I should do so the further I should be from it For the eye hath not seen neither hath the ear heard nor is the heart of man able to conceive in any measure the joy mirth melody pleasure power wealth riches honour glory wisdom knowledge treasures security peace quietness and eternal felicity which you shall enjoy world without end with God the Father Son and Holy Spirit Amen O! wo to our blind eyes that see not this wo to the hardness of our hearts that feel not this wo to the deafness of our ears that hear not this in such manner as we should do whereby we should be so far from fearing death that we should rather wish and desire it To the Professors of the Gospel By Mr. John Bradford Martyr IT is I Lord that have sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetuousness my carnality security Idleness unthankfulness self-love and such like which have deserved the taking away of our King Edward of thy word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by exile imprisonment and death it is my wickedness that causeth success and increase of authority and peace to thy Enemies Let us reprove the works of darkness let us fly from all idolatry let us abhor the Antichristian and Romish rotten service let us detest the Popish Mass and forsake their Romish Idol let us prepare our selves for the Cross let us be obedient to all in authority in things that are not against God and his word for then answer with the Apostle It is better to obey God then Man If you find and feel in your selves an hope and trust in God that he will never tempt you above what he will make you able to bear then be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to bear all afflictions but if you want this hope and confidence fly and get you hence rather then by your tarrying Gods name should be dishonoured Hang on the providence of God not only when you have means to help you but also when you have no means yea when all means are against you Give God this honour which of all other things he chiefly and principally requireth at your hands namely To believe that you are his children through Christ that he is your Father and God through him that he loveth you and pardoneth you all your offences that he is with you in trouble and will be with you for ever that when you fall he will put under his hand and will not let you lie long in sin Let the life you lead be in the Faith of the Son of God for the just doth live by Faith which Faith flyeth from all evil and followeth the word of God as a Lanthorn to her feet and a light to her steps her eyes be above where Jesus Christ is she beholdeth not things present but rather things to come she glorieth in afflictions and knoweth that the afflictions of this present life are not to be compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which God will reveal to us and in us Now of this glory the Lord grant us a lively tast here then shall we run after the scent that it sendeth forth It will make us valiant men to take to us the Kingdom of God whether the Lord of his mercy bring us in his good time through Christ our Lord. To Dr. H. By Mr. John Bradford Martyr SEt before your eyes the end of this straight way rather then the narrowness of the passage so doth the husbandman in plowing and tilling the ground set before him the harvest time so doth the Fisherman consider the draught of his net rather then the casting of it in So doth the Merchant the return of his Merchandize and so should we in these stormy days set before us not the loss of our goods liberty yea of our very life but the reaping time the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ to judgment The more we lose here the greater joy shall we have in the world to come the more we suffer here the greater triumph shall we have there for corruptable dross we shall find incorruptable treasure for Gold we shall have glory for Silver we shall have solace and joy without measure for riches we shall have Royal Robes for earthly â—ouses we shall have eternal Pallaces we shall there have mirth without measure pleasure without pain and absolute blessedness felicity and happiness without end To certain of his faithful Friends by Mr. John Bradford Martyr YEe have cause to rejoyce my dearly beloved Friends in the days of tryal and confirmation in and by which God our Father maketh us like to the Image of Jesus Christ here that so we may be like unto him hereafter For if we suffer with him we shall raign with him if we be buried with him we shall rise with him if we are companions with him in affliction we shall rejoyce with him in glory if we sow with him in tears we shall reap with him in joy if we confess him before men he will confess us before his father in heaven if we take his part he will take ours if we loose any thing for his names sake he will give us all things for his truth and promise sake so that we ought to rejoyce and be glad for it is not given to every one to suffer loss of country life goods house and all things for the Lords sake What can God the Father do more for us then to call us into the camp of his dear Son what can Jesus Christ our Saviour do more for us then to make us his Warriors and fellow Souldiers what can the holy Ghost do to us above this then to mark us with the badg and cognisance of the Lord of Hosts Be of good comfort be of good comfort my dear hearts in the Lord confess him and his truth and fear not the prison loss of goods or life fear rather that prison out of which there is no deliverance fear rather the loss of those goods which last for ever fear rather the loss of that life which is eternal whereunto you are called and the way by which God will bring you to it because you know not certainly whether it will be by prison fire or halter whensoever these come let them not dismay you nor seem strange unto you for no small number of Gods children are gone that way The journey is but short though unpleasant to the flesh perchance if we should dye in our beds by a corporal malady it would be much longer and also more painful but in Gods sight it cannot be so precious and gainful as I know this kind of death is And now I commend my self into the hands of my Father by whose providence I came into this world by whose providence I have been kept in this world and by whose providence I leave and depart out of this world Let us make our selves ready to ride in
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
cam'st thou to believe this Christian Lord it is by thy gift and work that I do believe it Eph. 2.8 Heb. 12.2 Ch. Well now thou dost believe what wilt thou do Christian Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9.6 Ch. If thou love me keep my words Joh. 14.23 Christian What are those words of thine Ch. Search the Scriptures for they are able to make thee perfect and wise unto salvation and to furnish thee for every good work Joh. 5.39 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Christian But Lord how shall I understand thy word C. I will make known my words unto thee Pro. 1.23 Christian But Lord is there no danger of my departing and falling away from thee now I do believe Ch. No the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my loving kindness shall not depart from thee Esa 54.10 Jer. 32.40 Christian Lord I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart Phil. 1.19.69 Ch. I have redeemed thee that thou should'st serve me without fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of thy life Luk. 1.69 Christian Come ye Children and I will declare what my Lord have done for my soul My SOVL shall make her boasts of the LORD the humble shall hear this and be glad and magnifie the LORD with me and let us Exalt his Name together Psal 34.11.2 3. FINIS The Threefold State OF A CHRISTIAN DISCOVERED viz. By Nature By Grace And in Glory With the Character of a Christian A Miscellany of Divine Contemplations Obserservations and Directions to a holy Life and Conversation By V. P. Thy Threefold State here Thou may'st see What thou hast been art And shall be Printed for N. C. 1677. The Threefold State of a Christian Discover'd 1. BY Nature I was born of the flesh Joh. 3.6 By Grace I am born of the Spirit Joh. 3.6 In Glory I shall have all Spiritual priviledges Joh. 1.12 2. By Nature I was all flesh Joh. 3.6 Gen. 6.5 8.21 By Grace I am flesh and spirit Rom. 7.20.23.25 Gal. 5.17 In Glory I shall be all spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44.50 3. By Nature I walked after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.3 Rom. 8.4 By Grace I walk in the spirit Gal 5.16 Rom. 8.4 In Glory I shall be quickned by the spirit Rom. 8.11 4. By Nature I did mind wholy the things of the flesh Rom. 8.5 By Grace I do mind chiefly the things of the spirit Rom. 8.4 In Glory I shall mind only things spiritual 5. By Nature I was dead in sin Eph. 2.1 1 Tim. 5.6 By Grace I am quickened from sin Eph. 2.5 In Glory I shall be quite freed from sin 6. By Nature I did lie in Iniquity 1 Joh. 5.19 By Grace I do live in all piety Tit. 2.12 2 Tim. 3.12 In Glory I shall enjoy perfect purity Rev. 21.4 7. By Nature I was under the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 By Grace I am made free by the Law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 In Glory I shall triumph over sin and death 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 8. By Nature I did hate God and his Law Psal 15.21 and 18.15 and 2.3 Rom. 1.30 By Grace I do love God and his Law Psal 116.1 and 11.19.22 1 Joh. 4.59 In Glory I shall for ever delight in God and do his Law 9. By Nature I despised all Instruction Prov. 1.7 By Grace I desire all Information Pro. 11.25 Psa 86.11 In Glory I shall attain clear apprehension 2 Cor. 3.6 10. By Nature I communicated with the vilest sinners Psal 1.1 Mat. 24.49 By Grace I kept company with the best Christians Cant. 1.7 Act. 9.26 1 Joh. 1.3 In Glory I shall know all Saints and live with them Luke 13.28 Mat. 27. 53 and 15.28 1 Thes 3.15 11. By Nature I persecuted Godliness Act. 26.14 15. By Grace I profess it in power 1 Tim. 6.12 In Glory I shall have the price Phil 3.14 12. By Nature I was one of the world Joh. 15.18 19. By Grace I am chosen out of the world Joh. 15.19 In Glory I shall be separated from the world Mat. 13.49 and 25.3.33 13. By Nature I was in darkness 1 Pet. 2.9 Eph. 5.8 By Grace I walk in the Light Joh. 8.12 1 Thes 5.4 In Glory I shall dwell with the Light 1 Tim. 6.16 14. By Nature I was naked and bloody Jer. 6.15 Ezek. 16.7 By Grace I am array'd with the robe of Innocency Rev 29.8 In Glory I shall be cloathed with Immortallity 2 Cor. 5.3 15. By Nature I was a stranger Eph. 2.12 By Grace I am Gods freind Isa 41.8 Joh. 15.10 In Glory I shall be his favourite for ever Pro. 3.4 and 8.25 16. By Nature I was an Enemy Rom. 5.10 By Grace I am Reconciled Col. 1.21 In Glory I shall be saved Rom. 5.10 17. By Nature I was condemned Joh. 3.18 By Grace I am justified Act. 13.39 Rom. 3.24 In Glory I shall judg 1 Cor. 6.2 Mat. 19.28 18. By Nature I departed from God Jer. 17.5 By Grace I draw near tâ— God Heb. 7.19 In Glory I shall abide with God Joh. 8.34 19. By Nature I was Sathaâ— slave 1 Tim. 2.26 By Grace I am the Lorâ— Free-man 1 Cor. 7 2â— Gal. 4.31 1 Tet. 2 2â— In Glory I shall be a Citizâ—â— of Zion Eph. 2.19 20. By Nature I was free from righteousness Rom. 6.20 By Grace I am free through righteousness Rom. 3.25 2 Pet. 1.1 In Glory I shall raign in righteousness Rom. 5.21 21. By Nature I lived in fear Heb. 2.15 Gal. 4.15 Rom. 8.15 By Grace I live by faith Gal. 2.20 2 Cor. 5.7 In Glory I attain the end of my faith 2 Pet. 1.9 22. By Nature I was without hope Eph. 2.12 By Grace I rejoyce in hope Rom. 5.2 In Glory I shall need no hope 1 Cor. 13.13 23. By Nature I was without all the promises Eph. 2.13 By Grace I am under all the promises 2 Cor. 1.20 In Glory I shall partake of all things promised 24. By Nature I was the child of the Devil and of Hell 1 John 3.10 Mat. 23.15 By Grace I am a child of God and a stranger in the world Gal. 3.26.29 In Glory I shall be an heir of God and of heaven Rom. 8.17 Heb. 11.7 25. By Nature I was in constant danger Mat 5.22 By Grace I am in continual safety Psal 4.8 Joh. 10.28.29 In Glory I shall be in an Impregnable sanctuary Isa 45.17 26. By Nature I sought to go to Heaven by my own righteousness Rom. 10.3 By Grace I seek to go to Heaven without my own righteousness Phil. 3.9 In Glory I shall be in Heaven absolutely righteous Eph. 5.27 Jud. 8.14 27. By Nature I sought my self only Phil. 2.21 2 Tim. 3.5 By Grace I seek Gods glory chiefly Phil. 1.11 1 Cor. 10.31 In Glory I shall give it to him wholly Rev. 5.12 13. 28. By Nature I was lost Luk. 19.10 1 Pet. 2.25 By Grace I am found Luk. 15.24 In Glory I shall be at home 1 Cor. 2. 29. By Nature I knew
13.26 Mat. 20.6 4. Pray that thy last days and last works may be best and that when thou comest to die thou maist have nothing else to do but to die 5. 'T is very hard to behold our own gifts without pride and the gifts of others if they excel ours without envy 6. Do not commend thy friend nor discommend thy soe too much least thou be judged to be partial 7. Oh my Soul will neither great Love great Mercy great Forbearance great Intreaty great Patience great Promises nor great Wages prevail with thee to serve Christ free better and more constant and self-denying 8. A deep sence of sin begets deep sorrow for sin and true sorrow for sin leads to well-grounded faith and from hence flows inward Peace Joy and Holiness 9. A Passionate and troubled spirit is like a little Rill of water which every shower of rain changeth the colour of it and makes it muddy 10. The fear of death is ingrafted in the common Nature of all men but faith works it out of Christians 11. Nothing will be terrible where the love of God is apprehended and nothing grievous where love to Christ is excercised 12. Careless hearing makes carnal hearts and carnal hearts makes cursed lives 13. Oh my Soul look for death hourly long for it greatly prepare for it carefully meet and welcome it joyfully for it is Christs servant to direct his spouse the Soul to him and thy friend that comes to set thee at liberty from thy sins It will discharge thee from thy prison dismist thee from thy sorrows and bring thee at once to enjoy all thy desires 14. Christians though disagrecing in opinion should agree in affection and though differing in controversie yet should agree in charity 15. He that cannot pitty the sinner and hate sin doth not reprove out of love to Christ nor from a gracious spirit 16. God makes Christians feel him or his hand that he may hear them strokes makes crys and whippings mournful complaints to him 17. My Soul bear up with Christ bear off from Sathan and the world bear down thy corruptions and bear forth thy Testimony 18. Clear knowledge of Christ in the understanding begets fervent love in the heart and both godliness in the life 19. He that would live for himselfe only or cheifly in the world is not worthy to live a day in it 20. I would be glad to be out of the world when I have no service to do for God in it 21. God hath set the tongue between the brains and heart that it may advise with both and guarded it with Teeth to keep it in and yet how unruly it is 22. A Christians security and safety is in doing his duty and he should always Study his duty more then his safety for if he will take care to please God God will take care to preserve him 23. The love of the Master the sweetness of the service and the greatness of the reward are sufficient encouragements to serve Christ 24. The heaviest afflictions on earth are but light in comparison of Christs sufferings sins desert or the punnishment of the wicked in Hell 25. Lay in lay up lay out for Christ and remember that you will shortly reach immortallity but never Eternity 26. Oh Christian why should not he please thee who art but finite that pleases God who is infinite even Jesus Christ 27. A Christian should desire to dye that he may be fully freed from sin and have a full fruition of Christ that he may be above all fears and doubts and may be able to serve the Lord incessantly and unweariedly 28. A true Christian when he goes from hence changes neither his work nor company but his place and condition only 29. Be still imployed in doing good and you shall not be much tempted or troubled with evil for the Devil hath great advantage both against those that are idle or ill-imployed David was found guilty of the first 2 Sam. 11.2 and Jehosophat in the last 2 Chron. 10.31 30. Sence of Misery must precede sence of Mercy and the more we feel and fear Misery the more we desire seek for and prize Mercy 31. It is the least of afflictions to be afflicted by men for they can afflict but the outward man only and of all Eâ—emies man is the â—â—akeâ—t Eâ—â—my But God 〈…〉 yea Satan and 〈…〉 do afflict the 〈…〉 is more intollerable 32. That Christian is most in prayer that hath most sence of his own wants and is most comfortable ordinarily that is most penitent and the same word in the Greek signifies to want and to pray and the same word in Hebrew to repent and to comfort 33. Be more thoughtful and careful how to use what you have to Gods glory then to gain more 34. Take heed of being humbled and yet unhumbled that is of being brought outwardly Low and yet the heart continue still high 35. Sometimes Ejaculations or short and suddain pantings and breathings out of desires to God may be more acceptable to him and more prevailing with him then long prayers 36. Never reckon what thou hast of outward worldly things unless it be to praise God for them or to serve God better with them 37. It is the property of a true Christian to justifie God and to judg himself under the greatest afflictions 38. Learn to know sin to disallow of it to dispise it to overcome it inwardly and to put it from thee to fear its return and to be more estranged toward it more watchful to avoid Temptations and wise to shun occasions that lead to it 39. To dye should be no more to a Christian then to breath or to pass over a great River on a sure Bridge or in a safe Boat or to return from a field where a man hath been working to his own house to take his rest 40. Make hast to do thy work Christian and God will make hast to give thee thy wages 41. The hardest dutys in Christianity are to deny self and to destroy sin 42. A heart unconverted is contented with nothing but what is helping it on to Hell and it hath never enough of that to wit sin and a heart converted is never satisfied but with what helps it toward heaven and yet thinks he hath never enough thereof to wit Christ and Grace 43. To take pains about unnecessary and unprofitable things is laboriously to mispend time 44. Get Christ O Christian to bind thy conscience to the peace and thy affections and flesh to the good behaviour 45. Be not ambitious of love and greatness and thou shalt not be so soon an object of Envy 46. He that converts a sinner covers a world or multitude of sins and gains more then a world to wit a Soul Jam. 5.20 Pro. 11.30 47. Take heed of covering any mans good with his evil but let the one plead for him as well as the other against him 48. One of the chiefest works of the soul is selfe
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-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