will surelie performe it To them that loue God all things happen to the best and pray for me good Brother that I may holde stedfast that loue and wauer not in the faith of the gospell in which we haue assured life and as I am bounde J trust I will pray for you that your eyes may haue perfect pure sight to see the louing countenance of the Lorde which is better then life so you shall bee happie euen in the dayes of your vanitie and when nature shall make you yeelde to the necessitie of all fleshe to goe walke in the way of all the worlde then shall you reape the fruite of your labour and say with gladnes Lord nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace This is all the hope we haue and the onely ioye that is to be looked for vnder the heauens the nearer you shall feele it the more you shall see it it shall delight you and set you on a sure ground that you shall not be ashamed for euer The Lord God for his Christes sake strengthen vs all to so good a purpose and the mutuall debte we owe one to another in the bound of nature let vs paye it in this holy affection to praye for our perseuerance vnto the ende And as touching the issue of all my businesse looke for the worst hope for the best and beare whatsoeuer shall fall J trust to God once I shall see the day wherein J shall faithfully speake it euen as Saint Paul Vita mea nō est chara mihi vt consumā cursum meū cū gaudio The Bb. and many other seeke occasions against mee God hath stil raysed me vp many friendes but my hope is onely in him that hath kept me hitherto and not in man when J knowe what ende will come you shall heare If I would lose the trueth I could winne the world but that were a miserable change God blesse vs and sende vs peace make vs wise in his Gospell and stedfast vnto the ende My Wife hath bene I thanke God in no trouble neyther was any toward her that J knowe of if any fall God hath made her rich in grace and knowledge to giue accompt of her doing D.W. on frydaie last as I was about to preach forbad me in hir Maiesties name so I stande now forbidden not by the Bb. but by our Princesse whom J beseech God make a happie gouernour in his church and many yeares to giue peace vnto his people If we prayed as we should God would make perfite the good worke hee hath begun and make vs see the peace of Jerusalem all the dayes of our life And J beseeche God that wee may wishe so effectually his mercies that at last hee may shutt vs vp in a blessed vnitie that they whom he hath afflicted may reioyce Commende me to all Thank◠my cosen for her letters and for the parsonage she writeth of I will not refuse it if I may haue it neyther will I sue for it though it were much better If God call me to it I pray God I may doe my duetie if not yet his will be done I am perswaded if I be setled there it shal be a blessinge vnto the countrie if not without me God keepeth those that bee his Farewell good Brother And the Lord keepe you and all yours Amen The 24. of December 1573. Your louing Brother Edwarde Dering To his Brother I. D. THE God of all grace who giueth vs eyes to see and eares to heare giue vnto vs euer his holy spirit that in the middest of a darke world we may see the brightnesse of his heauenly kingdome and in this weake tabernacle of small cōtinuance we may knowe the dwelling place which we shall haue for euer in the resurrection of the iust Amen I thanke you good brother for your letter and for your care of my recouerie but most of all because you shewe a good testimonie of your minde that the feare of God doeth dwell in you of this J am gladde and I am sure I shal be glad For I know howe earnestlie I desire it and I see howe vnfainedlie you are brought vnto it and when the Lord in his good will his appointed time shal make vs see more cleare howe great this blessinge is we knowe wee shall reape the fruite of it in the sight of his presence and in eternal life this is enough for vs a strēgth vnto our hope a stay vnto our faith a continuance vnto our loue lett the good worke of God be finished in vs. And of this wee may be sure whosoeuer regardeth it not or else embraceth the present worlde he knoweth not God nor yet hath euer seene the length breadth of immortalitie And therefore good brother because blessed are the eyes which see that we see let vs strenghten our sight with the sweet oyntement of Gods spirite that we may yet see more cleare till through all the graces of GOD our Father we may see our bodies also raised vp from the dead and our selues ioyned vnto our Sauior Christ by decree and sentence which neuer shal be reuersed Come you blessed vnto eternall life vnto this a good conscience will carie vs with ioye gladnes Beyonde this our senses faile vs and our hearte is able to comprehende nothing of the glorie which we shall see Only J knowe it is exceeding great whose greatnesse I can neither see nor heare nor comprehende with thought And therefore if euer thinge delighted vs or if euer we haue seene pleasure or can wishe the thing in which we would reioyce let vs turne all our affections hither with harte and soule life and strength to delight in this which alone is all and no body shall take it from vs. And sure brother this is true if God haue receyued vs to that blessed kingdome he hath appointed the time in which he will giue vs his spirite though not fullie to comprehende it yet so farre to see it that wee will accounte all the worlde to be but dunge to the ende we may winne Christ. And this J am perswaded good brother God hath and will giue plentifullie vnto you so that you shall vse the worlde as though you vsed it not and be here with men as one whose dwelling were with the Angels of God vsing your calling in any godly recreatiō but hauing your heart nearest vnto God that gaue it and the Lorde graunt you this happines that all the pleasure of your life maye bee in deede acceptable such as shall not after be mingled with shame sorrowe And J beseeche God blesse my good Vncle B. and make him now to know which in his tender yeres he could not see for the worlde was then darke and we were blinde in it but since we haue bene lightened with the gospell of the Lorde Jesus and so much more earnest lie nowe we must pray that it may be vnto vs the gospell of healthe and wee may increase in the
are for euer In all suffrings I am like to Christ they are the marks of mine adoption that J am his childe Doe wee not heare the Lorde Himselfe doeth speake If wee bee without correction then are we bastardes and not sonnes and to shewe what our correction shal bee hee sayeth in an other place If we bee planted with him into the similitude of his death then shall wee also be partakers of his resurrection Who hath heard so great saluation as this Euery weapon wherewith the enemie striketh the same armeth vs to greater saluation And euery wounde that we doe receyue the same confirmeth vs to a surer life Then as before I saide care not for sinne for that is abolished so here I maye adde care not for hell for the nearer wee feele it the further we are from it Let them feare sinne that feele it not and let them be afraide of condemnation that knowe not what it is vppon whom destruction shall come sodenlie as an armed man Our eyes haue bene kept waking and we haue seene our sinnes our harts haue fainted before the anger of the Lorde And wee haue not despised his heauenlie callinge therfore in the day of trouble we shall haue rest In this perswasion we will liue and die and if our soules should melte for feare within vs although the Lorde should kill vs yet would we trust in him Abraham beleeued in the Lorde and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes against hope hee beleeued vnder hope and if our hope seemed to be taken from vs yet would wee patientlie wayte the Lords leasure vntill hee saue our hope agayne that at the least our faith might haue againe the glorie and trueth of full assurance Another thing we must labour in and in another thinge wee shall haue temptation and that is that wee may see what is the glorie of God and immortall life herein lett vs meditate in our beddes and thinke on this in our secret places in the middest of our companies let these cogitations be often in our hartes and in all places let these be our muses When we shal apprehende with all the seruauntes of God what is the height the bredth the length the depth wee shall knowe that the glorie is great of immortalitie and he is onely to bee beleued who shall shine in honour when this vanitie is ouerpast His strength is great that layde the foundations of the world and his brightnes exceeding that made the Sunne and the Moone His treasure and ritches are aboue measure who hath giuen Princes their golde and siluer and other pretious stones for the honour of man he in deede is of excellent maiestie who is King of Kings and Lord of Lordes and his power is aboue all who maketh sicknesse his messengers and death his minister till he shall abolishe them both For his mercies are vnspeakable that forgiueth vs all our sinnes and his goodnes is great who hath had regarde to the children of men From nothing hee brought vs into life he kept vs from the graue he will restore vs and make vs see his glorie When I would thinke on this my soule is compassed with dulnes of fleshe that J cannot see the fulnes of his fauour When I would consider in my heart what is his grace Darkenesse ouershadoweth myne vnderstāding all my thoughts doe vanishe in his immortalitie When J would speake of his louing kindnes my tonge cleaueth to the roote of my mouthe and my wordes sticke faste within my lippes But this one thinge in all myne infirmities J can perceyue that his glorie is exceeding great whose glorie I can not comprehende and the life is longe appointed vnto man where his heart and minde can see no ende If all the worlde were a flowing water and euery yeare one droppe should be diminished the Sea should be all made drye and the bottomes of the deepe should appeare before he shall cease to lyue whom God hath raysed from the dead and this breadth widenesse betweene heauen and earth if it should bee filled vp and euery yeare but one handfull of earth added to the worke yet sooner should the great distance bee closed vp and the emptie places made full then hee shall cease from ioye and gladnes who shall stande in the resurrection of the iust This is the glorie that hath neither spot nor blemishe before which me thinketh not only Princes and the glorie of the world but the Sunn and Moone all the hostes of heauen are nothing els but meere vanitie for death shadoweth the glorie of man though hee spred his braunches neuer so farre yet the graue closseth vp in little roome the ambitious heart which before was enlarged from East to West And the Heauens that are high and free from death yet are holden vnder the tyrannie of enuious and consuming tyme in which they shal be chaunged Only the Lord is in honor and maiestie who hath set eternitie rounde about him and cast out tyme vnto confusion Oh Lorde where are their eyes that see not this or their hearts that see and regarde it not Who hath bewitched them in the countenances of men to carrie the heartes of beastes and to forget the latter ende The Lorde turne them that runne astray that they may knowe and see where is their glorie but the temptations haue ouertaken them Which are against our honour when the Lorde shall deliuer them from euill they shall giue thankes and reioyce with vs that they also haue eyes to see And blessed are you good Mistres H. and God hath visited you in an acceptable time whose heart he hath touched with feare whose afflictions he hath filled with hunger and thirst that you should mourne for the redemption that is in Christ and be pleased with nothing but with the grace of his countenance This is a Schoolemistres to bringe you vnto him and a bond to tye you faste that you shall not be seperated and accomplishe J beseeche you this good worke of his grace till you loue the Lord withall your heart and till you can say with the blessed Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ For this purpose wee are chastised of the Lorde and whē our faith is tryed at the last it shal be made strong that with it we may quench all the fierie dartes of Sathan and in righteousnes and peace and ioye of the holy Ghoste runne the course that is set before vs till in a blessed issue of happie dayes with a good spirite we may say boldlie Lorde nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace Which I beseeche God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the God of mercie and Father of all consolation graunt vnto you Amen Pray pray pray praye this is your best seruice wheresoeuer your duetie is most bounde Letters of Ed. Der. to Maistres B. GRace mercie and peace from God our Father c. J had much leuer good Maistres B. come my self then write
vnto you but as other things are farre contrarie to my desire so is it in my comming vnto you J am constrayned rather to write then to come but God appointes our wayes whether J come and be with you or else be other where and heare from you J trust and am perswaded that both I shall heare from you and you shall haue the same constancie in the loue of trueth and still increase in the knowledge of it till the good grace of God haue made the worke perfect that it hath begunne and you with all your harte and all your soule doe feare the Lorde and delight in all obedience of his holy will Wherevnto though we be sufficientlie perswaded by the nature of godlines it selfe which all men doe prayse and the righteous doe loue yet a greater prouocation is in you because God hath giuen you a good estate in whiche your example shall doe good to many and because good hath filled you with a hartie affection to testifie his Religion that you may accordingly in all weldoing surmount the praise of your profession and especially because he that hath called you is holy that you may expresse his similitude and likenes in all your wayes and this good course through euill dayes when God of his mercy shall make streight vnto vs wee shall see then what is the latter end Our hartes shal be satisfied with it and our tonge shal speake not as the world doth blessed are the riche mē or blessed are the mighty for all these haue winges to flie away and highe estates to sit downe in the dust when man must goe make his bed in the darke and say to coruption thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother and sister but our songe shal be in better hermonie and wee shall say with the Prophet Dauid blessed is the man that feareth the Lorde and delights greatly in his commaundemēts For when all hatred shall growe against this and all aduersity shall stryue to come vppon it yet all is nothing and shall not moue it For when our hart is strenghtened with this grace wee see our portions in all estates and tymes in discredit we see praise in pouerty riches in anger fauour in darknes light in bondage libertie and in death life yea whatsoeuer in weaknes of bodie in enuie of tyme in vncertainty of estate in danger of life or in any thinge els because nothinge can seperat vs from the loue of God nothinge can turne vnto our harme for wee haue his promise that is able to performe it that to those that loue God all things happen for the best This purpose of life is soone had and this course is easly begon but the frute of it doth not vade nor the gladnes of it shall neuer bee loste so that wee shall not nor by the grace of God we will not for so litle labour lose so great a reward nor for a litle pleasure which vainlie wee thinke is in other thinges receaue the reward of our foolishnes which assuredlie wee knowe hath euerlastinge griefe wee haue not so vnfruictfullie learned Christ nor so vnhappelie geuen witnesse of his trueth But better thinges belonge vnto vs in better wayes wee wll run our course in a better hope lay downe our bodies The children of the worlde shall make the worlde their portion wee looke for another citty of which the Lord is the workeman and wee will not buylde vp our vnhappines in the vayne desires and concupiscence of this world neither yet seinge God is good to vs to fill our dayes with peace will wee deny any comfort that is offered vs in this present pilgrimage but seeinge the earth is the Lordes and all that therin is wee haue perfect pleasure in frendes riches authoritie honnor if all bee his All are pure if all bee of him Jn all is pleasures for where his kingdome is there is righteousnes and peace and ioye of the holy Ghost and sorrowe and sinne is cast out only let vs care as all thinges are good so we vse them and as they are corrupt so to let them alone St. Paule teacheth that to the pure all thinges are pure but to the impure all thinges are impure And the thinges of this worlde are made accordinge to the conscience of man Houlde this to remember it at noone dayes and lett our reynes instruct vs in it in the night season that wee feell our hartes inflamed with the loue of God and that it may bee acceptable vnto vs as our owne life to sett forth his praise That wee acknowledge his glorie whiche shineth in all his his workes and then the Lorde hath set vs in a large rome of libertie where we walke with boldnes in good delight of his creatures and in deed and in trueth this it is when this affliction hath taken roote within mee and I feele the worke of it perpetually within my minde whether J be following my Hauke or my bowle J make a more acceptable sacrifice to God then the harte barren of this loue of God can doe though the knee bowe or the tongue say praysed be the Lorde for euery one that sayeth Lorde Lorde shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen but in whom so euer the loue of God doeth reigne and hath driuen out the lewde desires of a dissolute minde him God hath chosen and the spirit of his sonne Christ cryeth within him Our Father yet I meane not here to iustifie these worldly minded men to whom the day is to short for their vaine playes except they reach it out till midnight at Cardes and Dice such people as they commonly fill all their delightes with blasphemie so lett them knowe that the loue of the liuing God they neuer felt but the god of this worlde hath blinded their vnbeleeuing heartes and in their vncleannes there I leaue them till the sinnes of their youth bee rotten in their bones that they may sinke deepe in their owne shame My meaning is that the man of God whose soule doeth thirste to see his glorie and hath the ioye of his life in immortalitie in respect of the which hee accounteth all the worlde to be but dunge I saye that man may haue true delight in the dayes of his vanitie the smelling of the dogge the flying of the birde the qualities of all creatures they were made for him and he is iniurious to the blood of Christ that thinkes he may not vse them but all these things are good for our recreation to comfort the frailtie of weake bodyes and to bring refreshing to a wearie spirite which end if we forget and make it our pastime and so call it then we turne our pastime into sinne For what is our tyme that we are wearie of it or what is our life that seemeth so slowe to passe are we grieued with the light which the Lorde hath set in the Heauens or is the feeling of our body burdenous vnto vs or our
eyelyddes payned with being open or are our eares wounded with the sounde of the ayre or what griefe what care what sorrowe is it why we wishe our time forgotten past Surely Iob knewe not this when hee saide His time passed faster thē a poste nor Dauid knewe it not whē he thought his life but a spanne longe and surely he hath but a wretched lyfe let him not loue it who is fayne to runne to the birdes of the ayre and the beastes of the fielde to seeke some comfort against it And therefore good Maistres B. let pastime alone and be not wearied with your good dayes your tymes are passed meetely well and you haue seene 40. yeares filled and gone the residue behinde will passe with them You shall not holde them if you would but pastyme and they will dwell togither till our appointed time shall come and one ende shal be vnto all But then you shall see another state and this enimitie betweene vs and it shal be taken away we shall not be wearie of it to wishe it gone and it will not bee wearie of vs to weare vs away but Tyme and we shall dwell togither and the glorie of God shal be eternally before vs and we before his Maiestie in Jmmortalitie A blessed state a hope of lyfe a glorious body a heauēly minde and woe be to all these tyme passers of that know how to delight in this but haue more pleasure in all vncleannes when the end of their labour shall come vppon them they shall feele more griefe in one day then after shal be eased world without ende And in one sentence of an angrie Judge goe you cursed into eternall fire they shal be wounded with that miserie whiche worlde without end shall rest vpon them and their olde pastime shall neuer more be founde but this is the portion of them that knowe not God But you good Maistres B. haue alreadie passed the dayes of your ignorance and the kingdome of heauen is come vnto you with power you loue the trueth of the Lorde Jesus and all false wayes you doe abhorre you doe feele the hope of the Elect of God and it hath quenched the desires of vngodlie Pray still that you may haue increase and read the Scriptures in whiche you shall haue comfort these will leade you in a perfect way and neyther Paule nor Peter haue a more blessed end then is for vs in a like pretious faith and J as J am bounde will beseeche the God of mercie and father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he will looke vpon you to fill you with his grace and holy spirite that it may guyde you and all your children before you and your houshold committed to your charge that you may dwell in the newe and blessed Testament of the forgiuenes of sinnes through faith in Christ Iesus who hath destroyed the workes of the Diuell and is able to keepe you for euer more And to his gracious defence J hartely leaue you and all yours Yours in the Lord Ed. Dering To Maistres B. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you euer Amen Good Maistres Baret howe fayne J would be with you God knoweth and howe I am indebted to doe good in your house if J should not confesse I must needes accuse my selfe of much vnthankefulnes but God alone disposeth all our wayes to be so as pleaseth him whom hartily I beseeche for his sonnes sake blesse vs with that blessing whiche hee gaue his Apostle that in all places wee may bee vnto him in Iesus Christ a sweete sauour of life vnto life to all his saints with whom wee are So shall I more gladlie walke all the wayes of his appointment and you more willinglie beare with myne absence the will of God bee done in all thinges When you are at Braye if the Lorde will I shal be more quiet with you In the meane time good Maistres so beleeue as you haue seene and hearde and praye for me that I may liue to his glorie who hath shewed me such mercie that I may say with the Prophet Dauid What shall I giue againe for all that he hath giuen mee And so doe you reioyce in the blessing that GOD hath giuen you that more and more your estate here may be a sure testimonie of a more blessed hope that shall one day bee reuealed when honor and glorie shall succeed in the place of labour and sorrowe that nowe aboundeth The Lord blesse you and all yours keepe you and giue you a plentifull blessing in his newe Testament and in his kingdome which is righteousnes and peace and ioye in the holy Ghost the glorie whereof shall not bee darkened when the Sunne and Moone shall lose their light and faine men with desire of it that shall fill vs once with the countenance of the Lorde A glorious hope in an earthly tabernacle but a more glorious performance in a heauenly creature when we shal be free from sinne and death and be made like vnto him that sitteth at the right hande of maiestie and power Which tyme the Lorde God fulfill in the goodnes of his pleasure for our soules hope in whom we haue setled our hope Commendations c. Yours Ed. Deringe To Maistres B. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you euer Amen J am sorie that hitherto I could not come vnto you I would be more sorie if you should thinke I had leuer be any where then in your house I had thought shortly to haue come and I felte my selfe somewhat stronge and able to trauell but nowe on friday last the eleuēth of this moneth I had a feauer and fiue or sixe dayes after I felte it and my stomacke is very ill euer since and my cough much increaseth This is my health that God giueth me But let him do his will he is the God of life and one day will abolishe these troublesome thinges and make vs feele health in immortalitie and I beseeche him for his Christes sake to remember vs in his goodnes that wee may knowe all his mercies and then J am well assured both you and I and all weake bodyes shall so little care for the frayeltie of these tabernacles that we will reioyce in the remembrance of putting them of to thinke that wee shall see and take holde of him that liueth euer and will one day make these mortall bodyes like vnto the glorious body of his beloued sonne This we knowe in this we are comforted and holde it fast good Mistresse B. euen as you will holde your happie dayes for the hope of it shall not be confounded but when all our enimies haue spentt their euill willes and can doe no more hurt vnto vs he shal be on our right hande whom we haue looked for and he shall call vs with that blessed voyce Come ye blessed of my Father Let vs praye to vnderstande this for it hath pleasure effectuall gladnes more then all the faire
countenances of the world in which in deede there is nothinge but vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie and thinke good Mistresse B. howe many occasions are before vs to cause vs to forget this or to let the desire of it to be◠quenched in vs or at the least to fill our selues with other pleasures of the worlde but God shall keepe you from the corruptions of the worlde and giue vnto you a wise heart which euery daye may searche your thoughtes and suffer you neuer to forget your latter ende and seeing euery day doeth bring you neare vnto it let euery day kindle more your affections that you may loue it vnto the ende and then our hope shal be full and our mouthes opened for euer Amen Yours Ed. Deringe To Maistres B. THe grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with you euer As J trust the Lord doeth strenghten you to better health that you may liue to his prayse so J am desirous to heare also of your amendment but much more as God hath made manifest in you many tokens of his grace so J hartily pray that you may bee made euen as Paule to moorne still in this earthlie tabernacle and to saye vnfainedlie I desire to bee dissolued and to be with Christ this is that good issue of life to which I haue often prayed that J might attayne vnto it this is that measure of grace whiche as I am most bounde so hartely J beseech our God and Sauiour that it may plentifully be powred vppon you And if wee shal be made in our liues so happie then haue we a dwelling in perfect peace and in deede we be receyued into the couenaunt of the newe Testament that wee should be filled with ioye of the holy Ghost For what can disquiet vs or what can bee grieuous vnto vs if in the face of Iesus Christ we see our rising agayne from the graue and feare not before the shaddow of death all other afflictions they are but ministers vnto this in the presence of death they are dispersed and they doe not followe vs vnto the darke places If God will haue mercie vpon vs to blesse vs into this victorie thē hath hee giuen vs our inheritaunce in pleasant places and our portion in a happie lot What so euer enimies are against vs they shall striue in vayne and all things contrarie vnto vs shall haue no strength for beyonde death there is no power in them and death it selfe is dispised in our eyes Jf we felt not this in our heartes but would seeke outwarde testimonie of men let him speake that findeth any greater feare then this The sicke person or prisoner may bee loth to dye but the dead man he feareth no euill and they that liue in prosperitie this is not their feare least they should haue a fall but it is death that is bitter vnto all them that haue peace in their riches Seeing this then is the greatest tyrant that maketh Princes tremble and that anguish of harte that turneth all pleasure into wormwoode what soeuer is vnder the sunne good maistres B. as you are so abyde and as you haue receyued so abounde till the good graces of the liuinge GOD haue made you stronger then sinne or death so shall your dayes be all in blessing and your accounted tymes haue true delight till the latter ende doe shine in hope So shall you bee bolde to saye with Dauid Surely the Lord will deliuer me from the snare of the hunter and from the noysome pestilence I shall not bee afrayde of the feare of the night nor of the arrowe that flyeth in the day nor of the pestilence that walketh in the darkenes nor of the plague that destroyeth at noone I haue set the most highe to bee my refuge and there shall no euill come neare my tabernacle The Lorde blesse vs in this good hope make stronge our confidence in this perswasion that at last we may dwell in ioye and gladnes if feare haue often recourse into our fraile bodyes because we carrie in vs corruption whiche is the strength of death yet that feare shall not alwayes grieue vs for our hope is perfect and shall not be shaken Wee shall goe but as Saint Paule and Peter Abraham and Jsaac haue gone before and not onely they but oure Fathers our Mothers and our dearest friendes are gone with them and all that are behinde shall ouertake vs. The trouble of the trauell must needes appeare light in the middest of so happie companie or if their loue haue not such force in vs that Parentes and Friendes Apostles Prophetes Patriarkes and all the Saintes of God can make vs say Let vs dye with the righteous and let our latter ende bee as vnto them yet sure when among the dead I haue seene Christ and in the graue haue founde the God of glorie J shall say with a perfect hearte Christ is my life and death is myne aduantage What then remayneth more vnto vs but to striue faithfullie that we may come vnto this that God may worke with vs as with his saintes and wee may be pertaker with the happie Prophete to see the louing kindnes of the Lorde which is better then lyfe and to saye with him As the hart longeth after the water brookes so my soule longeth to see the Lord and in the meane season that we yet fulfill our accounted tyme whiche the Lorde graunt for his Churches sake that you may doe euen vntill olde age and many yeares in good increase of your childrens children happie peace of his chosen people In the meane while I say that your hope may be precious before you and in this earthlie tabernacle yet may haue your conuersation in the highest heauen from thence lookinge for a Sauiour euen Iesus Christ the righteous who shall change this corruptible body to make it like to his glorious body in that blessed time whiche shall skatter away all affliction seale within that happie assurāce of immortalitie whiche shal be in the presence of the God of glorie when this weake body shall haue a recompence of a fewe sorrowfull dayes in euerlastinge righteousnes Jn whiche hope the Lorde graunt many yeares you may rest Yours Ed. Dering To Maistres B. THe Lord who is riche in mercie keepe vs euer in the assured couenant of his newe Testament made in Jesus Christ that we may feele the forgiuenes of our sinnes and reioyce in the hope of eternall life Amen I am sure you wil be gladde good maistres B. to heare of our safe comming home And J would be gladde to heare of all your well dooing at your Saint Ellins therefore J writte vnto you Both to heare agayne that God continueth his good blessinges towardes you and to certifie you that I thanke God J am nowe safe at Shenfildes I haue not yet taken the plaster but this day J haue begonne to drinke Maistres P. Water Let it haue the worke which God will For in health our
CERTAINE GODLY AND VERIE comfortable Letters full of christian consolation Written by M. Ed Dering vnto sondry of his friends And nowe published for the proffite of the Church of God 2. THES 1.15 Stande fast keepe the instructions which ye haue bine taught either by worde or by our Epistles NEWLY IMPRINTED NON VI SED VIRTUTE Mr Derings wordes spoken on his death-bed at Tokye The 26. of Iune 1576. GOd forgeue me my negligence that I haue not vsed the pretious giftes of God laid vp within me more to his glory in my time Yet I thanke God that I haue not vsed them in vaine glorie or to please the vaine affections of men After my death my enimies will become my friendes except some that knowe me not and those which haue no feelinge of the trueth For I haue faithfully serued the Lorde and my Prince in a good conscience A Preacher saying vnto him It is for thee a great blessing that thou shal depart in peace and goe from many troubles that our brethren shall beare and see He answered I shall goe from many troubles and leaue many behinde me If the Lord hath appointed that his saintes shall suppe togither why goe I not to them but if there bee any doubting or staggering our Lord reueale the trueth Hearing one say He hoped that in his silence his minde was neuertheles exercised in godly meditation He answered As a poore frayle man and the least of all the elect saints yet beleeuing and lookinge on Christ my saluation We shall all meete togither with the sweet harmony of the Lord of hostes What a cloude of witnesses is heere yet a little while and we shall see our hope We haue ouertaken the endes of the worlde which is come vppon vs and we shall quicklie receyue the ende of our hope which we have waited for Afflictions sicknes and payne are but the worlds portions from the Lord. It is not to begin for a moment but to continewe in the feare of God all our dayes for in the twinckling of an eye we shal be taken away Dallie not with the worde of God make not light of it Blessed are they that vse their tongues well when they haue it E. D. An Epistle of M. Ed. Deringe before his 24 Lecture on the Hebrues which he preached the 6. of December 1572. And gaue for a newe yeres gifte to the godlie in London elsewhere To his verie louing friend Maister M. F. THe outward afflictions and manyfold troubles of a great nomber of gods childrie whose trauel labour frō day to day J had stil in experience and the inward feelling of many woūded spirits whose wofull sighes and bitter mournings J beheld in other and had tried in my selfe it made me very desirous to seeke for remedies to stoppe the complaints of so grieuous cryings and to prepare our heartes in a strong defence that the fierie dartes of the Diuell might not wound vs. Vpon this occasion when J had to expound that place of the Apostle full of notable comfort That Christe in the dayes of his fleshe offered vp prayers and supplications to him that was able to saue him from death with strong cryings and teares and was deliuered from the thinges hee feared J taried the longer in that matter declared more at large what boldnes and assurance of hope was offered heere vnto all that should obey the worde Which whē I had done as God gaue me vtterance the poore in spirit to whom J applyed my selfe one or two required mee to sette it downe in writinge that it might be profitable to manie which was comfortable to them I durst not reiect such a good request but though sometime I deferred it yee I neuer forgot it till I had written all as I was required Which when J had done I purposed then with my selfe to make it yet more common and set it abroad in print knowing assuredly where God would giue it increase it should bring forth the fruite of consolation that we might stande vpright in the day of euill Thus hauing performed both the request of others myne owne desire and the time fallinge out with the beginning of a newe yeare I thought it not amisse to offer my labour to you who I knowe would well accept of it as a newe yeares gift though of no great price yet of great good will and though easilie obteyned yet not little to bee esteemed Therefore my deare brother whom J loue in Christ and reuerence in the worlde as many wayes J haue cause so I offer it vnto you The Lorde for his mercies sake worke his owne good pleasure that J may haue of you the fruite that J desire and you the grace that ye stande in neede of that as God hath greatly blessed you and made you abound in many graces to the glorie of his name the comforte of your friends and the benefite of his people so your ioye that it might be made perfect you might also abounde in this to haue a strong faith against the daye of triall which God of his mercie will surelie graunte vnto you and finishe the good worke that hee hath begunne Though J loue not to speake faire for flatterie and deceytful prayses I see what mischief they breed yet J feare not to beare you witnes of your well doing the spirit of God hath planted humilitie more deepe in your breast then that pride and arrogancie can pull it out And in deede the better you are the more effectuall you doe see your owne vnworthinesse that all your righteousnes is as a defiled clothe and the more you approche vnto God the more you abhorre your selfe knowe that in our fleshe there dwelleth no goodnesse Abraham our father Job Esaie and many other men of excellent vertue in the sight of God they haue beene all astonished to see howe their righteousnes hath bene scattered away as the cloudes of the heauens Paule cryeth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death But because wee haue an enimie that spareth not to displaye all our corruptions before our eyes to the ende he might make vs dispaire therefore we may be bold to the strengthning of our hope to set before vs againe the spirituall graces that worke within vs to assure our selues that we bee borne of God So our Sauiour Christ praysed manie that beleeued on him so did the Apostles so may we and our heauenly Father will ratifie and confirme our wordes when we speake the trueth accordinge to the measure of faith that euery one hath receyued So Saint Iohn biddeth vs all be bolde and not bee deceyued He that doeth the things that are righteous him selfe is righteous and like vnto Christ in whom hee is sanctified So may J say vnto you the grace of GOD hath wrought happily in you in these yeres conditiō of life that so vnfainedly you haue sought the Lorde It can not be of your selfe who are
worlde may fill our eyes and our eares that sometime we may be blinde and not see our hope our owne concupiscence may peraduenture stinge vs that wee forgett the good workes wherein wee had delight but the councell of the Highest standeth fast for euer the Lord knoweth all that are his Jn this tower of defence our dwelling is made for vs and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs. When wee sinne wee must needes be sorrowfull and to offende such a Sauiour it will greeue vs more then death it selfe but to remember againe so assured hope we can not but reioyce in the Lorde and alwayes reioyce Thus I leaue you to your owne hearte where is your strong safetie and to your secrete thoughtes which comfort you in the night And committing my selfe vnto your prayers I beseeche God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe to keepe you and yours Commende me to your little ones pardon me for writing in such piece of paper J could hardlie gett this Maister H. and my wife wishe to see you The Lord keepe vs vnblameable in his sight From Tobye the xiiij of August 1575. Your bounden in the Lord Ed. Deringe To Maistres K. THe Lord God direct vs in all our wayes that they may bee vnblameable in his sight and our faith may be strenghtened in the blessed hope of his elect so that nothing be able to shake it from henceforth from the boldnes and assurance of eternall life Many and iust causes good Maistres K. haue kept mee so that these holy dayes I could not see you but I knowe no excuse why I could not write vnto you and therfore for the one as I am sure you doe willinglie pardon me so the other I beseeche you to except both as a testimonie of my minde that I forget you not and as a discharge of that duetie J owe vnto you for if I should not faithfullie remember you though you had otherwise done nothing for me yet I were vnworthie of so much good will And if I should not as in bounden duetie be most carefull to strenghten and comfort that good purpose whiche your selfe haue chosen for the curse of your life I were not worthie of the acquaintance of the saintes of God Therefore departing from London againe as J could not chuse I haue yet written vnto you as I must needes And I hartelie praye that God may increase his goodnes in you and earnestlie beseech you as you haue receyued that so you would abounde more and more a short request and soone hearde but exceeding difficult to some to practize yet not difficult vnto you but easie and light as you can desire for he that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And the anointing as Iohn saieth which you haue receyued of God dwelleth in you and you neede not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all thinges and it is true and not lyinge and as it is taught you you shall abyde in it Maruell not that J write this vnto you nor be vnwillinglie affected to heare of your owne happinesse Jt is as Salomon sayeth an other mans mouth that prayseth you and not your owne and what neede you feare And I speake not deceitfullie which J thanke God J hate nor giue I titles as Iob sayeth which the Lorde doeth abhorre But seeing as I am perswaded that in you which Saint Iohn could see in the people to whom hee wrote and to whom he gaue so honorable prayse why should not J be bolde vpon so good warrant to say also vnto you You are the Lordes and God who iustified then his Apostles wordes he will iustifie them nowe and euer for he is mercifull without ende Lett vs not then good Maistres K. bee hencefoorth sorrowfull or faint hearted Paule and Peter and all tht Apostles and Prophetes haue spoken glorious thinges vnto vs and we will beleeue them And yet not they but the spirit of God hath giuen vs this testimonie and it is true For what were the Romaynes Corinthians Galathians and all other whome the Spirite nameth Saintes and Holy ones were they not as wee Fraile and weake as wee and our faith as theirs But wee feele a great deale of infirmitie in our selues did not they so and did not the spirit of God see more in them then them selues could feele yet it calleth thē saintes yea and so it calleth vs that wee should not feare and therefore as I saide I saye agayne you are anoynted of the Lorde and you shall not fall if your heart beare you witnesse that the profession which you make is vnfained in you as I am sure it beareth you witnesse One care onelie wee haue which also wee will haue vnto the ende and that is that we may glorifie him who hath glorified vs. Jn this doing as I accuse my selfe most aboue all other men so J prayse not you a white For J knowe good Maistres K. herein you are too too faultie and so is all fleshe our fleshe the world and the Deuill they are to stronge for vs but blessed bee the Lorde God who hath giuen vs victorie in Jesus Christ and wee will doe if God giue vs grace as his Apostles did wee will chastise our bodyes and bringe them in subiection that all that knowe our religion shall not blame our workes And I thanke God for all that you haue obteyned And I beseeche you increase and abounde more that as hee will giue vs a full rewarde so wee may offer vp our bodyes a holy sacrifice to prayse his name who hath had mercie vppon vs. And pray for me that my handes tonge may ioyne in the workes of Gods Saintes and let vs all growe togither vnto that blessed hope till wee haue founde that happie strēght by which the world is crucified vnto vs and wee vnto the worlde But the Lord that teacheth you to him I leaue you whom I beseech to open your eies into so large wyde a spiritual sight that you may yet more clearlie see and feele the glorie of God immortalitie Fare well good Maistres K. Commende mee to Nan Besse Marie The Lorde blesse you with them euer Amen Tuus in Christo Edwardus Deringe A Letter of M. Ed. De. to the Ladie G. ¶ The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christ bee with you euer Amen JF either I might doe the duetie wherevnto your well deseruing hath bound me or might requite with thanks that with all your good wil you haue deserued I knowe and confesse it good Madame longe since I should haue come to see you but such is my case as I cannot doe either what is most meete or what I most desire for sometimes by busines sometime by sicknes sometime by opportunity of others I am holdē here that J could neuer yet haue opportunitie to ryde fare or to see my natiue Countrie nighest friendes Once in Sōmer J would haue gone to M. B. besides Windsore and
but the heauens also you haue destroyed death you shall feele thē all within you the fellowship of Saints Angels the forgiuenes of sinns the resurrection of the body the life euerlasting and the God of glorie your eyes lightened with a pure faith shall see these things in so perfect beautie that you shall cast out death the feare of it yea you should thinke your time wearines if your dayes should be prolonged and you should bee yet many yeares a soiorner in this bodie in which you are a straunger from the presence of the Lorde And the nearer your time approcheth the gladder you shal be of the ende of your iourney when your harte shall feele it And when the earthlie house of this tabernacle shal be destroyed you haue a building giuen of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens In this faith you shall not onely not feare death but you shall sigh and moane as Paule saith till you see your glorie and the lot of the saints that is in light where there is no more sorrow nor care nor feare nor death but the God of all mercie and father of our lord Jesus Christ shal be before vs for euer Thus Madame as my duetie is J haue written vnto you and God will blesse it as his promise is that it shall be for the best in the wisdome of his word we shal be strengthned in his grace that death sicknesse shal be forgotten all the desirs of our heart shal be with him And the Lord God for his Sonnes sake so haue mercie vpon vs that all euill taken from vs we may reioyce in him and see his blessed age that is in immortality is sealed in our heartes with his blessed spirit To whom be glorie for euermore Amen From Saint Ellens the tenth of Ianuarie Anno Domini 1576. Yours bounden in the Lord Iesu the onely forgiuenes of all our sinnes Ed. Deringe A Letter written by M. Edward Deringe to his Lord Maister the Duke of Northfolke Gratia et pax a Deo patre et domino nostro Iesu Christo THE longe good will that I haue borne vnto you as to one that earnestlie professed the Gospell and the great duetie I owe vnto you as to my Lord Master make that nowe I should write vnto you not knowing whether opportunitie shal be such that hereafter J may doe you any seruice God the author of all life he hath shutte both you and me vp in his handes that there is great likelihood our liues in this worlde they are but short The Prince that executeth the iudgement of the Lord she hath found you out in your great sinnes and sickenes that raigneth ouer all fleshe it hath taken now longe holde vpon me So that as I saide we are both in the handes of the Lord we are summoned paremtorilie death hath giuen an assault and the weake holdes of our life they are violentlie shaken Nowe therefore my good Lord let it vs take counsell togither and as a wise Maister learne of a faithfull seruaunt what is best to be done the worst that our sinnes can doe vnto vs is to lay vpon vs the iust rewarde of death my disease which thus afflicteth me for many thousand sinns it can but take away my life which J haue so abused And all your deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie your great ambitions your faithlesse religion which haue so bewitched you what can they doe more then this The remedie nowe is to make of necessitie a vertue that is to beare it wisely which you must needes abide J haue I thanke God founde that grace that I can loue this saying Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo the Lord also open your hearte and guide your vnderstandinge that with all saintes you may doe likewise and praye Veni Domine Iesu And now for asmuch as this is the last duetie that J am like to doe vnto you as God shall giue grace I will so aduice you as I may testifie myne owne faith and make you strong against the daye of triall trusting that our God shall so remember vs both in mercie that after a little while we shall see better dayes and raigne with him that abideth King for euer There is now but one thing necessarie for you to learne in this life that is how you may willinglie desire to die a hard lesson for a natural mā for death is our last enimie his assault most violent to the triall of our faith but Christ who hath ouercome death and hell hee hath broken the strength of this battell and set vp the songes of triumph vnto all that beleeue that we may haue the fulnesse of ioy and say with gladnes ô death where is thy sting Nowe that this ioye may be yours and this gladnes your inheritāce prepare your selfe not in your own wisdō for that hath alredie deceiued you but in the wisdome of god that your hope may be sure Jf you will now haue the hart that shal cōdemne the force of death cōsider wherfore you are called to die It is laid to your charg that you haue delt traytrously with your Prince with your coūtry with the religiō of God and vpon these crimes you are cōdemned to die If you be guiltles ô my Lord blessed are you blessed is your portion he hath spokē it that neuer will change Jf whē you do well you suffer wrōgfully take it patiētly for this is acceptable to god but if you be guilty you haue not your hope in death for that you haue deserued but your hope is this that you die so as it becōmeth you which if god shal grāt vnto you then blessed is the howre that God shall bring vpon you you shal make that change which god for his Christes sake lay speedily vpon all his children you shal die once that you may liue euer Now that you may know how you ought to die learne this of the lord which he hath so plainly taught you The first part of your true repētāce must be an hūble cōfessiō what soeuer your own conscience can vtter more thē is reuealed O my Lorde speake opēly the trueth sathan is enimie vnto vs his slightes are many if you will treade the malicious serpent vnder your feete triumph with Christ who hath spoiled hell tell the trueth my Lord conceale nothing so shall you shunne the diuel If my words seeme but light to perswade you heare the wisest counsellour that euer raigned in Israel He that hideth his sinne saieth Salomon shall neuer prosper but he that cōfesseth forsaketh them shall finde mercie Whē Acan had transgressed in Israel deserued death when he was brought into iudgemēt Ioshua said vnto him My Son J beseech thee giue glory to the lord God of Israel make cōfession vnto him shew me now what thou hast done Loe my Lord this is to giue glorie vnto God to cōfesse your sin
tell what you haue done The good king Dauid wheÌ„ he had deserued death feared greatly the sentence of the Prophet he coÌ„fessed gladly made it knowen vnto the world what his sin was wherin he had offended WheÌ„ God gaue his lawes vnto Israel in the bloud of goates calues sheweth theÌ„ the redemptioÌ„ that was in Christ Jesus He so ordeined that before their forgiuenes was preached the high priest should proclaime openlie what were the sins of the people so lay their sins vpon the beastes So standeth it nowe with vs if we will finde forgiuenes of our sins let vs cast off the cloaks of shame coÌ„fesse before heaueÌ„ earth what we haue sinned what we haue done What greater perswasions can you yet require or how can you thinke to please God if you wil hide your sins That was the practise of old Adam but you are borne anew that was the sin of Cain but you my good Lord are of a better kinred Speak the truth shrinke not God will once reueale the secrets of harts theÌ„ you shal reioice that ther is nothing of yours hid fie vpoÌ„ that sin that you should turn away for one houre receiue hereafter euerlasting coÌ„fusioÌ„ better a thousaÌ„d times to receiue the reproch of flesh after receiue your glory of the Lord. WheÌ„ John Baptist preached first the Gospell he bpatized no more theÌ„ such as confessed their sins The lost Son wheÌ„ he ran away he found no hope of pardoÌ„ til he called heaueÌ„ earth to witnesse his great iniquitie Paul who preached the gospell to vs Gentils how ofteÌ„ doth he confesse that he was a persecutor The happy thief that was haÌ„ged entred not into paradise til he first in the hearing of all Israell said we are rightly punished receiue things worthy of that we haue done What should J say more J trust you feare God and J haue seene in you many signes of grace I doubt not but you will make it knowen whatsoeuer is in your hart It is the word of God that I haue spoken it is the onely trueth vpoÌ„ which you may build your faith This thing toucheth so neare the glory of God the safetie of his gospell that you must now needs forsake your friends kinsmeÌ„ yea forget the loue of your selfe and if you haue bin partaker of any counsell disclose the coÌ„spiracies of the wicked you haue stood in iudgement not before meÌ„ for they are but ministers but before the Lord who sitteth in the middst of iudgement Surely if you seeke to hide your sins you seeke to hide them froÌ„ him that knoweth the secrets of the hart raynes and to dissemble with him that will not be mocked and therefore with all humblenes of dutie I beseech you in the name of God J craue this at your hands vnburtheÌ„ your own coscience make your hart glad cast of the burtheÌ„ of your secret sinns purge the eyes of your minde that you may see Christ let true repeÌ„tance breake forth in holy confession shame the Lords enimies make the church of God reioyce and loe in the name of Christ J tell it you Blessed is the day in which it was said of you a man-child is borne and blessed shal be the houre in which it shal be said of you you are dead in the Lord the closing vp of your eyes shal be the beginning of your sight and death your entrance into life And now my Lord I beseech you pray for me humbly vpoÌ„ my knees I aske you hartie forgiuenes wherein I haue not done as it became me touching you You knowe howe in my time I haue persuaded you froÌ„ your wicked seruants froÌ„ your popish frieÌ„ds froÌ„ your adulterous woman But alas my Lord your high calling hath bridled my words I could not speak as I shold my words wer to soft to heale so old a disease why should I haue taried in your lordships house except these things had bin ameÌ„ded this bearing with your euill was the greatest euill I could haue done you And I beseech you forgiue me God for his mercies sake shall make me strong that herafter J shall not feare to reproue the sinner God shall forgiue you your dulnes of spirit that could not be moued with a litle couÌ„sel Now my Lord be strong in the Lord feare not if you must dye remeÌ„ber that Christ bath ouercome him that hath the power of death hath set vs free froÌ„ the power of the graue Though you doe for a very litle time turne again vnto dust yet again you shal heare the voyce of the trumpet corruptioÌ„ shall die because he was no better theÌ„ his fathers you wheÌ„ you go you shall go to your fathers the long race of Nobilitie of which God hath raised you euery one in his time is gone before you so many as haue died in the faith they shal be againe of your fellowship kindred and you shall prayse God with theÌ„ not feare the secoÌ„d death The lord opeÌ„ your eyes that you may see your hope you shall loue that coÌ„pany aboue Kings Princes You shall see AbrahaÌ„ of whoÌ„ you haue heard so much Jsaac Iacob Iob Samuell Daniell whose names you loued you shall see Paule Peter whose society you wish for all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles that are gone before you Be bold therfore be bold to dye with Elias you shall see Christ clothed with your flesh who hath immortaâ—â—â—â—e in his hande shal make you raigne for euer yo◠〈◊〉 shall not be tedious and your glory shall 〈…〉 change he that made the heauens so high aboâ—â— earth the Sun the moone the starres so ful of excelleÌ„t beauty he shal be your portioÌ„ in his endles glory wold God you cold see him now with opeÌ„ couÌ„tenance that you might knowe his louing kindnes how much it is better theÌ„ life J wold you cold withal his saints perceue what wer the height the â—reath the lenght the depth of his vnsearchable riches â—â—apy 〈◊〉 that shal neuer end ô blesed inheritaÌ„ce that shal neuer wast O holy citty new IerusaleÌ„ the perfectioÌ„ of beauty where the inhabitaÌ„ts are princes O'pretious buildng that is not made with hands ioyfull tabernacles which God himselfe hath pitched my voice faileth my tonge cleaueh to my mouth wheÌ„ I wold declare the euerlasting gladnesse wheÌ„ God shal wipe away al teares froÌ„ our eies ther shal be no more death nether sorow nor crying nor yet any paine for the first things past Who remeÌ„breth this saith not all flesh is grasse and the glory of man is as the flower of the fielde We haue nothing here but feare of our enimie griefe in pouertie paine in labour care in ritches vnstedfastnes in frindship enuy in authoritie emulation in honor change in nobilitie feare in a kingdome as the greatest of al princes hath wisely pronounced vexatioÌ„ of spirit in al things that is vnder the Suâ— so true it is vanity of vanities al is but vanity You need no example O my Lord Maister behold your selfe see what you were reioice in the lord loue better things cease to eate of this corruptioÌ„ desire MaÌ„na drink not of these puddels but goe to the pure water of life which is cleare as christal procedeth out of the throne of god of the laÌ„be you are but one step froÌ„ this glorious blessing that is to die willingly well speak forth the secrets of your hart giuâ— God glorie The Lord blesse kepe you the Lord make his face to shine vpon you and be mercifull vnto you the Lord â—â—ft vp his countenance vpon you and sende you peace FINIS MAISTER DERINGS WORKES LO heere the Pearle of precious price From Deringe dead that liues againe To preache in print and giue aduice Of that he taught in life with payne Lo nowe he liues both heere and there Whose life his foes could hardly beare Reade then to learne and putte in vre And taste the sweetenesse of his vayne So shall you see an heauenlie lure That drawes you vp from th' earth amaine And shewes the way that leads to life And eke the rest that endes all strife Studie to be approued to the Lord for if hee alowe not our doinges though all the world be with vs it shall bringe vs no comfort and this is our reioycinge the testimonie of a good conscience
not able so much as to thinke a good thought but it is of him whose seede abideth in you And although because you haue that treasure in a brittle vessell you see sometime the fruite of olde Adam and the prickes of his transgression within your bowelles yet feare not his malice that hath wrought this woe You are bought with a dearer price then that sinne may raigne againe within you he that hath purchased you hee will not suffer his inheritance to be spoyled Jt is necessarie you should know your sinne or you could not vnderstande howe great were your redemption But your sinnes can not separate you away from him who hath buried them in the earth and will not see them any more When you shall ascende to come into his sight the earth will holde her owne and keepe your sinnes behinde you The pearcing serpent shall not clime to accuse you nor the crooked serpent shall not hyde your redemption from you Your care is cast vpon him that careth for you you knowe him who hath spoken All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Ye knowe him who hath a name aboue all names that in the name of Jesus all knees shall bowe Euen hee that bought you with a price and you are not your owne If it bee possible for you to perishe then is it possible againe that Christe should suffer iniurie This boldnes you haue through him who hath made manifest his grace vnto you that you denying impietie worldly concupiscence should liue soberly purely and godly in this present life and looke for the blessed hope that shall be reuealed when all secretes shall be opened To which issue and happy ende of life the Lord bring both you and yours in the fellowship of his saints to prayse his holy name when he shall make knowen vnto you his glorie vnspeakeable and crowne it with immortalitie Amen Farewell in Christ Iesu and pray for me The 26. of December 1572. Yours in the Lord to commaund Ed. Deringe A letter of M. Ed. Deringe to his brother Maister R. D. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you euer Amen For Maister S. whether he be angrie or no J knowe not if he be God is witnesse betweene him and me howe litle I haue deserued it true it is hee seemed not very wel pleased but if God be pleased mans goodwil either it shal be recōciled or shal not doe much hurt if I haue the losse in worldlie thinges I am content to beare it and God will supply my want where I am able to doe nothing J had leuer be your Brother not worth a grote but hauing a good conscience to praye for you then haue as I might great liuing encomber my cōscience with much sinne And good Brother Dering here followe me you shal be a great deale richer then you are studie the scripture reade bookes bee able to reason in your faith especiallie and aboue all haue a liuely feeling of God that you thinke more vile of all the glorie of the world then of the dust of the earth you knowe we must all perishe and you must walke the way of all fleshe Our good Parents both Father Mother they are gone before you doe but waite the time and you must goe after your goods and landes must abide behinde and the riches of your minde they are onely your owne You are my eldest brother you knowe not howe glad I would be to see you goe before me in Religion God hath giuen you neither a light heade nor little vnderstanding if you would applie your selfe vnto knowledge you should then reape the fruit of your labour in more gladnes of heart then yet you can imagine begin once but a little and taste how sweet the Lord is and you shall feele the riches of his glorie and say Happie be the time that euer I knewe it Let not good Brother let not the worlde deceiue you it is faithlesse and deceiptfull when you shall loue it best it will soonest deceyue you And of me thinke thus that in the world I can not doe you so great a pleasure as continually to prouoke you to know God and this I shal be able to performe though otherwise I shal be able to pleasure you nothing and therefore I beseeche you praye for me and I will pray for you so the Lord God shall helpe vs both that I may be faithfull which way J am called and you may bee such as I desire And for Maister S. or any other of such high calling I loue them in the Lorde euen as I loue myne owne soule and will pray for them while they and I shall liue Though I beare the losse of worldly things yet by the grace of Christ J will neuer lose a good conscience and though they be angrie with me yet I will not leaue to pray for them and commit my cause vnto God he will one day multiplie his graces where hee hath so well begun and they shall I trust be throughlie taught whom God hath alreadie so farre instructed For my L. of C. J haue bene once with him but J meane not yet to goe the seconde time God will worke his will his name be praysed for euer My L. of L. is a good man I am often with him I haue sene in him so good tokens of a good spirit that I reuerence him in my heart will serue him in Christ all wayes that J may And for my doeing with any man I praie you tell me wher you see me faultie but if you know not of any sin doe not diswade me from going vpright in the Gospell But for my comfort if you see me greeued let me see in you how you professe the gospell perswade your self of this that a liuely zeale holy knowledg in you and in my Sister shal make me gladder then any bishoprike in England The Lorde God for his mercies sake that hath called you out of the kingdome of darkenesse and placed you in the fellowshippe of his saintes in light make you to feele the depth of his graces that you may be renewed confirmed strengthened and made perfite vnto the ende Amen Fare you well in Christ Iesu and doe my hartie commendations to my sister From London the xix of Nouember Your louing brother Ed. Deringe To his brother Maister R. D. THe grace of our Lord Jesu Christ bee with you euer Amen Good brother I would gladlie write oftener vnto you but otherwise I haue so much to doe that some time I forget many dueties Another cause is J haue nothing to write as I would so I haue no pleasure to doe that I would not So it is that I am forbidden to preach which grieueth me most then slaunderous reportes doe hurt me much where J would fainest please so farre as I may in the feare of God But how so euer things are it is a blessed sentence whiche he hath spoken who
meate doe not nourishe vs but by his worde In sicknesse medicines can doe vs no good except he blesse them We haue no newes here to write of but of countrie thinges scarse worth the telling and lesse worse the practisinge of it could be amended euery man goeth after his Oxe and his horse and most doe glorifie God no more then their bruite beast Jf they bee like vnto vs which are in the Court and in the Citie that the one be as ambitious the other as couetous as we bee brutishe and God be forgotten of vs all alike we may take vs againe the Lamentation of Ieremie for it is the great mercies of God that we bee not consumed But if such be the miserie in the worlde wee that are not of the worlde but by Christ are taken out of the worlde Let vs not loue the worlde which is such an enemie vnto God and then we shall not be condemned with the worlde when Christ shall come in glorie And the Lord be praysed who hath giuen vs eyes to see and eares to heare that we might bee wise harted not to say peace and truce with such things with such men crye peace and truce but rather to haue our life hidden with Christ in God and on his right hande beholde the peace which passeth all vnderstandinge and good Maistres B. increase in this God hath giuen you a happie helper who is willinglie ledde to all righteousnes The Lord God make his good worke perfect for his sonnes sake in him in you and in vs all that loue the comming of Jesus Christ Amen Yours in the Lord Ed. Dering A Letter of Ed. Der. to Mistres H. GRace and peace c. I haue heard good Maistres H. of your heauie estate that in many troubles the Lorde doeth exercise you but I trust you are also taught to say alwayes before God Thy will be done and if this be your prayers then knowe that nothinge happeneth but by his appointement and be contented with all that he hath done so that your heart may beare you witnesse that of all thinges the Lord is most deare vnto you and for your troubles giue onely your hearte to loue the Lorde and they shall seeme neyther great nor stronge vnto you For what can bee great if our heart be prepared to say with Saint Paule That we reioyce in afflictions because they shall breede in vs a hope which shall neuer make vs ashamed or what can be great if God haue taught vs That the momentaine afflictions of this worlde they are not worthie of the glorie that shal be reuealed vnto vs or what can seeme great if we heare the Apostle Brethren reioyce in afflictions reioyce exceedingly when you fall into many and great tribulations Surely good Maistres H. all is nothing for a frayle body a short life a sinfull creature what can come vnto it that should dismay it nay howe should we not if we knowe it well bee glad if death also were at our beddes side that we might at once see the outmost malice of the diuell and after for euermore bee deliuered from him A great cloude of witnesses as t'h Apostle sayeth are cited vnto in the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues of which euery one should bee our example to beare all crosses that the Lord doeth sende knowing that he is delighted with vs when wee bee faithfull to abyde these momentaine and light chastisementes Iob Dauid Paule our Sauiour Christ himselfe howe many things suffered they howe are we not ashamed to refuse the cause which they haue borne and way well your owne case what it is and you shall see little cause of sorrowe in it or if you compare it with other none at all Hath your husbande bene vnkinde vnto you beare it and you shall winne him at the last if not thanke God that you can continewe louing and obedient euen vnto an vnkinde husbande And I assure you in this one vertue there is more comfort and ioye then there can be griefe in all the discourtesies of men and what is that crosse of yours in respect of that which Abigaill did so longe and patientlie beare But your sonne hath grieued you much yea but you haue not the hundreth parte of the griefe that Dauid might haue had for his sonne Absolon and will you be more greeued then he Your sonne I trust shall yet proue well and you shall see his recouerie if not this maner of disease is rather a testimonie of a conscience grieued with his euill doing then an argument of his destruction so that euen in this griefe you haue great cause of ioye and what if God take from you the comfort of one childe leauing againe vnto you the comfort of a great many Will you or can you repine against the louing kindnes of the Lorde Howe gladde would Dauid haue bene of other good children in the losse of one euill yet you haue lost none neither is your sonne knowen to bee so euill but you may reioyce in him againe yet if all things were as euill as you could imagine what then Where is our loue to Iesus Christe that gaue his precious body to the death for our sinnes If we will not leaue sonne daughter and our own life for his sake can one heare fall from your sonnes heade but at Christes commaundement Is not he head of his Church and all thinges happen they not vnto vs as he will Herein you shall knowe you loue God aboue all when you can forget the childe of your wombe for his sake And therefore good Maistres H. giue not your selfe to any inordinate affections to offende God and hurt your selfe but say and thinke Thy will bee done O Lorde and when the time shall come of our latter ende we shall neuer haue ende of the blessed life which God shall giue vnto you and to all his saintes in that day Thus in haste I am constrayned to cease to write but I will not ceasse to pray that God may blesse you and giue you his ioyfull Spirite to fill you with all spirituall comfort against the tentations of the worlde and all the enuie of the Diuell And pray for me I beseech you that I may account all the world to be but donge to the ende I may winne Iesus Christ to whom the liuing and eternall God I committ you for euer Amen The xix of Aprill Yours in the Lord Iesus the onely forgiuenes of all our sinnes Edward Deringe Letters of Ed. De. to Mistres K. THe Lord God direct vs with his holy spirite that we may loue and feare him vnto the ende Amen Jt greeueth me good Maistres K. that you should bee so longe at Hendon as nowe you haue bene and all this while I could finde no leysure to come vnto you whatsoeuer my faulte hath bene herein I will make no other excuse but desire you to forgiue it And I pray God though I see you not yet I may so remember you as J
am bounde and so my not comminge vnto you shall greeue me the lesse Nowe touchinge your owne case I knowe you are wyse to see that the Lord giueth you newe instructions to be wise in him and to giue ouer your selfe vnto him For as God hath blessed you many wayes and giuen you a good callinge in the worlde So he visiteth you euery day and humbleth you with many chastisementes before him God hath giuen you husbande children famelie and other blessings but you enioye none of them without a crosse sometime one thing sometime another and commonly your owne weake and sicklie body makes you that you can not haue your ioye as you would Yea J doubt not but it is so abridged vnto you that sometime it grieueth you that you cannot eyther haue care ouer your house as you wishe or attende on your children as you desire or reioyce with your husbande as otherwise you might But this griefe God recompenceth with great benefite for our Sauiour Christ is our good warrant that this is the lot of Gods saintes to enioye his blessinges with afflictions so that the more that you bee sorrowsull the more you be sure that the liuing God hath giuen you your portion And so your sorrowe is ioye vnto you Besides this the mingling of your ioye with sorrowe and wealth with woe is a happie tempringe vnto you of heauen with earth that you should neither loue nor rest in this aboue that which is meete but acknowledge all is but vanitie so loue it as transitorie things and haue your great delight with the Lord alone who is vnto you health prosperitie ioye and eternall life This good Maistres K. you knowe but yet this I also put you in minde of for though God haue blessed you yet you are but a weake woman and haue neede in the common frayeltie of mans nature to be stirred vp with exhortatioÌ„ Remember therefore euer that which is the ende of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole scope of our life which when we haue brought to his appointed ende wee shall see the hope which we haue long looked for and when immortalitie hath brought happines into light and scattered away our feare we shall saye then Blessed be the daye in whiche firste wee learned to feare the Lorde And the Lorde blesse you with his holy spirit that you may in the middest of other care haue pleasure in this and in other sorrowe reioyce in the Lord and alwayes reioyce CoÌ„mende me J pray you to your litle ones Nan Besse and Marie And the Lord make you and maister K. gladde parentes of good children Amen From Tobie the last of Februarie 1575. Yours in the Lord Iesus Ed. Dering To Maistres K. THe grace of our Lord Iesu Christ bee with you euer Amen I thanke you good Maistres K. for your letter and for your medicine and for your good will to him to whom you before did owe so little Touching my disease I did soddainlie cogh and spit much bloud so that when with much forcing my selfe I refrained it ratteled in my throte as if I had bene a dying next day in the like sorte J did and once since the taking of these medicines for the staying of it it is nowe stayed but J feele a great stopping of my winde and much prouocation to coughe whiche if I did J should spit bloud as before I pray you aske your Phisicion what he thinketh good to bee done And good Maistres K. against all diseases and sicknesses of the body doe as you doe and increase it with an vnfayned testimonie of your owne heart Committ your health your sickenes your body your soule your life and your death to him that died for vs and is risen againe A sicke body with such an ayde hath greater treasure then the Queenes Iewell-house Praye still and pray for me J see the goodnes of God such towardes me as I thanke God except sinne I waighe not all the worlde a fâ—ather and with as a gladde a minde I spitt bloud I trust as cleare spitle To those that loue God all thinges are for the best hee hath a harde heart that beleeueth not this For the Church I commit it to the Lorde the Lorde graunt with that affection that I owe vnto it and for all my labour in it I thanke God I am guiltie neither of couetousnes nor ambitioÌ„ but as God hath giuen me grace J sought onely his glorie J write this vnto you good Maistres K. because you knowe it and that you may the more effectuallie remember him that will knowe you when the worlde your health your corruptihle bodie death and sinne it self haue done their worste CoÌ„mende me to Maister K. your little ones to Maister R. The Lorde blesse vs all that we make our bodies shake not our bodies vs. Vale in Christo Iesu 25. Iul. 1575. Tuus in Christo Ed. Dering To Maistres K. TTe Lord God who sheweth mercie to whom hee will shewe mercie and haue compassion on whom he will haue compassion accordinge to his loue with which he loued vs before the worlde was made looke vpon vs and leade vs in our wayes that in righteousnes and holines peace and ioye of the holy Ghost wee may finishe our compas and come vnto him Amen If I could good Maistres K. doe as J should then my wayes were perfect among men but it is with mee as with manie other small hinderances to an vnwillinge minde are occasions great enough to keepe vs from doing well This hath made me to pretermitt manie dueties which had bene better done And J dare not make anie other excuse why J haue not written vnto you oftener for though I haue in a wearie bodie many thinges to doe and could make excuses whiche you would easilie beleeue yet sure I am if slought and negligence were vtterlie gone a fewe lines were so soone written that J could not want time for so little labour this is true sit erranti medicina confessio Touching my sicknes hee that sent it he doeth rule it and as he will so farre let it goe J feele yet difficultie of breath and coughinge and I see palenes and leanes abyding still yet I thanke God I am so well as wee supposed all to haue seene you at Henden this next Monday but God hath changed our waye and by occasion we haue differred it trusting yet to see you verie shortlie if the Lord will to whom we commit both your wayes and ours And nowe good Maistres K. further J neede not write vnto you for whiche cause yet especiallie you craue my letters I knowe whom you haue beleeued vpon what grounde you stande who hath sealed your perswasion in you he is able to keepe that you haue committed vnto him euen vntill that day that the things of the worlde are changed before vs all Affliction may be great and make vs murmur prosperitie may abounde and make vs proude the
desire that wholy and altogither it should not be in this Jt is onely the worlde that hath taken vp enimitie against vs and striueth dailie to separate vs from the Lorde But what is in the worlde why the perswasions of it should please vs especiallie you who haue had experience of it whose life God hath filled with worldlie things You knowe what is the comfort of houses and landes you haue weighed them well and found them light You knowe the gladnes of a mother and haue in your sight Sōnes Daughters the triall of it is in you hath entred deepe euē as they haue bin the fruite of your owne wombe but in them you haue no such ioye as in the spirit of adoption by which you knowe your selfe to be the childe of God You knowe the treasure of a good husband with whom you haue had peaceable and louinge dayes but howe much is it a greater ioye of vnspeakeable gladnes to feele your selfe ioyned to Jesus Christ made a chaste member of his glorious body with whom you shal be ioyned for euer You haue seene a great many yeares of the age of man and haue measured the length of them so that if you might liue the dayes of Abraham yet you might account your houres and see the time at hande when in the ende of your course you shall take your rest and what were this to immortalitie To be short and to pretermit manie things wherewith God hath made your life as a blessing you haue seene fauour Credite Landes Authoritie Friendes Seruauntes the pleasures of these God hath giuen you You haue seene fulnesse of such delights but this and all els that you haue seene what is it to the grace of God the fellowshippe of Saintes the forgiuenes of your sinnes the loue of his countenance the assurance of your life the brightnes of his glorie your eternall blessinges Sith then in the world is no sure refuge the more I haue seene the fruit of your faith the more assuredlie J knowe the constancie of your minde readie to leaue the worlde to approch nearer vnto God and to account all these thinges to be but dunge to the ende you may winne Iesus Christ in whom you shal be so much more blessed as light is more bright then darknesse health is more excellent then sicknesse and life more precious then cruell death This good Madame you haue long knowen and with prayse professed it among men And nowe especiallie reape the fruite of it in these dayes of Gods visitation in which in a weake body you haue had a sharpe sickenesse to teach you that your life is in the handes of God the nature of your body that it is but dust so that you should not loue it but in the Lorde nor be pleased with it but as it pleaseth him readie to laye it downe when he shall call you This is that great and high commandement To loue God aboue all and this is the greatest obedience required of man to be readie to dye at the will of God Vnto which commaundement when I doe beseech you willinglie to yeelde I feele in my selfe howe the nature of man striueth against it all those delightes of which I spake before the pleasures of this present life they arise against it although we had no other comfort yet life it self is sweete vnto vs we are loth to make our beds in the darke our eyes they would yet see the sunne our eares would heare the sounde of worldly elements though our fleshe be grasse yet grasse hath a flower our fraile bodyes haue vanishinge fantasies agreeable vnto them as earth vnto earth and from which most hardlie you shall pull it away the Patriarkes Prophetes were sometime afraide Paule and Peter were not alwayes bolde they loued euer that life which they sawe in hope but they did feele the death whichc did fight in their members And howe should I then saye vnto you a weake woman feare not death or if I say it howe can you performe it beeing so weake a vessell of fleshe and bloud yet good Madame giue me leaue to intreate you J hope you shall haue a heart to graunt it J most humblie beseeche you feare not death The Apostles were men as we are yet Paule obteyned at last to be dissolued be with Christ if we be weaker then he the graces of God shal be more exalted in vs and we also shall say at the last Let thy seruaunt O Lord departe in peace It is the Lorde that hath promised this blessing vnto vs let vs heare it with faith and it will make death vile in our eyes it is enough if we knowe God will giue this victorie to his people lett vs be bolde though we feare a litle while yet feare shall be cast out and we shall say with a free spirit O death where is thy stinge c. trie your selfe therefore euery day and if your harte be bolde reioyce good Madame reioyce for euer the last and greatest enimie which is death is troden vnder your feete and what els can hurt you all other things of the world they are but seruauntes of death and serue to make his power more fearfull vnto vs friendes or kinsefolke golde siluer pretious stones or al other pleasures all labour vnto one ende to make vs more loth to die vanquish death and you haue vāquished all height depth life and death all is yours you are Christes And see I beseeeh you what glorie you haue gotten you are but a weake and sicke woman whom God hath shut vp into your chamber and tyed to your bedde and yet the great tyrant of the world that holdeth in bondage Kings Princes and woundeth them all with feare terror he is confounded before you the Lord of life he hath crushed him in pieces vnder you A blessed day that brought you first into this battell a blessed sickenesse that made you endure the fight most blessed ende in which you get the victorie for who hath giuen you this strength or who raigneth in you in such a day but he who hath saied and done it O death I wil be thy death and if he be in you who hath abolished death and in whose sight death shall neuer haue any rule what treasure what depth of ioy and gladnes shall he bring with him while you liue you shal liue in him no man shall take your ioy from you and whē you die you shall die in him and death shal be no death but you shall passe to eternall life and all that is fearfull shal be farre from you the burthen of sinne the malice of the deuill the terrour of hell the dreadfull words goe ye cursed into eternall fire All this is abolished troden down in the crosse of Iesus Christ who reigneth in you giueth you his spirit that you feare not death and all things that fill with ioy not the earth onely