certain godly persons LEt us prav unto God so to furnish us with Faith and Patience that we may rather dye ten times then to deny him once it is very requisite that the Members of Christ comfort one another make prayers together confer one with another so shall you be stronger and Gods spirit shall not be absent from you but be in the midst of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in all godliness patient in tribulation and strong in persecution Ye see how the congregation of the wicked by helping one another make their wicked Religion and themselves strong against God his truth and his people If any smart Gods people shall be the first if any suffer shame they begin if any be subject to slander it is those that he loveth so that Christ sheweth no face nor favour nor love almost in this world outwardly to them but doth as it were lay clay upon the sore eyes of those that are sorrowful yet the patient man seeth as St. Paul saith life hid under these miseries and adversities and light and sight hid under this foul clay The will of our Father be done in all things if he will life life be it if he will death death be it It is a trouble to loose the treasures of this life but yet a very great pain if they be kept with offence to God cry call pray and in Christ daily require help succour mercy wisdome grace and defence that the wickedness of this world prevail not against us We began well God preserve us to the end This life is short and miserable happy are they that can spend it to the glory of God We may be tempted of the world the flesh and the Devil but yet although these things pinch yet they do not pierce and although they work sin in us yet in Christ no condemnation to them that are grafted in him Mr. Richard Rooth In a Letter to certain Martyrs condemned at Colchester OH dear hearts in Christ what a Crown of glory shall ye receive with Christ in the Kingdome of God Oh that it had been the good will of God that I had been ready to have gone with you for I lie in the Bishops little ease in the day and in the night I lie in the coal-coal-house and we look every day when we shall be condemned for they say I shall be burned within ten days before Easter but I lie still at the pools brink and every one stepeth in before me but we abide patiently the Lords leisure in many bonds in fetters and stocks by which we have received great joy in the Lord. Oh my dear hearts now shall you be cloathed with long white garments upon mount Sion with the multitude of Saints and with Jesus Christ our Saviour who will never forsake us Oh blessed Virgins you have played the wise Virgins part because you have taken oyl into your lamps that you may enter with the Bridegroom when he cometh into everlasting joy But as for the foolish they shall be shut out because they made not themselves ready to suffer with Christ nor venture to take up his Cross O how precious shall your death be in the sight of the Lord dear and precious in his sight is he detah of all his Saints Farewell mine own dear Hearts and pray the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Pray pray pray By me Richard Rooth written with my own blood Mr. John Philpot In a Letter to Mr. R.H.R.G.M.H. and J.C. GLorious is the course of the Martyrs at this day Never had the Elect of God a better time for their glory then this is Now may they be assured under the Cross that they are Christs Disciples for ever Many go on well till they come to the Pikes and then they turn their backs and give over in the plain field to the shame of Christ and his Church that hath so faint hearted Souldiers in his camp at the time of need in that wherein his glory ought most manfully to be shewed Be content to have your Faith tryed every day by some Cross or other as it pleaseth God to put it upon you and if God put no grievous Cross upon you let your brethrens Cross be your Cross which is a certain token of true brotherly love Hitherto we have not resisted unto blood-shedding our blood must not be too dear for the Lord and then his Kingdome shall not be too dear for us We have taken our Press-mony a great while let us now learn to serve him faithfully and not to fly out of the Lords camp into the world as many do Mr. John Careless To several Martyrs condemned to die for the truth in New-Gate SO great honour is not permitted to the highest Angel in Heaven as to suffer for the name of Christ Full glad may you be that ever God gave you a life to lose for his sake A weak Faith hath ever a cold charity annexed unto it which is quenched with every unkind word Nothing can anger the malicious mind and cankered heart of Satan more then the mirth gladness and hearty rejoycing of Gods Children in their good Christ Only Christs true Disciples do mourn for his absence therefore they shall doubtless rejoyce in his presence which will be so much the more joyful by how much the more his absence is sorrowful According to your Faith and as you believe so shall it be unto you and as you think God to be unto you such a one you shall find him to be think therefore ever sweetly of the Lord and of his goodness Mr. John Careless In a Letter to Mr. John Bradford NOw with a merry heart and joyful tears I take my farewel of you mine own dear brother in the Lord begging him to send us shortly a joyful meeting in his kingdome that we may both sing praises together unto him with his holy Angels and blessed spirits for ever and ever Farewel thou blessed of the Lord farewel in Christ depart unto thy rest and pray for me for Gods sake Well I will hope in God and pray all night that God would send me some comfort to morrow and if the Lord give you leasure to morrow let me hear four words of comfort from you for Gods sake Oh that my life and a thousand such wretched lives more might go for yours Oh why doth God suffer me and such other poor worms to live that can do nothing but consume the Alms of the Church and yet take you away so worthy a work-man and Labourer in the Lords vineyard But wo be to our sins and great unthankfulness which is the cause of taking away of such instruments of the Lord as should set forth his glory and instruct his people if we had been thankful to God for the good Ministers of his word we had not been so soon deprived of them The Lord forgive our great ingratitude and his and give us true repentance and
to thee Prov. 8.30 Psa 88.16 102.10 9. When thou wast an enemy and stranger to God my Father I made peace between him and thee and reconciled thee to him by my death and sufferings Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.20.21 Eph. 2.12 13. 10. When thou wert a slave to the Devil and a fire-brand of Hell I did rescue thee from the power of the one and redeem thee from the plague and punnishment of the other 2 Tim. 2.25 Amos. 4.11 Heb. 2.14 1 Thes 1.10 P. Oh Lord I did not deserve any of this from thee J. True thou didst not deserve it but yet I did it freely and out of my love to thee Rom. 3.24 Eph. 5.2 P. Are all my sins Lord satisfied for and done a way by thy death J. Yes they are perfectly satisfied for and absolutely done away out of my fathers sight never to be imputed again to thee 2 Cor. 5.19 P. And is there nothing now in the way that hinders me to be saved J. No there is nothing for I have taken all things out of the way that hindred thee to be saved Col. 2.14 P. And am I to do nothing to be saved J. No nothing at all towards thy own salvation for I have bought thee from death and purchased thee life and salvation 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Eph. 1.14 P. Shall I then be saved Lord J. Yes if thou wilt believe and trust wholly and only upon me and upon my righteousness and merits thou shalt be saved Joh. 3.36 Rom. 9.33 and Rom. 10.9.11 P. Lord I would believe but I partly am afraid to believe and partly I am so weak I cannot believe J. Thou poor fearful heart fear not but be strong Esa 35.4 But tell me why thou are afaid P. Least I should presume or least I should believe and have no ground for my faith J. It is not presumption for thee to do what I command thee but it is obedience and is not my word of promise a sufficient ground for thy faith 1 Joh. 3.23 Joh. 5.24 P. Doest thou then Lord command me to believe J. Yes fear not believe on me and thou shalt be saved Lu. 8.50 with Act. 16.31 P. But Lord though thou commandest me yet I have no power to believe J. I will write my Laws in thy heart and will inable and give thee power to believe Heb. 8.10 Mat. 12.21 P. Lord if thou wilt also give me power to believe I will acknowledg I am nothing but what I am in thee and that I have nothing but what I have received from thee J. Doest thou not believe P. Oh yes now Lord I do believe Joh. 9.38 J. This is the work and gift of God that thou doest believe for flesh and blood hath not wrought this in thee Joh. 6.29 Eph. 2.8 P. Oh Lord I do acknowledg it to be thy work but I am afraid I shall loose this faith again J. I that am the Authour of thy faith will also finish it be therefore of good chear for thou art one of my Fathers children and of my Saints and my spirit shall abide in thee for ever Heb. 12.2 Joh. 1.12 Joh. 4.14 John 7.38 39. P. Lord I have sinned against thy Father and against thee and I am unworthy to be called either his Son or thy Servant Luk. 15.21 J. Son thy sins are forgiven thee sin no more Luk. 5.23 John 8.11 P. Lord I am afraid I shall sin again though I desire and resolve never to do it But what Lord if I should sin against my will J. Thou canst not sin willingly and wilfully for my seed of grace will remain in thee and if thou sinnest through weakeness and frailty I will be an Advocate propitiation for thy sins 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 2.12 P. Is it then thy will Lord that I should have forgiveness of my sins and doubt no more J. Yes sure for these things have I spoken that thou shouldest have a full assurance and doubt no more P. But what if Sathan when he sees me sin will tempt me to doubt again J. Say unto him that I am faithful and just to forgive thee thy sins and that my blood cleanseth thee from all sin 1 Joh. 17. P. But Lord wilt not thou have me to confess my sins J. Yes I will have thee confess them and forsake them 1 Joh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 P. But Lord is it thy mind that I should always be sorrowful J. No but it is my mind rather that thou shouldest always rejoyce and have strong consolation Phil. 4.4 Heb. 6.18 P. Oh Lord I cannot chuse but cry and mourn and be ashamed and hate my self for all my former wickedness and ungodliness Ezek. 16.61 J. Thou maiest do that and yet hold fast thy confidence for the spirit of mourning and the spirit of grace and adoption may be in thy heart at once and the one not destroy the other Zac. 12.10 P. Lord how is that J. Thou maist mourn at the sight of thy sins as they were committed against me and for thy denying felling and crucifying me and yet thou maiest believe because I have said so that they are all pardoned As Josephs brethren cryed and complained for their guiltiness in selling him yet they were glad that he was alive and could help them in their distress Gen. 42.21 22. P. Now Lord thou hast taught me what I should do in respect of my self but now Lord I would do something for thee J. Come then and follow me Mat. 9 9. And be arose and followed him The second Conference between Christ and a Pharisee Pharisee THen one of the Pharisees came to him and asked him what shall I do to work the work of God John 6.28 Jesus This is the work of God that thou believe in him viz. me whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 Ph. But Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Mat. 19.16 J. If thou wilt be saved by doing then keep the Commandements Ph. I have kept them all from my youth Mat. 19 20. J. Then thou art no sinner Ph. Yes we are all sinners but I thank God I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Luke 18.11 J. Why what doest thou more than this Publican Ph. I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess and concerning the Law I live blameless Luk. 18.12 Phil. 3.6 J. Hast thou never read that they which followed after the Law of Righteousness have not attained to the Law of Righteousness Rom. 9.31 Ph. No I never observed that but I remember another text where God saith I gave them my Satutes and shewed them my Judgments which if a man do he shall live in them Ezek. 20.11 J. Daest thou think to go to heaven by doing Ph. Not by doing only but by doing good and departing from evil J. But doth not the Law say cursed is he that observeth not all things that are written in the words
Christ though he kill me and I will endeavour to live to serve him though he should afterwards damn me Mat. 4.5 Rev. 12.10 Job 12.13 Exod. 20.13 Act. 16.28 Job 13.15 Christian Though I dâ— sometimes resolve against Satans temptations and labour to resist them yet I find my temptations are renewed and I am not able to withstand them for they come in as a flood upon me Ch. I that say unto the proud waves hitherto shalt thou come but no further I will by my spirit put the Enemy Satan to flight when he comes in like a flood against thee Job 38.11 See Esa 59.19 Marg. Christian But Lord I find am not only troubled with fear and sad temptations but also with strong and powerful corruptions Ch. I will subdue all thy iniquities and thy sins shall not have dominion over thee Mich. 7.19 Rom. 6.14 Christian Oh but this doth much trouble me that I do not find any love in my heart to thee Ch. What though thou dost not yet I will circumcise thy heart and thou shalt love me and when thou apprehendest my love to thee thou wilt love me again Deut. 30.6 1 Job 40.19 Christian I have sinned Lord against thy mercies and abased thy love yea loveâ— my sins more then thee therefore I cannot think that eveâ— thou wilt look upon me with any love or delight Ch. So did my servant David and my people Israel do yet as I loved them so will I love theâ— freely and betroth theâ— to me in loving kindnesâ— and mercy 2 Sam 12.8 9. Hos 2.5 and 14.4 and 2.9 Christian But Lord â— have not only sin'd against thy mercies but against thy corrections and chastisements also Ch. So did my people Israel formerly do for when I smote them they went on forwardly in the way of their evil hearts but I led them and restored comforts to them Esa 57.17.18 Christian I but my condition is worse then all that for I have been long under the means of grace and yet I am altogether fruitless and like the barren Fig-tree Ch. Thou troubled soul in me is thy fruit found and I will purge thee and thou shalt bring forth fruit abundantly for they that are planted in my house shall flourish and be fat and like a green Olive Tree Joh. 15.5 Psal 92.12 13 14. Christian I Lord its true if I were a branch in thee and a true member of thy house then I could believe these promises of thine alas I am neither of both but separated from thee and thy people C. Do not say that thou art none of mine for â— have bought thee with my blood and do not speak that thou art separated from my people for I will give thee in mine house and within my walls a place and a name of Sonâ— and Daughters Esa 56.3.5 Christian Sure if I were not an out-cast and a Reprobate I should not be thus as I am in a wilderness condition Ch. Israel was counted an out-cast and she cried out yet I was then a God to her and she a people to me Jer. 30.16.17.22 Christian Oh if I were but one of thine I should then count my self the happiest in all the world Ch. Fear not my Spouse for I am thy Husband and thy Father Christian If I were one of thy Children thou wouldst not hide thy selfe from me as thou dost Ch. I have hid my selfe and my face from some of my Prophers and people of old and yet it was in love to them and so it is to thee Psal 88.14 Esa 8.17 and 64.7 Christian But thou hast hid thy self from me and thou seemest also to be angry with me Esa 54.5 Jer. 31.9 Ch. Fury is not with me towards thee and though I be angry yet my anger is but for a moment Esa 27.4 and 54.8 Christian Yet Lord thou hast been angry with me a long time for thou hast forgotten me Ch. Zion did say so the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me yet I had not forgot her for she was graven upon the palmes of my hands Esa 49.14.15 Jer. 51.5 Christian But Lord if thou had'st not forgotten me thou would'st never have left me in such a wilderness and barren condition as I am in Ch. I have allured thee into the wilderness that I might speak comfortably unto thee Hos 2.14 Christian I have been many years in trouble and terrours and wanting peace in my soule which could not possibly have been if I had truly believed in thee Ch. But now will I speak peace unto thee and I will guide thee into the way of peace Psal 85.8 Luk. 1.79 Christian Lord wilt thou speak peace unto me and guide me into the way of peace i. e. The Preachers Lips that Preach't peace Ch. I will create the fruit of the lips Peace Peace and my spirit shall be in thee and his fruit shall be peace to thy soul Esa 57 19. and 55.12 Christian But Lord thy word saith there is no peace to the wicked Ch. No not to a man that will persist in his wicked way and doth not nor will not believe in me but thou art one of those that I bore the chastizement of thy peace and one of the children of peace Esa 53.5 and 54.13 Christian But Lord how can I have peace seeing a man cannot have peace before and without he does believe Ch. Thou shalt have faith and peace and I will give peace through believing 2 Thes 3.16.6 Christian But Lord theâ—â— I must know that I am one of thine Ch. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord thy God and that thou art one of my people Ezek. 34.30 Christian Oh how shall I know that Ch. My spirit shall bear witness with thy spirit that thou art my Child Rom. 8.16 Christian But how shall I know that it is thy spirit that beareth this witness and that it is not the spirit of delusion Ch. Thou maiest know that by its power in working in thy heart which no other spirit can work alike as also by the earnest and fruits thereof 2 Cor. 5.5 and 7.22 Gal. 5.22 23. Christian Lord what else shall I believe besides being one of thine Ch. Dost thou believe that Christian Yes Lord I do believe that thou art Jesus the Son of God and the Saviour of the world Act. 8.37 Joh. 6.69 and 11.27 Ch. But dost thou believe that I am thy Saviour Christian Lord I do believe that there is no other way to be saved but only by thee Act. 4.12 Ch. But dost thou believe that thou shalt be saved by me Christian Lord I do believe help my unbelief Mar. 9.24 Ch. To thee it is given to believe Phil. 1.29 Christian now Lord I doe believe Ch. What dost thou now believe Christian I believe that thou loved'st me and did'st give thy self for me and that thou art my Lord and my God and that I am justified and shall be saved by grace Gal. 2.20 Joh. 20.28 Act. 15.11 Ch. How