you contrary to nature such a meke humble hart For vpoÌ„ al such he saith himself his holy spirit shal rest which promis is ful wel verified on you which holy spirite of his is the good guide and leader yea the only teacher and instructer of all the lordes deare electe children And as it hath trulye taught you to caste your selfe down as it is most conuenient euen so will it rayse you vp agayne as I doubt not but it hath already done and set you vppon a high rocke of stone wheron you shal stand sure and dwell safe for euer I meane vppon Iesus Christe on whom your fayth is fyrmely built so that the gates of death or hell shall not finallye preuaile against the same Selah But as I do righte well on your parte admit the similytude of the faythful wife of Cana which came to Christ for to haue her daughters helth wyth whoÌ„ you may be well compared bothe for fayth and humble mekenes euen so I wyll in no wyse allowe that you should so much exalt me a moste vyle wretched sinner yea slime earth and asshes and a verye lumpe of Adams dunge as thoughâ— there were some thinge in me in respecte wherof you should thinke your selfe vnworthy to call me brother Alas what am I in respecte of my selfe but a depe and a damnable sinner yea suche a one as daily doth deserue not only this long enprisonment and death which now knocketh at my dore but also Gehenna and hell fier if God for his sonne Christe his sake did not forgeue the same I meane my sin which partlye hath prouoked God to plage all thys Realme Therfore my deare sister if you thinke your self vnworthy to cal me brother let it be only in respecte that I am moste vnworthye of that name Otherwise you must consider that you maye and I trust dailye do boldly call Iesus Chryst the eternall sonne of God your most deare and louing brother who by his death hath brought you life and hath made you the childe of God and felowe heyre with him of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ whither he is also ascended for your possession takinge and hath thereto left with you in pledge his pure and holy spirit as a sure earnest penye of the same wherwith I am right suer we are bothe sealed vnto the daye of redemption That spirite certifyeth our spirit that we are the true adopted sonnes of God and therefore we maye boldlye call him deare father then must I nedes be youre brother and so I pray you cal mee god make me worthy of that name And where as you deare hart do desier to be refreshed wyth the fruitfull water of life which floweth forth of the holye ghost the fountain of al grace I say with Christ that blessed is your hungry soule for it shall be wel satisfied with that heauenly manna whichâ— maketh the eaters thereof to liue for euermore For God hath geuen you his spirite which hath taught and doth still teach you what you ought to beleue and how to lyue according to the same as hitherto you haue done youre light so shininge before men that god hath ben and is greatlye glorified by the same Therefore be you certaine suer that God will likewise glorify you with him self in euerlasting glory For as the lord did know and elect you for his before the foundation of the worlde was laydiâ— so hath he called you by the syncere preaching of his holy gospel And as he hath truly called you so doeth he moste mercyfullye iustifye you of his free grace and fauor And as he doeth iustifye you or repute you righteous in his syghte so wyll he glorify you with a crowne of immortality in his kingdome for euer Read the eight to the Romaines for your consolation and put your truste in God who careth for you and will kepe you in his safe custody free from all the assaultes of your cruel aduersarie thoughe in hys myscheuous members he doe transforme himself into an aungel of light moste craftelye to deceaue yea â—uen the very elect if it were possible for him so to do I perceaue dear sister â—k that you haue met with some of the greuous wolues whych are fearslye entred in amongest the sely sheepe of Christ to scatter them I knowe well that you haue bene sore assaulted of the Papistes But I am sure they shall not preuayle agaynst you For their cruel tyranny and all the rest of their diuelyshe doinges is so directly against the word of God in all poyntes that they can not beguyle you thoughe they woulde neuer so fayne Perchaunce you haue also bene troubled with oure spronge vp heretykes the Arrians and Anabaptistes God keepe you and all hys deare chyldren forth of theyr wycked companye for verily they are a crafty kinde of men and many a gentle harte and symple soule they do full sore abuse depely deceyue bryngyng them far from the sincere fayth of Christe and from the pure vnderstanding of his holy word though in their outward appearance they would seme as holy as any flatteryng frier If any such come about you to perswade you from that euerlasting truth which was taught you in the dayes of oure late good kynge Edwarde by those worthy witnesses whych haue sealed the same wyth their bloud let theÌ„ not come wythin your dores neither bid theÌ„ once god spede If I were sure that any suche blynde prophetes did go about to lead you in to the dike of darknes I wold take a litle more paine for your sake I haue sente vnto my good brother Henry Iones of Witney a true and christiaÌ„ confession of my faith the whiche I would wishe you to reade and in all points to be ruled thereby My good brother Richard Brice will help you to it well inough I haue spoken to him and to my brother Henrye also Ah deare sister these be the daungerous dayes in which Christ did prophecye and Paule and Peter also that manye false Prophetes shoulde appeare bring in damnable sectes euen deniyng the lorde that boughte them as these diuelishe Arrians do in denying Iesus Christ to be the ternall son of God of one substance and equal with the father But my deare hart in the lord be of good chere For though this tyme of darkenes be neuer so daungerous to the cage of vncleane and hatefull birdes that can not abide the light that is to say the congregation of Sathan whiche had no lust to beleue the truth and therfore God hath sent them stronge delusion to beleue lyes yet the sure grounde of Ged remayneth still and hath his seale which is the spirite of trueth The lord knoweth them that are his and hath committed them vnto Christe his keping who will lose nothinge of that whiche his father hath geuen hym but will raise it vp at the last day yea for his choseÌ„ sake the Lorde hath saide these sorowful dayes shal be shortned of which most happy number
A PITVOVS LAMENTATION OF THE MISERABLE ESTATE OF THE CHVRCHE of Christ in Englande in the time of the late reuolt from the gospel wherin is conteyned a learned comparison betwene the comfortable doctrine of the gospell the traditions of the popish religion with an instruction how the true Christian ought to behaue himself in the tyme of tryall Wrytten by that worthy martyr of god Nicolas Rydley late Bysshoppe of London Neuer before this tyme imprynted ¶ Wherevnto are also annexed certayne letters of Iohn Careles written in the tyme of his imprisonment Perused and allowed according to the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions A Lamentacion of the Churche ALAS what mysery is thy churche broughte vnto O Lord at this daye Whereof late the word of the Lord was truely preached was redde and hearde in euery towne in euery churche in euery vyllage yea almoste in euery honest mans house alas nowe is it exiled banished out of the whole Realme Of late whoo was not glad to be taken for a louer of Goddes worde for a reader for a redy hearer and for a learner of the same now alas who dare beare any open couÌ„tenance toward it but such as are content in Christes cause for his wordes sake to stand to the daunger losse of all that they haue Of late there was to be founde of euery age of euery degree and kynd of people that gaue their dilygence to learne as they coulde out of gods woorde the articles of the christian fayth the commaundmentes of god and the lords prayer The babes and younge chyldren were taughte these things of their parents of their masters wekely of their curates in euery churche the aged folke whyche had ben brought vp in blindenes and in ignoraunce of those thynges whyche euery christian is bounde to knowe when otherwyse they coulde not yet they lerned the same by often hearyng their chyldren and seruants repeating the same But now alas and alas again the false prophets of Antechrist which are past all shame do openly preach in pulpets vnto the people of God that the catâ—chisme is to be counted heresy whereby theyr olde blindenesse is broughte home agayne for the aged are afrayd of the higher powers and the youthe is abashed ashamed euen of that which they haue lerned though it be Gods worde and dare no more meddle Of late in euerye congregation throughout all England was made prayer peticion vnto God to be deliuered from the tyrannye of the byshop of Rome and all his detestable enormities from all false doctryne and heresie And now alas SathaÌ„ hath perswaded EnglaÌ„d by his falshed and crafte to reuoke her old godly prayer to recant the same prouoke the fearefull wrath and indygnation of god vpon her owne pate Of late by straite lawes and ordinaunces with the consent of the nobles and commonaltie and ful agrement and counsaile of the prelates clergie was banished hence the beast of Babylon with lawes I say and with othes and al meanes that then coulde be deuysed for so godly a purpose But now alas all these lawes are troden vnder foote the nobles the commonaltie the prelates clargie are quite chaunged and all those othes though they were herein made in iudgement iustice and truth and the matter neuer so good dothe no more holde then a bond of rushes or of a barley strawe nor publyke periurie no more fearethe them then a shadowe vppon the wall Of late it was agreed in England of all handes accordinge to Paules doctrine and Chrystes commaundement as Paule saythe playne that nothinge oughte to be doone in the church in the publike congregation but in that tongue which the congregation coulde vnderstande that all might be edified therby wheather it were common praier administratioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„ts or any other thinge belonging to the publike mynisterie of gods holy and wholsome woorde but alas all is turned vpsidedowne Paules doctrine is put aparte Christes commaundemente is not regarded for nothing is hearde commonly in the Churche but in a straunge tongue that the people doth nothing vnderstande Of late all men and women were taught after Christs doctrine to pray in that tongue which they could vnderstand that they might pray with harte that whiche they shuld speake with their tongue Nowe alas the vnlearned people is brought in that blyndenesse agayne to thyncke that they praye when they speake wyth their tongue they can not tel what nor wherof their harte is nothynge myndefull at all for that it can vnderstande neuer a whyt therof Of late the lordes supper was duely ministred and taughte to be made common to all that were true Chrystians with thankes geuing and settinge forthe of the Lordes death and passion vntil his returninge agayne to iudge bothe quicke and deadde But nowe alas the Lordes table is quyte ouerthrowen and that whych ought to be common to all godly is made priuate to a few vngodly with out any kinde of thankesgeuinge or any settinge forth of the lords death at all that the people is able to vnderstande Of late all that were endued with the light and grace of vnderstanding of goddes holye mysteries did blesse god which had broughte them out of that horrible blyndenesse and ignoraunce whereby in tymes paste beinge seduced by Satans subteltyes they beleued that the sacrament was not the sacrament but the thynge it selfe whereof it is a sacramente that the creature was the creatour and that the thynge whiche hathe neyther lyfe nor sense alas suche was the horryble blyndenes was the Lorde hym selfe whiche made the eye to see and hath gyuen al senses and vnderstandynge vnto man But nowe alas Englande is returned agayn lyke a dogge to her owne vomyt and spuynge and is in worse case then euer she was for it had ben better neuer to haue knowen the truthe then to forsake the truth once receyued and knowen And nowe not onely that light is turned into darknes and goddes grace is receyued in vayne but also lawes of deathe are made by hyghe court of parliamente masterfully to maineteine by sworde fyer and al kind of violence that heinouse Idolatry wherin that adoration is geueÌ„ vnto the lyueles and dum creature whiche is onely dew vnto the euerlyuynge God yea they faye they can and do make of bread bothe man and god by theyr transubstantiation O wicked inuention and Sathans owne broode Of late was the Lordes cuppe at his table distributed according to his owne comaundement by his expresse wordes in his gospell as well to the laytie as to the clergie which order Christes churche obserued soo manye hundreth yeres after as al the auncient ecclesiasticall wryters do testyfie without contradictioÌ„ of any one of them that can be shewid vnto this day But nowe alas not onely the lordes commaundemente is broken his cuppe is denied to his seruantes to whom he commaunded it shuld be distributed but also with the same is set vppe a new blasphemous kynd of sacrifyce
theyr iuggelyngs crafty gloses can not bryng one â—ote of goddes worde Surely surely they be not onely all these abhominatioÌ„s which are come into the churche of England alredy wherof I haue spoken somwhat before but also an innumerable rablement of abhominatious and wicked abuses which now must nedes folow As popishe pardons piâ—grymages Romishe purgatory Romishe masses Placebo dirige with trentalles Scala coeli dispensations immunities from all godly discipline lawes and good order pluralities vnions and â—ot quottes with a thousande moo Nowe shall come in the flatterynge fryers and the false pardoners and play their olde pranckes and knauery as they were wonte to do Nowe you shall haue but of the see of rome onely and that for money canonysing of suche saynctes as hath stoode stoute in the popes cause shrinynge of relicques and from anye kynde of wickednes if you wyll pay well for it cleere absolution a pena et cupla with thousandes of yeres yea at euerye poore byshops hande and suffragan ye shall haue halowing of churches chapelles altares superalteres chaleces and of al the whole household stuffe and adornament which shall be vsed in the churche after the Romishe guise for al these things must be estemed of suche hyghe pryâ—e that they may not be done but by a consecrate byshop only O Lorde all these thinges are suche as thy apostles neuer knewe As for coniuringe they call it haâ—owing but it is coniuryng in dede of water and salt of chrysteninge of belles and suche like lyghte thinges what nede I to speake for euery priest that can but reade hath power they say not only to do that but also hath suche power ouer Chrystes bodi as to make both god man once at the least euery daye of a water cake After the rehersall of the saide abhominations and remembraunce of a number of many mo which the lord knoweth yrketh me to thinke vpon and were to long to describe when I consider on the other side the eternal worde of god that abydeth for euer and the vndefiled lawe of the Lorde which turneth the soule froÌ„ all wyekednesse and geueth wisedome vnto the innocente Babes I meane that mylke that is without all guâ—le as Peter doth call it that good word of god that worde of truth which must be grauen within the harte and theÌ„ is able to saue mennes soules that wholesome sede not mortall but immortal of the eternal and euerliuing God whereby the manne is borne a newe and made the chylde of God that seede of God whereby the man of god so being borne can not sinne as Iohn saythe he meaneth so longe as that seede doth abide in him that holy scrypture whych hath not bene deuysed by the wytte of manne but taught from heauen by the inspyration of the holy ghost whych is profitable to teach to reproue to correct to instruct and geue order in al righteousnesse that the man of god maye be whole sound ready to performe euery good woorke when I saye I consyder thys holye and wholesome true woorde that teacheth vs truely our bounden dewty towardes oure lorde god in euery poynte what hys blessed wil and pleasure is what his infinyte greate goodnesse and mercy is what he hath done for vs how he hath geuen his owne only dere beloued to death for our saluation by him hath sent vs the reuelatioÌ„ of his blessed wyll pleasure what his eternal word willeth vs both to beleue also to do and hath for the same purpose inspyred the holy apostles wyth the holy ghost and sent them abrode into all the worlde and also made them and other dysciples of Chryste inspyred by the same spyrit to write and leaue behynde theym the same thynges that they taught which as they dyd procede of the spyrit of truth so by the confessyon of all them that euer were endued wyth the spirite of God were sufficiente to the obteyning of eternal saluation and lykewyse when I consyder that all that man doth professe in his regeneratioÌ„ when he is receued into the holy catholyke church of Christ and is now to be accounted for one of the liuely members of Christes owne body all that is grounded vpon Goddes holy worde and standeth in the profession of that fayth and obedyence of those coÌ„maundementes which are all contayned and comprysed in Gods holy woorde and furthermore when I consider whom our sauyoure Chryst pronounceth in his gospel to be blessed and to whoÌ„ Moyses geueth hys benedictions in the law what waies the Lawe the Prophetes the Psalmes and all holy Scryptures bothe newe and olde doth declare to be the wayes of the Lord what is good for man to obtayne and abyde in Gods fauour which is that sayth that iustifieth before God and what is that charity that doeth passe and excel al which be the properties of heauenly wisedome and whyche is that vndefiled religion that is allowed of god whych thynges Chryst himselfe calleth the weighti matters of the law what thing is that which is only auaylable in Chryst and what knowledge is that that Paule esteemed so much that he counted him selfe only to knowe what shall be the maner of the extream iudgemeÌ„t of the later day who shal iudge and by what he shal iudge and what shall be requyred at our hands at that fearful day howe all thynges muste be tryed by the fier and that that only shal stand for euer whych Christes wordes shal allowe which shal be the iudge of al fleshe to geue sentence vpon al flesh and euery liuynge soule eyther of eternall damnation or of euerlastyng saluation from whyche sentence there shall be no place to appeale no wytte shall serue to delude nor no power to wythstande or reuoke when I saye I consyder all these thynges and conferre the same agayne and agayne all those wayes wherin standeth the substance of the Romishe relygion wherof I spake before it may be euydente and easye to perceaue that these two wayes these two relygions the one of christ the other of the Romishe see in these latter dayes be as farre dystaunte the one from the other as lighte and darkenesse good and euyll ryghteousnes and vnrighteousnes chryst Belial He that is harde of beliefe let him note and way well with him selfe the places of holye Scryptures which be appointed in the margent wherevpon this talke is grounded and by Gods grace he maye receyue some lyght And vnto the contemner I haue nothynge nowe to saye but to rehearse the saying of the prophet Esaye whyche Paule spake to the Iewes in the ende of the actes of the apostles After he had expounded vnto them the truth of Gods worde and declared vnto them Chryste out of the lawe of Moyses and the Prophetes from mornynge to nyghte all the day long he said vnto them that woulde not beleue well sayde he spake the holi ghost vnto our fathers sayinge go vnto this people and tel them ye shall heare with
in the other yet the lord is al one towards them in both and loueth theym nolesse when he sufferethe theym to be beaten yea and to be put to bodelye death then when he woorketh wonderes for their maruelous deliuery Nay rather he doth more for them when in anguish of the torments he standeth by them strenghneth them iu their faith to suffer in the confession of the truethe and his faithe the bitter panges of death then when he openeth the prison doore and letteth them go lose for here he doth but respit theÌ„ to an other time and leaueth them in daunger to fall in like peryl agayne and there be maketh theym Perfect to be without dauÌ„ger payne or peril after that for euer more But this his loue towardes theym howe soeuer the world doth iudge of it is all one both when he deliuereth and when he suffereth theym to be put to death He loued as wel Peter Paul when after thei had according to his blessed wil pleasure and prouidence finished their courses and done their seruices appointed them by him here in preaching of his Gospell the one was beheaded and thother was banged or crucified of the cruell tyraunte Nero as the Ecclesiasticall historye saythe as when he sent the Aungell to bring Peter out of prison and for Paules deliuery he made all the dores of the prison to flie wide open and the foundation of the same like an earthquake to tremble and shake Thinkest thou O thou man of god that Christ our Sauiour had lesse affection to the fyrste martyr Stephen bicause he suffered his enemies euen at the firste conflicte to stone him to death No suerlye nor Iames Iohns brother whiche was one of the three that Paul calleth Primates or Principals amongst the Apostles of Christe He loued him neuer a whit the worse then he did the other although he suffered Herod the tyrants sword to cut of his head Nay doth not Daniel say speaking of the cruelty of Antechrist his time Et docti in populo docebunt plutimos â—uent in gladio in flamma in captiuitate in rapina dierum c. Et de cruditis ruent 〈◊〉 coÌ„flentur eâ—â—gaÌ„tur dealbentuâ— c. That is and the lerned he meaneth truly learned in gods law shal teach many and shal fal vpon the sworde and in the flame that is shal be burned in the flaming â—yer and in captiuitye that is shal be in prison and be woâ—â—d and robbed of their goods for alonge season And after a lyttel in the same place of Daniel it foloweth and of the lerned ther be whiche shal fal or be ouerthrowen the they maye be knowen tried chosen made white he meaneth be furnyshed and scouâ—â—d a new picked and chosen made freshe and lustre Yf that then was foresene for to be done to the godlye lerned and for so gracious causes let euery one to whome any such thinge by the wyll of God doeth chaunce be mery in God and reioyce for it is to Gods glory and to hys owne euerlastinge wealth Wherefore well is he that euer he was borne for whome thus graciouslye God hath prouided hauinge grace of God and strenghe of the holy ghoste to stande stedfastly in the height of the storme Happy is he that euer he was borne whom God his heauenly father hath vouchsafed to appointe to glorify him to edifie his church by the effusion of his bloud To die in Christes cause is an hyghe honour to the which no man certainlye shall or can espire but to whome god vouthsafeth that dignitie for no man is alowed to presume for to take vnto himselfe any offyce of honoure but he whiche is there vnto called of god Therfore Iohn sayth wel speaking of them whiche haue obteyned the victory by the bloud of the lambe and by the worde of hys testimonye that they loued not their lyues euen vnto death And our sauiour Chryste sayeth he that shall lose hys lyfe for my cause shall finde it And this maner of speache pertayneth not to one kind of christians as the worldly do wyckedly dreame but to all that doe truly pertain vnto Christ. For when christ had called vnto him the multitude together wyth hys dysciples he saide vnto them marke that he said not this to the disciples and apostles only but he said it to al whosoeuer wil so low me let him forsake or deny hiÌ„self take vp his crosse and folow me for whosoeuer wil saue his life shal lose it he meaneth whosoeuer wil to saue his lyfe bothe forsake or leaue him his trueth and whosoeuer shall lose his life for my cause and the gospels sake shal saue it for what shal it profit a man if he shal winne the whole worlde and lese his owne soule hys owne life or what shall a man geue to recompence that losse of his owne life and of his owne soule Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and my words that is to confesse me and my gospell before this adulterous sinful generation of him shal the son of man be ashamed when he coÌ„meth in the glory of his father with the holy aungels Know thou O man of god that all thinges are ordeyned for thy behofe and to the furtheraÌ„ce of thee towardes thy saluation All thinges saith Paule worketh with the good to goodnes euen the enemies of god and such kind of punishments wherby they go about to destroye theym shall be forced by Goddes power might and fatherly prouidence for to do them seruyce It is not as the wycked thinketh that pouertie aduersity sycknes tribulation yea paynefull death of the godly be tokens that God doeth not loue theym but euen cleane the contrary as al the whole course of scripture doth euedently declare for then he wold neuer haue suffred his most deare beloued the Patriarches to haue had such troubles his prophetes his Apostles his Martyrs and chiefe chaÌ„pions and maintainers of his trueth and gospelâ— so cruelly of the wycked to haue bene murdered and â—â—in Of the whiche some were racked as the apostle sayth and would not he deliuered that they might reâ—eâ—lâ— better resurrection Some were lived by mockings and scourgings yea more ouer by bondes and imprison mente they were â—oned they were he wen and cut in â—uÌ„der they were tempted they were slain with the sword they wandered vppe and downe in sheepe skins and Gotes skinnes being forsaken afflicted and tormented suche men as the worlde was not worthye to haue wandringe in wildernesses in mountaines in dennes and caues of earth All these were approued by the testimony of fayth and receiued not the promise bicause god did prouide better for vs that wythâ—uâ—e vs they shuld not be consuÌ„mated They tary now for vs vndoubtedly loÌ„ging for the day But they are commaunded to haue patience yet sayeth the lord a littel while vntil the number of their fellowe seruauntes be fulfilled and or theyr brethren whych are yet to
Iesus Christ that he will strengthen vs both wyth hys holy and mighty spirit that we may constantly continue in the confession of his truth vnto the ende that lyke as we nowe see one another presently in spirite we may also see one another personally in the glorious presence of God and his holye aungels where vndoutedly we shal know one an others personage to oure greate ioy felicity and endles comfort And now therfore deare sister K. be strong in the Lord our god for doubtles the time of trial is at hande a great persecution with cruell murtherynge of gods deare sainctes is like to be very shortly in this wofull wicked realme of England Therfore dere sister for the loue of God prepare you to the crosse with all diligence and make your selfe ready to die with Chryste that you may also liue with hym for euer There is no remedy if you wil be Christes disciple you muste nedes take vp your crosse and follow him for the disciple must not loke to be aboue his master nor the seruaunt to be better intreated then his lord Yf we were of the world good sister no doubt the worlde would loue vs. But for as much as Christ hath chosen vs out of the world to serue God in spirite and veritye let vs be well assured the worlde will hate vs persecute vs as it hath done our lorde master Chryste But yet let vs be of good chere for Christ hath ouercome the worlde The payne is but shorte that we can fele here but the plesure is perpetuall that we shall feele els where Let vs set before vs the exāple of Christe which abode the crosse and despised the shame in respect of the ioy that was set before him Euē so let vs consider for whose sake wee suffer whose cause we defend what glorious reward we shal haue at the day of our victory and then doubtles the consolation of these thinges will make sweete all our sufferinges and sone swallow vp al the sorowes that we are sowsed in for Goddes sake I could recite diuers texts of the scripture to confirme this poynt But I nede not for I am well assured that you do know them most perfectly all ready The lorde geue you strength assiste you with his holy spirite that you maye continuallye walcke in all points accordīg to your godly knowledge And then shall you not doe as the moste parte of our Gospellers doe nowe a dayes the more is the pitie There are a greate manye in Englande that doe perfectly knowe that the idolatrous masse is abhominable diuelyshe and detestable in the sighte of God And yet alas they be not afrayde to pollute and defyle theyr bodies whych ought to be the tēples of the holy ghost with being present at it so synning agaynst God and their owne conscience But dere syster K. doe you flie from it both in body and soule as you would flie from the very diuell himselfe Drinke not of the whore of Babylons cup by no meanes for it will infecte the body poyson the soule Be not partakers of her sinnes saith the aungell least you be partakers of the plagues that shortly shal be powred vpon her O what an araye is this that so manye that knowe gods truth will nowe tourne agayne and defyle them selues in the filthy puddle of antichristes stinking religiō They go about to saue theyr liues with their double dissimulatiō but doubtles they shall lose euerlasting life by it if they do not repente in time and turne vnto the lord But deare sister my truste is that you doe vtterly abhorre the comminge to any such thinge I hope that you wil not by anye meanes turne backe into Egypte nowe but that you wil boldly venter through the wildernes of troble persecution that you may come into the lande that floweth wyth all kinde of heauenly pleasures ioyfull delectatiōs and possesse the same for euer Let vs cōsider howe that euery one of vs doth owe vnto god a death by nature and howe sone the Lorde will require it of vs we knowe not O howe happy are we then if god of his goodnesse appoint vs to paye natures det with suffringe for his truth and Gospelles sake and so makynge vs his faythfull wytnesses wyth the prophetes apostles martyres confessours yea with his dearly beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whom he doth here begin to facion vs lyke in sufferynge that we might be like him also in glory Thus my derely beloued sister I haue ben bold to trouble you a littel with my rude and simple letter beinge made in haste as it doeth apeare Yet I desier you to take it in good woorthe as a token of my pore zeale vnto you to accepte my good will And if it please god to spare me life and libertye I truste hereafter to write vnto you more largelye Fare ye well deare sister K. E. the Lorde blesse you and all youres and powre vpon you the heauenlye dewe of hys grace The lord endue you with plentifull knowledge of his veritye and fill you with his holye and mightye spirite that you may continually reioyce in the cōfortes of the same now and euer Amen Praye pray praye with stedfast fayth Your daily Orator Ihon Careles prisoner of the Lorde at al times abydinge hys most merciful wil and pleasure Another letter of the same Iohn Careles sent to the same party ¶ Grace mercy and peace from god our eternall and most deere louing father wyth quyetnes of conscience in our swete lorde and only sauiour Iesus Chryst with increase of knowledge health strength and spiritual ioy in and through the mighty operatiō of the holy ghost our euerlastinge comforte be wyth you nowe and euer my moste dere louing sister K. E. to the good perfourmance of all that he hathe so graciously begon in you in such sort as may be moste to his glory◠the comforte of hys pore afflicted churche and to the eucrease of your owne euerlastinge ioy in him Amen AS I am by no meanes hable my deere harte in the lord in the leaste pointe to recompence anye part of the greate loue faithfull frēdship manifolde kindnes that you haue so largely extended vnto me euen so am I not able to declare how much and how depelye I am continuallye bound to geue god most hūble praise and continuall thankes for you and on your behalfe Before God I speak it I can not with pen expresse what ioy and comforte my poore afflycted hart hath conceyued of you and that in mo respectes then I wyll or can now declare Ah my deare syster K. whose humble hart and lowly spirit doth to me presētly appeare in youre most godly and louing letter blessed are you and all such meke handmaides of the lord For doubtles you shall be eralted in that day when the proud persones of the world and hygh minded Pharaseys shall be cast downe God for euermore bee blessed who hath geuen
whose names are registred in the booke of life my firme faith is that you are one as by your stedfast faith and fruits of the same it doth appeare And wheras you say that my simple letters haue bene a stay and comfort to you I am moste glad therof do most hartely prayse God therfore that God of his greate mercy will vse me poore miser of the worlde as his instrument or meane to doe good to anye one of hys deare saincts And I do moste hartely desier you to forgeue mee my great neglygence towardes you in that I haue not more oftner written letters to you seing that you do so well esteme them as you do But if god spare me life I wyll be a littell more diligent to write vnto you then heretofore I haue bene And as for my pore prayer as you haue bene so shal you continually be sure of it I truste you doe also remember me in youres as your large and louing dedes do declare no lesse Ah good syster what doe you meane to sende me fo rich a token Alas you make me sory to se how carefull you are for me and what greate cost you haue bestowed vppon me a most vnprofitable member in Christes church But verily I do perceiue whereaboute you go You are minded to bring God a great deale into your debt and to put your money vnto a godly vsury according to the sainge of the wise man He that hath pitye vpon the pore saith he lendeth vnto the lord and loke what he laieth out it shal be paid him againe The lorde recompence your pitiful hert which is so careful for the children of God in the time of their captiuity God be blessed who hath made you so chereful in geuinge and diligent in well â—â—ing for verely the time is at hand that you shal reap without ceasing the fruit of eternall life Therfore be of good chere for they that now sow their good sede with teares shal theÌ„ reap their full sheues with gladnes and god shal wipe al teares froÌ„ their eyes for euer Cast all your care vpon the lord and commit your soule and body vnto him as vnto a faithful creator for doubtles deare sister he coÌ„tinuallye kepeth you and careth for you The moste and principall thing that God requireth of you is that you be fullye perswaded that he careth for you and that he is your god and most deare louinge father and wil be so for euer Without this faith and true perswasion you can not please him you can not commit and betake your selfe wholye vnto hym you can not truly feare him or loue him in dede you can not call vppon him or hartely pray vnto him Therfore let this be your alone and continuall endeuor to be confirmed more and more of this that God is youre most beare louinge faher throughe â–ª Iesus Christ that he hath a most teÌ„der care ouer you and for you as alwaies he hath had and alwais wil haue both in soule and body for this lyfe and for eternall lyfe howsoeuer thinges appeare and seme vnto you According as you beleue so shal it be vnto you and as you think God wil bee vnto you so shall you fele hym Think therfore swetelye of the lorde and his goodnes and pray for the encrease of faith whiche God graunte vnto vs both for his mercies sake Amen Thus most deare and faithfull sister for this time I make an ende commyttinge you and all yours to Goddes most mercifull defence who blesse kepe and preserue you nowe and â—or euermore Amen Fare you well in Christ good sister your pore brother and daily Orator Thou Careles prisoner of the Lorde at al time abyding hys most merciful wil and plesure pray pray An other letter sent froÌ„ the same Iohn Careles to the selfe same woman ¶ The euerlasting peace of GOD in Iesus Christ the continuall aide and strength ioye and comfortes of his most puer holy mighty spirit with the encrease of faith and liuely felinges of his eternal mercies be most effectuously wrought in your hart and grauen in your mind my deare frend and faithful louing sister K. E. to the full finishing of all the good workes which he hath most graciously begon in you that the same by al meanes may be to the setting forth of Gods glorye the commodity of his pore afflicted Church and to youre owne euerlastinge comforte in him Amen AS the dailye occasions whyche happen to me deare sister in the lord puttinge me in remembraunce of my mooste happy departure and final deliueraÌ„ce to be at hand do moue my pore hart to much spiritual mirth and gladnes in the lord euen so doth the daily remembrance of you and other the deare sainctes of God whom I shall leaue behynde mee engender much sorow and sadnes euen to my very soule to se in what a miserable worlde you must remaine subiect to our deserued plages bothe spirituall and teÌ„poral In respect wherof as I daily make mention of you in my cotinual prayers that God wil protect you vnder the wynges of hys mercy from al things that may be hurtfull eyther to soule or bodye so haue I thought it good yea my very bounden duty to write these few lines vnto you as well to comfort you what soeuer crosse it shal please the Lorde to lay vpoÌ„ you as also to warne you to walke circumspectly as the chylde of light least at any time the darkenes should ouertake you as it is like to doe those foolishe virgins whiche haue let their lampes go out alredy the bridegromes coÌ„ming being so nigh at hand as suerly it is not far hence as it appeareth both by the prophecies of the holy scriptures also by daily exaÌ„ples wherof we haue experience God for his Christes sake geue vs al grace diligently to watch and pray that we maye be readye prepared for that longe desired daye Amen My deare sister K. cal to your remeÌ„brance always the great loue and mercifull kindnes that God your most deare louing father hathe from time to time extended vnto you speciallye in that he would vouchesafe to geue for you his owne only dearly beloued son in whome was and is all his whole pleasure and delighte vnto the verye death of the crosse yea and that wheÌ„ you were his very enemy the chylde of wrath the bonde seruaunt of Sathan and a very fierbrand of hel and should haue so remained for euer CoÌ„sider also howe he hathe geuen you with his swete sonne al thinges necessary either for bodye or soule yea all that euer is in heauen and earth and hath made you by him heire vnto himselfe and owner and possessor of al that euer he hath In consideratioÌ„ wherof you ought so to loue him againe that nothinge should be able to seperate you from him yea of very loue only you ought to serue him in such holines and righteousnes as is accept before him all the dayes of youre life
and also to abstaine moste willinglye from all thinges that be detestable in his sighte what daunger so euer shoulde ensue to you for the same But in dede my dear hart to be plaine with you I doe heare to my great grief that the due consideration of this greate loue and infinite mercy of god hath not yet effectuously wrought al these aforesaid things in you according to my lōng expectacion but it is enformed me by credible persons ▪ that you notwithstanding the great loue of God towards you and the excellent knowledge he hath so graciouslye geuen you before many other doe yet manye times defile your faith or mariage garment with comming into the companye of filthy idolaters at the time of theyr Antechristian seruice Trulye if it be so it is a token that the great abundant bottomles loue mercy of God towardes you hath not yet in suche sorte ben considered of you that it hath as it ought to haue done swalowed vp all the vaine loue of the worlde Ah where is true faith become and liuely seling of Gods mercy that were wont to make the children of god diligent to kepe Goddes commaundementes and merilye to beare his crosse But perchaunce you do not thinke it a breaking of Gods commaundementes to goe to the Idols temple and to bee present with the papistes at their supersticious seruice c. But god forbid you should be so ignorāt after so many instructiōs in so great weightye a matter For surely the vnknowen sicknes is most daungerous euermore as experience teacheth But I verily thinke at the least wise I hope that youre knoweledge is so great in these things that the daunger in being partaker with the wicked is not hid frō your eyes Therfore your fault is so muche the greater the sorer punishmēt is due for the same But my vndoubted trust is that almighty God our most deare louinge father wyll not leaue you in your weaknesse but wil rayse you vp agayne by true and earnest repentance and geue you such grace and strength of his spirit that henceforth you shal be so far from cominge to anye of theyr abhominable superstition that you shall be able well to persuade this bearer and many other the sainctes of God from the same I knowe deare harte that thys thinge which I requier of you wil bryng a great crosse vnto you as well at the handes of your husband as of many other your worldly frendes and foes But let not that discourage you any thing at all syth you are one of the chosen children of God to whom hys crosse doth specially belonge Let not tribulation for righteousnesse sake seme a straunge thing vnto you but rather reioyce and be glad that God will vouche you worthye of so great dignity For trulye it is the greatest honor that God can bringe his elect vnto in this mortall life I meane to make them his witnesses to the world and to make them worthye to suffer for his sake which thinge is not permitted to the highest Angell in heauen albeit I beleue they wolde more reioyce thereof then in all the glorye they haue Oh whye are we then so loth to come to this great promotiō seing it is the verye ordinance of god vppon all his deare chyldren as S. Paule affirmeth saying To you it is geuen not only that you should beleue in Iesus Christ but also that you should suffer for his sake Again he saith all that will liue godlye in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution Oh what cause haue we to reioice if it please God by suffringes to make vs some thing cōformable to the passions of our swete Christ who fyrste suffred for vs and afterward entred into his glorye Wee haue in thys world nothing so much to reioice in as that we are made meete to be vnder the crosse with Chryst. For therby are we assured not onlye that the glorious spirite of god resteth vpon vs but also that we shall reign with Christe and bee glorifyed together with him who hathe testified with his owne mouth that they be blessed which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs saieth he is the kingedome of heauen into the which we must also enter by manye tribulatiōs Happy is he saith christ that endureth to th end Be faithfull vnto death saith the holy ghoste I will geue thee a crowne of life c. But what mean I to make so long a circūstance vnto you my deare hart who knoweth al these things as wel or better then I Oh that you hadde the grace and strēgth to do al things accordinge to youre knowledge I meane concerning the fleing frō Idolatry and suffering for the truth As for al other things I know you are vnspotted praised be god for you Oh that you durste pledge me of the same cup if need do requier wherof the lord of our glory hath not refused himself to drinke before vs and hath left vs an example to folow his fotesteps that he might crowne vs wyth his owne glorye and most precious giftes Oh lord helpe thy deare children that wold faine come vnto the and loke not narowly vpō our sins which are the cause of oure long absence from thee but couer theym for thy Christes sake with the mantell of thy manifold mercies whyche far surmounteth al thy workes that we may not be ashamed but reioyce at thy most glorious comming the which do thou hasten according to thy promise for thy chosens sake We haue deare sister bene of longe season acquainted with this earthlye old man of ours to much which is ful of sin and presseth downe sore our vnderstāding that it is needful for vs to be tried throughe manye trybulations that the rust therof myght be worne awaye that we might be made mete vessels for the lordes owne vse and be sanctifyed to honour Happy is he that endureth chasticinge Whyche blessing my good sister God offereth vnto vs at this present yea and him selfe also as our moste deare louinge father Let vs willingly embrace him therfore and geue thankes vnto his name that hath triumphantly gottē victorye ouer al our ennemies and is now pleading our cause on the right hand of God his father in the kyngdome of heauen where he kepeth possession for vs. To whom if we direct oure eyes wyth a stedfast fayth wee shal not nede to feare neither death synne nor hell for theyr whole power is taken awaye and Christes righteousnes maketh aūswer for vs. Yea he is wholy ours with al his merites mercies and moste swete sufferinges and we are his for euermore so that we may boldly say the lord is our helpe and therfore we wyll not feare what man maye do vnto vs for he is but fleshe and his breath is in hys nostrels but the strengthe of the lord and the power of his word endureth for euer vnto the whyche let vs stedfastly trust then shal we not be confounded My deare frend faithful sister K. thynke no vnkyndnes in me that I write thus boldlye vnto you for verily it is of pure loue and a true hart that I beare vnto you as I am most depely bound yea double and treble I haue plentifully reaped your temporal things god recōpence you for it And ought not I thē much more to sow vnto you some of those spyritual thinges wherewyth God hath blessed me yes truly and euerlastynge woe and damnation were most due and suer vnto me if I did it not God for his christes sake forgeue me my great neglygence in thys behalfe towardes you and al the rest of hys deare children whome I loue in the lord as mine owne soule and thanke God most hartelye that you do me likewyse whych am most vnworthy of the same God geue me the spirite of prayer that I maye therewith supply some part of my duty towardes you for verily I am farre in your debt and so am like to die But my suer trust is that my good God for whose sake I lose lyfe and goods and al earthly commodityes wyl abundantly recompence you wyth his blessyng both spirituall and temporal and in the ende bringe you vnto me in the place of perpetual ioy and quietnes where we shal rest from al our labors and remaine together for euermore There shall we most perfectly know one another personally thoughe in thys lyfe we are not like to doe so for I am alredy proclaimed heretike at Paules crosse I prayse god most hartily for it For nowe I know I shal shortly be with him for whose sake I am so called and shal be yet more solēnely the sūday after Trinity sunday doctor Harpesfield saith ▪ I thanke him for his paines For he hath geuen me good warning to prepare my selfe ready against the daye of slaughter whiche time is not yet in their handes for all their bragges and proud bostinges but in the good wil determinatiō of my most deare God and louinge father And right suer I am that they I meane my enemies and if al the diuels in hell do helpe theym can not shorten my life one minute of an howre otherwyse then GOD hath appoynted for his glory and my eternal profit Therefore vpon him wil I cast all my care be careles according to my name in spite of theym all and tell them I will when I come before them that God doth laughe al their doinges to scorne and shortlye wyll bringe all their counselles to naught to their owne vtter confusion if they be not conuerted For whiche thing let vs praye to him whiche onelye is able to doe it and wyl when he seeth hys good time and pleasure In the meane space the same LORDE geue vs hys peace and pacience with plentiful consolation and ioye in the holy ghost who gouerne guyds lead and conduct vs vnto the very end Thus yet once agayne I commit you vnto Goddes moste mercyfull defence who euer haue you and all youres in hys blessed keping The blessinge of God be wyth you euermore Amen youres for euer moste vnfeynedlye Iohn Careles prysoner of the Lorde at all tymes abidinge his most merciful wyl pleasure Pray pray pray FINIS Imprinted at London by VVillyam Powell dwelling in Fletestrete at the signe of the George nere to Sainct Dunstons Church Apoc. 17. He meaneth hym selfe Math. 24. 2. Cor. 6. Lib. 4. Cap. 15. Apo. 9. Daniel 11. Apoc. 12. Math. 10. Apoc. 2.