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law_n	good_a	sin_n	transgression_n	4,384	5	10.5404	5	false

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

GOD the feare of God the contempte of the worlde and a constant faythe in the knowledge of hys worde ioyned wyth the workes of righteousnes This is the Summe of all our christian religion which we doe professe which yf we followe happy are we that euer we were borne But if we be negligent in thys it had bene better for vs neuer to haue bene borne for cursed are they that declyne from the Lorde and hys holye commaundementes and haue their delyghtes in the vanities of thys worlde Cease not to followe the image of God and to expresse the same in your selues to the glory of god and then god wil glorify you for his image sake which he saith to liue in you We are all weake in transformyng the same in vs at the begynnyng for our fleshe is cleane contrary to it But we must not geue ouer by lawfullye striuyng tyl we maye say wyth Saint Paule now lyue I but not I but Chryste in me The Lorde graunt that Christ whiche by the gospell is planted in vs may be fashioned in our godly conuersation to the glorye of God and to the good example of oure brethren that our temporall lyfe maye be chaunged into eternall lyfe and oure frendeshyppe in God eternallye endure Amen This last farewel I send vnto you to be a tokē of my loue vntil we shal mete in the kingdom of Christ there to reioyce perfectlye of that godlye fellowshippe whiche here we haue had on the earthe God hasten that meetyng and delyuer you from the temptation whyche is nowe come vppon the Churche of England for the tryall of suche as bee faythfull in the Lordes Testamente to the crowne of theyr glorye yf they be founde faythefull to the ende Lette vs watche and praye one for another that these euyll dayes do not ouerwhelme vs in the whyche our aduersary the Deuyll goeth about lyke a roaryng Lyon sekyng whō he may deuoure The peace of GOD remayne wyth you for euer Wrytē in the kinges Bench by one of the poore captiue shepe of Christ apointed to the slaughter for the testimony of the truth where he doth ioye and wysheth you to ioy praisyng God wyth hym Amen Iohn Philpot. A letter of M. Bradforde to certayne men whiche mainteined the heresy of the Pelagians and papistes concernyng mans freewil whiche vpon occasions were then prisoners wyth hym in the Kinges Benche THe good spirite of god which is the spirite of truth and guide to gods children be with vs all and leade vs into all truth Amen Hetherto I haue oftentimes resorted vnto you my frendes as I thought and by all meanes sought to do you good euē to mine owne charges and hinderaunce But now I see it hapneth otherwise and therfore I am purposed tyll I maye knowe more then I do to absent my selfe frō you ▪ but not my help and by these letters to supply that which by mouth patiently you cannot abide to heare You report me to my face that I am a great slaunder to the church of God which maye be two wayes vnderstand that is by lyuyng doctryne But as for liuing you your selues I thanke god therfore gaue testimonye with me In doctrine therefore you meane it Now in that there be many partes of the doctrine of christ I trow you meane not generally but perticulerly for you in generalitie haue diuers tymes geuē your commendation on my behalfe both to my face and behynd my backe for the which I hūbly prayse my god through Christ In perticularitie therfore you meane that I am a slaunder which as farre as I know is onely in thys to you wardes that I beleue and affirme the saluation of gods children to be so certayne that they shall assuredly enioy the same You saye it hangeth partely vpon our perseueraunce to the ende and I say it hangeth onely and altogether vppon gods grace in Christ and not vpon our perseueraunce in any pointe for then were grace no grace Rom. 11. You will and doe in wordes denye our perseueraunce to be any cause but yet in dede you do otherwise For if perseueraunce be not a cause but onely gods grace in Christ the whole and only cause of saluation then the cause that is to say grace remaining the thing that is to say saluatiō cannot but remayne also Of which thing if wyth the scriptures you woulde make perseueraunce an effect or fruite then could you not be offended at the truth but say as it saithe that the saluation of gods chyldren is so certayne that they shall neuer finally perishe the lorde putting his hand vnder thē that if they fal yet they shal not lie stil For whom he loueth he leaueth not Iohn 13. but loueth thē vnto the ende so that perseueraunce is proper to them and dothe discerne them from hypocrites and such as seme to other to themselues also sometymes that they bee gods children Which if they once were in dede then as S. Iohn saith they shold not sinne the sinne to death 1. Iohn 3.5 1. Iohn 2. Heb. 3. neither shold they go out of gods church but as Paule sayth shoulde perseuer to the ende Now to be gods child is no lesse in al pointes aboue the power of man then to be mans child is aboue our own power but so much it passeth our habililie in all pointes to be gods child by how much thys dignity is greater Again once gods childe in deede and gods childe for euer that is finally shall not he that is so perish eternally if that god our father be both of good wyll infinite and also of power accordyngly and yf the sede of god which remaineth in hys chyldren 1. Iohn 3 Matth. 6. Rom. 6 can kepe them from synnyng I meane to deathe for otherwyse they sinne and therfore praye dailye forgeue vs our debtes c. Moreouer gods children be vnder grace and not vnder the lawe Rom. 4. and therfore sinne shall not dāpne them For where no law is there is no trāsgression transgression I say to fynall damnation for the new couenaunt of god is neuer to remember their synnes but to geue them such hartes mindes that as they naturally lust labour to do that is euil so theyr inwarde man renewed striueth to the contrary and at the length shall preuaile 1. Iohn 3 Rom. 8 Iohn 6.10 Math. 24. Heb. 13 Heb. 3. because he is stronger that is in thē then he that is in the world And S. Paule saith who shall laye any thyng to the charge of gods elect in that god absolueth them for Christes sake of whom they are kept so that it is not possible for them to perish in respect of theyr pastour who is faithfull ouer gods people This certainty and assuraunce who so feeleth in himself by the testimony of gods sprite in dede and of truth the same is happy for euer and cannot but as he hopeth he shall bee lyke to Christ in hys comming

amend it as I thought good The which though both the bishop of Gloucester and also the kyng and Quenes proctors promised me yet haue they altogether broken promise with me and haue not permitted me to correct my sayde aunsweres accordinge to my request and yet notwithstandyng haue as I vnderstande regestred the same as actes formally done in place of iudgemente Finallye forasmuch as all thys my trouble commeth vpon my departinge from the byshop of Rome and from the popishe religion so that nowe the quarel is betwixte the Pope himselfe and me and no man can be a lawfull and indifferente iudge in his owne cause it seemeth me thinke good reason that I should be suffered to appeale to some generall counsell in thys matter speciallye seinge the lawe of nature as they saye denyeth no man the remedye of appeale in such cases Now since it is very requisite that this matter shoulde be kepte as close as mayē be if perhappes for lack of perfect skill herein you shall haue nede of further aduise then I beseche you euen for the fidelity and loue you beare to me in Christ that you wyl open to no creature aliue whose the case is And forasmuch as the time is now at hand and the matter requireth great expeditiō let me obteine thys much of you I beseche you that layng a side all other your studies and busines for the time you wyll applye thys my matter onlye tyll you haue broughte it to passe The chiefeste cause in very deede to tell you the truth of thys myne appeale is that I myghte gayne time if it shall so please God to lyue vntill I haue finished myne aunswere againste Marcus Antonius Constantius which I haue now in hand This Constantius was Steuen Gardiner as constant in dede as a wether cock who thus named him selfe writing against thys good father But if the aduersaryes of the truthe wil not admyt myne appeale as I feare they will not Gods wyl be done I passe not vpon it so that God may therein be glorified be it by my life or by my death For it is muche better for me to dye in Christes quarell to raigne wyth hym then here to be shutte vp kept in the pryson of thys body vnlesse it were to continue yet stil a whyle in this warrefare for the commodity and profite of my Brethren and to the further aduauncyng of Gods glorye to whome be all glorye for euermore Amen There is also yet an other cause whye I thynke good to appeale that where as I am cited to goe to Rome to aunswere there for my selfe I am notwythstandyng kepte her faste in prison that I cannot there appeare at the tyme appoynted And moreouerforasmuch as the state I stande in is a matter of lyfe and death so that I haue greate neede of learned counsel for my defence in thys behalfe yet when I made my earnest request for the same all manner of coūsell and helpe of proctors aduocates and lawers was vtterlye denyed me Your louing frende T.C. To maistres Wilkinson a godlye matrone exhorting her to flye in the time of persecution and to seke her dwellyng where she might serue God accordinge to hys word THe true comforter in all distresse is only God thorow his sonne Iesus Christ and who soeuer hath him hath cōpany enough although he were in a wildernes al alone and he that hath xx thousand in hys company if god be absent is in a miserable wildernes and desolation In hym is all comfort and with out him is none Wherefore I besech you seeke your dwelling there as you may truly and rightly serue God and dwell in hym and haue him euer dwelling in you What can be so heuy a burden as an vnquiet conscience to be in such a place as a mā can not be suffred to serue God in Chrysts true religiō If ye be loth to depart from your kin frendes remember that Christe calleth them hys mother suffers brothers that do his fathers wil. Math. 3. Wher we find therfore god truly honored accordyng to his wyl there we can lack neither frend nor kin If you be loth to departe for slaunderyng of gods worde remember that Christ when his howre was not yet come departed out of hys coūtrey into Samaria Iohn 4. Mat. 5 to auoyde the malice of the scribes and phariseis and commaunded hys Apostles that if they were pursued in one place they should flye to an other And was not Paule let downe by a basket out at a window to auoid the persecution of Areta 2. Corin. 2. And what wisdō policye he vsed frō time to time to escape the malice of hys enemies the acts of the Apostles do declare And after the same sort did the other Apostles albeit whē it came to such a poynt that they could no longer escape daunger of the persecutours of gods true religiō thā they shewed thē selues that theyr flyeng before came not of feare but of Godlye wisdome to doe more good and that they woulde not rashelye without vrgente necessitye offer themselues to death which had bene but a tēptation of god Yea when they were apprehended and coulde no longer auoyde then they stode boldly to the profession of Christ thē they shewed how litle they passed of death how much they feared god more then men howe much they loued and preferred the eternal lyfe to come aboue this short miserable life Wherfore I exhort you aswell by Christs commaundemēt as by the example of him and his Apostles to withdraw your selfe from the malice of your and gods enemies into some place where god is most purely serued which is no slaunderyng of the truthe but a preseruing of your selfe to god and the truth and to the societie and comfort of Christes litle flocke And that you will doe do it with spede leaste by your owne follye you fall into the persecutors handes and the Lord sende hys holy spirite to leade and guide you where soeuer you go and all that be godly will say Amen T. C ❧ Letters of Doctor Rydley late Byshop of London who afterlonge imprisonment was spitefully and cruellye martyred in Oxford for the constante confession of godes true religion In the yeare of oure Lorde God .1555 the xvi day of October ☜ Ad fratres in captiuitate carnis per varios carceres dispersos sed in vnitate spiritus atque sacrosanctae religionis in visceribus Iesu Christi conglutinatos GRatia vobis pax ac misericordia multiplicetur Quam gratiarū actionem pro vobis fratres red dere possumus domino super omni consolatione quam de vobis concepimus in domino qui Sathana saeuiente peromnia fallaciarum genera mundo imponere studente regnum suum iampridem collabascere ruinamque minitari incipiens erigere atque denuo instaurare sedulo satagente tanquam in Petra firmissime fundati permanetis immobiles Iamque licet Sathan per suos satellites ac

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

my sister wyth Christ for euer Loke therfore that you continue a faithfull syster as you are called and are godlye entered not onely to me but to all the churche of Christe yea to Christ hymself who voucheth you in this your vnfained faith worthy to be his sister Consider this dygnitye to surmounte all the vayne dignitye of the worlde and let it accordynglye preuayle more wyth you then all earthely delyghtes for thereby you are called to an equall portion of the euerlastyng inheritaunce of Christe yf nowe in no wyfe you doe shewe your selfe an vnnaturall syster to hym in forsakyng hym in trouble whiche I trust you wyll neuer for no kynde of worldly respecte doe You are vnder daungerous temptations to bee turned from that naturall loue you owe vnto Christ and you shall be tryed with gods people through a sieue of greate affliction for so Sathan desyreth vs to be sifted Luke 22 that through feare of sharpe troubles we myght fall from the stablenes of our fayth and so be depryued of that honour ioy and rewarde which is prepared for suche as continue faythfull brothers and systers in the Lordes couenaunte to the ende Therefore the wyse man in the booke of Ecclesiasticus byddeth them that come to the seruice of the Lord to prepare them selues to suffer temptations Synce then that for the glory of God and oure fayth we are called nowe to abyde the bronte of them and that when our aduersarye hathe done all that he can yet we maye be stable and stande thys Christ oure fyrste begotten brother looketh for at oure handes and all our brethren and systers in heauen desyre to see our faythe throughe afflictions to be perfecte that we myghte fulfyll theyr number and the vniuersall churche here militaunte reioyseth at our constancye whome all by the contrarye we shoulde make sorye to the daunger of the losse bothe of bodye and soule Feare not therefore what so euer be threatned of the wycked worlde prepare your backe and see it bee readye to carye Christes crosse And yf you see any vntowardnes in you as the fleshe is continuallye repugnaunte to the wyll of GOD aske wyth faythfull prayer that the good spiryte of GOD maye leade youre synnefull fleshe whether it woulde not Iohn 21 for yf we wyll dwell in the flesh and follow the counsel thereof we shal neuer do the wyll of God neyther worke that tendeth to our saluation You are at thys present in the confynes and of Babilon where you are in daunger to drinke of the whores cup vnlesse you be vigilāt in prayer Take hede the serpent seduce you not from the symplicity of your fayth as he dyd our fyrst mother Eue. Let no worldly felowshippe make you pertaker of iniquitie He that toucheth tarre cannot but be defyled thereby and with such as be peruerse a man shall soone be peruerted with the holy you shall be holy Psa 15. Therfore say continually with the prophet Dauid vnto the sainctes which be on the earth all my will is on them You haue bene sanctifyed and made pure through the truth take hede you be not vnholied and defyled least the laste be worse then the first I write not this bicause I stande in any doubt of your syncere continuance of the which I haue had so good experience but because the dayes be euyl and in the same it is the duty of euery one of vs to exhorte another I am bold to put you my good sister in remēbraunce of that which doth not a litle cōfort me to remember in my troubles daily temptations Wherfore I doubt not you wil take that in good part which commeth from your brother both in spirit and bodye who tendreth your saluation as earnestlye as his owne that we might ioy together eternally with such ioye as the world shall neuer be able to take from vs. Thankes be vnto god you haue begunne to runne a good and greate tyme well in the waies of the lord runne out the race to the ende which you haue begunne and then shall you receyue the crowne of glory None shal be crowned but such as law fully stryueth 2. Tim. 2. Be not ouercome of euyl but ouercome tuill wyth good and the Lord shall make you one of those faythfull virgins that shall followe the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth Apo. 4. the which Christ graunt both you and me Amen This was for the fyrst fruits of his Archdeaconry wherof al the tyme of his imprisonment he had no commodity and yet his sureties were compelled to pay the same Cōmend me to all thē that loue me in the Lord vnfaynedly God encrease our faith geue vs grace neuer to be ashamed of his gospel That same request which I haue made to my brother Thomas I make also to you desiring you by al meanes you can co accomplish my request that my sureties myghte be satiifyed wyth that is myne owne to the contentation of my mynde whyche cannot be quiet vntill they bee discharged therefore I pray you helpe to purchase quietnes that I myghte departe oute of this worlde in peace My dissolution I loke for daily but the Lord knoweth how vnworthye I am of so high an honour as to dye for the testimony of hys truth Pray that God would vouchsafe to make me worthy as he hath done of long imprisonmente for the which his name be praysed for euer Praye and looke for the comming of the Lord whose wrath is great ouer vs and I wil praye for you as long as I liue The .ix. of Iulye in the Kinges Benche Your owne louyng brother as well in Fayth as in bodye Iohn Philpot. To my deare frende and brother in the Lord. M. Robert Harrington GEntle maister Harrington I can not tel what condigne thankes I maye geue vnto God for you in respecte of that great gentlenes and payn which you haue takē for the relief of me of other our afflicted brethrē in Christ God be praysed for his mercy whose louing prouidēce we haue sene towards vs by such faythful stewards as you haue bene towards a great many Blessed be you of god for the louing care which you haue takē for his pore flocke God hath reserued your reward of thankes in heauē therfore I do not go about to render you any lest I might seme to iudge that you loked for that here which is reserued to a better place I thāke god for that I haue foūd by your faithful diligent industry god forgeue me my vnworthines of so great benefites god geue me grace to serue him faithfully to rūne out my race with ioy Glorious is the course of the martyrs of Christ at thys day Neuer had the elects of god a better time for their glory thē this is now may they be assured vnder the crosse that they are Christs disciples for euer Me thinke I see you desiring to be vnder the same the fleshe draweth backe Iohn

Lordes cause VVilliam Coker A letter of Nicholas Shetterden a faith full Martyr of Iesus Christ written to hys Mother a little before hys death O My good Mother whō I loue with reuerence in the Lorde according to my dutye I desire your fauourable blessing and forgeuenesse of all my misdedes towards you Oh my deare Mother in fewe wordes I wyshe you the same saluation whiche I hope my selfe to feele and partly taste of before thys come to you to read and in the resurrection I verely beleue to haue it more perfectlye in bodye and soule ioyned together for euer and in that daye GOD graunte you to see my face with ioye but deare Mother then beware of that greate Idolatrye and blasphemous Masse O let not that be your GOD whiche Mice and wormes can deuoure beholde I call heauen and earth to recorde that it is no GOD yea the fyre that consumeth it and the moystnes that causeth it to moulde And I take Christs Testament to wytnesse that it is none of his ordinaunces but a mere inuention of men and a snare to catche innocentes bloode and nowe that GOD hath shewed it vnto you be warned in tyme. O geue ouer old customes and become new in the truth What state soeuer your fathers be in leaue that to God let vs followe the counsel of his word deare Mother embrace it with hartye affection reade it with obedience let it be your pastime and cast of all carnall affections and loue of worldly thinges so shall we meete in ioye at the last day or els I bid you farewell for euermore Oh farewell my frendes and louers all God graunt me to see your faces in ioye Amen From Westgate the .11 of Iuly .555 Nicholas Shetterden appoynted to be slayne for Christes cause and the mayntenaunce of hys most sounde and true religion A letter wrytttn by the Ladye Iane Gray to her Syster the Lady Katheryne immediatly before she suffered I Haue here sent you good Syster Katherin a booke which although it be not outwardly trymmed with gold This booke was a newe Testament in Greke in the end whereof she had written this letter yet inwardly it is more worth then precious stones It is the booke deare Syster of the law of the Lorde it is his testament and last wyll which he bequethed vnto vs wretches whiche shall lead you to the path of eternall ioy and if you with a good mynd do read it with an earnest purpose follow it it shall bring you to an immortal euerlasting life It wil teach you to liue learne you to die It shal winne you more thē you shold haue gayned by the possessiō of your woful fathers lands For as if god had prospered him you should haue in herited his lands so if you apply diligently this boke seking to directe your life after it you shal bee an inheritour of suche riches as neither the couetous shal withdraw from you neither the these shal steale neither yet the mothes corrupte Desire with Dauid good Sister to vnderstand the law of the Lord your god Liue stil to die that you by death may purchase eternal life And trust not that the tendernes of your age shal lengthē your life for as sone if God cal goeth the young as the old And labour alwayes to learne to die Defye the world denye the deuil despise the flesh delight your self only in the Lord. Be penitent for your sinnes yet despayre not be strong in faith yet presume not desire with S. Paule to be dissolued to be with christ with whō euē in death there is lyfe Be lyke the good seruaunt euen at midnight be wakyng lest whē death cōmeth and stealeth vpon you lyke a thefe in the night you be with the euil seruaunt found slepyng and least for lacke of oyle you be found lyke the fyue folyshe women like hym that had not on the weddynge garmente and so be caste out from the mariage Reioyce in Christ as I prayse God I do Folow the steppes of your maister christ take vp your crosse lay your sinnes on his backe alwais embrace him And as touchyng my deathe reioyce as I do good Sister that I shal be deliuered frō this corruptiō and put on incorruption for I am assured that I shal for loosing of a mortal lyfe winne an immortal life The which I pray god graunt you send you of hys grace to lyue in hys feare and to dye in the true christian faith from the which in gods name I exhort you that you neuer swarne neither for hope of life nor for feare of death For if you wil deny his truthe to lengthen your life God wil deny you and yet shortē your daies And if you wil cleaue vnto him he wil prolong your dais to your comfort his glorye to the which glory god bring me now and you herafter whē it pleaseth him to cal you Fare you wel good Sister and put your only trust in god who only must helpe you Letters of M. George Marshe a godly faythfull and learned pastour in Christes churche put to deathe at VVestchester wyth moste cruell kyndes of tormentes as you may see in the booke of Martyrs fol. 1122 for the constant and faythfull confession of Christes Gospell To the professours of gods worde and true religion in the towne of Langhton GRace be wyth you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it my duty to wryte vnto you my beloued in the lord at Langhton to stirre vp your harts to cal to your remēbrance the words which haue ben told you before and to exhort you as that good man and full of the holy ghost Barnabas dyd the Antiochiās that with purpose of hart ye continually cleaue vnto the lord Actes ●● and that ye stand fast be not moued away from the hope of the gospel wherof God be thanked ye haue had plenteous preaching vnto you by your late pastour M. Saunders other faythful ministers of Iesus Christ Luke 8. Rom. 1 which now when persecution aryseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking children and forsake the truth being ashamed of the gospell wherof they haue bene preachers but are willing and redy for your sakes which are Christes mistical body to forsake not onely the chiefe principal delites of this lyfe I meane their natiue countreyes frendes liuings c but also to fulfill their ministery vnto the vttermost that is to wyt with theyr paynful imprisonments bloodshedings if nede shal require to confirme and seale christes gospel whereof they haue bene ministers and as S. Paule saith they are ready not onely to be cast into prison Acts. 12 but also to be kylled for the name of the lord Iesu Whether these beyng that good salte of the earth Matth. 5. that is true ministers of gods worde by whose doctrine being

prayer must be ioyned almes and mercy towards the poore nedy And that our almes may be acceptable vnto god three things are chiefly requyred First 2. Cor. 9. that we geue with a cherefull ioyful hart for the lord loueth a cherefull geuer Secondly that we geue liberally putting a syde al nigardship knowing that he the soweth litle shal reap little and he that soweth plentifully shal reape plentifully Let euery mā therfore do according as he is able The porest caitife in the world may geue as great acceptable an almes in the syght of god as the rychest man in the world can do The poore wydowe that did offer but two mytes Marke 12 whiche make a farthing did hyghly please Christ in so much that he affyrmed wyth an othe that she of her penury had added more to the offrings of god then al the rych mē which of their superfluitie had cast in very much For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to the a man hath not according to that a mā hath not Thirdly we must geue wtout hypocrisie ostentatiō not seking the prayse of mē or our own glory or profite And althoughe the scriptures in some places ake mentiō of a reward to our almes other good works yet ought we not to think that we do merite or deserue any thīg but rather we ought to acknowledge that god of his meere mercy rewardeth in vs his own giftes For what hath he that geueth almes that he hath not receaued He than the geueth vnto a poore mā any maner of thing geueth not of his own but of those goods which he hath receaued of god What hast thou saith the Apostle that thou hast not receaued If thou hast receaued it ● Cor. 4 why reioycest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it This sentence ought to be had in remēbrance of al mē for if we haue nothing but that which we haue receaued what can we deserue or what nede we to dispute reasō of oure own merites It cōmeth of the free gift of God that we liue that we loue god that we walke in his feare where is our deseruing them ▪ We must also in this our spirituall warfare arme our selues with continual prayer a very necessary strong inuincible weapon Math. 26. Heb. 4. ● Mach. 4 after the exāple of Christ al other godly men cry hartely vnto god in fayth in all our distresses anguyshes Let vs goe boldely to the seate of grace where we shal be sure to receaue mercy and fynde grace to helpe in time of nede For now is pryde and persecution encreased now is the time of destruction and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore my dere brethren he ye feruent in the law of god ieoperd ye your liues if nede shal so require for the testament of the fathers so shall ye receaue great honour an euerlasting name Remēber Abrahā was not he foūd faythful in temptation Gene. 22. Gene. 41. Num. 25. it was reckned vnto him for ryghteousnesse Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the cōmaūdemēt was made a Lord of Egipt Phinees was so feruent for the honour of god that he obtayned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthod Iosua 1 Num. 14 1. Regū 24 Iosua for fulfilling the word of God was made the captayne of Israell Caleb bare recorde before the congregation and receaued an heritage Dauid also in hys merciful kindnes obtained the throne of an euerlasting kingdome 4. Regū 2 Elias being zelous and feruent in the law was takē vp into heauen Annias Azarias Dan. 3. Misaell remayned stedfast in the fayth and were deliuered out of the fyre In lyke maner Daniell being vngiltie Dan. 6. was saued frō the mouth of the Lyons And thus ye maye consyder throughout al ages synce the world began that whosoeuer put their trust in god were not ouercome Feare not ye then the words of vngodly men for their glory is but donge wormes Psal 38. To day are they set vp to morrowe are they gone for they are turned into earth their memorial cōmeth to nought Wherfore let vs take good hartes vnto vs quyte our selues like mē in the law for if we do the things that are cōmaunded vs in the law of the lord our god we shal obteyn great honour therin Beloued in Christe let vs not faynt because of affliction wherwith God tryeth al thē that are sealed vnto life euerlasting for the only way into the kyngdome of god Act. 14. 4. Esdr 7. is through much tribulation For the kingdome of heauen as god teacheth vs by his Prophet Esdras is lyke a citie builded and set vpō a broad field full of all good things but the enteraunce is narrow sodayne ful of sorow trauaile perils labours like as if there were a fyre at the right hand a depe water at the left and as it were one strayte pathe betwene thē both so small that there could but one man go there If thys citie nowe were geuen to an heyre and he neuer went through the perilous way how would he receaue his enheritance Wherfore seing we are in this narowe strayt way which leadeth vnto the most ioyful pleasant citie of euerlasting life let vs not stagger either turne back being afraid of the daūgerous perillous way but folow our Captayn Iesus Christ in the narow strayt way be affrayd of nothyng no not euen of death it selfe for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneyes end open vs the dore vnto euerlastīg lyfe Cōsider also the course of thys world how many there be which for their Maisters sake or for a litle promotions sake would aduēture their liues in worldly affayres as cōmonly in warres yet is their reward but light transitorye ours is vnspeakeable great and euerlasting They suffer paines to be made Lordes on the earth for a shorte season howe muche more oughte wee to endure lyke paynes yea peraduenture muche lesse to bee made kinges in heauen for euer more Consider also the wycked of this world which for a litle pleasures sake or to be auenged on their enemies wil fyght with sword weapons putte thē selues in daunger of imprisonment hanging So much as vertue is better then vyce god myghtyer thē the deuil so much ought we to excel thē in this our spirituall battell And seing brethrē it hath pleased God to set me that most worthy minister of Christ ▪ Iohn Bradford your countreymē in the forefront of this battel where for the time is most daunger I beseche you all in the bowels of Christ to helpe vs al others our felow souldiers stāding in like perilous place with your prayers to god for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord geue some exāple of boldnesse constancie mingled