nigh to hym wyth our lippes and leaue our hartes elsewhere lest the lords wrath waxe whotte and he take from vs the good remaynyng in no case can the kyngdome of Christe approche to them that repente not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repente be hartely sory that we haue so carnally so hypocritically so couetously so vayne gloriously professed the gospel For al these I confesse of my selfe to the glorye of God and myne owne confusion here that he may couer myne offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger and plagues of god most iustly fallen vpō vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our harts euery of vs may say it is I Lord that haue sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisy my vayn glory my couetousnes vncleanes carnality security idlenes vnthankefulnes self loue and such lyke which haue deserued the takyng away of our good kynge of thy worde and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmēt and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and encrease of auctoritye and peace to thine enemyes Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. Turne to vs agayne oh lord of hostes and turne vs vnto thee Correcte vs but not in thy furye leaste we bee consumed In thy wrathfull displeasure reproue vs not but in the myddes of thine anger remember thy mercye for if thou wylte marke what is done amysse who shall be able to abyde it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshypped oh then be mercyfull vnto vs that we myghte truelye worshyppe thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name bee mercyfull vnto our sinnes for they are greate oh heale vs and helpe vs for thyne honoure let not the wycked people say where is theyr god c. On this sorte my right dearely beloued let vs hartely bewayle our synnes repent vs of our former euyll lyfe hartely and earnestly purpose to amende our lyues in all thynges continually watch in praier diligently and reuerently attend heare and read the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Let vs reproue the workes of darkenes let vs flye from all Idolatrye let vs abhorre the Antichristian romish rotten seruice detest the popyshe masse forsake their Romish God prepare oure selues to the crosse be obediente to all that be in authoritye in all thynges that be not agaynst God and his woorde for then aunswere with the Apostles it is more meete to obeye God then man Howbeit neuer for any thing resiste or ryse agaynst the Magistrates auenge not your selues but committe your cause to the lord to whom vengeaunce pertayneth and he in his time wil reward it If ye feele in your selues an hope trust in god that he will neuer tempte you aboue that he will make you able to beare be assured the lorde wil be true to you and ye shal bee able to beare al bruntes But if ye want this hope fly get you hence rather then by your tarying gods name should be dishonoured In sūme cast your care on the Lord knowing for most certayne that he is careful for you with him are all that heares of your head numbred so that not one of thē shall perish without his good pleasure wil much more then nothing shal happen to your bodies which shal not be profitable
hys true seruice that perpetually we maye enioye the same welfare as here in hope so in heauen in deede and eternallye You knowe thys worlde is not your home but a pilgrimage and place wherin God tryeth hys children and therfore as it knoweth you not nor can know you so I trust you know not it that is you allowe it not nor in any poynte wyll seme so to do althoughe by manye you be occasioned therto For thys whote sunne which now shineth burneth so sore that the corne which is sowen vpon sand and stonye ground beginneth to wyther that is many which before tymes we toke for hartye Gospellers beginne nowe for the feare of afflictions to relente yea to turne to their vomytte agayne thereby declaring that thoughe they go from amongest vs yet were they neuer of vs for els they would haue still taryed with vs 1. Ioh. 2 and neyther for gayne nor losse haue left vs eyther in word or deede As for their hart whiche vndoubtedly is double and therfore in daunger to Gods curse we haue as muche with vs as the papistes haue with them and more too by theyr owne iudgenente For they playing wilie begile themselues thynke it enough inwardlye to fauour the truth though outwardly they currye fauour What though with my body say they I do this or that GOD knoweth my harte is whole wyth hym Ah brother if thy harte be whole with GOD why doest not thou confesse and declare thy selfe accordynglye by woorde and facte Eyther that whiche thou sayest thou beleuest in thy hart is good or no. If it be good whye arte thou ashamed of it If it be euill whye doest thou keepe it in thy harte Is not GOD hable to defende thee aduenturing thy selfe for hys cause Or wyll not he defende hys worshippers Doth not the Scripture saye that the eyes of the Lorde are on them that feare hym and truste in hys mercye Psal 33 And whereto Forsoth to deliuer theyr soules from death and to feede them in the tyme of hunger If thys bee true as it is moste true whye are we afrayde of death as thoughe GOD coulde not comforte or deliuer vs or woulde not contrarye to hys promyse Whye are we afrayde of the losse of oure goodes as thoughe GOD woulde leaue them that feare hym destitute of all good thynges and so doe agaynste hys moste ample promyses Ah faythe faythe howe fewe feele thee nowe a dayes Luke 18. Full trulye sayde Christe that he shoulde scarcelye finde faythe when he came on earth For if men beleued these promyses they woulde neuer doe anye thynge outwardlye whiche inwardlye they dysallowe No example of men howe many so euer they bee or howe learned so euer they bee can preuaile in thys behalfe for the paterne which we must follow is Christ hym selfe and not the more companye or custome Hys woorde is the lanterne to lyghten oure steppes Psalm 118 and not learned men Companye and custome are to bee considered accordinge to the thyng they allowe Learned men are to be listened to and followed accordyng to Gods lore and lawe for elles the more parte goeth to the deuill As custome causeth erroure and blyndnesse so learnyng if it bee not accordinge to the lighte of Gods woorde is poyson and learned men moste pernicious The deuill is called Demon for hys cunnynge and the children of this worlde are muche wyser then the children of lyghte in theyr generation Luk. 16. and I knowe the deuill and his dearelynges haue alwayes for the moste parte more helpes in this life then Christes Churche and her children They the Deuill and hys Sinagoge I meane haue custome multitude vnitye antiquitye learning power riches honoure dignitie and promotions plentye as alwaies they haue hadde and shall haue commonlye and for the moste parte vntyll Christes comminge muche more then the true Churche haue presentlye heretofore haue hadde or hereafter shall haue For her glorye riches and honoure is not here her triall crosse and warrefare is here And therefore my deare hartes in the Lorde consider these thinges accordinglye Consider what you bee not worldlynges but Gods children Consider where you bee not at home but in a straunge countreye Consider among whom you are conuersante euen in the middest of youre ennemies and of a wicked generation and then I truste you will not muche muse at affliction which you can not be without being as you bee Gods children in a straunge countreye and in the middest of youre ennemies excepte you woulde leaue youre Captaine Christe and followe Sathan for the mucke of this moulde reste and quietnesse whiche he maye promyse you and you in dede thinke you shal receaue it by doing as he woulde haue you to doe but my sweete hartes he is not hable to paye that he promiseth Peace and warre come from GOD riches and pouertye wealth and woe The deuill hath no power but by Gods permission If then GOD permitte him a little on youre goodes bodye or life I praye you tell me what can muche hurte you as Peter sayeth you being followers of godlynesse 1. Pet. 3. Thinke you that GOD will not remember you in hys tyme as moste shall bee to youre comforte Can a woman forgette the childe of her wombe Esay 49. And if shee shoulde yet will not I forgette thee sayeth the Lorde Loke vppon Abraham in his exile and miserye looke vppon Iacob Iosephe Moses Dauid the Prophettes Apostles and all the Godlye from the beginning and my good brethren is not GOD the same God Is he a chaungeling You haue heard of the patience of Iob saith Saint Iames and you haue sene the ende howe that God is mercifull Iacob 5 patiente and longe suffering euen so saye I vnto you that you shall fynde accordinglye if so bee you bee patiente that is if so bee you feate hym sette hys woorde before you serue hym thereafter and if he laye hys crosse on you you beare it with pacience the which you shal do whē you consider it not according to the presente sense but accordyng to the end Hebru 12.2 Corin. 4. Therefore I hartely beseche you and oute of my bondes which I suffer for your sake pray you mine own swete hartes in the Lord that you would cleaue in harte humble obedience to the doctrine taughte you by me and many other my brethren For we haue taught you no fables nor tales of mē or our own phantasies but the very word of god which we are ready with oure liues God so enhabling vs as we truste he will to confirme by the sheding of our bloodes in all pacience humble obedience to the superiour powers to testifye and seale vp as wel that you mighte be more certaine of the doctrine as that you myght be ready to confesse the same before this wicked world knowing that if we confesse Christ and his truth before men he will confesse vs before hys father in heauen if so be
we be ashamed hereof for losse of life frendes or goodes he wil be ashamed of vs before his father and his holy Angels in heauen Therfore take hede for the Lords sake take hede take hede defile not your bodies or soules with this Romish AntichristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ set vp amoÌ„gest vs again but come away come away as the Angell cryeth Apoca. 18. from amongest them in their Idolatrous seruice least you be partakers of their iniquitye HarkeÌ„ to your preachers as the ThessaloniaÌ„s did to Paul that is conferre their sayinges with the Scriptures and if they sound not therafter Esay 8. the morning light shal not shine vppon them Vse much and harty prayer for the spirit of wisedome knowledge humblenesse mekenesse sobrietye and repentauÌ„ce which we haue great nede of because our synnes haue thus prouoked the Lords anger agaynst vs but let vs beare his anger acknowledge our faultes with bitter teares and sorowful sighes doubtles he wil be merciful to vs after hys wonted mercy The which thing he vouchsafe to do for his holy names sake in Christ Iesu our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghoste bee all honoure glorye prayse and euerlastynge thankes from thys tyme forth for euermore Amen Out of prison by yours in the Lorde to commaunde Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued in the lord Mystres VV. and Mystres VV. ALmighty God our deare and most mercifull father be always with you both my entierly beloued mother and Syster in the Lorde and as hys babes he for euer kepe you vnto hys eternal kingdome throughe Christe our Sauiour Amen I purpose not to go about to render thankes to you for gods great goodnes towardes me by you because I can not Either of you hath so heaped vpon me benefits that it were hard for me to recken the tythes He for whose sake you haue done it and all the good you do one daye recompence you after your hartes desyre in hym In the meane season I beseche hym to reueale vnto you more and more the ryches of hys grace and loue in Christ by whom ye are beloued and were before the worlde was and shall be doutles worlde wythout ende Accordyng to the reuelation your sense or fayth herein so wyll you contend to all pietie and godlines as S. Iohn saith he that hath thys hope wyll purify hymselfe as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3 For howe should it otherwyse bee but if we bee certainlye persuaded that heauen is ours and we citizens therof but I say we should desire the dissolution of our bodies and death to dispatche vs and to do hys office vpon vs If we dyd certainly beleue we were members of Christ and gods temples how should we but flie from all impuritie and corruption of the worlde whiche commeth by concupiscence If we dyd certainly beleue that god in dede of hys mercy in Christ is become our father in that hys good wyll is infinite and hys power accordyng therto how coulde we be afrayde of man or Deuil Howe coulde we doubte of saluation or any good thynge whiche myght make to Gods glorye and our owne weale Now that we shoulde be certayne and sure of thys that we are Gods children in Christ marke whether all thynges teache vs not Beholde the creation of thys worlde and the gubernation of the same doe not these teache vs that God loueth vs And is gods loue out of Christ the beloued If not his loue as he is vnchangeable Iohn 13. Doth not S. Iohn say that he loueth to the ende whom he loueth Therfore I say the very creatures of god concernyng both their creation conseruation tell vs that god loueth vs that is that we in Christ be his childreÌ„ and dearlinges although in our selues and of oure selues wee bee otherwyse namelye chyldren of wrathe Agayne loke vpon the law of god and tell me whether it do not requyre this certainty of you namely that you be gods dere childreÌ„ in Christ Doth not god plainly affirme say I am the Lord thy God Doth he not charge you to haue none other gods but hym How then can you perishe if god be your god psal 143 Doth not that make god no god Doth not Dauid say that those people be happy which haue the Lord for their God Besides this loke on your beliefe do you not professe that you beleue in God your father almighty whiche wanteth no power to helpe you as he wanted no good wyll in Christ to choose you Do you not say that you do beleue remission of synnes resurrection of the body life euerlasting felowship wyth the sainctes c. But how doe you saye you beleue thys geare and be not certayne therof Is not fayth a certaintie Is not doubtyng against fayth as S. Iames sayeth Pray in faythe and doubte not for he that doubteth obteyneth nothyng Math. 8 When Peter beganne to doubte he had lyke to haue bene drowned beware of it therfore Moreouer for to certifye youre consciences that you be gods childerne shal neuer finally perish through gods goodnes in Christe beholde your heade your Capitaine I meane Christe Iesus Wherefore came he into this world but to redeme you to marry you vnto hymselfe to destroye the workes of Sathan to saue and seeke that whiche was loste Wherfore suffered he so greate and bytter passions Dydde he it not to take awaye your synnes Wherefore dydde he ryse from deathe Dyd he it not to iustifye you Wherfore dyd he ascende into heauen Dyd he it not to take possession there for you to leade your captiuitye captiue to prepare and make ready all thynges for you to appeare before the father alwayes praying for you If these be true as they be most true why theÌ„ stand you in a doubt Do you not therby deny Christ Wherefore were you borne of Christian parentes and in gods churche but because you were Gods chylderne by Christ before you were borne For thys cause you were baptised and hetherto the Lorde hathe thus delte wyth you sparyng you correctyng you and blessyng you but why Verely because you be hys children and shal be for euer through Christ Tell me why hath God kepte you till thys tyme but that he wyll for hys sake haue you euen here made lyke vnto Christ thâ—t elsewhere you may so be Why hathe he opened youre eyes from Popery but because you be hys childerne in deede When you do praye doe you not call hym father Why doe you doubte of it then Why wyll you beleue the Deuil more theÌ„ God your father the Sonne and the holy ghoste more then the holye worde of GOD bothe in the lawe and in Gospell more then all the blessynges and castigations of God Do not all these preach to you and tell you that you are gods babes throughe Christ Therefore my derely beloued beleue it and geue not place to the Deuill but withstand hym strong in fayth Marke 9 Luk.
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
of it to the behoofe of the church or of the house And moreouer I had not only no part of his moueable goods but also as his old receiuer then min called M. StauÌ„ton caÌ„ testify I paied for him towards his seruantes coÌ„moÌ„ liuertes and wages after his deposition 53. li. or 55. pouÌ„des I canot tel whether Notwithstanding these godly and iust requestes no iustice could be had vntil that now of late some of these shameful iniuries by order of law haue bene redressed In al these matters I besech your honourable maiesty to heare the aduise of meÌ„ of conscience and especially the archbishop now of Yorke which for that he was continually in my house a yeare and more before myne imprisonment I suppose he is not altogether ignoraunt of some part of these things and also hys grace doth know my sister for whose succour and some relief now vnto your highnes I make most humble suit The .xvi. day of October Anno. 1555. N. R. ¶ An aunswer to a letter written vnto him by West sometyme hys Chaplayne I Wish you grace in god and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mighty haÌ„d of almighty god it is no more possible to stand by the truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heat of the fyre Syr know you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this world is but transitory and as sainct Iohn saith the world passeth away the lust therof i. Iohn 2 Math. 10. I am persuaded christs worâ—es to be true whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shall be saued whom the redemer and sauiour of the world shal before his father deny This the lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my harte that neither thinges present nor to come high nor low life nor death bee able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wish that you wish me depely to consider thynges pertaynyng vnto gods glorye but if you had wished also the neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain gods word and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for gods sake to remember my selfe In dede syr now it is tyme so to doe for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trowe then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare him that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fier Luk. 12. whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together oure fraile fleshe that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much suite for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in sauyng for my worldly deliueraunce empayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truthe You haue knowen me long in dede in the which tyme it hathe chaunced me as you say to mislyke some thynges It is true I graunt for sodayne chaunges wythout substantial and necessary cause and the heady setting forth of extremities I did neuer loue Canfession vnto the minister which is able to iustruct correcte comforte and enforme the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in dede I euer thought myght do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think euen at this day My doctrine and my preaching you saye you haue heard often after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament whiche thyng although it was of me reuerently handled and a greate deale better then of the rest as you say yet in the margeÌ„t you write warely and in this world wisely and yet me thoughte all sounded not well Syr but that I see so many chaunges in thys worlde and so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a lyttle maruayle I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainesse and faith fulnes as much I assure you as for your learnyng and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider mo thinges then one and will not say al that I thynke But what nede you to care what I think for any thing that I shal be able to do vnto you either good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothyng against my learning to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein lyke your counsel very wel and by Gods grace I entend to follow it vnto my liues ende To write vnto those whom you name I cannot see what it wyll auayle me For this I would haue you know that I esteme nothyng auailable for me which also wil not further the glory of God And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desyre of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly misery if I shoulde not beare you a good heart in god agayne me thynke I were to blame Sir how nighe the daye of my dissolution and departure oute of thys world is at hand I can not tel the Lords wyll be fulfilled how soone soeuer it shall come I know the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt iudge and be countable to him of al my former life And although the hope of his mercye is my shooteanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that whosoeuer wittingly neglecteth and regardeth not to cleare his conscience he caÌ„not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercye Conscience therefore moueth me consideryng you were one of my familye and one of my householde of whom then I thynke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house whiche in dede ought to haue bene an example of godlinesse to al the rest of my cure not only of good lyfe but also in promotyng of gods word to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryal doth separate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is god knoweth which the wynd doth not blowe awaye this conscience I say doth moue me to feare least the lightnes of my family shal be layd to my charge for lack of more earnest diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be god which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my heart before my departyng hence This conscience doth moue me also now to requyre both you and my frend Doctour Haruy to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth preachyng of gods word hys truth These promises although you shal not nede to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world
Godes woorde and accordyng to that vocation wherevnto we are called by the Gospell of Christ our sauior that the honesty purity of the same may prouoke al that shal se or know it to the loue of your doctrine and to loue you for your honestye vertues sake and so both in the brotherly vnitye of your true doctrine also in the godly vertue of your honest life to glorify our father which is in heauen Ex nostratibus magni aliquoc magistratus Cancellarius Wint. Comes Arundellus dn̄s Pachetusiam legatione fūgūtur vna cū Cardinali Polo in partibus trāsmarinis ad cōponēdā vt aiūt pacē inter imperatorem regem nostrum Francorum regem Post illorum magistratuum nostrorum reditum partum reginae quē iam quotidie expectamus iam aliquandiu expectauimus quëque deus pro sui nominis gloria dignetur bene illi fortunare nos tunc statim nihil aliud quam nostrae confessionis de hoste nostro antiquo triumphales in domino coronas expectamus Omnium vestrum precibus me humillime ex toto corde cōmēdo In primis tuis ô chariss in Christo frater dilectiss Grindalle chariss fratrū vnice mihi in dn̄o dilectorū Checi Coxi Turneri Leueri Sampsonis Chamberi omniū fratrū nostrorū conterraneorum qui apud vos degunt diligunt dominū nostrum Iesum Christum in veritate Cōmedo etiam vobis reuerendiss patres concaptiuos meos in domino Thomam Cranmerum iam vere magnipastoris Archipresulis nomine digniss veteranum illum nostrae gentis Anglicanae verum Apostolum Christi H. Latimerum Condona mihi frater harum prolixitatem non enim post hac credo chariss frater meis literis iam amplius ali quando turbaberis Oxonij To M. Cranmer and M. Latymer beyng separated from hym and prisoners in seuerall places THe cause of my brothers enprisōmēt is this so farre as I can perceaue There is a yonge man called M. Grymbolde whiche was my chaplain a preacher a mā of much eloquēce both in the english and also in the Latin To this man beyng desirous of al things which I had written and done synce the beginning of mine emprisonmēt my brother as is said hath sent copies no more but of all things that I haue done First a litle treatise whiche M. Latymer and I wrote in the toure where is before my my sayings N. R. before M. Latimer H. L. Also an other draught which I drew out of the Euangelists of S. Paul that the words of the lordes supper are figuratiuely to be vnder stand alleaging out of the doctors only vi thre of the greke church which are Origen Chrisost ad Cesa monachū Theodoret three of the latin church Tertullian Augustine Gelasius He had of my brother also a copy of my iij. positions to the thre questions here propounded to vs at Oxford thē also a copy of my disputation in the scholes as I wrote it my selfe after the disputation Item the letter Ad fratres in diuersis carceribus All these thinges they haue gotten of Grymbold as my brother doth suppose not that Grymbold hath bewrayed hym but as is supposed one whiche my brother trusted to carye his letters vnto Grymbolde for it will not synke into my heade to thinke that Grymbold woulde euer playe me such a Iudas part Although these things are chaunced farre otherwise then I had thoughte they shoulde for my mynd was that they shoulde not haue comme abrode vntil my body had bene layd to reste in peace yet truely I suppose this is not thus chaunced without gods graciouse prouidence which he hath ouer al his and I trust that god of his goodnes shal turne it to hys owne glory For it shal euidently appeare to the reader of these thinges whych they haue that the cause why I do dissent from the Romish religion is not any study of vayne glory or of singularitye but of conscience of my bound duty towardes god towardes Christes church and the saluation of myne owne soule for the which by gods grace I wyll wyllingly ieoperd here to lose life lands and goods name and fame and what els is or cā be vnto me pleasāt in this world My brother as yet because they nether shewed any comissiō or authority wherbye they did examine him nor also anye thynge of his letters although they said they had them as yet I say my brother hath confessed nothing But I loke for none other but he shal be forced to tel wher he hadde the copies and where they be and I wylbe content that he shal say the truth that he had them all of me let them come and take them caste them into the fire if god know they wil promote his glory they can do no more then he wil suffer them Bicause in the booke of N. R. and H. L. it is saide in the ende that H L. hath caused his seruant to write it I would Austine should haue word yf any farther search be to kepe hym out of the way God shall rewarde you both for my brother You my Lord of Caunt for your meate and dayly comfort and you father L. for your mony and comfortable messeges I trust in God my brother though he be younge yet wyl studye to learne to beare Christes crosse patienly as a yong Scholer in Christs Schole God encrease his grace in vs all Amen To maister Bradford prisoner in the kinges Bench. WElbeloued in Christ our sauiour we all with one hart wish you with all those that loue god in dede and truth grace and healthe and specially to oure dearely beloued companions which are in Christs cause and the cause both of theyr brethren and of theyr own saluation readye and willing to put theyr necke vnder the yoke of Christs crosse How ioyful it was to vs to heare the reporte of D. Taylor of his godly confession c I ensure you it is hard for me to expresse Blessed be God which was and is the geuer of that and all godly strength and stomacke in the time of aduersity As for the rumors that haue or doe go abroade either of our relenting or massing we trust that they which know god and theyr dutye towardes theyr brethren in Christ wil not be to lyght of credit to beleue them It is not the sclaunderers euell tounge but a mans owne euell deede that can with God defile a man and therfore by gods grace you shal neuer haue cause to doe otherwise then you say you do that is not to doubt but that we will continue c. Like rumor as you haue hearde of oure comminge to London hathe beene here spreade of the comminge of certayne learned men prisoners hether from London but as yet we knowe no certeyntye whether of these rumors is or shal be more true Know you that we haue you in our dayly
remembrance and wish you and all the rest of our foresayde companions well in Christ It should do vs much comfort if we might haue knowledge of the state of the rest of our most dearely beloued which in this troublesome time doe stande in Christes cause and in the defence of the truth therof We are in good health thankes be to God yet the manner of our entreting doth chaung as soure ale doth in sōmer It is reported to vs of our kepers that the vniuersity beareth vs heauely A cole chaunced to fal in the night out of the chimney burnt a hole in the floore no more harme was done the balifes seruants sitting by the fyer An other night there chaunced a drunken fellow to multiply wordes and for the same he was set in Bocardo Vpon these thinges as is reported there is risē a rumor in the towne countrey about that we would haue brokē the prisō with such violēce as if the balifes had not plaid the prety men we should haue made a scape We had out of our prisō a wal that we might haue walked vpon and our seruants had liberty to go abroad in the towne or fieldes but now both they and we are restrayned of both The bishop of Worceter passed by vs through Oxford but he did not visit vs. The same day beganne our restraint to be more and the boke of the communion was taken from vs by the balifes at the Mayors commaundemēt No man is licenced to come vnto vs afore they might that woulde see vs vpon the wal but that is so grudgod at and so euel reported that we are now restrayned c. Sir blessed be God with all oure euell reportes grudginges and restrayntes we are mery in God and all our eare is and shal be by gods grace to please serue him of whome we loke and hope after this temporall and momentany miseries to haue eternall ioy and perpetuall felicity with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Peter and Paule and al the blessed company of the aungels in heauen through Iesus Christ our lord As yet there was neuer lerned man or any scholer or other that visited vs since we came into Bocardo Bocardo is a stinking and filthy prison for drunkards whores and harlottes and the vilest sort of people which now in Oxford may be called a colledge of quondās for as you know we be no fewer here thē thre and I dare say euery one well contented with his portion whiche I doe recken to be our heauenly fathers gracious fatherly good gift Thus fare you wel We shal with gods grace one day mete together be mery the daye assuredly approcheth apace the lord graūt that it may shortly come for before that day come I feare me the world wyl waxe worse worse but thē al our enemies shal be ouerthrown troden vnder foote righteousnes truth then shall haue the victory and beare the bell away wherof the lord graunte vs to be partners all that sincerely loue the truth We al pray you as you can to cause al our commēdations to be made to all such as you know did visit vs you when we were in the tower with theyr frendly remēbrances benefites Mistres Wilkinson mistres Warcup haue not forgottē vs but euen since we came into Bocardo with theyr charitable frēdly beneuolence haue cōforted vs Not that els we lacke for god be blessed which euer hetherto hath prouided sufficiently for vs but it is a great cōfort an occasion for vs to blesse god when we se that he maketh them so frendly to tender vs whom some of vs were neuer familierly acquaynted withall Yours in Christ N. R. To maister Bradford DEarely beloued I wysh you grace mercy peace According to your mind I haue run ouer all your papers and what I haue done which is but smal therin may appeare Sir what shall beste be done with these thinges This was a treatise of the communiō with other thinges which M. Bradforde sent to hym to peruse to geue his iudgement therof now you must consider for if they come in sight at this time vndoubtedly they must to the fier with theyr father and as for any safegarde that your custody can be vnto them I am sure you loke not for it for as you haue bene partner of the worke so I am sure you loke for none other but to haue and receaue like wages and to drinke of the same cuppe Blessed be god that hath geuen you libertye in the meane ceason that you may vse your pen to his glory to the comfort as I heare say of manye I blesse god dayly in you and all your whole companye to whome I beseche you to commend me hartly Now I loue my countreyman in deede and in truth I meane D. Taylor not now for my earthly countreis sake but for oure heauenly fathers sake whome I heard say he did so stoutly in time of perill confesse and yet also now for our countreis sake and for all our mothers sake but I meane of the kingdome of heauen and of heauenly hierusalem and bicause of the sprite which bringeth in hym in you and in your cōpany such blessed fruites of boldnes in the lords cause of pacience and constācy The Lord which hath begon this worke in you al performe and perfite this his own dede vntill his own day come Amen As yet I perceiue you haue not beene baited the cause therof God knoweth which wil let them do no more to his then is his pleased will and good pleasure to suffer them to do for his own glory and to the profit of them which be trulye his for the father whiche dothe guide thē that be christs to Christe is more mighty than all they and no man is able to pulle thē out of the fathers hands except I say it please our father it please our maister Christe to suffer them they shal not be able to sturre one heare of your heades My brother P. the bearer hereof would that we shoulde say what we thynke good concerninge your mynde that is not for to aunswere excepte ye myghte haue somewhat indifferent iudges We are as ye know separated one of vs can not in any thing consult with an other and muche straite watching of the baylifes is about vs that there be no priuy conference amongest vs. And yet as we heare the scholers beare vs more heauelye then the townsemen A wonderful thing among so many neuer yet scholer offred to any of vs so farre as I know any manner of fauor either for or in Christes cause Now as concerning your demaunde of our counsell for my part I do not mislike that which I perceiue ye are minded to do for I loke for none other but if ye aunswere before the same commissioners that we did ye shal be serued handled as we were though ye were as wel lerned as euer was either Peter
Now we suppose the daye doth approche apace for we heare that the Parliamente is dissolued The Burgesses of Oxforde are come home and other newes we beare not but that the kyng is made protector to the prince to be borne And that the bishoppes haue full authoritye Ex officio to enquire of heresies Before the Parliament began it was a rumour here that certayne from the Conuocation house was appoynted yea readye to haue come to Oxford and then there was spyed out one thynge to lacke for want of a law to performe theyr entente Nowe seyng they canne want no law we cannot but looke for them shortly I trust to gods glory let them come when they will c. Brother Bradford I maruayle greatly of good Austine where he is for that I hearde say he promised hys mayster to haue bene here before thys tyme and he had from me that I woulde bee lothe to loose yea to wante when tyme shal be that it myghte doe nay helpe me to do my lord and my maister Christ seruice I meane my scriblynges de abominationibus sedis Romanae pōtificū Romanorū I haue no copye of the same I loke daily to be called in certamen cum antiquo Serpente and so I tolde hym and I weene you also by whose meanes I was more moued to let hym haue them I doubte not of hys fidelitye I praye God he bee in health and at libertye for I haue bene and am carefull for him I haue hearde that maister Grimbolde hathe gotten hys libertye If withoute anye blemishe of Christes glory I am right glad therof My brother in law is wher he was that is in Bocardo the common Iayle of the towne I haue written her a letter to maister Hooper I pray you cause it to be written to him agayne Commend me to all your prison fellowes and our brethren in Christ If Austine were here I would haue had more to say The lorde graunt that all be with him wel who euer preserue you and al that loue our sauiour Christ in synceritie and truth Amen Yours by gods grace in our maister Christs cause vnto the stake thēceforth without al daūger peril for euer and euer I am sure you haue heard of our new apparel I dout not but London will haue their talke of it Syr knowe you that although this semeth to vs in our case muche thankes worthye yet haue we not that apparell that we loke for for thys in time wil weare and that which we loke for ryghtly done on will endure and is called stola immortalitatis N. R. ¶ To maister Bradford OH deare brother seyng the time is now come wherin it pleaseth the heauenly father for Christ oure sauiour hys sake to call vpon you and to byd you to come happy are you that euer ye were borne thus to be awake at the lords callyng Euge serue bone fidelis quia super pauca fuisti fidelis super multa te constituet intrabis in gaudium domini O deare brother what meaneth this that you are sent into your owne natiue countrey The wisdom and policy of the world may meane what they will but I trust god will so order the matter finally by his fatherly prouidence that some greate occasion of Godes gratious goodnesse shal bee plenteouslye powred abroade amongest his our deare brethren in that countrey by this your Martyrdome Where the Martyrs for Christs sake shed their bloud and lost their liues O what wondrous things hath Christ afterward wrought to his glory and confirmation of their doctrine If it be not the place that sanctifi eh the man but the holy man dothe by Christe sanctifye the place Brother Bradford then happy and holy shall be that place wherein thou shalt suffer and shal be with thy ashes in Christs cause sprinkled ouer with all Al thy countrey may reioyce of thee that euer it brought forth such a one whiche woulde render his lyfe agayne in his cause of whom he had receyued it Brother Bradford so long as I shal vnderstand that thou art in thy iorney by gods grace I shall cal vpon our heauenly father for christs sake to set thee safely home and then good brother speak you and pray for the remnaunt that are for to suffer for christs sake according to that thou thē shalt know more clearely We do loke now euery day when we shall be called on blessed be god I went I am the weakest manye wayes of our company and yet I thanke our Lord god and heauenly father by Christ that synce I heard of our deare brother Rogers departing and stout confession of Christ and his truth euen vnto the death my hart blessed be God so reioyced of it that since that tyme I say I neuer felt any lūpish heauines in my heart as I graunt I haue felte sometimes before O good brother blessed be god in thee and blessed be the tyme that euer I knew thee Farewell farewell Your brother in Christ N. R. Brother farewell ¶ To maister Bradford GRatiam pacem c. Althoughe I weene it is not yet iii. days ago synce you heard from me yet hauing suche a messēger so diuersly enforced I cannot but say som thing to you What shal I thāke you for your golden token what meane you man This token was a pece of gold which he sent to relieu◠his brother Shipside prisoner in Bocardo Do you not know that we haue victum amictū e penario regio I was so moued with your tokē that I cōmaunded it straight way to be had to Bocardo which is our cōmon Iayle I am right glad of Austines returne for I was as I told you carefull for him Blessed be God that all is wel I haue sene what he brought from you and shortly surueyed the whole but in such celerity that other also might see the same before Austines returne so that I noted nothyng but a confused some of the matter and as yet what the rest haue done I can tel nothing at al it was at the writing hereof in their handes To your request and Austines earnest demaund of the same I haue aunswered him in a briefe letter He meaneth here Harry Harta froward free wil man who had written a treatise against gods free electiō which Bradford sent to M. Rydley Cranmer and Latymer to pervse desyring M. Rydley to answer the same and yet he hath replyed agayne but he must go without any further aunswer of me for thys tyme. I haue told Austine that I for my part as I can and may for my tarditie and dulnes will thynke of the matter We are so nowe ordered and straitlye watched that scantly our seruantes dare do any thyng for vs so much talk and so many tales as is said are told of vs abroad One of vs cānot easely nor shortly be of knowledge of an others mynd and you know I am yongest many wayes Austines perswasions may do more
vntill such tyme as the worlde had thought verely that both he and al hys had bene cleane destroyed and cast away Sap. 5. as the wise man saith of the wicked people we thought them to be fooles but they be in peace We may learne by thynges that nourishe and mainetayne vs both meat and drynke to what loths◠menes and in maner abhorryng they come vnto before they woorke their perfection in vs. From lyfe they be broughte to the fyre and cleane altered from that they were whē they were alyue from the fyer to the trencher and knife and al to hacked from the trencher to the mouth and as small grounde as the teeth can grynde them and from the mouth into the stomacke and there so boyled and digested before they nourishe that whosoeuer sawe the same woulde lothe and abhorre hys owne nourishment before it come to his perfection Is it then any meruayle if such christians as god delighteth in be so māgled and defaced in this world which is the kitchyn and myll to boyle and grynde the fleshe of Godes people in tyll they acheaue their perfection in the world to come And as man looketh for the nutrimente of his meate when it is full digested and not before so must he looke for his saluation when he hathe passed this troublous world and not before Rawe fleshe is not meate wholesom for man and vnmortified men and women be no creatures mete for God Therfore Christ saith Math. 10. that his people muste be broken and all to torne in the myll of this world and so shall they be most fine meale vnto the heauenly father And it shall be a christian mans part and the duetye of a mynde replenished with the spirite of God to marke the order of god in all his thynges how he dealeth with them and how they suffer and be content to let god do hys wil vpon them As S. Paule sayth Rom. 8. they wepe vntil the number of the elects be fulfilled and neuer be at rest but loke for the tyme when gods people shall appeare in glory We must therfore patiently suffer and willingly attend vpon gods doings although they seme cleane contrary after our iudgement to our wealth and saluation as Abraham dyd when he was hyd to offer his sonne Isaac in whō god promysed the blessing multiplyeng of his sede Ioseph at the last came to that which god promysed hym although in the meane tyme after the iudgement of the world he was neuer lyke to be as god sayd he should be lord ouer his brethern When Christ would make the blynde man to see Iohn 9 he put clay vpon hys eyes which after the iudgement of man was meanes rather to make hym double blynd thē to geue hym hys syghte but he obeyed and knew that God coulde worke hys desyre what meanes so euer he vsed contrarye to mans reasons and as touchyng this worlde he vseth all hys after the same sorte If anye smarte 1. Pet. 4. hys people bee the firste if anye suffer shame they beginne if anye bee subiecte to sclaunder it is those that he loueth so that he sheweth no face or fauour nor loue almoste in this worlde outwardly to thē Col. 3. but layeth clay vpon theyr sore eyes that be sorowfull yet the patient man seeth as S. Paule sayth lyfe hyd vnder these miseries and aduersities and sight vnder foule clay and in the meane tyme he hathe the testimony of a good conscience and beleueth gods promises to bee hys consolation in the world to come which is more worth vnto hym then all the worlde is worth besides and blessed is that man in whome gods spirite beareth recorde that he is the sonne of God Rom. 8 whatsoeuer troubles he suffer in thys troublesome worlde And to iudge thynges indifferently my godlye wyfe the troubles be not yet generally as they were in our good fathers times soone after the death and resurrection of our sauiour Christ Iesu Math. 24. whereof he spake in S. Mathew Of the which place you I haue taken manye tymes great consolation and especially of the latter parte of the chapter wher in is contayned the last day and ende of all troubles I dout not both for you and me and for such as loue the comming of our sauiour Christ to iudgemēt Remember therfore that place and marke it agayn and ye shall in this time see great consolation and also learne much patience Was there euer such troubles as Christ threatned vppon Ierusalem Was there sithens the beginning of the world such afflictiō Who was then best at ease The Apostles that suffred in body persecution and gathered of it ease and quietnes in the promises of god And no meruayle for Christ sayeth lifte vp your heades for your redemption is at hand Luke 2 that is to saye your eternall reste approcheth and draweth nere The worlde is starke blynde and more folishe then folishnes it selfe and so be the people of the world For when god saith trouble shal come they will haue ease And when God sayeth be merye and reioyce in trouble we lamente and mourne as though we were castawais But this the flesh which is neuer mery with vertue nor sory with vice neuer laugheth with grace nor euer weepeth with sinne holdeth fast with the world letteth god slip But my dearely beloued wyfe you knowe how to perceaue and to beware of the vanitye and craftes of the diuel well inough in Christ And that ye may the better haue patience in the spirit of god read again the .24 chap of S. Mat. marke what difference is betwene the destruction of Ierusalē the destructiō of the whole worlde Math. 24. you shal see that then there were left aliue many offēdors to repēt but at the latter day there shal be absolute iudgement sentence neuer to be reuoked of eternal life eternal death vpon all men and yet towardes the ende of the worlde we haue no thyng so muche extremity as they had then but euen as we be able to beare So doth the mercifull father lay vpon vs now imprisonment and I suppose for my parte shortly death now spoyle of goods losse of frendes and the greatest losse of all the knowledge of Gods woorde Gods will be done I wyshe in Christe Iesu our onely mediatour and sauiour your constancie and consolation that you may liue for euer and euer whereof in Christe I doubte not to whom for his blessed and most paynefull passion I commit you Amen 13. Octob. 1553. Your brother in Christ Iohn Hoper ☞ A letter sente to the Christian congregation wherin he proueth that true faith cannot be kepte secrete in the heart without confession therof openly to the world when occasion serueth SAint Paule in the .10 chap. to the Rom. annexeth the faythe of Christ in the hart wyth the confession of the mouth so that the one it semeth by him can be no more
like to be no lesse thā your lyfe for I beleue as Paul sayth that god hath appoynted vs in these latter daies lyke shepe to the slaughter Rom. 8 Antichrist is come agayne and he must make a feast to Beelzebub his father of many Christiā bodyes for the restoring againe of his kingdome let vs watche and pray that the same daye maye not fynde vs vnredy The peace of god be with you and remaine with you for euer Your louing brother in Christ in spirit your familier frende captiue in the Kynges Benche Iohn Philpot. To my dearely beloued Sister in the Lord Maistres Heath THe lyght of the Gospel of Christ which hath illigthned you with the true vnderstanding of fayth be dayly encreased in you my dearly beloued sister vnto the perfyte day of the Lord through the mighty operation of hys spirite Amen Where as you haue required of me a token at your departyng that myghte be a remembraunce with you of my brotherly loue toward you I mused of diuerse things what I might cōmend vnto you best among al other I found none so certayne a token either of the loue of God toward vs or els of the loue of vs one to an other as to beare the crosse together with Christ To beare the crosse is to be partaker of the afflictions of Christ which now he suffreth in his members for the accomplishmente of his body the church which are we that beleue in him sincerely which is the surest token of Gods loue towards vs that we can haue in thys world for whom god loueth he chasteneth and as it is written Heb. 12 he chasteneth euery sonne whō he receaueth Wherfore aboue all things loue the crosse of Christ vnder the which al the church of Christ in England nowe is be content to haue your fayth tried euery daye by some crosse or other as it pleaseth God to put on you and if God putteth no greuous crosse vppon you let your brethrens crosse be your crosse whiche is a certayn token of true brotherly loue If the church in England had learned with the Gospel to haue borne the crosse of Christ as all that be professours of the Gospel be called thereunto they woulde not so lightly at the commaundement of man haue turned from the wayes of saluation to their old vomite againe contrary to their conscience and al to auoide the crosse the mercifull signe of Gods loue towards vs. If the crosse were not the faythfull could not be knowen If the crosse were not God should not so manifestly appeare to be our deliuerer and cōforter as he doth shewe himselfe in the middest therof vnto al thē that put their trust in him Therfore beleue them verely to be in most happie estate that be vnder the crosse such as doe vtterly abhorre the same are cowards not fytte souldiers for the lord We haue al receaued the credit of faith from god in Christ that we should beautifie the same or rather god in the same 1. Cor. 4. We haue this treasure in brittel vessels let vs take hede that the britelnes of the vessels shee de not out our precious treasure on the earth as it is lamentable to see at this day many haue most vnfaythfully done Are they worthy of the heauenly kingdome which here esteeme more earth then heauen O palpable infidelity Wil not god require the credit of fayth which he hath committed vnto vs Yea verely Is thys the vsury of fayth to loue the world more then the Gospel and to feare mā more then god If men which coūt themselues stronger worthyer vessels haue thus vnfaythfully dealt in the thinges of god let the weakenes of womē be more fyrme in their fayth to the glory of God whose might appeareth in weakenes There is no exceptiō of person before god both man and woman be on in god and that persō in al sortes of people is acceptable to him that striueth to do hys will Wherfore contend in these crosse dayes whiche be the loue dayes of god towardes vs to shew your self faythful to him that calleth you and to be redy to do his will according to true knowledge and that vnder the crosse God hath geuen you a faythful guide whom see you loue with al humilitie pacience and obedience as it becommeth a holy woman to be subiect to her faythful head in the Lord comfort him in our common crosse and bid him cherefully take vp the one end and you will beare the other a double string knit together As you in your godly matrimonye do represent the mysterye of Christ and his churche so continue you liuely members of fayth in the same and learne daily more and more to beare the crosse of Christ that other seing your strength may be comforted and be ashamed of their weakenes in their maisters cause The faythful seruaunt the Lord loueth which bringeth his talent to his table with encrease Now is the time to encrease to the lord and not to decrease to multiply our fayth vnder the crosse not to diminysh it Ose 6 Gene. 9. The waies of the iust do encrease as the dauning of the day Embrace therfore the crosse as the raynebow of gods merciful couenaunt pray that we may together end our course therin with ioy Take my token in good worth vntil we be made partakers of the glory of the crosse Out of my Lorde of Londons Colehouse The .xi. of Nouember Yours Iohn Philpot. To my brother Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kinges Benche THe grace of God the father through his deare sonne Christ our Sauiour with perseuerance in all godly verity be with thee my deare brother Careles and with al my prison fellowes Amen Ah my own loue in Christ These were certeyne free-wil mē arrogant frowerd and vnquiet spirites I am sory to heare of thy great trouble which these shismatiks do daily put thee to I wold I were with thee in part to releue thy greefe but since that it hath pleased God otherwise take my aduice in thys your conflict be pacient what soeuer your aduersaryes can saye or do against you Know that you are appoynted for the defence of the gospel for the which you god be praysed do suffer yet you must vnderstand that you are but a voyce in the wildernes a planter that it is god which must geue the encease And therefore if there come not suche fruite of your good labours as you would wyshe be content know that a stony groūd can not fructifye yet shal not god forget your labour but you shal reape as plētiously in the day of reward as though it had encreased after your expectatiō Haue patience therfore in your labour and let not care eate out your hart Committe the successe to God and cease not with charitye to be earnest in the defence of the truth agaynste these arrogant and self will blynded scatterers These sectes are necessary for the
now fil vp the measure of their fathers which flew the prophets and Apostles that al righteous blood from Abell to Bradford shed vpō the earth may be required at their hands Of this therfore I thoughte good before my death as time liberty wold suffer me for the loue and duty I beare vnto thee to admonishe thee good mother and my sister the towne that ye woulde cal to minde from whence ye are fallen and study to do the first woorkes Ye knowe if you will these matters of the Romysh supremacye and the Antichristian transubstantiation wherby Christes Supper is ouerthrowen his priesthoode euacuate hys sacrifyce frustrate the ministery of his worde vnplaced repentaunce repelled fayth fainted godlines extinguished the masse maintayned Idolatrye supported and all impietye chearyshed you know I say if you will that these opinions are not only besides Gods word but euen directly againste it and therfore to take part with them is to take part against god agaynst whom you can not preuayle Therfore for the tender mercye of Christ in his bowells and blood I besech you to take Christes collyrium and eye salue to annoynte your eyes that ye maye see what ye doe and haue done in admittinge as I heare ye haue admitted yea alas authorised and by consent confirmed the romyshe rotten ragges whiche once ye vtterly expelled Oh be not canis reuersus ad vomitum be not sus lota reuersa ad volutabrū coeni Beware least old Sathā enter in with seuen other spirites and so the laste shall bee worse then the firste It had bene better ye had neuer knowē the truth then after knowledge to runne from it Ah woe to this world the thyngs therin which hath now so wrought with you Oh that euer this dirt of the deuill should daube vp the eye of the realme for thou O mother art as it were the eye of the realme If thou be light and geue shine al the body shalfare the better but if thou the lyght be darkenes alas how great will the darkenes be What is man whose breath is in hys nose-threls that thou shouldest thus be affrayd of hym Oh what is honour life here but plain bubbels What is glory in thys world but shame Why arte thou affrayde to carye Christes ccosse Wilt thou come into his kingdome and not drinke of his cup Dost thou not knowe Rome to be Babilon Doste thou not know that as the old Babilon had the children of Iuda in captiuitye so hath this true Iuda that is the confessours of Christ Dost thou not know that as destruction happened vnto it so shall it do vnto this And trowest thou that God wil not deliuer his people now when the tyme is come as he did then Hath not God commaunded hys people to come out from her and wilt thou geue ensample to the whole realme to runne into her Hast thou forgottē the woe that Christ threatneth to offence geuers Wilt thou not remember that it were beter a mylstone were hanged about thy necke and thou throwen into the sea then that thou shouldest offend the litle ones And alas how hast thou offended Yea how dost thou stil offend Wilt thou consider things according to the outward shew Was not the Sinagoge more seemely like to the true churche then the simple flocke of Christes Disciples Hath not the whore of Babilon more costly aray and riche apparel externally to set forth her self then the homely housewife of Christ Where is the beautye of the Kinges doughter the Church of Christ Withoute or within Doth not Dauid say within Oh remember that as they are happy which are not offended at Christ so are they happy which are not offended at his poore church Can the pope his prelates meane honestly which make so much of the wife and so litle of the husband The churche they magnifie but Christ they contemne If this church were an honest womā that is Christes wife except they woulde make much of her husband Christ and hys word she would not be made much of of thē Whē Christ and his Apostles wer vpon earth who was more like to be the true church They or the prelates bishops and Sinagoge If a man shoulde haue followed custome vnity antiquitie or the more parte should not Christ and his company haue bene cast out of the dores Therfore badde Christ search the scriptures And good Mother shal the seruaūt be aboue his maister shal we loke for other intertainemente at the handes of the worlde then Christ and his deare Disciples founde Who was taken in Noes time for the church Poore Noe and his family or others Who was taken for gods church in Sodome Lot or others And doth not Christ say as it went then so shall it go now towardes the comming of the sonne of man What meaneth Christ when he saith iniquitie shal haue the vpper hand doth he not tel that charitie shal waxe colde And who seeth not a wonderfull great lacke of charitie in those which would now be taken for Christes church All that feare god in this Realme truly can tel more of this then I can write Therfore dere Mother receaue some admonitiō of one of thy poore children now going to be burned for the testimony of Iesus Come agayne to Gods truth come out of Babilon confesse Christ and his true doctrine repent that whiche is past make amendes by declaring thy repentaunce by the fruites Remember the readinges and preachings of Gods Prophet and true preacher Martyne Bucer Call to mynde the threatninges of God nowe some thynge seene by thy children Leauer and others Let the exile of Leauer Pilkinton Gryndall Haddon Horne Scorye Pouet c some thing awake thee Let the imprisonmente of thy deare sonnes Cranmer Ridley and Latimer moue thee Consider the Martyrdome of thy Chickens Rogers Saunders Taylour And nowe cast not awaye the poore admonition of me going to be burned also to receaue the like crowne of glorye with my fellowes Take to harte Gods callyng by vs. Be not as Pharao was for then wil it happen vnto thee as it dyd vnto hym What is that Hardenesse of hart And what then Destruction eternally both of bodye and soule Ah therefore good Mother awake awake repente repent bustell thy self and make haste to turne to the Lord for elles it shal be more easye for Sodome and Gomorre in the day of iudgement then for thee Oh harden not your harts Oh stop not your eares to day in hearing gods voice though it be by me a most vnworthye messenger Oh feare the Lord for his anger is begonne to kindle Euen now the are is layde to the roote of the tree Ye know I prophecyed truely to you before the swet came what woulde come if ye repented not you carnall gospelling and now I tel you before I depart hence that the eares of mē wil tingle to heare of the vengeaunce of God that will fal vppon you all both towne and vniuersitie if
eie hath not sene the eare hath not heard the hart cānot conceiue how great glorious gods reward wyl be vpō your bodies much more vpon your soules God opē our eies to see and fele this in dede Then shal we thynke the crosse which is a meane herto to be commodious Then shall we thanke god that he would chastice vs. Thē shall we saye with Dauid happy am I that thou hast punished me for before I wente astray but now I kepe thy lawes This that we may do in dede my derely beloued let vs firste knowe that our crosse cōmeth from god Secondly that it commeth from god as a father that is to our weale good Therfore let vs thirdly cal to mind our sinnes aske pardon Whereto let vs fourthly loke for help certainly at gods hand in his good time helpe I say such as shal make most to gods glory to the comfort cōmoditie of our soules bodies eternally This if we certainly conceiue thē wil there issue out of vs harty thankes geuīg which god requireth as a most precious sacrifice That we may al through Christ offer this let vs vse earnest praier to our god and dere father who blesse vs kepe vs and cōfort vs vnder hys swete crosse for euer Amen Amen My dere hartes if I could any way comfort you you should be sure therof though my lyfe laye theron but now I must do as I may because I cānot as I would Oh that it would please our deare father shortly to bring vs where we should neuer departe but enioy continually the blessed fruicion of hys heauenly presence pray pray that it may spedely come to passe pray To morow I wyll sende vnto you to knowe your estate send me worde what are the chiefest things they charge you wythall From the Counter By your brother in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To Mystres Hall prysoner in Newgate and ready to make aunswer before her aduersaries OVr most merciful god and father throughe Christ Iesus our lord and sauiour be merciful vnto vs and make perfect the good he hath begonne in vs vnto the ende Amen My deare Sister reioyce in the lord reioyce be glad I say be mery and thankful Math. 5 not only because Christ so cōmaundeth vs but also because our state wherin we are presētly requireth no lesse for we are the lords witnesses God the father hath vouched saffe to choose vs emonges many to witnes and testify that christ hys sonne is Kyng and that hys word is true Christ our sauiour for hys loues sake towards vs wil haue vs to beare recorde that he is no vsurper nor deceyuer of the people but Gods Embassadour Prophet and Messias so that of al dignities vpon earthe this is the highest Greater honoure had not hys Prophetes Apostles nor dearest frendes then to beare witnes wyth Christ as we now doe The worlde folowyng the counsell of theyr Syer Sathan would gladly condempne Christ and hys verity but loe the lord hath chosen vs to be hys champions to lette this As stoute souldiours therfore let vs stand to our maister who is wyth vs and standeth on our ryght hande that we shall not be muche moued if we hope and hange on hys mercye he is so faythful true that he wyl neuer tempt vs further then he will make vs hable to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say thys day you shall be called forth what you shal answer The lord which is true cannot lie hath promysed and wyll neuer fayle nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shall make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hange therfore on this promyse of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in hym Neuer was it hearde of or shal be that any hopyng in the lord was put to foyle Therfore as I said I say againe Deare Syster be not only not careful for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he wil confesse you and neuer be ashamed of you Thoughe losse of goodes and lyfe be lyke here to ensue yet yf Christ be true as he is most true it is otherwyse in dede for he that loseth hys life sayth he wynneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our synnes haue deserued many deathes Now if god deale so with vs that he wil make our deserued deathe a demonstration of hys grace a testimonyall of hys veritye a confirmation of hys people an ouerthrowe of his aduersaries what great cause haue we to be thankful Be thankeful therfore good Syster be thankefull reioyce and be merye in the Lord be stoute in hys cause and quarell be not faynte harted but runne out your race and set your captayne Christe before your eyes Beholde how great your rewarde is See the great glory and the eternitie of felicity prepared for you Striue and fyght lawfully that you may gette the crowne Runne to get the game you are almost at your iorneyes end I dout not but our father will with vs send to you also 4 Reg. 2. as he did to Hely a fiery charette to conuey vs into his kyngdome Let vs therefore not be dismayde to leaue our cloke behind vs that is our bodies to ashes God wyll one daye restore them to vs lyke to the body of our lord and sauiour Iesus christ whose cōming is now at hande let vs loke for it and lift vp our heads for our redēption draweth nigh Amen Amen The Lord of mercy graunt vs hys mercy Amē I pray you pray for me and so desire my bretherne whiche be wyth you Gods peace be with vs all Amen Blessed be the deade that dye in the Lorde then how much more they that dye for the Lord. Your brother in bondes Iohn Bradford ¶ An admonition to certayne professours and louers of the gospell to beware they fall not from it in consentyng to the Romyshe religion by the example of the shrinkyng haltyng and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christ which is the true effecte of gods gospell beleued my derely beloued bee more and more plentifully perceyued of you throughe the grace of our deare father by the myghty workyng of the holy spirit our comforter Amen Though I haue many lettes presently to hynder me from writyng vnto you yet beyng desired I could not but somethyng signifye my readye good wyll in this behalfe so much as I may when I cannot so much as I woulde You heare and see how Sathan bestirreth hym ragyng as a roryng Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partlye what stormes he hath raysed vppe to drowne the poore boote of Christ I meane hys church You see how terribly he trayneth his souldiours to geue a fierce onset on the voward of gods battel You see how he hath receyued power of god to molest gods children and to begyn at hys house By reason wherof consider
shall be able by the worde of God euer to impugne it muche lesse to confute it In the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians Ephesi 1. the Apostle sayeth thus Blessed be god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs wyth all maner of blessynges in heauenly thinges by Christ accordyng as he hath elect or chosen vs in hym before the foundation of the world was layed that we should be holy and without blame before hym through loue and hath predestinate vs or ordeyned vs thorough Iesus Christ to bee heyres vnto hymselfe accordyng to the good pleasure of hys wyll to the prayse of the glory of hys grace wherwyth he hath made vs accepted in the beloued by whom we haue receyued redēption thorough hys bloud and the forgeuenes of our sinnes accordyng to the riches of hys grace which grace he hath shed on vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and vnderstandyng and hath opened vnto vs the mysterye of hys wyll accordyng to hys good pleasure which he purposed in hymselfe to haue it declared when the tyme was full come that he myght gather together all thynges by or in Christe as well the thynges that be in heauen as the thynges that be in earth euen in or by hym by or in whome we are made heyres beyng thereto predestinate accordyng to the purpose of hym whiche worketh all thynges accordynge to the decree or counsayle of hys owne wyll that we which hoped before you in Christe shoulde bee vnto the prayse of hys glory in whome ye also hoped after that ye heard the word of truth the gospell of your saluation wherein ye also beleuyng were sealed wyth the holy spirite of promyse whyche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vntyll the redēption or full fruition of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of hys glory These be the wordes of Paule which I haue faithfullye translated accordyng to the very texte in the Greeke as by the iudgement of all that be learned I desyre herein to bee tried Out of the which wordes of Paule we may wel perceiue euerye thing affirmed in my propositiō as I wil geue occasion plainly to them that wil to see it The cause of gods election is his grace good will First that the cause of gods election is of hys good wyll the Apostle sheweth in saying that it is throughe hys loue wherby we are holy and wythout blame also accordyng to the good pleasure of his will according to his good pleasure purposed in hymselfe accordyng to hys purpose which worketh all thynges after the counsel of his owne wyll The tyme of gods election was from the beginning Secondly that election was before the beginnyng of the world the apostle plainely sheweth in sayeng that we were chosen before the foundation of the world was laid and afterwardes in callyng it the mysterye of hys wyll purposed wyth hymselfe in tyme to be declared Election is in Christ Thirdly that election is in Christ the Apostle doth so flatly and plainly set it forth that I nede not here to repete it We sayeth he are chosen in him we are heyres by hym wt are accepted by him we are gathered together in him c. Electionis not of all men Fourthly that election is of some of Adams posteritye and not of al we may plainly see it if we cōsider that he maketh the true demonstration of it beleuing hoping and hauing the earnest of the spirite In whom yea hoped saith he after ye heard the word c. In whom ye beleued wer sealed vp c. Agayne in attributyng to the electe forgeuenes of synnes holynes blameles liuyng being in Christ c. That we shold be holy saieth he c. we haue receyued forgeuenes of sinnes c. Who seeth not that these are not common to al men 2. Thess 3 Act. 13. 1 Iohn 1 Math. 13 Al men haue not faithe saieth Paule elsewhere None beleued saith Luke but suche as were ordained to eternall life None beleue but such as be borne of god None beleue truly but such as haue good hartes and kepe gods seede to bring forth frute by patience Fayth is a demonstratiō of election to such as be of yeres of discretion Psal 125. So that it is plain faith being a demonstration of gods election to them that be of yeres of discretion that all men are not elect because all men beleue not For he that beleueth in the lord shal be as mount Sion that is he shal neuer be remoued for if he bee remoued that is finally perish surely he neuer truely beleued But what go I about to lighten a cādell in the cleare sonne light whē our sauiour plainly saith that all be not chosen but few Many be called saith he but few be chosen Mat. 20. And in the 2. chap. to the Ephes the Apostle plainly saith that the greate riches of gods mercy through hys exceding great loue hath saued thē before their parentes many other Gentiles whiche were excluded from Christ and straūgers from the promise hopeles godles c. Rom. 11. Psal 144. Wherthrough we may be occasioned to cry oh the depth of the iudgements of god which is iuste in all hys doynges and holy in al hys workes extendyng his mercy after hys good pleasure wyll aboue al his workes Fyftly that god hath predestinate these Election is to eternal life thus elect vnto euerlastyng lyfe in Christe the apostle dothe also in the wordes before writen declare in saying and hath predestinate vs through Iesus Christe to be heyres vnto hymselfe Agayne by hym sayth he yeare made heyres and predestinate to the prayse of hys glorye Rom. 8 So sayeth the Apostle elsewhere whom he hathe predestinate them hath he predestinate to be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of hys sonne Luke 10 And therfore Christ sayeth reioyce in thys that your names are writen in heauen Syxtlye The ende of election is to the prayse and glory of god that the ende of election is to the prayse of gods glory and grace the Apostle sheweth here in saying we are predestinate to be holye without blame before god c. In saying we are predestinate to the glory of hys grace And in saying also vnto the prayse of hys glory so that nothing can be more manifest Seuenthly Election is not without vocation and iustificatiō in time that predestination is not without vocation in gods tyme and iustification the Apostle here dothe teach in bringyng vs to the consideration of hearing the word of truthe beleuing receiuing the holye spirite remission of synnes c. In whom saith he ye haue hoped after that ye heard the word of truth c. Againe by whome ye haue redemption that is remission of synnes thorough the sheding of hys blood c. Also he hath in hys full tyme declared the mystery of hys wyl c. Vnto the Rom. the apostle sheweth it moste
manifestly in saieng whō he hath predestinate thē he calleth whō he calleth thē he iustifieth Wherby we may se the predestination or electiō is not vniuersal of al for al be not iustified Eightly and laste of all that election is so certayne that the elect and predestinate to eternall lyfe shall neuer peryshe or erre to dampnation finallye Election is certain for euer the Apostle dothe here also very playnly shewe in saieng that they are predestiinate to the prayse of gods grace He sayth not to the prayse of hys iustice to the praise of hys wisdome to the prayse of hys power although he myght moste truely saye so but he sayeth Rom. 12 to the prayse of hys grace whiche were not grace yf there were any respect at al of workes on our behalf for thē were grace not grace If there should be any condemnation of the electe and predestinate to eternall lyfe it must needes be because of theyr synnes but where were the praise of gods grace then which is the ende of gods election Shal we not by thys meanes make gods election without an ende and so wythout a heade and so no election at all as some would haue further then they elect themselues ▪ Let such feare they shall not find the benefit of gods election because they seke it as the Israelites dyd Rom. 11. Psalm 69 and not as the elect which not only finde it but also obtayne it The other are blinded as it is written God hath geuen them the spyryte of vnquietnes eyes that they should not see and eares that they shoulde heare euē to thys day c. Secondly he sheweth the certaintye of saluation to them that be elected in saying that they be accepted in the beloued Once accepted and beloued in Christ Iohn 13 Rom. 11 Iohn 13 and euer beloued for whome he loueth he loueth to the ende and gods giftes are suche that he cannot repente hym of them And therfore sayth Christ I know whome I haue chosen attributyng to election the cause of final perseuerance By which thyng Iudas was sene not to be elected to eternall lyfe althoughe he was elected to the office of an Apostle as Saule was elected to the office of a king Which kind of election is to be discerned in readyng the scriptures from thys kynd of election the which I speake of now that is from election to eternal lyfe in Christ Thirdly he sheweth the certaintye of saluation of the electe by callyng them heyres For yf we be heyres of god thē are we fellow heires wyth Christ Rom. 8 to be afflicted and glorifyed wyth Christe and therfore saith he accordyng to the decree of hys owne will Loe he calleth it a decree or counsel which shal stand as Esay saith Esay 46 the counsel of the Lorde shal stande Fourthlye he sheweth this certaintie by saying that they are elect and predestinate to the prayse of gods glory which we should more care for then for the saluation of all the worlde Thys glory of the lord is set forth as well in them that perishe and are reprobates as in the elect therefore Iohn 12 S. Iohn bringing in the place of Esay speaking of the reprobate sayth that Esay spake that whē he sawe the glory of the lord This glory of the Lord to bee set forth by vs is a great mercy and benefite of God I am assured that if the very deuilles and reprobates dyd not repine hereat but were thankful that they might be ministers in any poynte to set forth Gods glorye I am assured I say that they should finde no hell nor tormentes Their hel and tormentes cōmeth of the loue they haue to them selues and of the malice enuie and hatred they haue agaynste God hys glory Let them tremble and feare that may not away with the glory of the Lord in election and reprobation Let not their eyes be euil because god is good doth good to whom it pleaseth him wrong he doth to no man Rom. 9 nor can do for then he were not righteous so no God He can not condemne the iust for thē were he vntrue because his word is contrary He can not condemne the penitent and beleuer for that were againste his promise Let vs therfore laboure studie crye and praye for repentaunce and fayth Math. 25. then can not we bee damned because we are the blessed of the father before all worldes and therefore we beleue therfore we repent 1 Cor. 2 And for asmuch as it pertayneth to vs which be within to see and to speake of those things which are geuen vnto vs of God in Christe let vs laboure hereaboutes 1. Cor. 5. Ephesi 1. and leaue them that be withoute to the Lorde which will iudge them in hys tyme. The Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians for none other wisedome and reuelation from God Coloss 2 then wherby they might know god and haue their mindes illumined to see what they should hope for by their vocation and how rych the glorye of his enheritaunce is vppon hys Sainctes Further then thys I thynke is vnsemely for vs to search vntill we haue sought out how rych Gods goodnesse is and wil be to vs hys children The which we can neuer do but the more we goe theraboutes and the more we taste hys goodnes the more we shall loue hym and loth all thynges that displease him Thys I say let vs doe and not be too busy bodyes in searching the maiestie glorye of god or in nourishyng in any wise the doubting of our saluatiō wherto we are ready enough and the deuil goeth about nothing els so much as that for by it we are dul to do good to other we are so carefull for our selues By it we are more dulle to do good to our selues because we stand in doubt whether it profiteth vs or no. By it we dishonoure god either in making him as though he were not true or els as though our saluation came not only altogether from hym but hanged partly on our selues By it the deuil wil bring mē at length to dispaire and hatred of god Doubt once of thy saluation and continue therin surely he then wil aske no more It was the first thyng wherwith he tempted Christe Math. 4. if thou bee the sonne of god c. It is the first principallest darte he casteth at gods electe But as he preuailed not agaynst Christe no more shal he do against any of his members Ephesi 6 Luke 18. Psal 34. Psal 92 for they haue the shield of faith which quencheth his fiery dartes They praise god nyght day how then should they perish The Angels of the Lord pitch their tentes round about thē how thē should Sathan preuaile They are borne in the hands of the Angels least they should hurt their feete at any stone God hath geuen cōmaundement to hys Angels ouer them Heb. 1. Luk. 10 phil 4.
then to beleue thys If Sathan saye she beleueth not to aunswere not him but the Lord and to saye yea Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe and encrease my poore faythe whiche Sathan sayeth is no fayth make hym a lyer Lorde as alwayes he hath beene is and shall bee Vndoubtedlye sooner or later God will graciouslye here her groues and keepe all her teares in hys bottell yea wryte them in hys counting booke for he is a ryghteous God and hath no pleasure in the death of hys creature he loueth mercye he will retourne and shewe her his mercye he will caste all her sinnes and iniquities into the bottome of the sea and the longer that he taryeth as he doth it but to proue her so the more liberallye will he recompence her longe lookyng whiche no lesse pleaseth hym then it greueth nowe her outward Adam For the mortification whereof God vseth this crosse and therefore if she desire to beare the same doubtles God will make her able to beare it and in presumption of hys goodnesse and strengthe let her caste her selfe wholye vppon hym for he is faythfull and wyll assuredlye confyrme and bring to a happye ende that good whiche graciouslye he hath begonne in her The whiche thing I desyre hym to doe for hys owne glorye and names sake Amen Amen And nowe to the matter Confession auriculer as it was fyrst vsed and instituted whiche was by the way of a coūsel asking I take to be amonges those traditiōs which are indifferent that is neyther vnlawfull nor necessarilye binding vs excepte the offence of the weake could not be auoyded But to consider it as it is now vsed I write to you but as I thinke and what my minde is the whiche followe no further then good men by Gods woorde doe allowe it to consider it I saye as it is nowe vsed me thynkes it is plainelye vnlawfull and wicked and that for these causes Fyrste because they make it a seruice of God and a thynge whiche pleaseth God of it selfe I will not saye meritorious Thys brynger my brother can tell you at large howe greate an euill thys is Secondlye because they make it of necessitye so that he or shee that vseth it not is not taken for a good Christian Thyrdlye because it requireth of it selfe an impossibilitie that is the numbring and tellyng of all oure sinnes whiche no man perceaueth muche lesse can vtter Fourthlye because it establisheth and confyrmeth at the least alloweth praying to Sainctes precor Sanctam Mariam you muste saye or the prieste for you Fyfthly because it is verye iniurious to the libertye of the Gospell the whiche to affyrme in example and facte I take to bee a good worke and a deare in Gods sighte Sixtlye because as it is vsed it is a note yea a verye synowe of the popyshe Churche and therefore we shoulde be so farre from allowing the same that we shoulde thynke oure selues happye to lose anye thynge in bearyng witnesse there against Seuenthly because in stead of counsell thereat you shoulde receaue poyson or if you refuse it vnder Syr Iohns benedicite you shoulde no lesse there bee wounde in the bryers Eyghtlye because the ende and purpose why we goe thether is for the auoyding of the crosse that is for oure owne cause and not for Christes cause or for oure brethrens commoditye For in that they make it so necessarye a thyng and a worshipping of God it can not but be agaynste Christe and the freedome of hys Gospell and the same thing teacheth vs that it is agaynste the commoditie of oure brethren whiche eyther be weake eyther be stronge eyther be ignoraunt either be obstinate If they be weake by your resorting to it they bee made more weake If they bee strong you do what you can to infyrme their strengthe if they bee ignoraunte therein you helpe to keepe them by your facte If they be obstinate your resortyng to it can not but rocke them a slepe in their obstinate error of the necessitye of this rite and ceremonie These causes recited do shew you what I thinke in thys but my thinking muste no further binde you then a mannes thought should do except the same be grounded vpon gods word which bindeth in dede as I thinke they do I dout not but you waying these causes and especiallye .ii. of the fyrste and the laste if you pray to God for hys spirite to directe you and thereto aske the aduice of thys my good brother and other godly learned mē I doubte not I say but you shoulde bee guided to doe that whiche is beste in Gods syght althoughe in the syghte of the world perhappes you shoulde bee counted folyshe and precyse But be at a point with your selues as the Disciples of Christ whiche had forsaken themselues to followe not your wyll but Gods will as you daylye praye in the Lords prayer The crosse of Christ be willyng to carye leaste you carye the crosse of the worlde the fleshe or the deuill One of these .iiii. crosses you muste cary Three of them bryngeth to hell why the more part goe that way that leadeth to perdition and therfore the more parte goeth that way whiche is a broade way Only the fourth bryngeth to heauen but fewe goe that waye aswell because the waye is strayte as also because fewe walke in it Howbeit thoughe it be straite it is but shorte and the fewe are manye if you consider the godly as the Patriarkes Prophettes Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Christ Iesus with all hys Gard traine Thinke not scorne to come after them which are gone before you and after them whiche nowe goe before you in whose number I trust I am appoynted to bee one and I beseche you pray for me that god woulde vouche me worthye that honour Our sinnes deserue plagues prison and the losse of al that euer we haue therfore if god remoue our sinnes out of syght and send vs prison or losse of goods and liuing for his names sake Oh how happye are we My deare hartes in the Lorde consider this geare and be assured that he whiche loseth any thyng for Christes sake the same in his posteritie shal finde it here and in heauen elswhere As for vnablenes to answeare for your fayth it shall be enough to will thē to dispute with your teachers Fayth stādeth not in disputing I thinke fewe if it came to disputing could defend the Godhead of Christ and many other articles I speake it for the simple sort Pray for me Lacke of paper maketh thys ende Commend me to my good brother Richard Bleacher and my good sister his wyfe I pray them to pray for me I trust by this bearer to heare how you doe Iohn Bradforde To certayne Godly men whom he exhorteth to bee patient vnder the crosse constant in the true doctrine which they had professed MY dearely beloued in the Lord as in hym I wyshe you well to fare so I praye God I and you maye continue in
their rable fall and the builders them selues shall then be scatred vppon the face of the earth as accursed of God The iuste shall see thys and be gladde psalme 33. and prayse the name of the Lord that so meruelouslye hath delte with hys seruauntes as to bryng theyr enemyes vnder their feete Then shall the fearefull sede of Caine tremble and quake Gene. 4. Gene. 21. Gen. 11. phil 3 psalme 2. 1. Corin. 3. psalm 74. Iob. 5. Apoc. 12. Then shall the mockynge Ismalites be caste oute of the doore Then shal the proude Nembrothe see hys laboure loste Thou shall the beaste of Babilon bee troden vnder foote Then shall the Scribes and Pharisees for madnes fret and rage Then shal their paynted wysedome be knowen for extreme folly Then shall the bloody Dragone be voyde of hys praye Then shal the whore of BabiloÌ„ receaue double vengeance Then shall they scratch their crownes for the fall of theyr Maistres harlotte whom they nowe serue for filthye lucre when no man wyll bye theyr wares anye more then shall the popyshe priesthode crye weale a waye with care euen when the Lord shall helpe hys seruauntes Apo. 18 Psal 145. which daye is not farre of the day wherin the kyngdome of Antichrist shall haue an ende and neuer aryse anye more In the meane tyme abide in certayne and sure hope 1. Corin. 6. 1. Cor. 8. Heb. 9. cleanyng-vnto the promyses of God whiche in their owne tyme shall bee fulfylled Acquite your selues lyke men agaynste the enemies of God in all humblenesse of minde stronge in spirite to acknowledge one God one holye Sauiour Iesus Christ one onely euerlasting and sufficiente sacrifice for the remission of sinnes euen the precious bodye of the Lorde Iesus once offered for all and for euer Whiche nowe sitteth on the righte hande of God Act. 3. and from thence shall he come to iudge both the quicke and the dead at the laste day and vntill that tyme Heb. i. i pet 3. Ephesi 1. occupyeth that blessed bodye none other place to dwell in to be kepte in to be closed in but onelye in the heauens euen in the glorious maiestye of GOD personallye abyding there in the fleshe not commynge downe from thence tyll the laste houre Ephess 2. And as he neuer ceaseth to bee man so doth he neuer lose the similitude of man hys body there hath hys liniamentes he leaueth them not so hath that bodye there hys highnesse and shrinketh not and hys manlye shape he altereth not at any tyme. He is in that he tooke of the virgine Marye a naturall man in all conditions excepte sinne Rom. 1. And what he tooke of hys blessed Mother by the woorking of the holy ghoste he toke it for euer and will not exchaunge the same for anye other He tooke the shape of a man with the substance of hys manhoode in one sacred wombe There were they coupled together by the holy ghoste neuer to be deuided a sunder Ephe. 2. He retayneth the one with the other inseperablye As he wyll not alter the substance of hys fleshe into the substance of breade no more wyll he alter the shape of hys bodye into the forme of breade There can not bee a greater absurditie agaynste the truth then to thynke that he woulde leaue the shape that he tooke in the virgins wombe being an accident vnto hys manhode and ioyne vnto the same a wafer take baken in an ouen or betwene a payre of yrons â— Iohn 1 As he is in heauen very man one onely mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus he it is that is the propitiation for oure sinnes Be bolde therfore to confesse thys moste pure and Apostolicall doctrine Col. i. and also that all fauoure mercye and forgeuenesse commeth onely by hym He only of God the father was made for vs al wysedome ryghteousnesse 1. Cor. i. Eph. 2. sanctification and redemption All these are the giftes of God the father frely geuen vnto vs by Christe Iesus God and man through fayth in hys bloode and not by the merites of men Abacu 2. Gala. 3. Act. 10. Giftes they are I saye frelye geuen vnto vs of fauour withoute our deserte by beleuyng and not by deseruing To thys do the lawe and the Prophettes beare witnesse Thys doctrine haue all the blessed Martyrs of Christes Churche witnessed wyth their bloode to be true To thys truth haue al the consciences of al true beleuers subscribed euer synce the Ascension of Christ Thys witnesse is not of man but of God What better quarrel can ye thâ—n haue to geue your liues for Luk. 9. then the truth it selfe That man that geueth hys life for the truth taketh the redyest waye to lyfe He that hath the Popes curse for the truth is sure of Christes blessing Well then my brethren what shall nowe lette but that ye goe forwarde as ye haue begonne Naye rather runne wyth the runners that ye maye obtayne the appoynted glorye Iohn 14 Psal 15. Eph. 4. Col. 5. Math. 10 Marke 8. Holde on the ryghte waye looke not backe haue the eye of youre harte fyxed vpon god and so runne that ye may get hold of it Cast away al your worldly pelfe and worldly respectes as the fauour of frends the feare of men sensuall affection respecte of persons honoure prayse shame rebuke wealthe pouertye ryches landes possessions carnall fathers and mothers wyfe and chyldren wyth the loue of youre owne selues and in respecte of that heauenlye treasure ye looke for lette all these bee denyed and vtterlye refused of you so that in no condition they doe abate your zeale or quenche youre loue towardes GOD. In thys case make no accompte of them but rather repute them as vyle in comparison of euerlastynge lyfe Phil. 3. A waye wyth them as thornes that choke the heauenlye seede of the Gospell where they bee suffred to growe Luke 8.14 They are burdens of the fleshe whiche incomber the soule Roman 7. exchaunge them therefore for aduauntage Doth not he gayne that fyndeth heauenlye and immortall treasure for earthlye and corruptible ryches Loseth that man anye thynge whiche of hys carnall father and mother is forsaken Ephe. i. Gala 4. Phi. 3. when therefore he is receaued of God the father to bee hys childe and heyre in Christe Heauenlye for earthlye for mortall immortall for transitorye thynges permanente is great gaynes to a Christian conscience Therefore as I beganne I exhorte you in the Lorde not to be afrayde Shrynke not my brethren mistrust not God Heb. 6. 1. Cor. 2. be of good comforte reioyce in the Lorde holde faste youre fayth and continewe to the ende Denye the worlde and take vppe your crosse and followe hym whiche is youre loadesman and is gone before If you suffer wyth him you shall reigne with hym What waye can you glorifye the name of your heauenlye father better then by sufferinge
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
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
body blood offred once for al. This I know my good sister you do constaÌ„tly coÌ„fesse beleue as the godly fruite of your christiaÌ„ fayth doth dayly testify I trust to be a witnes with you at the great day that your fayth is vnfayned ful of godly charitie the lord encrease the same I am constrayned here to make an end full sore agaynst my will My poore prayers shall supply that whiche my penne doth lacke The blessing of God be with you nowe and euer Amen Your dayly Oratour Iohn Careles A letter of M. John Rough wrytten a little before hys death to the Christian congregation in London whereof he was a minister and Preacher THe comfort of the holy ghost make you able to geue consolation to others in these daungerous dayes when Sathan is let lose to the tryal of the chosen when it pleaseth our God to sift his wheate from the chaffe I haue not leasure and time to write the great temptations I haue bene vnder I speake to Gods glorye my care was to haue the senses of my soule open to perceaue the voyce of god saying who that denieth me before men them wil I denie before my father his Angels and to saue the life corporall is to lose the life eternall and he that will not suffer with Christe shall not reigne with him Therefore moste tender ones I haue by Gods spirite geuen ouer the fleshe with the fyghte of my soule and the spirite hath the victorye The fleshe shall nowe ere it be longe leaue of to sinne the spyrite shall reygne eternallye I haue chosen the death to confyrme the truth by me taughte What can I doe more Consider with your selues that I haue done it for confyrmation of Gods truth Praye that I maye continue vnto the ende The great parte of the assaulte is paste I prayse my GOD. I haue in all my assaultes felte hys presente ayde I geue hym moste hartye thankes therefore Loke not backe nor bee ye ashamed of Christes Gospell nor of the bondes I haue suffered for the same thereby ye maye bee assured it is the true word of God The holy ones haue bene sealed with the same marke It is no tyme for the losse of one man in the battel for the campe to turne backe Vp with mens hartes blowe downe the dawbed walles of heresyes Let one take the Banner an other the Trumpet I meane not to make corporall resistance but praye and ye shall haue Elias defence and Heliseus companye to fight for you for the cause is the lords Now my brethren I can write no more tyme will not suffer and my harte wyth panges of death is assaulted but I am at home wyth my God yet alyue Pray for me and salute one an other wyth the holy kysse The peace of God reste with you all Amen From Newgate pryson in hast the day of my condeÌ„nation Iohn Rough. A letter of Cutberte Symson a Deacon of the Christian congregation in London burnt in Smythfielde for the veretye of Christes Gospell written to his wyfe out of the Colehouse MY dearelye beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christe Of the exceeding cruell vnmercifull Rackings and other tormeÌ„ts that thys man of God most paciently suffred read see in the boke of Martyrs Fol. 16â—1 I can not wryte as I doe wyshe vnto you I besethe you with my soule submytte your self vnder the mighty hand of our God trusting in hys mercy and he will surely helpe vs as shal be moste vnto hys glorye and oure euerlasting comforte being sure of thys that he will suffer nothing to come vnto vs but that which shal be most profitable for vs. For it is eyther a correction for oure synnes or a tryall of oure fayth or to set forth hys glorye or for altogether and therefore muste needes be well done for there is nothing that commeth vnto vs by fortune or chauÌ„ce but by our heauenly fathers prouidence And therfore pray vnto our heauenly father that he wil euer geue vs his grace so to consider it Let vs geue him most harty thankes for these hys fatherly corrections for as many as he loueth he correcteth And I besech you now be of good chere counte the crosse of Christ greater riches then al the vaine pleasures of England I do not doubt I prayse God for it but that you haue supped with Christ at his Maundie I meane that you beleue in him for that is the effect theÌ„ must you drinke of his cup I meane his crosse for that doth the cup signifye vnto vs. Take the cup with a good stomacke in the name of god then shal you be sure to haue the good wine Christs blood to your poore thirstye soule And when you haue the wine you muste drinke it out of this cup. Learne this wheÌ„ you come to the Lords supper Pray continually In al things geue thankes Cutbert Symson A letter of VVilliam Coker then prysoner in Caunterburye and afterwarde burnt for the testimonye of the truth wrytten to a frend of hys AS your hartye frend in god and through the mercy of our lord Iesus Christ as pertaining to the fayth your brother I send you greting most ChristiaÌ„ salutations For your kindenes in that you wrote so spedely to me again I coÌ„mend you thanke god for it though of necessitie you say you were partly moued so to do by reasoÌ„ of my bondes in the Lorde I hartely ioyed by occasioÌ„ of your letter because I vnderstode thereby the state of mine olde frends godly acquaintance and how ye al continually labour as we do in the Gospel of Christ which is the worde of saluation to as many as beleue Wherin we haue this coÌ„fidence through our fayth in the blood of Christ the thoughe Sathan his rabble of ministers doe rage neuer so muche with lying deceaueable power yea though he shoulde appeare neuer so glorious Angellike in the sight of the world yet shal his fiery dartes be quenched he neuer able to preuaile against vs. For the which testimonye of conscience I geue thankes vnto god froÌ„ the bottome of my hart praye alwaies vnto the Lord that as we haue begonne eueÌ„ so we may go forwardes vnto the end vntil the time that the darknes be cleane put away and the perfect light shine in oure harts soules bodyes in the eternal kingdome with god where we shal be sure our enemies shal not preuaile agaiÌ„st vs but then most victoriouslye be ouercome by that sweete Lambe the sonne of God In the meane time the Lord preserue keepe vs froÌ„ euil The Lorde make vs stoute in hys cause geue vs grace to confesse the truth before thys whorysh generation The Lord graunt we may worke his heauenly wil that when the time shal come he may receaue vs vnto himself in the glory euerlasting To whom be prayse honour for euer and euer Amen Your brother in bondes for the
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