Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	word_n	world_n	wrong_v	53	3	8.5880	4	false

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

Math. 23 Vae vobis qui clauditis regnum ante homines qui tulictis clauem scientiae ipsi non introijstis introire volentes prohibuistis Et vnde frates dixerimus has tetras exitiosas tenebras in mundum inuectas exhalasse vnde quaeso Apoca 9. quaÌ„ ex fumo fornacis magni putei ahyssi vt iam obscuratus sit sol aÃªr ex fumo putei Iam iam procul dubio fratres apudnos puteus apertus est locustae luxuriaÌ„tur abaddon regnat Ergo fratres qui estis Christi qui signum dei habetis in frontibÃ¹s vestris Apoc. vij i. Iohn v. hoc est arra spiritus obsignati estis in populum peculiarem Deo viriliter agite confortamini Maior enim est qui est in nobis quam qui est in mundo Scitis autem quod omne quod natum est ex deo vincit mundum haec est victoria quae vincit mundum fides nostra Fremat frendat insaeniat quantumlibet mundus scitote quod nemo potest nos tollere de manu patris quia maior est omnibus qui proprio filio suo non pepercit sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum Rom. viij proinde qui steri potest vt non cum illo omnia nobis donet Quis intentabit crimina aduersus electos dei Deus est qui iustificat quis ille qui condemnet Christus est qui mortuus immo qui suscitatus est qui intercedit pro nobis Quis nos seperabit a dilectione Dei Num afflictio Num angustia Num persecutio Num fames Num nuditas Num periculum Num gladius reliqua nostis fratres Speramus planÃ© cum Paulo per gratiam Domini nostri Iesu Christi quÃ´d nihil prorsus nos poterit separare a dilectione Dei quae est in Christo Iesu Domino nostro Quod vt vobis sit nobis omnibus contingat gratia miserecordia seruatoris nostri Iesu Christi nos pro vobis Deo volente indesinenter orabimus vos pro nobis ne aliquando orare desinatis etiam atque etiam in visceribus Iesu christi fratres in Domino charissimi quantum possumus obnixe precamur Bene valete fratres charissimi Gratia domini nostri Iesu Christi sit semper cuÌ„ omnibus vobis AmeÌ„ Vester in domino N.R. The same in English To the brethren which constantly cleaue vnto Christ in suffring affliction wyth hym and for hys sake GRace and peace from GOD the father and from oure Lorde Iesus Chryst bee multiplied vnto you Amen Althoughe bretherne we haue of late hearde nothyng from you neyther haue at thys presente anye newes to send you yet we thought good some thing to write vnto you wherby ye might vnderstand that we haue good remeÌ„brance of you continually as we doubte not but ye haue of vs also When this messenger comming vnto vs from you of late had brought vs good tidinges of your great constancye fortitude and pacience in the Lord we were filled with much ioye and gladnes geuynge thankes to god the father through our lord Iesus Christe which hath caused his face so to shyne vpon you with the lighte of spirituall vnderstanding hath so lyghtned your hartes that nowe being in captiuity and bandes for Christes cause ye haue not ceased as much as in you lyeth by words but much more by dede and by your example to stablishe and confyrme that thyng which when ye were at liberty in the world ye laboured to publish and set abroad by the word doctrine that is to say holding fast the word of life ye shine as lights in the world in the middes of a wicked croked natioÌ„ Phi. 2. that with so much the greater glory of our Lord Iesus Christ and profite of your brethren by how much Satan more cruelly nowe rageth busily laboureth to darken the lighte of the gospell And as for the darknes that Satan nowe bringeth vpon the church of England who nedeth to doubt therof Of late time oure sauiour christ his Apostles prophetes and teachers spake in the temple to the people of englaÌ„d in the english tongue so that they might be vnderstande playnly and without any hardnes of the godly such as sought for heaueÌ„ly knowlege in maters which of necessity of saluatioÌ„ perteyned to the obteyning of eternall life but nowe those thinges whiche once were written of them for the edifienge of the congregation are red in a straunge tongue without interpretation manifestlye agaynste Saincte Paules commaundemente so that there is no manne hable to vnderstande them whyche hath not learned that straunge and vnknowen tounge Of late dayes those heauenlye misteries wherbye Christe hath engraffed vs into hys body and hath vnited vs one to an other whereby also being regenerate and borne a newe vnto God he hath nourished encreased and strengthned vs wherby moreouer either he hath taught and set forth an order emonges them whych are whole or els to the sycke in soule or body hath geuen as it were holsome medicines remedies those I say were all playnly set forth to the people in theyr owne language so that what great exceding good thinges euery man had receaued of god what duty euery one owed to an other by gods ordinance what euery one had professed in his vocation was bound to obserue wher remedy was to be had for the weake feble he to whoÌ„ God had geuen a desire and wyllyng hart to vnderstande those thinges might sone perceaue and vnderstande But now all these thinges are taught and setforth in such sorte that the people redemed with Christes bloode for whose sakes they were by Christ himself ordained caÌ„ haue no maÌ„ner of vnderstandinge therof at all Of late forasmuche as we know not how to pray as we oughte our Lorde Iesus Chryst in his prayer wherof he would haue no man ignorant and also the holy ghost in the psalmes hymnes spirituall songes which are set forth in the bible did teach and instruct al the people of EnglaÌ„d in the english tounge that they myght aske such thynges as are according to the wyll of the father might ioyne theyr harts lippes in prayer together but now al these thynges are coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be hid shut vp froÌ„ theÌ„ in a strauÌ„ge tonge wherby it must nedes follow that the people neyther can tel how to pray nor what to pray for and how can they ioyne theyr hartes and voice together when they vnderstande no more what the voyce sygnifyeth then a brute beast Fynally I heare say that the Catechisme which was lately set forth in the english tong is now in euery pulpet condeÌ„ned Oh deuelish malyce and most spite fully iniurious to the saluation of mankynd purchased by Iesus Christ In dede Satan could not long suffer that so great light shuld be spread abroad in the world he saw well inough that

yet loke for none other I exhort you as my freÌ„des but to be charged with them at gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you biddeth me now say vnto you both in gods name feare god and loue not the world for god is able to cast both body and soule into hel fire Psa 2. When hys wrath shal sodenly be kindled blessed are al they that put their trust in him And the saieng of S. Iohn is true Iohn 2. al that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pryde of life is not of the father but of the world the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyl of god abideth for euer If this gift of grace which vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens harts they would not be so light so sodainly to shrinke from the mainteynaunce and confession of the truth as is now alas sene so manifestly of so many in these days But here peradueÌ„ture you would know of me what is the truth Syr gods word is the truth as s Iohn saith Iohn 17. Eccl. 27 and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and chaunge as the moone yet Gods word is stable abideth one for euermore and of Christ it is truly said Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer Heb. 13 When I was in office all that were estemed learned in gods word agreed this to be a truth in gods word written that the common praier of the Church should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with manye I ensure you I neuer found man so far as I do remember neyther olde nor newe Gospeller nor Papist of what iudgement so euer he was in this thyng to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of gods worde thinke you that the alteration of the world canne make it an vntruthe â–ª If it cannot why then doe so manye men shrinke from the confession and maintenaunce of thys truthe receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christ in this world but to maintayne the truth taught in gods word or for any worldly respecte to shrynke from the same This one thyng haue I brought for an ensample other thynges be in like case which now particularly I nede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truthe of gods word if he be constrained he wil assuredly forsake god and all his truth rather then he will endaunger himselfe to lose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he dothe God and the truth of his word I like very wel your playn speaking wherin you saye I must either agree or dye and I thynke that you meane of the bodily deathe whiche is commoÌ„ both to good bad Syr I know I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape thys deathe which is so common to al and also incurre the gilte of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I maye vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I liue And bycause I dare say you wrote of frendship vnto me this shorte earnest aduertisement and I thinke verelye wishyng me to lyue and not to die therfore bearing you in my hearte no lesse loue in god than you do me in the world Apostata was he which fled from hys captaine to the enemy He was also so called that departed from the chrystyans to the Iewes Gentiles I say vnto you in the worde of the lorde and that I say to you I say to all my frendes and louers in god that yf you doe not confesse and maintayne to your power and knowledge that which is grounded vpon gods word but will either for feare or gayne of the world shrinke and play the Apostata in dede you shall dye the deathe you know what I meane And I beseche you al my true frendes and louers in God remember what I saye for this maye be the laste tyme peraduentute that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the 18. day of Aprill 1554. N.R. Chariss fratri venerabili in Christo compresbytero Ioanni Hopero gratiam pacem DIlecte frater venerabilis in Christo compresbyter coÌ„donet mihi precor tua dilectio quod hactenus a tua captiuitate tua simul mea tuam dilectionem meis literis non salutauerim quando ingenue fateor mihi abs te quae tua erat humanitas binae literae datae fueruÌ„t diuersis quidem temporibus sed eis seÌ„per profecto in quibus aut mihi per iniquitatem temporis rescribere bene non licuit aut si rescripsissem de literis ad te tuto perferendis multum dubitaui Iam vero charissime frater quum ex illis tuis lucuhrationibus quas mihi non nisi obiter videre contigit facile intelligo nos in ijs quae sunt nostrae religionis fundamenta bases omium aduersus quas mundus hodie tantopere insanit probe conuenire in vnuÌ„ conspirare vtcuÌ„que in rebus minoribus religionis appeÌ„dicibus olim tua prudentia mea simplicitas in alÃ®quibus fateor vterque suum seÌ„sum habebat iam inquam cognoscat tua dilectio quod ex animo deus mihi testis est in viscerihus Christi te diligam frater in veritate propter veritatem quae permanet in nobis vt mihi per suasum habeo per gratiam dei per manebit nobiscum in aeternuÌ„ Quoniam autem vti video frater mundus causam suam igere noÌ„ cessat coÌ„tra Christum seruatoreÌ„ quantuÌ„ potest maximis munitionibus coÌ„spirat 1. Corin. 10 suÌ„mas conatur erigere altitudines a duersus cognitioneÌ„ Dei iungamus frater dextras in Christo pro nostra viriliquantumque in nobis situm erit non armis carnalibus sed spiritualibus si non possumus demoliri saltem pulsemus illas altitudines simul nos iam Frater praeparemus ad diem dissolutionis nostrae per quam cum Christo post momentaneam carnis iftius nostrae afflictionem in aeternum gratia Domini Iesu Christi simul cum illo triumphabimns in gloria sempeterna Ohsecro frater saluta meo nomine venerandum illum tuum concaptiuum mihi vere venerahilem patrem D. Cromerum de quo mihi crede ex primo die quo de eius sanctissima grauiss constantia in confessione veritatis euangelicoe audiui semper maximaÌ„ consolationem maximumque gaudium concepi in domino integritatem enim eius viri grauitatem innocentiaÌ„ iaÌ„prideÌ„ vniuersa pene credo nouit Anglia Benedictus

not kepe away the foules from picking it vp would he so bestow his sede in you as he hath if that he would not hedge in your hartes his field froÌ„ commoÌ„ pathes froÌ„ breaking in of beastes to destroy it Wil he be more careles theÌ„ a good husbandmaÌ„ to wede out the wedes which are in vs lest they should ouergrow the corne of hys word Wil not he bestow mucke marle vpon vs that we may bring forth more fruite Yf in a good husbandman this be not lacking alas how should we thinke then but that the lord god a good husbandman nothing but good only good how I say should it be but that he is moste careful to kepe his sede alredy soweÌ„ in your hartes by the ministery of vs other his preachers that to the bringing forth of iust and ful frutes He that hath begoÌ„ne with you doute not my derely beloued but that he wil happely make an end with you He hath begon to sow his sede in you as I dare say ye feele it be sure theÌ„ that al this wil follow First he wil haue Skarecrowes in your hartes I meane such sparkcles of his feare wil he droppe yea already he hath dropped into you that the birdes of the aire vain euil cogitatioÌ„s shal not be cherished of you but expelled by crieng to the lord for his help SecoÌ„dly he wil make such hedges as shal kepe you aswell from by pathes of al euil customes vsages as also preserue you froÌ„ the power of euil dominioÌ„ of sinne which would haue the vpper haÌ„d on you Thirdly he wil doutles poure such showres vpoÌ„ you to supple you so â—ede you so mucke marle you by teÌ„ptation other exercises that the Sunshine of persecutioÌ„ shall make more to the ripenyng of hys seede in you then to the witheryng of it away These thynges my dearely beloued the Lord god which hath begonne them in you and for you wyll continue with you that in the ende you maye be broughte into hys barne there to reste wyth hym in eternall felicitie For Gods sake therfore wayte and looke for no lesse then I haue told you at hys handes a greater seruice can you not geue him Yf god kepe not the order I haue told you but perchauÌ„ce beginne to mucke and marle you to poure hys showers vpoÌ„ you to nippe you with his weeding tonges c reioice be glad that God wyll doe that in you and wyth you at once which a long tyme he hath bene a workyng in for others Now vndoubtedly great showers are fallen to supple our hartes that gods word might enter therin and take roote Now the Lord goeth a weedyng to weede out of vs oure carnality securirye couetousnes selfe loue forgetfulnes of God loue of this world Now the lord doth mucke marâ—e vs loading vs wyth heapes and burdens of crosses that our hartes myghte be made good grounde to bryng forthe fruite to gods glory by patience as well in suffryng inward temptations and griefes wherof we must complayn to the Lord for hys Skarecrowes to dryue them forth of vs â—s also in sufferyng outward assaultes for the which we must cry to our Maister for hys hedges and defence Which hathe ij partes the one concernyng vs to helpe and deliuer vs and the other concernyng our or rather hys obstinate aduersaries to take vengeaunce vpon them which he will do in hys tyme. Therfore let vs by patience possesse our soules knowing that they which perseuer to the ende shal be saued Let vs not be werye of well doyng for in our tyme we shall reape the fruites therof But rather whiles we haue tyme let vs redeme it in doyng well to al men but specially to the houshold of fayth which thyng hether to you haue done the lord therfore be praysed and in the day of hys comming he recoÌ„pence you and in the rest I hope well I meane that you haue declared no lesse in coÌ„fessyng the truth planted in your hartes by your wordes and workes after your uocation to the glory of God I hope you haue godly behaued your selues not being as too many be now a daies euen mungrels geuing halfe to God halfe to the worlde halting on both knees going two waies I meane it of the Masse gospellers which are worse theÌ„ any papistes In this point I hope wel of you my dearly beloued that you haue not contaminated your selues that you haue both confessed the truth as ofte as nede hath requyred and also haue refrayned from comming to church now where is nothing but idolatrous seruice â— hope you haue glorifyed god both in soule and body I hope you haue gathered with Christ not scattered abroad I hope you haue drawen no yoke with vnbeleuers nor communicated with other mens synnes but haue abstayned from all appearaunce of euill confessing in harte confessing in tong confessing in dede acte the true knowledge of God which he hath of hys great mercye geuen vnto you not to bee as a candle vnder a bushell but vppon the candlesticke to geue light that men may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen All thys I hope of you my beloued and also of al puritie of life and godly conuersation not doubting but in this behalf also you haue declared gods veritye in your harte and for the Lordes sake do so still in all poyntes that is in your vocations be diligent and ryghteous towards your selues be sober and pure towards your neyghbours be charitable and iuste towardes god be faythfull and thankefull louing and obedient Vse earnest and often hartye prayer Meditate much vpon and often hearken to the word of god If you be called geue with modestye an accompt of the hope whiche is in you Be not ashamed of Gods true seruice allow not that with your presence which is contrary to Gods wil. Make not the meÌ„bers of Christes Church that is your selues meÌ„bers of Antichristes church Be not ashamed of the gospel or of such as be bound therfore but rather be partakers therof first inwardly by coÌ„passion prayer c then outwardlye by geuing according to that the Lord hath lent you to that ende and laste of all by suffering wyth vs if God so will and if it be nedeful for you For my dearly beloued be certayne that no maÌ„ can touch you or lay handes vpon you but by the will of God which is all good towards you euen as the wil of a most deare father which an not alwayes be angrye or otherwyse vse his rodde then only to chastice and correct not to destroy hys children Agayne be certayne that no crosse shall come vnto you before you nede it For God is oure Phisicion and when he seeth oure soules in perill he preuenteth the peryll by purgation and ministring Phisicke which is the crosse As therfore for the body we follow the aduice of the Phisicions for the health

not perfectly know You haue had the pure worde of God plentifully preached amoÌ„gest you yea and the same sealed praysed be god therfore wyth good store of bloode You haue also the blessed Bible and al other good bokes of godly mens doings among you so that I thynke you are ignoraunt of nothyng that perteineth to the life of a perfect christian Therfore I wyl not here take vpon me to teache you any thing syth I know that the most part of you perceiueth of the mind of God as much or more then I do But I wil now most huÌ„bly pray you hartely besech you that by the mercifulnes of god in Iesus Christ and as we shal al assemble shortly before him that you will in no wise do contrary to your knowlege least your owne conscience become also a swifte witnes at the great day against you I wyl not meddle with secret maters but speak of those things which be to much apparant and yet not of all but namely of one the which as it semeth to be least regarded amongest you so am I sure the same is yet most horrible odious in the sight of god that is to say the beyng present wyth the papistes at any of their Antichristian and idolatrous seruice whiche is not only a wicked dissemblyng of your fayth and a verye outward deniall of the gospell of God but also a manifest committyng of idolatry wyth the wycked and doth depely deserue gods heuy wrath and displeasure which is not farre of vnlesse you hartelye repente in tyme and turne to the Lord comming cleane away from the filthines aforesaid as he doth louingly call you Ah my dere hartes what shal I say to you or how shall I temper my pen to persuade you Al the godly preachers that in tymes past haue taken paines amongest you haue fully agreed and wholy concluded yea and by the holy scriptures plainly proued that it is not lawful for any of you to be personally present with the papistes at any part of their AntichristiaÌ„ seruice This haue they truly taught you this haue they largely and learnedly written vnto you and this haue they most godly confirmed with their blood before you What wold you haue more Yea many a faithful hart hath folowed them and to their power done the lyke and yet alas all wil not now serue Howe happeneth this my dere frendes of LondoÌ„ that neither the louing admonitioÌ„s of al gods good Prophets nor the earnest warnings of hys deare witnesses and worthy Martyrs wil take no place amongest you Do you thynke that they haue not told you the truthe but some dreame or vayne tale that shal not so come to passe Do you thinke that they did but dallye with you to delude you and to make you afraid of a flea bityng or vayne shadow wher no nede of fear is Certainly you shal find it otherwise shortly if you so thinke as you maye see if you wil by experience of that which is already come to passe euen as they did truly tel you in their preachyng or rather prophesye for youre for warning Be you sure the Lorde is no lesse myghtye to-performe his word pronounced by these his fore runners before his latter comming then he was true to poure forth his plagues vpoÌ„ the Iewes prophecied both by Iohn Baptist other hys foreruÌ„ners before hys first comming Latymer Rydley Hoper Rogers Bradforde Saunders wyth the rest of their blessed bretherne that are fled or burned are as well to be beleued in this pointe as Helias Esay Ieremy or Iohn Baptist in those thinges that they warned the world of It is al one word which they al haue preached in the power of one spirit that they haue ministred And as verely as they were the lordes messengers to Israel for that age so surely were these later sort the lordes ministers to warne England for this age I feare the last that euer shal be sent vnto it But I aske againe how hapneth it that you pretending to be of the flocke of Christ do not now harken to the voyce of your head pastour Christ pronounced by hys seruauntes to obey follow it Verely I feare me because you be but wilde goates none of christes true elect shepe For if you were Christes shepe in dede you woulde surelye geue more regard to the voice of your shepeharde speakyng in his godly preachers and not presume to follow straungers as I here say you do which entise you to lewdnes and backeloking from the plough on which you had once layd hand Luke 17 but Christ byddeth you remember Lottes wife I here saye that there is amongest you nowe adaies a sort of worldly wise men whose doinges will proue folishnes before god one day wtout doubt which haue so diligently sought the scripture that they haue found out that whiche none of our good preachers euer coulde doe thoughe their whole studye was only therin day and nighte And what is that Forsoth as some say they haue found there that it is permitted lawful for christian men that know the truth to be presente with the papistes at their Anitchristian and idolatrous seruice and that they maye cloke their knoweledge and dissemble their faythe seeke what shiftes they can to saue their life laÌ„des goodes so that they do not vtterly deny the truth in their hartes or by expresse wordes in the way of recanting Ah sirrha haue they so Yea Syr I warrant you they haue not had the Bible in their houses al this while for naught They haue found one tricke to serue their turne wheÌ„ the time of trial coÌ„meth that al our folish preachers coulde not perceaue for had they knoweÌ„ that knacke they would not fo hedlong haue runne into the fire as they haue done But with your leue I wil now a while talke with these worldly wise Diuines which haue found out this hyd mystery I myght say of iniquitie wel inough I praye you my Maisters Massemongrel gospellers where do you find that any faythful christiaÌ„ may dissemble the profession of his Maisters religion to frame and fashion hym self lyke vnto the wicked world where out the Lord hath chosen hym to serue hym in spirit truth You finde it be like in the bottome of your bagges of gold siluer for in gods Bible boke I am sure you finde it not but altogether the contrary You here there how god doth byd you not to beare a strauÌ„ge yoke with the vnbeleuers but to come out froÌ„ amongest them to seperate your selues froÌ„ theÌ„ but many mens hearing wil not serue them on that syde You here there also that God wyll spue out suche luke warme gentlemeÌ„ as be neither hote nor colde forth of his mouthe Apo. 3. but I weene you doe not beleue it well I saye no more but marke the ende of thys geare I will not denye but that you maye wryng and wrest some places of the holy scripture

is a good confession of Christ and his verity before the wycked world Oh that you would follow the good example of a great nuÌ„ber of your godly neighbours which are graciously escaped the snares of SataÌ„ are nowe where they serue the Lord with a safe conscience and enioy the right and free vse of hys worde and sacramentes followe them for the lordes sake get you hastely out of Sodom for surely the lorde is vtterlye minded to destroy it Lynger not as Lothe did if you loue your owne liues lest you find not altogether so much mercy at the lordes hands as he did for verely you haue tempted him to farre alredy haue to much despised his long sufferyng leuitie and gentlenes whiche ought to leade you to earnest and hartye repentaunce He hath mercifully forborne you these ij yeres past and more if he fynd no fruite in you shortly make reckening to be pulled vp by the rotes euery mothers sonne of you for the axe is alredy laid at the rote of EnglaÌ„d as it was by the Romains at the roote of the Iewes when Iohn Baptiste began hys preachyng I pray god that we fele not the sharpe stroke of it as they did Pray pray pray and repent in time conuerte to the lord that he may heale your backslidings before your woundes be vncurable I could here say much more but time wil not suffer me I trust this shal be sufficient to al such as haue any sparke of faythe loue or true feare of God As for the rest they are as a point with themselues whatsoeuer any man either write or say thei wil surely disseÌ„ble one way or other to saue their pigges yea thoughe they doe but put their names in the Popes bookes Wel yet saye not an other daye but that ye were warned and though it were but by a poore symple man yet it was by him that wisheth wealthe to all youre soules one that in this pointe hath told you the truth and he trusteth shortly you shal see him seale the same wyth his blood through the helpe of the good prayers of all you that truly repeÌ„t and mind vnfainedly to turne the lord in time As for the rest I wil pray for them but let them kepe their owne praiers to themselues in goddes name for I wil bee no pertaker wyth them sith I know the same is turned vnto sinne Thus with most harty thankes for all your benefites and manifolde kindnes shewed vnto me my poore brethren beseching god to recompence the same seuen folde into all your bosomes as I doubt not but he wil according to his vnfallible promises I do hartely coÌ„mit you al vnto gods most merciful defeÌ„ce who euer haue you al in his blessed kepyng Amen The blessyng of God be with you al Amen Your poore daily and most bounden Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lorde in the kinges Bench at all tymes abiding gods moste mercifull will and pleasure Pray for me for gods sake as I will neuer forget you by gods grace To hys VVyfe AS by the great mercye of God at the tyme of hys good wyl and prouidence appointed my dearely beloued wife you and I were ioyned together in the holy and christian state of godly matrimony as well to our great ioye and comfort in Christe as also to the encrease of his blessed churche and faithfull congregation by hauyng lawful children by and in the same with the which God of his mercy hath blessed vs praised be his name therfore euen so now by his merciful wil and deuine ordinaunce the tyme is come so farre as I can perceiue wherin he wyl for his glory and our eternal comfort dissolue the same and separate vs asunder agayne for a tyme. Wherfore I thought it good yea and my bounden duetye by this simple letter to prouoke stirre and admonish you to behaue your self in all your doinges sayinges and thoughtes most thankfully vnto our good God for the same And therefore my deare wyfe as you haue hartely reioyced in the lord ofteÌ„times geuen god thankes for his goodnes in bringing vs together in his holy ordinaunce euen so now I desire you wheÌ„ thys tyme of our separation shal come to reioyce with me in the lord and to geue him most harty thanks that he hath to his glory and our endles commoditie separated vs agayne for a little time and hathe mercifullye taken me vnto him selfe forth of this miserable world into his celestial kingdom beleuing and hoping also assuredly that God of his goodnes for his sonne Christes sake will shortly bryng you youre dere childâ—rne thether to me that we may most ioyfully together sing praises vnto his glorious name for euer And yet once again I desire you for the loue of god as euer you loued me to reioyce with me and to geue GOD continuall thankes for doing his most mercifull wil vpon me I heare saye that you doe oftentimes vse to repete this godlye sayinge the Lordes will be fulfilled Doubtles it reioiceth my pore hart to heare that report of you and for the Lordes sake vse that godly praier continually teach your children and family to say the same day and nighte and not onely to say it wyth your tonges but also with your hart mind ioyfully to submit your wil to gods wil in very dede knowing and beleuing assuredly that nothing shal come to you or any of yours otherwise then it shall be his almyghty fatherly good will pleasure for your eternall comfort and commodity Which thing to be moste true and certaine Christ testifieth in his holy gospell saying are not .ij. Math. 10. little sparrowes sold for a farthing and yet not one of them shal perish without the wil of your heauenly father And he concludeth saying feare not ye therfore for ye are better theÌ„ many sparowes As though he should haue said if god haue such a respecte and care for a poore sparrow whiche is not worth one farthing that it shal not be takeÌ„ in the lime twig nette or pitfall vntil it be his good wyll and pleasure you may be wel assured that not one of you whom he so derely loueth that he hath geuen his only dere sonne for you shal perish or depart forth of this miserable life without his almighty good will and pleasure Therfore deare wyfe put your truste and confidence wholy and only in him and euer pray that his wyll be fulfilled and not yours excepte it be agreeing to his wil the which I praye GOD it may euer bee Amen And as for worldly things take you no care but bee you well assured the Lorde your deare God and father wyll not see you nor yours lacke if you continue in his loue and childly feare and kepe a cleare conscience from al kind of idolatry superstition and wickednes as my trust is that you will doe althoughe it bee with the losse and daunger of this temporall life And good

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

perceaue that you were deceaued and then your hyghnes may vse the matter as god shal put in your heart Furthermore I am kept here from company of learned meÌ„ from bookes from councel from penne and yncke sauyng at thys tyme to wryte to your Maiesty which all were necessary for a man in my case Wherfore I besech your maiesty that I may haue such of these as may stande wyth your maiesties pleasure And as for mine appearaunce at Rome if your Maiestie wyl geue me leaue I wyl appeare there I trust that god shall put in my mouth to defend his truth there aswell as here but I referre it wholly to your Maiesties pleasure Your poore oratour T. C. To the Lordes of the Counsaile IN most humble wise sueth vnto your ryght honourable Lordships Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of CauÌ„terbury beseching the same to be a meanes for me vnto the quenes hyghnes for her mercy and pardon Some of you know by what means I was brought trayned vnto the will of our late soueraigne lord king Edward the vi what I spake against the same wherin I refer me to the reportes of your honors Furthermore this is to sygnifye vnto your lordships that vpon MuÌ„day Tuesday Wednisday last past were open disputations here in Oxford against me They put to him thre questions but they suffred him not to aunswere fully in one maister Ridley M. Latymer in three matters concernyng the Sacrament First of the real presence secondly of transubstantiation thyrdly concerning the sacrifice of the masse How the other two were vsed I cannot tell for we were separated so that none of vs knewe what the other sayde nor how they were ordered But as concernyng my selfe I can report that I neuer knew nor heard of a more coÌ„fused disputation in al my life For albeit ther was one apointed to dispute against me yet euery maÌ„ spake hys mynd and broughte forth what him lyked with out ordre and such hast was made that no aunswer could be suffered to be geuen fully to anye argument and in such weighty and large matters there was no remedy but the disputations must nedes be ended in one day whyche can scantlye well be ended in three monethes And when we had aunswered them then they would not appoynt vs one day to bryng forth our profes that they mighte aunswere vs agayn beyng required of me therunto whereas I my selfe haue more to saye then canne be well discussed in .xx. dayes The meanes to resolue the truth had bene to haue suffered vs to aunswere fully to all that they could say and then they againe to aunswere to all that we could say But why they would not aunswere vs what other cause canne ther be but that either they feared that matter that they were not able to aunswere vs or els as by their hast might wel appeare they came not to speake the truthe Beholde Sathan slepeth not Theyr cruel desire to reuenge colde abide no delaye but to condemne vs in post hast before the truth might be thorowly tryed and heard for in all hast we were al thre condemned of heresy vpon fryday This much I thought good to signify vnto your Lordships that you may know the indifferent haÌ„dling of matters leauing the iudgemeÌ„t therof vnto your wisdomes and I besech your Lordships to remeÌ„ber me a poore prisoner vnto the Quenes maiestye and I shall pray as I do dayly to god for the long preseruation of your good Lordships in al godlines and felicity Â¶ A letter wherin he reproueth and condemneth the false and sclaunderous reportes of the papistes which said that he had set vp masse again at Canterburye AS the Deuel Christes auncient aduersary â—s a liar and the father of lyinge Euen so hath he sturred vp hys seruauntes and membres to persecute Christe and hys true woorde and Religion wyth lyinge whych he ceasseth not to doe moste earnestly at this present For wheras the prince of famous memory king Henry the viij seing the great abuses of the latin masse reformed some thing therin in his time also our late soueraign lord king Edwarde the vi toke the same whole away for the manifold errors abuses therof restored in the place therof Christes holy supper according to christs own institutioÌ„ and as the apostles in the primatiue church vsed the same the deuil goeth about by lying to ouerthrow the lords holy supper to restore his latin satisfactory masse a thing of his own inueÌ„tioÌ„ deuise and to bring the same more easely to passe some haue abused the name of me Thomas Archb. of Canterbury bruting abroade that I haue set vp the masse at Canterb. that I offred to say masse at the burial of our late soueraigne prince king Edward the .6 also that I offred to say masse before the Quenes highnes at Paules church and I wote not where And although I haue bene well exercised these xx yeres to suffer beare euill reportes lyes haue bene much greued thereat but haue borne al thinges quietly yet wheÌ„ vn true reports lies turne to the hinderaÌ„ce of gods truth they be in no wise to be suffred Wherfore these be to signify vnto the world that it was a false flattering lying and disseÌ„bling moÌ„ke which caused masse to be set vp there without This was D. Thornton afterward a cruell murderer of gods sainctes of whose horrible ende reade in the boke of martirs Fol. 1706. mine aduise or counsel Reddat illi dominus in die illo And as for offring my self to say masse before the quenes highnes or in any other place I neuer did it as her grace wel knoweth But if her grace giue me leaue I shal be ready to proue against al that wil say the coÌ„trary that al that is said in the holy coÌ„munioÌ„ set out by the most InnoceÌ„t godly prince king Edward the vi in his high court of parliameÌ„t is conformable to the order which our soueraigne Christe did both obserue coÌ„maunded to be obserued which his apostles primatiue church vsed many yeres where as the masse in many things not only hath no fouÌ„datioÌ„ of Christ his apostels nor the primatiue church but is manifestly coÌ„trary to the same coÌ„taineth many horrible abuses in it And although many vnlearned malitioê° do report the maister Peter Mattyr is vnlearned yet if the Quenes highnes wil grauÌ„te therunto I with the sayd mayster Peter Martyr other iiij or v. which I shal chose wil by gods grace take vpoÌ„ vs to defend not only the coÌ„mon praiers of the church the ministration of the sacrameÌ„ts other rites ceremonies but also al the doctrine religion set out by our soueraigne lord king Edward the 6. to be more pure according to gods word than any other that hath bene vsed in EnglaÌ„d this M yeres so that gods word may be the iudge that the reasoÌ„s profes vpoÌ„

agayne The last Lent saue one it chaunced by reason of the tumult stirred vp in Kente there was so manye prisoners in the Tower that my L. of Canterb. M. Lacimer M. Bradforde and I were put altogether in one prison where we remained still almost to the next easter and then we three Caunterb Latymer and I were sodainly sent a little before Gato Oxford and were suffred to haue nothyng with vs but that we caried vpon vs. About the Whitsontide folowyng was our disputations at Oxford after the which was al taken from vs as penne and ynke c. our owne seruauntes were taken from vs before and euery one had put to him a straunge man and we eche one appointed to be kept in seuerall places as we are vnto this day Blessed be god we three at the writyng hereof were in good health and in god of good cheare We haue loked long ago to haue bene dispatched for we were all three on one daye within a day or two of our disputations of D. Weston beyng the head commissioner condemned for heretykes and synce that tyme we remayne as we were of hym leaft The Lordes will bee fulfilled in vs as I doe not doubte but by his grace it shall be to hys glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise the Lord hitherto hath preserued aboue al our expectation our deare brother and in Christes cause a stroÌ„g Champion I Bradford He is likewise condemned and is already deliuered vnto the seculer power writtes as we haue heard say geuen oute for hys execution and called in again Thus the lord so long as hys blessed pleasure is preserueth whom he lysteth notwithstandyng the wonderfull ragyng of the world â–ª Many as we heare say haue suffred valiauntly confessyng Christes truth and nothyng yelding to the aduersary yea not for the feare or paynes of death The names of them which I knew haue now suffered are these Farrer the B. of S. Dauids Hoper the B. of Worceter Rogers tuus olim comprebendarius D. Taylor of Hadley M. Saunders and one Tomkyns a weauer and now this last day M. Cardmaker with an other were burnte in Smithfield at LondoÌ„ many other in Essex kent whose names are writteÌ„ in the boke of life whoÌ„ yet I do not know West your old companion sometime mine officer alas hath relented as I haue heard but the lord hath shortned hys daies This West wheÌ„ he had relented sayd masse against his conscience shortly after pined away and died for sorow for anone he died and is gone Grimbolde was caught by the heele and cast into the marshalsee but now is at liberty agayne but I feare me he escaped not withoute some beckyng and bowyng alas of hys knee vnto Baal My deare frende Thomas Ridley of the Bulheade in cheape which was to me the most faithful frend that I had in my trouble is departed also vnto god My brother Ship syde that hath maryed my syster hathe bene almoste halfe a yere in pryson for deliueryng as he was accused of certain thynges I weene from me but now thankes be to god he is at liberty agayne but so that the bishop hath taken from hym hys parke Of al vs three coÌ„captiues at Oxford I am kept most strait and with least libertie vel quia viro in cuius edibus ego custodior vxordominatur licet modo sit prefectus ciuitatis mulier vetula morosa superstitiosiss quae etiaÌ„ hoc sibi laudi ducit quod me dicatur arctissime cautissime custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est omnibus vxori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quam cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi non nihil posse intelligere quÃ m graue malum intollerabile iugum sit cum mala mulierein coniugio colligari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia a magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis maÌ„datum id quod illi si quando de meanimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo soepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studioruÌ„ statutoruÌ„ reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae deletae omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati euaÌ„gelij fauebaÌ„t vel qui coniugati eraÌ„t loco moti sunt alij papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baall factuÌ„ esse audio Nec miruÌ„ naÌ„ istud passim factuÌ„ est in vniuerso regno angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis prebeÌ„darijs Sacerdotibus ecclesiarum in toto clero and to tel you much naughty matter in a few wordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno fuo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be merciful and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkindnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the giftes of hys manifolde graces and fauour alas we dyd not serue him nor rendered vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors many of vs wer to cold and bare to much alas with the wycked world our magistrates did abuse to theyr owne worldlye gayne bothe gods Gospell and the ministers of the same the people in many places was waywarde and vnkynd Thus of euerye syde and of euery sort we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrathe to fall vppon vs but blessed might he be that hathe not suffred hys to continue in those wayes which so wholy haue displeased hys secrate maiesty but hath awaked them by the fatherly correctioÌ„ of his own sons crosse vnto his glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. My daily prayer is as god doth knowe and by gods grace shal be so loÌ„g as I liue in this world for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your own countrey bicause ye wil rather forsake al worldly things theÌ„ the truth of gods word It is euen the same that I vse to make to God for all those churches abroad through the world which haue forsakeÌ„ the kingdoÌ„ of Antichrist professed opeÌ„ly the purity of the gospel of Iesus Christ that is that god our eternall father for our sauior christs sake wil daily encrease in you the gratious gift of his heauenly spirit to the true setting forth of his glory of his gospel make you to agre brotherly in the truth of the same that there ryse no rote of bitternes amoÌ„g you that may infect that good sede that god hath soweÌ„ in your hartes already and finally that your life may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of

Godes woorde and accordyng to that vocation wherevnto we are called by the Gospell of Christ our sauior that the honesty purity of the same may prouoke al that shal se or know it to the loue of your doctrine and to loue you for your honestye vertues sake and so both in the brotherly vnitye of your true doctrine also in the godly vertue of your honest life to glorify our father which is in heauen Ex nostratibus magni aliquoc magistratus Cancellarius Wint. Comes Arundellus dnÌ„s Pachetusiam legatione fuÌ„guÌ„tur vna cuÌ„ Cardinali Polo in partibus traÌ„smarinis ad coÌ„poneÌ„daÌ„ vt aiuÌ„t paceÌ„ inter imperatorem regem nostrum Francorum regem Post illorum magistratuum nostrorum reditum partum reginae queÌ„ iam quotidie expectamus iam aliquandiu expectauimus quÃ«que deus pro sui nominis gloria dignetur bene illi fortunare nos tunc statim nihil aliud quam nostrae confessionis de hoste nostro antiquo triumphales in domino coronas expectamus Omnium vestrum precibus me humillime ex toto corde coÌ„meÌ„do In primis tuis Ã´ chariss in Christo frater dilectiss Grindalle chariss fratruÌ„ vnice mihi in dnÌ„o dilectoruÌ„ Checi Coxi Turneri Leueri Sampsonis Chamberi omniuÌ„ fratruÌ„ nostroruÌ„ conterraneorum qui apud vos degunt diligunt dominuÌ„ nostrum Iesum Christum in veritate CoÌ„medo etiam vobis reuerendiss patres concaptiuos meos in domino Thomam Cranmerum iam vere magnipastoris Archipresulis nomine digniss veteranum illum nostrae gentis Anglicanae verum Apostolum Christi H. Latimerum Condona mihi frater harum prolixitatem non enim post hac credo chariss frater meis literis iam amplius ali quando turbaberis Oxonij To M. Cranmer and M. Latymer beyng separated from hym and prisoners in seuerall places THe cause of my brothers enprisoÌ„meÌ„t is this so farre as I can perceaue There is a yonge man called M. Grymbolde whiche was my chaplain a preacher a maÌ„ of much eloqueÌ„ce both in the english and also in the Latin To this man beyng desirous of al things which I had written and done synce the beginning of mine emprisonmeÌ„t my brother as is said hath sent copies no more but of all things that I haue done First a litle treatise whiche M. Latymer and I wrote in the toure where is before my my sayings N. R. before M. Latimer H. L. Also an other draught which I drew out of the Euangelists of S. Paul that the words of the lordes supper are figuratiuely to be vnder stand alleaging out of the doctors only vi thre of the greke church which are Origen Chrisost ad Cesa monachuÌ„ Theodoret three of the latin church Tertullian Augustine Gelasius He had of my brother also a copy of my iij. positions to the thre questions here propounded to vs at Oxford theÌ„ also a copy of my disputation in the scholes as I wrote it my selfe after the disputation Item the letter Ad fratres in diuersis carceribus All these thinges they haue gotten of Grymbold as my brother doth suppose not that Grymbold hath bewrayed hym but as is supposed one whiche my brother trusted to carye his letters vnto Grymbolde for it will not synke into my heade to thinke that Grymbold woulde euer playe me such a Iudas part Although these things are chaunced farre otherwise then I had thoughte they shoulde for my mynd was that they shoulde not haue comme abrode vntil my body had bene layd to reste in peace yet truely I suppose this is not thus chaunced without gods graciouse prouidence which he hath ouer al his and I trust that god of his goodnes shal turne it to hys owne glory For it shal euidently appeare to the reader of these thinges whych they haue that the cause why I do dissent from the Romish religion is not any study of vayne glory or of singularitye but of conscience of my bound duty towardes god towardes Christes church and the saluation of myne owne soule for the which by gods grace I wyll wyllingly ieoperd here to lose life lands and goods name and fame and what els is or caÌ„ be vnto me pleasaÌ„t in this world My brother as yet because they nether shewed any comissioÌ„ or authority wherbye they did examine him nor also anye thynge of his letters although they said they had them as yet I say my brother hath confessed nothing But I loke for none other but he shal be forced to tel wher he hadde the copies and where they be and I wylbe content that he shal say the truth that he had them all of me let them come and take them caste them into the fire if god know they wil promote his glory they can do no more then he wil suffer them Bicause in the booke of N. R. and H. L. it is saide in the ende that H L. hath caused his seruant to write it I would Austine should haue word yf any farther search be to kepe hym out of the way God shall rewarde you both for my brother You my Lord of Caunt for your meate and dayly comfort and you father L. for your mony and comfortable messeges I trust in God my brother though he be younge yet wyl studye to learne to beare Christes crosse patienly as a yong Scholer in Christs Schole God encrease his grace in vs all Amen To maister Bradford prisoner in the kinges Bench. WElbeloued in Christ our sauiour we all with one hart wish you with all those that loue god in dede and truth grace and healthe and specially to oure dearely beloued companions which are in Christs cause and the cause both of theyr brethren and of theyr own saluation readye and willing to put theyr necke vnder the yoke of Christs crosse How ioyful it was to vs to heare the reporte of D. Taylor of his godly confession c I ensure you it is hard for me to expresse Blessed be God which was and is the geuer of that and all godly strength and stomacke in the time of aduersity As for the rumors that haue or doe go abroade either of our relenting or massing we trust that they which know god and theyr dutye towardes theyr brethren in Christ wil not be to lyght of credit to beleue them It is not the sclaunderers euell tounge but a mans owne euell deede that can with God defile a man and therfore by gods grace you shal neuer haue cause to doe otherwise then you say you do that is not to doubt but that we will continue c. Like rumor as you haue hearde of oure comminge to London hathe beene here spreade of the comminge of certayne learned men prisoners hether from London but as yet we knowe no certeyntye whether of these rumors is or shal be more true Know you that we haue you in our dayly

and encouraged them to kepe the high way sic currere vti tandem acciperent premium The Lord be his comfort wherof I doe not doubte and I thanke God hartely that euer I was acquaynted wyth hym and that euer I had suche a one in my house Protomartyr is the first Martyr whome he so called because he was the first that suffred here in those bloudy dayes And yet agayne I blesse God in our deare brother and of thys tyme protomartyr Rogers that he was also one of my callinge to be a prebendarye preacher of London And nowe because Grindall is gone The Lord I doubt not hath and koweth wherein he will bestowe him I truste to God it shall please him of his goodnes to strengthen me to make vp the trynytye out of Paules churche to suffer for Christ whome God the father hath annoynted the holye spirite doth beare witnes vnto Paule and al the Apostles preached Thus fare you well I had no paper I was constrayned thus to write To Augustine Berneher BRother Austine I thanke you for your manifolde kindenesse This almes was sent him by the Ladye Katherin Duches of Suffolk to who he wrote againe a worthy letter which is lâ—st and many other writen botâ— to her others I haue receiued my Ladies graces almes sixe Royalles syxe shillinges and eyghte pence I haue written a letter here vnto her grace but I haue made no mention therof wherfore I desire you to render to her grace harty thankes Blessed be God as for my selfe I wante nothyng but my Ladies almes commeth happilye to relieue my poore brothers necessity whome you know they haue cast and kepe in prison as I suppose you know the cause why Farewell brother Austine take good heede I pray you let my brothers case make your the more wary Read my letter to my ladies grace I would maistres WilkinsoÌ„ maystres Warcup had a copy of it for althoughe the letter is directed to my ladies grace alone yet the mater therof pertaineth indiffereÌ„tly to her grace and to all good women which loue God and his worde in deede and truth Yours in Christ N. R. Â¶ To Maistres Glouer a woman zelous and harty in the cause and furtherance of Gods gospell MAistres glouer I wysh you grace peace and although I am not acquainted with you yet neuertheles hearing that your husbaÌ„d master Glouer is in prison for gods wordes sake and also that you are a womaÌ„ harty in gods cause and thirdly that old father Latimer is your vncle or nere cosin whoÌ„ I do thinke the lord hath placed to be his standerd bearer in our age and country agaynst his mortal foe Antichrist I was thus bold to write vnto you in goddes behalf to do accordinge to the report which I here of you that is that you be hartye in Goddes cause and hartye to youre mayster Christ in furdering of hys cause and settinge fourth his souldiours to hys warres to the vttermost of your power Let no carnality nor worldly regard of any thinge set you to declare your trew hart which you are said to beare to your mayster christ aboue all other thinges Be harty nowe also to your husbande and declare your selfe to loue him in God as the true faythfull christiaÌ„ womaÌ„ vnto her husbaÌ„d is bound to do Now seing your husbaÌ„d which is set by gods ordinaÌ„ce to be your head is redy to suffer abide in aduersity by his masters cause to cleaue to his head christ see like wise that you do your dutye accordyngly and cleaue vnto him your hed suffre with him that you maye furder his cause His cause nowe I vnderstande to be Chrystes cause and therefore beware good syster in Chryste that in no wyse ye hynder it Loue so hys bodye and the case and wealthe thereof as youre loue maye further hym to the wynnynge bothe of bodye and soule vnto euerlastynge lyfe And thys loue shall bothe God allowe your husbande shall haue iuste cause to reioyce thereof and all the godlye to commend you therefore and to number you for the same amonge the godlye and holye women of God To youre husbande I haue written more And thus fare you well nowe good deare Sister in our sauioure Christ I was the bolder to write vnto you for that I vnderstoode my dearely beloued brother Austyne whome I call Faustus shouldbe the carier a manne whome I thynke God hathe appoynted to doe much pleasure for hys preste seruauntes to hys warres Yours in Christ N.R. To a frend that came to visite hym in prison but could not speake wyth hym WElbeloued I thancke you hartelye for youre manyfolde kyndnes but the Lorde shal I trust acquite you youre meede Thoughe Sathan rage the Lorde is stronge inough to brydle hym and to put an iron chayne ouer hys nose when it shal please hym In the meane tyme they that are the Lordes wyll flee vnto hym assuredly he wyl not forsake them that seke vnto hym in verye deede and in truthe Thys bearer my manne is trustye you maye sende your token by hym Let Nycolas keepe styll the shyrtes The Lorde rewarde that Ladye VViatte whyche for hys sake hathe thus remembred me I doe not knowe her personne What canne I rendre to maystres Wylkynson for all her benefytes Nothyng surelye but to desyre the Lorde to acquite her with hys heauenlye grace If you tarye I shall haue more to saye to you peraduenture hereafter Nowe Vale in Domino charissime Yours in Christ N. R. Â¶ The manner of D. Ridleyes handlinge in the Scholes at Oxford and of the impudent spite full cruel dealing of the papistes which he set before his disputation by way of a preface and is not vnfitte here to be placed among the letters translated out of his lattin copy into englysh I Neuer yet in all my life sawe or hearde anye thing done or handled more vaynelye or tumultuously then the disputation which was had with me of late in the scholes at Oxford And surelye I coulde neuer haue thoughte that it had bene possible to haue found anye within this realme beyng of any knowlege learning and auncient degree of schole so brasen faced and so shameles as to behaue themselues so vainly and so like stage plaiers as they did in that disputation The Sorbonical clamours which at Paris when popery most reigned I in times paste haue sene might be worthely thought in comparison of this Thrasonicall and glorious ostentation to haue had muche modesty Howbeit it was not to be wondred at for that they which should there haue bene Moderatoures and rulers of others and whiche should haue geuen a good example in woorde grauitye c. 1. Tim. 4. as Paule teacheth gaue worst example of all and did as it were blowe the trompet to other to rayle rage roare and cry out By reason wherof good christian reader it is manifest that they neuer sought for any truth but only for

it and in the steade of Gods holye worde the true and righte administration of Christes holye Sacramentes as of Baptisme and others they mixte theyr ministerye with mennes folishe fantasies and manye wicked and vngodlye traditions withall In the steade of the Lordes holye table they geue the people with muche solemne disguising a thyng which they call theyr Masse but in dede and in truth it is a verye maskyng and mockerye of the true supper of the Lord or rather I maye cal it a crafty iuglynge whereby these false theeues and iuglers haue bewitched the mindes of the symple people that they haue broughte them from the true worshippe of GOD vnto pernicious idolatry and make them to beleue that to bee Christe oure Lorde and Sauiour which in deede is neyther God nor man nor hathe any life in it selfe but in substance is the creature of breade and wyne and in vse of the lordes table is the Sacramente of Christes bodye and bloude and for thys holy vse for the whych the Lord hath ordeyned them in hys Table to represent vnto vs hys blessed bodye torne vppon the crosse for vs and hys bloud there shedde it pleased hym to call them hys bodye and bloude whych vnderstandyng Christe declareth to bee hys true meaning when he sayeth Luke 22. doe thys in the remembraunce of me And agayn Saincte Paule lykewyse dothe set out the same more plainly speakyng of the same Sacrament after the wordes of the consecration sayâ—ng as often as ye shal eate of thys bread and drynke of thys Cuppe â— Cor. 11. ye shall set forthe he meaneth wyth the same the Lordes deathe vntyll hys commyng agayne And here agayne these theues haue robbed also the people of the Lordes cuppe contrary to the playne wordes of Christ written in hys Gospell Nowe for the commen publique prayers whiche were in the vulgare tongue these theues haue brought in agayne a straunge tongue whereof the people vnderstande not one word Wherein what doe they elles but robbe the people of theyr diuyne Seruice wherein they oughte to praye together wyth the mynyster and to praye in a straunge toungue what is it but as Saincte Paule calleth it barbarousnes chyldishenes vnprofitable follye yea and plaine madnesse For the godly articles of vnity in Religion and for the wholsome Homelies what doe these theeues place in the stead of them but the Popes lawes and decrees lying Legendes and fayned fables and myracles to delude and abuse the symplycitye of the rude people Thus thys robbery and thefte is not onelye committed nay sacrilege and wycked spoyle of heauenlye thynges but also in the stead of the same is brought in and placed the abbominable desolacion of the tyraunte Antiochus of proude Senacheryb of the shameles faced kyng of the Babilonical beaste Vnto thys robberye thys thefte and sacrilege for that I cannot consente nor God wyllyng neuer shall so long as the breath is in my bodye because it is blasphemye againste God hyghe treason vnto Christe our heauenly Kyng lord maister and oure onely Sauiour and redemer it is playne contrarye to Gods worde and to Christes Gospell it is the subuersion of all true godlines and agaynste the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule and of all my brethren and systers whome Chryste my Sauioure hathe so dearely boughte wyth no lesse pryce then wyth the effusion and sheddyng forthe of hys moste precious bloude therefore all ye my true louers in GOD my kynsefolke and countreymen for thys cause I say know ye that I am put to deathe whiche by Gods grace I shall wyllynglye take wyth hartye thankes to GOD therefore in certayne hope wythout any doubtyng to receyue at gods hande agayne of his free mercy and grace euerlastyng life Althoughe the cause of the true man slayne of the thefe helpyng hys neyghboure to recouer hys goodes agayne and the cause wherefore I am to bee put to deathe in a generalitye is bothe one as I sayde before yet knowe ye that there is no small difference These theeues against whome I doe stande are muche worse then the robbers and theues of the borders The goodes whiche they steale are much more precious and theyr kindes of fight are farre dyuers These theeues are worse I say for they are more cruelll more wycked more false more deceytfull and craftye for those will but kyll the bodye but these wyll not stycke to kyll bothe bodye and soule Those for the generall thefte and robberye be called and are in deede theues and robbers but these for theyr spirituall kynd of robberye are called Sacrilegi as ye woulde say churche robbers They are more wycked for those goe aboute but to spoyle men of worldlye thynges worldlye ryches gold and syluer and worldlye substaunce these goe aboute in the wayes of the Deuill their ghostlye father to steale from the vniuersall churche and peritcularlye from euerye man all heauenlye treasure true faythe true charitye and hope of saluation in the bloude of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe yea to spoile vs of our Sauiour Christ of hys gospel of hys heauenlye spirite and of the heauenlye heritage of the kingdome of heauen so dearelye purchased vnto vs wyth the deathe of oure Maister and Sauyoure Christe These be the goodes and godlye substaunce whereuppon the Christian before God must lyue and withoute the whiche he cannot lyue these goodes I saye these theues these churche robbers goe aboute to spoyle vs of The whiche goodes as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldlye treasure so to wythstande euen vnto the death suche theues as goe aboute to spoyle both vs and the whole churche of such goods is most hyghe honourable seruice done vnto God These churche robbers be also much more false craftye and deceytfull then the theues vpon the borders for these haue not the crafte so to commende theyr thefte that they dare auouche it and therefore as acknowledgyng themselues to be euyll they steale commenlye vppon the nyghte they dare not appeare at iudgements and sessions where iustice is executed when they are taken brought thether they neuer hange any man but they bee ofte tymes hanged for theyr faultes But these Church robbers can so cloke and coloure theyr spiritual robbery that they can make the people to beleue falshed to be truth and truth falshod good to be euel euell good light to be darknesse and darknesse light superstition to be true religion and idolatry to be the true worshyppe of god and that which is in substance the creature of breade and wine to be none other substance but onlye the substance of Christ the liuing Lord both God and man And wyth this their falshed and craft they can so iuggle and bewitch the vnderstaÌ„ding of the simple that they dare auouch it openly in courte and in towne and feare neyther hanging nor hedding as the pore theues of the borders do but stoute and strong like Nembrothe dare condemne to be burned in

setter forth of Christes Gospell and of Gods true word so I found the and blessed be god so I left thee in deed Wo is me for thee mine own deare Colledge if euer thou suffer thy selfe by anye meanes to be broughte from that trade In thy Orcharde the wals buttes trees if they could speak would beare me witnesse I learned with out booke almost all Paules Epistles yea and I weene all the Canonicall Epistles saue only the Apocalipse Of which study although in time a great part did depart from me yet the sweete smell thereof I truste I shall cary with me into heauen for the profite therof I thinke I haue felte in all my life time euer after and I wene of late whether they abide there now or no I can not tel there was that did the lyke The Lord graunt that this zeale and loue toward that part of gods word which is a kay and a true coÌ„mentary to al holy scripture may euer abyde in that colledge so longe as the world shall endure From Cambridge I was called into Kent by the Archbyshop of Caunterbury Thomas Cranmer that most reuerend father and man of god and of him by and by sente to be Vicar of Herne in Easte kente Wherefore fare well Herue thou worshipful and wealthy parish the fyrst cure wherunto I was called to minister gods word Thou hast heard of my mouth ofttimes the word of god preached not after the popish trade but after the Christs gospel oh that the frute had aunswered to the seede And yet I muste knowledge me to be thy dettour for the doctryne of the Lords supper which at that time I acknowledge God had not reueled vnto me but I blesse God in all that godly vertue and zeale of Gods word which the Lord by preachinge of his worde did kindle manifestly both in the hart and in the life and workes of that godlye woman there my Ladye Phines the Lorde graunte that his worde tooke lyke effecte there in manye other moe Farewell thou Cathedrall churche of Caunterburye the Metropolitike sea whereof once I was a meÌ„ber To speake thinges pleasante vnto thee I dare not for daunger of conscience displeasure of my lord God and to say what lieth in my harte were now to muche and I feare were able to doe thee nowe but little good Neuerthelesse for the frendeship I haue founde in some there and for charitye sake I wishe thee to be washed cleane of al worldlinesse and vngodlines that thou mayste be founde of God after thy name Christes Church in dede and in truth Farewell Rochester sometime my Cathedrall Sea in whome to say the truth I did find much gentlenesse and obedience and I trust thou wilt not say the contrarye but I did vse it to Gods glorye and thine owne profite in God Oh that thou haddest and mightest haue continued and gone forewarde in the trade of Gods lawe wherein I did leaue thee Then thy charge and burden should not haue beene so terrible and daungerous as I suppose verely it is like to be alas on the latter daye To Westminster other aduertisement in God I haue not now to say then I haue sayd before to the Cathedral church of Caunterbury and so God geue thee of his grace that thou mayste learne in deede and in truth to please him after hys owne lawes And thus fare you wel Oh London London to whome nowe maye I speake in thee or whome shall I bid farewell Shall I speake to the Prebendaryes of Paules Alas al that loued Gods worde and were true setters forth therof are nowe as I heare say some burnt and slayne some exiled and banished and some holden in hard prison and appoynted daily to be put to most cruell death for Christs Gospel sake As for the rest of them I know they could neuer broke me well nor I could neuer delighte in them Shall I speake to the Sea thereof wherein of late I was placed almost and not fullye by the space of .iii. yeares But what maye I saye to it beynge as I heare saye I am deposed and expuised by iudgemente as an vniust vsurper of that roome O iudgemente iudgement Can this be iust iudgement to condemne the chiefe minister of Gods woorde the pastoure and byshoppe of the dioces and neuer bringe hym into iudgemente that he myght haue heard what crimes were layde to hys charge nor neuer suffer him to haue anye place or time to aunswere for hym selfe Thinkest thou that hereafter when true iustice shall haue place that this iudgemente canne euer be allowed eyther of God or of manne Well as for the cause and whole matter of my deposition and the spoyle of my goodes whiche thou possessest yet I referre it vnto God whiche is a iust iudge and I beseche God if it be his pleasure that that whiche is but my personall wronge be not layde to thy charge in the latter daye this only can I pray for O thou nowe wicked and bloudye Sea whye doest thou sette vppe againe manye alters of idolatrye whyche by the woorde of God were iustlye taken awaye VVhy haste thou ouerthrowne the Lordes Table Why doest thou daylye delude the people maskinge in thy masses in the steade of the Lordes holye Supper whiche oughte to bee commen aswel saythe Chrisostome yea the Lorde him selfe to the people as to the prieste Howe darest thou denye to the people of Christe contrarye to hys expresse commaundemente in the gospell his holye cuppe Why bablest thou to the people the commen prayer in a straunge tounge wherein Saynt Paule commaundeth in the lords name that no man should speake before the congregation excepte it shoulde be by and by declared in theyr commen tounge that all myghte be edified Naye harken thou whorishe baude of Babilon thou wicked lymme of Antichriste thou bloodye Wolfe whye slayest thou downe and makest hauoke of the Prophetes of God Whye murtherest thou so cruellye Christes poore seely sheepe whiche will not heare thy voyce because thou arte a straunger and will followe none other but they re owne pastoure Christe his voyce Thinckest thou to escape or that the Lord wil not require the bloode of hys Sayntes at thy handse Thy God whiche is the woorke of thy handes and whome thou sayest thou haste power to make that thy deafe dumme God I say wil not in deede nor cannot althoughe thou art not ashamed to call hym thy maker make thee to escape the reuenginge hande of the hyghe and almightye God But be thou assured that the lyuinge Lorde our sauiour and redemer which sitteth on the right hand of his father in glory he seeth all thy wicked wayes and cruelty done to his deare members and he will not forget his holy ones and hys hands O thou whorish drabbe shalt thou neuer escape In steade of my farewell to thee now I saye fye vpon thee fye vpon thee filthye drabbe and all thy false Prophetes Yet O thou LondoÌ„ I may not leaue thee

thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now beinge ioyned in league with the seate of SathaÌ„ thus hath now both handled me the saintes of God yet I do not doubt but in that greate City there be many priuy mourners which do dayly mourne for that mischief the which neuer did nor shall consent to that wickednesse but do detest abhorre it as the wayes of Satan But these preuy mourners here I wil passe by and bid them fare well with theyr fellowes hereafter His farewel to these mourners is in the letter nexte followyng when the place and occasion shall more conueniently require Amonge the worshipfull of the City and speciallye which were in office of the Meraltye yea and in other Citizens also whome to name now it shall not be necessary in the time of my Ministerye which was from the later parte of sir Rowland hilles yeare vnto sir George Barnes yere a great part therof I do acknowledge that I found no small humanity geÌ„tlenesse as me thought but to say the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christiaÌ„ kiÌ„dnes which is shewed in gods cause and done for his sake Wherfore O Dobbes Dobbes Alder man knight thou in thy yere diddest win my hart for euer more for that honorable act that most blessed worke of god of the erection setting vp of Christs holy hospitales truly religions houses which by thee through thee were begon For thou like a maÌ„ of God wheÌ„ the matter was moued for the reliefe of Christes poore selye members to be holpen from extreame miserye hunger and famine thy harte I say was moued with pity and as Christs highe honourable officer in that cause thou calledst together thy Brethren the Aldermen of the City before whome thou brakest the matter for the poore thou diddest pleade theyr cause yea and not only in thine own person thou diddest setforth Christs cause but to further the matter thou broughtest me into the counsell Chamber of the City before the Aldermen alone whom thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I could say as an aduocate by office and duetye in the pore mens cause the Lord wrought with thee and gaue thee the consent of thy brethren wherby the matter was brought to the common counsell and so to the whole bodye of the Citye by whome withe an vniforme consente it was committed to be drawne ordered and deuysed by a certayn number of the moste wittye citizens and politique endued also wyth godlines with ready hartes to setforward such a noble act as could be choseÌ„ in all the whole city they like true faythful ministers both to their city their maister Christ so ordered deuised and brought forth the matter that thousandes of sely poore meÌ„bers of Christ which els for extreme hunger and misery should haue famished and perished shal be relieued holpen brought vp shal haue cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time the common counsell and the whole body of the city but specially thee O Dobbes and those chosen men by whom this honorable worke of god was begon and wrought and that so long through out al ages as that godly work shal endure which I pray almighty god may be euer vnto the worldes ende Amen And thou O Sir George Barnes the truth it is to be coÌ„fessed to gods glory and to the good example of other thou wast in thy yeare not only a furtherer and contynuer of that which before thee by thy predecessor was well begon but also diddest laboure so to haue perfyted the woorke that it should haue bene an absolute thing and a perfect spectacle of true charity and godlines vnto all christendome Thyne endeuour was to haue set vp an house of occupatioÌ„s both that al kind of pouerty beyng able to worke should not haue lacked whervpon profytablye they myght haue bene occupied to theyr own relief and to the profyte and commodity of the commen wealth of the City and also to haue retired thithers the poore babes broughte vp in the Hospitales when they hadde come to a certayne age and strengthe and also al those which in the Hospitalles aforesayd haue bene cured of theyr diseases And to haue brought this to passe thou obteinedst not without great diligence and labor both of thee and thy brethren of that godly king Edward that christian and pierles Princes hand his princely place of Bridewell and what other things to the performance of the same and vnder what condition it is not vnknown That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe the fault is not in thee but in the conditioÌ„ state of the time which the lord of his infinit mercy vouchsafe to amende when it shal be hys grations wil pleasure Farewel now al ye Citizens that be of god of what state coÌ„dition so euer ye be vndoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached My harts desire and dayly prayer shal be for you as for whom for my time I know to my lord God I am countable that ye neuer swarue neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes from Gods holy word and yeld vnto Antichrist wherupoÌ„ must nedes follow the extreme displeasure of God the losse both of youre bodies soules into perpetuall dampnation for euermore Now that I haue gone through the places where I haue dwelt any space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpoÌ„ earth remembringe that for the space of kinge Ewardes raygne which was for the time of mine office in the Seas of LoÌ„don and Rochester I was a member of the higher house of the parliament therefore seing my God hath geuen me leysure and the remembraunce therof I will byd my Lordes of the temporalty farewell They shall haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entende to say in ill parte As for the spiritul Prelacy that now is I haue nothing to say to them except I should repeat again a great part of that I haue sayd before nowe alredye to the sea of London To you therfore my Lordes of the temporaltie wil I speake and this would I haue you fyrst to vnderstande that when I wrote this I loked dayly when I should be called to the chaunge of thys lyfe and thought that thys my wrytyng should not come to your knowlege before the time of the dissolution of my body and soule shoulde bee expired and therefore knowe ye that I had before myne eyes only the feare of God and christian charity towarde you whiche moued me to wryte for of you hereafter I looke not in this worlde either for pleasure or displeasure If my talke shall do you neuer so much pleasure or profite you caÌ„not promote me nor if I displease you ye can not hurte me or harme me for I shall be out of youre reache Now therfore if you feare God and can be contente to heare the talk of him that seeketh nothing at your

hands but to serue God and to do you good hearken what I saye I say vnto you Gala. 3 as S. Paule sayth to the Galathians I woÌ„der my Lordes what hath bewitched you that ye so sodenly are fallen from Christ vnto Antichrist from Christes gospel vnto mens tradicions from the Lord that bought you vnto the bishop now of Rome I warne you of youre perill be not deceyued except you will be found willingly consenters vnto your owne death For if ye thinke thus we are lay meÌ„ this is a matter of religion we follow as we are taught and led if our teachers and gouernors teache vs and leade vs amysse the faulte is in them they shall beare the blame my Lordes this is true I graunte you that both the false teacher the corrupt gouernour shal be punished for the death of theyr subiect whome they haue falsely taught and corruptly led yea his blood shall be required at theyr handes but yet neuerthelesse shal that subiect dye the death himself also Ezech. 3 Luke 6 that is he shal also be dampned for his own sinne for if the blind leade the blind Chryst sayth not the leader only but he sayth both shall fall in the ditche Shall the Sinagoge and the Senate of the Iewes trow ye which forsooke Christe and conseÌ„ted to his death therfore be excused bicause Annas Cayphas with the Scribes and Phareseis and theyr clergy did teach them amisse yea also Pilat theyr gouernour and the Emperours LieuetenaÌ„t by his tiraÌ„ny did without cause put him to death Forsoth no my lords no. For notwithstanding that corrupt doctrine or Pilates washinge of hys hands neither of both shal excuse either that Sinagoge Seigniorye or Pilate but at the Lordes hand for the effusion of that innocentes bloud on the latter day all shall drinke of the deadly whyp ye are witty and vnderstand what I meane Therfore I will passe ouer thys and returne to tell you howe ye arâ— fallen froÌ„ Christ to hys aduersary the byshop of Rome And least my Lords ye may peraduenture think thus barely to cal the byshop of Rome Christs aduersary or to speake it in playne termes to call hym Antichrist that it is done in mine anguish and that I do but rage and as a desperate maÌ„ do not care what I say or vpon whom I do rayle therfore that your Lordships may perceiue my mynd and therby vnderstand that I speake the wordes of truth and of sobrietye as S. Paule sayd vnto Festus be it known vnto your Lord shyps all that as concerning the byshop of Rome Actes 26. I nether hate the person nor the place For I ensure your Lordships the liuing lord beareth me witnesse before whom I speake I do thinke many a good holy manne manye martyrs and Saynts of god haue sitte taught in that place Christs gospel truly which therfore iustly may be called Apostolici that is true disciples of thapostles also that church coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of Christians Apostolike church yea that certayn hundreth yeares after the same was fyrst erected and builded vpon Christe by the true Apostolicall doctrine taughte by the mouthes of the Apostles them selues If ye wil know how long that was and how many hundreth of yeres to be curious in poyntinge the precise number of yeres I will not be to bold but thus I say so long so many hundreth yeres as that Sea did truly teach and preach that gospel that religioÌ„ exercised that power ordered euery thyng by those lawes and rules whiche that Sea receyued of the Apostles and as Tertullian sayth the Apostles of Christ and Christ of God so long I saye that Sea myght wel haue bene called Peter Paules chair and Sea or rather Christs chair the bishop therof Apostolicus or a true disciple successoure of the Apostles a minister of Christ But synce the time that that Sea hath degenerated from the trade of truth and true religion the which it receyued of the Apostles at the begynnyng and hath preached a nother Gospel hath set vp an other religioÌ„ hath excercised an other power and hath taken vpon it to ordre and rule the church of Christe by other straunge lawes Cannons and rules then euer it receiued of the Apostles or the Apostles of Christ which thinges it doth at this daye hath continued so doynge alas alas of to to long a time Synce the time I say that the state condition of that Sea hath thus bene chaunged in truthe it oughte of duty and of ryght to haue the names chauÌ„ged both of the Sea of the sitter therein For vnderstande my Lordes it was neyther for the priuilege of the place or person therof that that Sea and bishop therof were called Apostolike but for the true trade of Christes Religion which was taught and mainteyned in that Sea at the fyrste and of those godly men And therfore as truly iustly as that Sea theÌ„ for that true trade of religion consanguinity of doctrine with the religion docrtne of Christes Apostles was called Apostolike so as truly and as iustly for the contrariety of religioÌ„ diuersity of doctrine froÌ„ Christ and his Apostles that Sea and the byshop therof at this day both ought to be called and are in dede Antichristian The Sea is the seate of Sathan and the bishoppe of the same that maynteineth the abhominations thereof is Antichriste himselfe in deede And for the same causes this Sea at thys daye is the same whiche Saynte Iohn calleth in his reuelacion Apoc. 17 Apo. 11. Babilon or the whore of Babilon and spirituully Sodoma and Egyptus the mother of fornications and of the abhominations vppon the earthe And with thys whore doth spiritually mell and lieth with her and coÌ„mitteth most stinking and abhominable adultry before god all those kinges and Princes yea all nations of the earth which do consent to her abhominations vse or practise the the same that is of the innumerable multitude of them to reherse some for example sake her dispensations her pardons and Pilgrimages her inuocation of sayntes her worshipping of images her false counterfayte religion in her monkerye and frerage and her traditions whereby Goddes lawes are defiled as her massing false ministring of Gods word and the sacrementes of Christ cleane coÌ„trary to christs word and the Apostles doctrine whereof in particularity I haue touched somthing before in my talk had with the Sea of LoÌ„don in other treatises more at large wherein if it shal please god to bring the same to light it shal appeare I trust by gods grace plainly to the man of god and to hym whose rule in iudgemeÌ„t of religion is gods word that that religioÌ„ that rule and order that doctrine faith whiche this whore of Babilon and the beast whereupon she doth syt mayntaineth at thys day withal violence of fyre sword Apo. 17. Daniel 7. with spoile and banishment according

to Daniels Prophecy and finally with all falshed deceyte hypocrysy and all kind of vngodlines are as cleane contrarye to Gods word as darknesse is vnto lyghte or lighte to darkenesse white to blacke or blacke to white or as beliall vnto Christ or Christe vnto Antichrist him selfe I know my Lords foresaw wheÌ„ I wrote this that so manye of you as shoulde see this my writing not beinge before indued with the spirite of grace and the lighte of Gods word so many I say would at these my wordes Lorde like stampe and spurne and spit thereat But sober your selues with pacience and be still and knowe ye that in my writing of this my mind was none other but in God as the liuing God doth beare me witnes both to do you profite and pleasure And otherwise as for your displesure by that time this shal come to your knowledge I trust by gods grace to be in the hands and protection of the almighty my heaueÌ„ly father and the liuing Lorde which is as S. Iohn sayth the greatest of all and then I shall not nede I trow to feare what any Lord no nor what king or prince can do vnto me My Lordes if in times past ye haue bene coÌ„tented to hear me sometimes in matters of relygion before the Prynce in the pulpit and in the Parliament house and haue not semed to haue dispised what I haue sayd when as els if ye had perceaued iust occasion ye might theÌ„ haue suspected in my talk thoughe it had bene reasonable either desire of worldly gain or feare of displeasure howe hath then youre Lordeshyppes more cause to harkeÌ„ to my word to hear me pacieÌ„tly seing now ye cannot iustly thinke of me being in this case appointed to dye and loking daylye when I shall be called to come before the eternall iudge otherwise but that I only study to serue my Lord God and to say that thinge which I am perswaded assuredly by Gods worde shal and doth please him and profite all them to whome God shal geue grace to heare and beleue what I do saye and I doe saye euen that I haue sayd heretofore both of the sea of Rome and of the bishoppe therof I meane after this theyr presente state at this daye Wherin if ye will not beleue the ministers of God and true preachers of hys woorde verelye I denounce vnto you in Verbo domini except ye do repeÌ„t betime it shal turne to your confusion and to youre smarte on the latter day Forget not what I saye my Lordes for Goddes fake forgette not Psal 4. but remember it vpon youre bedde For I tell you moreouer as I know I must be countable of thys my talke and of my speakinge thus to the eternall iudge who will iudge nothing amisse so shall you be countable of your duety in hearing and you shal be charged if ye wil harkeÌ„ to gods word for not obeing to the truth Alas my Lordes how chaunceth this that this matter is now a new agayne to be perswaded vnto you who would haue thought of late but your Lordshyps had bene perswaded in deede sufficientlye or els that ye coulde euer haue agreed so vniformelye with one consent to the abolishmeÌ„t of the vsurpatioÌ„ of the bishop of Rome If that mater were then but a matter of policy wherein the prince must be obeied how is it now made a mater wherin as your clergy sayeth now and so sayth the popes lawes in deede standeth the vnity of the catholike church and a matter of necessitye of oure saluation Hathe the time being so shorte since the deathe of the two last kinges Henry the .viij and Edward his sonne altered the nature of the matter If it haue not but was of the same nature and daunger before God then as it is now be now as it is sayd by the popes lawes and the instructioÌ„s set forth in english to the curates of the dioces of Yorke in deede a matter of necessitye to saluation howe then chaunced it that ye were all O my Lords so lighte and so little passed vpon the catholick faith and the vnity therof without the which no maÌ„ can be saued as for your princes pleasures which were but mortal men to forsake the vnitye of youre catholike faith that is to foresake Christ and his holy gospell And furthermore if it were both then and now so necessary to saluation how chaunced it also that ye all the whole body of the ParliameÌ„t agreing with you dyd not only abolish and expel the byshop of Rome but also did abiure him in your own parsons and did decree in your actes great othes to be taken of both the spiritualty teÌ„poralty whosoeuer shold entre into any waighty charge able offyce in the common wealth But on thother syde if that law and decree which maketh the supremacye of the sea and Bishop of Rome ouer the vniuersal church of Christ a thing of necessity required vnto saluation be an Antichristian law as it is in deede and such instructions as are geuen to the dioces of Yorke be in deede a settinge forth of the power of that beast of Babilon by the craft and falshod of hys false prophets as of truth compared vnto Gods word truly iudged by the same it shal playnly appere that they be then my Lordes neuer thinke other but the daye shall come when ye shal be charged with this your vndoing of that that once ye had well done with this your periury breach of your oth which oth was done in iudgement iustice truth agreable to Gods law The whore of BabiloÌ„ may wel for a time dally with you make you so dronkeÌ„ with the wine of her filthy stewes whoredom as with her dispensations promises of pardon A pena culpa that for dronkennes blinnes ye may thinke yourselues safe But be ye assured when the liuing Lorde shall trye the matter by the fyre and iudge it according to his word when all her abhominations shall appeare what they be then ye my Lords I geue your Lordships warning in time repent if ye be happy and loue your owne soules health repent I say or els without all doubte ye shall neuer escape the handes of the liuinge Lorde for the gilt of your periury the breach of your oth As ye haue baÌ„keted and layne by the whore in the fornication of her whorysh dispensations pardons idolatry such like abhominations so shall ye drinke with her excepte ye repent betime of the cuppe of the Lords indignation euerlasting wrath which is prepared for the beast his false prophetes al their partakers For he that is partner with theÌ„ in they re whoredome abhominatioÌ„s must also be partner with theÌ„ of theyr plagues on the latter daye shal be throwne with them into the lake burning with brimstone and vnquenchable fyre Thus fare ye well my Lordes all I praye God geue you vnderstanding of hys blessed

will and pleasure make you to beleue embrace the truth Amen An other farewell to the prisoners in Christes gospels cause and to all them which for the same cause are exiled and banished out form theyr own country chosing rather to leaue al worldly commodity then theyr mayster Christ FArewel my dearly beloued brethreÌ„ in Christ both ye my fellowe prisoners ye also that be exiled banished out of your countreis because ye wyl rather forsake all worldly commodity then the gospel of Christ Farewell al ye together in Christ farewell be mery for ye know that the trial of your faith bringeth forth patience and pacience shal make vs perfect whole and sound on euery syde and such after trial ye know shal receiue the crown of life according to the promise of the lord made to his derely beloued let vs therfore be pacient vnto the comminge of the Lorde Iacob 5 As the husbandman abideth paciently the former and latter raine for the encrease of his croppe so let vs bee patiente and plucke vp our hartes for the comminge of the lord approcheth apace Let vs my deare brethren take example of patience in tribulation of the Prophetes which spake lykewise Gods worde truelye in his name Let Iob be to vs an example of patience and the end which the Lord suffered 1. Pet. 1. which is full of mercy and pity We know my brethren by gods word that our fayth is much more precious then anye corruptible golde and yet that is tried by the fyre euen so our fayth is therfore tried likewise in tribulations that it may be found when the Lord shall appeare laudable glorious and honorable 1. Pet. 2. For if we for Christes cause doe suffer that is gratefull before God for thervnto are we called that is our state and vocation wherwith let vs be conteÌ„t Christ we knowe suffred for vs afflictions leuinge vs an example that we shoulde folowe his fotesteppes for he committed no sinne nor was there anye guile founde in hys mouth when he was rayled vpon and al to reuiled rayled not again wheÌ„ he was euill intreated he did not threaten but committed the punishment therof to hym that iudgeth a right Let vs euer haue in fresh remembrance those wonderfull comfortable sentences spoken by the mouth of our sauioure Christ blessed are they whiche suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you Math. 5 persecute you and speake all euell againste you for my sake reioyse and bee gladde for great is you reward in heauen for so did they persecute the prophetes which were before you Therefore let vs alwaye beare this in our minds that if any incommodity do chauÌ„ce vnto vs for rightousnes sake happy are we whatsoeuer the world doth think of vs. Luke 21. Christ our maister hath told vs before hand that the brother should put the brother to death the father the sonne and the children should rise against their parentes and kill them that Christs true Apostles should be hated of all men for his names sake but he that shal abide patieÌ„tly vnto th end shal be saued Let vs theÌ„ endure in al trobles pacieÌ„tly after the exaÌ„ple of our maister Christ be coÌ„teÌ„ted therw t for he suffred being our maister lord how doth it not theÌ„ become vs to suffer Luke 6. For the disciple is not aboue hys maister nor the seruant aboue hys lord It may suffice the disciple to be as his maister and the seruaunte to be as his lord If they haue called the father of the family Math. 10. the maister of the household Belzebub how muche more shall they call so theÌ„ of hys household Feare theÌ„ not then sayth our sauiour for all priuities shal be made playne there is now nothyng secrete but it shall be shewed in light Of Christes woordes let vs neyther be ashamed nor afrayde to speake them for so Christ our maister commauÌ„deth vs saieng that I tell you priuily speake openly abroad and that I tel you in your eare preach it vpon the house top And feare not theÌ„ which kyll the body for the soule they can not kill but feare him which can cast both body and soule into hel fire Know ye that the heauenly father hathe euer a gratious eye and respecte towarde you and a fatherlye prouidence for you so that withoute his knowledge and permission nothyng can do you harme Let vs therfore cast al our care vpoÌ„ him and he shall prouyde that which shall be best for vs. For if of ij small sparowes which both are sold for a mite one of them lighteth not on the ground without your father and all the heares of oure head are numbred Math. 10. feare not then sayth oure Maister Christ for ye are more worth then many smal sparowes And let vs not sticke to confesse our maister Christe for feare of daunger whatsoeuer it shal be remembryng the promise that Christe maketh sayeng whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him shall I confesse before my father which is in heauen but whosoeuer shall deny me him shall I lykewyse deny before my father which is in heaueÌ„ Christ came not to geue vnto vs heare a carnall amity a worldly peace or to knitte hys vnto the world in ease peace but rather to separate deuide theÌ„ froÌ„ the worlde to ioyn theÌ„ vnto hymself in whose cause we must if we wil be his forsake father and mother and stycke vnto hym If we forsake him or shrinke from him for trouble or deathes sake which he calleth hys crosse he wyll none of vs we cannot be hys If for hys cause we shall loose oure temporall lyues here we shall fynde them agayne and enioye them for euermore but if in hys cause we wyll not bee contented to leaue nor lose them here then shall we lose them so that we shall neuer fynd them again but in euerlasting death What though our troubles here be painfull for the tyme and the sting of death bitter vnpleasaunt yet we know that they shal not laste in comparison of eternitye no not the twincklyng of an eie and that they pacientlye taken in Christes cause shall procure and get vs vnmeasurable heapes of heauenly glory 2. Cor 4. vnto the whiche these temporal paynes of death and troubles compared 1. Pet. 4. are not to be estemed but to be reioysed vpon Wonder not saith S. Peter as thoughe it were anye straunge matter that ye are tryed by the fire he meaneth of tribulation whiche thyng sayeth he is done to proue you Nay rather in that ye are parteners of Christs afflictions reioyce that in hys glorious reuelacioÌ„ ye may reioice with mery hartes If ye suffer rebukes in Christes name happye are ye for the glory and spirite of god resteth vpon you Ol them God is reuiled and dishonored but of you he is glorifyed Let no man

the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but payneful but afterward it rendreth the fruit of ryghtuousnes on them whiche are exercised in it Wherfore let vs be of good chere good brethren and let vs pluck vp our feble members that were fallen or began to fainte harte handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vprighte and straighte that no lymping nor haultyng bryng vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be presente but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastlye beholde the thynges that bee euerlastyng in heauen and so choose rather in respect of that which is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare christes crosse then for this short life time to enioy all the riches honors and pleasures of the broad world Why shoulde we christians ferre death Can death depryue vs of Christ which is all our comforte our ioye and our lyfe Nay forsothe But contrary deathe shall delyuer vs from thys mortall bodye whyche lodeth and beareth downe the Spirite 2. Cor 5. that it can not so well perceyue heauenly thinges in the whiche so long as we dwell we are absent from God Wherfore vnderstandyng oure state in that we be christians that yf our mortall bodye whiche is oure earthlye house were destroyed we haue a building 2. Cor. 5 a house not made wyth handes but euerlastyng in heauen c therefore we are of good cheare and knowe that when we are in the bodye we are absente from God for we walke by faythe and not by cleare syghte Neuerthelesse we are bolde and hadde rather be absent from the bodye and presente wyth God wherfore we stryue whether we be presente at home or absent abroad that we may always please hym And who that hath true faith in our sauiour Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truly what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternal sonne of God lyfe lyght the wisdome of the father all goodnes al rightuousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that hart can desire yea infinite pleÌ„ty of al these aboue that that mans hart can eyther conceyue or thynke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the father and made of God to be our wisdome 1. Cor. 1. our rightuousnes our holines and our redemptioÌ„ who I say is he that beleueth this in dede that would not gladly be with his maister Christ Phili. 1. Paule for this knowlege coueted to haue bene losed from the body and to haue bene with Christ for that be counted it much better for himselfe had rather to be losed than to liue Therfore these wordes of Christ to the thiefe on the crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace this daye thou shalt be with me in paradise Luke 23. To dye in the defence of Christes gospell it is oure bounded duety to Christ and also to our neyghbor To Christ Rom. 9 1. Iohn 3. for he died for vs rose again the he might be lord ouer all And seyng he dyed for vs we also saieth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our lyfe for our bretherne And this kynd of geuyng and losyng is gettyng and wynnyng in deede for he that geueth or loseth his lyfe thus getteth and wynneth it for euermore Apo. 14. Blessed are they therfore that die in the lorde and if they die in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise than for a momeÌ„t to make the flesh to smart but that our faith which is surely fastened and fyxed vnto the worde of god telleth vs that we shall be anone after death in peace in the handes of god in ioy in solace and that from the death we shall go straight vnto life For S. Iohn saith Iohn 11. Iohn 5 he that liueth beleueth in me shal neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therfore this death of the christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlastynge life Therfore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paule 2. Pet. 1. 2. Cor. 5 a puttyng of of this Tabernacle or dwelhouse meanyng thereby the mortal body as wherin the soule or spirit doth dwell here in thys world for a smal time Yea this death may be called to the christian an ende of all miseries For so long as we liue here Actes 14. we must passe through manye tribulations before we can enter into the kyngdome of heauen And now after that death hath shot hys bolt al the christian mans enemies haue done what they can and after that they haue no more to do What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the ryche mans gate hys former penury and pouerty hys miserable beggerye and horryble sores and sycknes For so soone as deathe had stricken hym with his dart so sone came the angels Luke 16. caried him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What loste he by death who froÌ„ misery payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioye and solace Farewell deare brethren farewel and let vs comfort our hartes in all troubles and in death with the word of God for heauen and earth shall perishe but the word of the lorde endureth for euer Farewel christes dearely beloued spouse here wandring in this worlde as in a straunge land farre from thyn own countrey and compassed about on euery hande with deadly enemies which cease not to assaulte thee euer seekyng thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of god here lyuyng vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true mysticall bodye of Christ the very household and family of god and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewel O thou little flocke of the hygh heauenly pastor Christ Luke 12 for to thee it hath pleased the heaueÌ„ly father to geue an euerlastyng and eternall kyngdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of god thou holy and roi all priesthode thou chosen generation thou holye nation thou wonne spouse Fare wel Farewell N. R. Â¶ This that followeth which he further wrote concerning his cruell handlyng in the scholes at Oxford also of the condeÌ„nation of him O. Cranmer M. Latymer c we would not here omitte though in order in should before haue bene placed next after the preface to his disputation Folio 78. KNow gentle Reader that maister Prollocutour dyd promyse me in the disputations publikely that I should see myne aunswers how they were collected and gathered of the Notaries and that I should haue licence to adde or diminishe to alter or chaunge afterwarde as I should thynke best would make for me to the aunsweryng of the propositions He promised moreouer publikely that I shoulde haue both tyme and

faythe and firme hope of eternall life dearely beloued whiche of long tyme ye haue learned and throughlye perswaded your selues in by the truth vnfallible veritye of the heauenlye worde sealed with christes most precious blood is verye sore and daungerouslye assaulted and by all meanes possible attempted to be taken from you that ye should haue no longer credit to gods truth but beleue maÌ„s lies nor haue you saluation by Christe that once died and offred himself for sinne once for al but that ye should beleue now your saluation in Christ to be manye times offered by wicked men euery day in the abhominable masse to the vtter conculcation and defacing of christes death as the wicked pope and his adherents would perswade you not as Christ your sauiour hath taught you But this sodaine and miserable chaunge from the truth vnto falshode from god Christ to the deuil and Antichrist doubtles coÌ„meth of god for our manifold synnes towardes the heauenly father our shephard that taught vs a long time with his blessed word and we were neither thankefull for it nor yet put our trust in hym as in one that onely could saue and defend his own word but we thought in our folishnes that the world was so much and so many wayes with the word of God that euen by mannes strength it myght haue ben defended wheras the truth of gods word is permanent and neuer fayleth saying Ieremy 17 Psal 30 cursed be they that make flesh their defence shield For as king Dauid when god had broughte him to possesse hys kyngdome peaceably sayde like a foole as he was I shall neuer be more vnquieted but yet the Lord turned his face from hym and he found straight way such an alteration as he neuer founde before with increase of newe daungers more troublous then euer he had before euen likewise wheÌ„ god had geuen vs a blessed and holy king and such maiestrates although they were synners as wished the glorye of god onely to be preferred by true doctrine we lyke carnall men thought our selues so sure and so stablished that it had not bene possible to haue sene such a pitious and myserable chaunge and the truth of gods word so oppressed as we see at this present daye But we be most worthely punished euen the same wayes that we haue offended We dyd put our trust in fleshe and where as Gods spirite in fleshe dwelled as in our holy blessed kyng Edward the sixte he is now dead in the flesh and his holy soule resteth with the heauenly father in ioyes for euer he is nowe I saye taken from vs and cannot helpe vs such as in his tyme seemed much to fauour the glory of god are become gods enemies can both hear other to proced against the glory of god also set fort the same theÌ„selues as much as thei may so that such spirituall and godly persons as sought in the flesh gods glory are taken from vs or els in such case as they can doe vs no good And such fleshe as folowed and loued God in the sighte of the worlde and had great vauntage by hys word are become his very enemies and not only his but also enemies to hys members But yet as kyng Dauyd knew his folish foly and with repentaunce repented and found grace so it may please god to geue vs of his grace holy spirit to amend our faultes in the lyke offence and helpe vs as he did him But doubtles great is our iniquity For there was neuer so great abhomination redde of and so quickly to preuaile as this abhomination of the wicked masse hathe preuailed in Englande And all Christen men knowe that the Turkes and heathen neither haue nor yet had euer any so sensibly knowen and manifest an Idoll Wherfore Vpon this psalme as vpon dyuers other he wrote a godly most comfortable treatise wheâ— unto he annexed this letter as a preface that almighty god of his mercye may preserue his people in this noble City of London I haue write vpon the 23. psal of king Dauid to aduertise men howe they shal beware of heresies and false doctrine and so to lyue to his honour and glorye Albeit I knowe dearely beloued that all those whiche seeke Godes honour and the furtheraunce of his gospel bee accompted the Quenes enemies although we daily pray for her grace and neuer thynke her harme but we must content to suffer slaunder patieÌ„tly to beare al such iniuries Neuertheles this is out of doubt that the Quenes highnes hathe no aucthoritye to compell any man to beleue any thyng contrary to gods worde neyther may the subiecte geue her grace that obedience in case he do his soule is lost for euer Our bodies goods and liues be at her highnes commaundement and she shall haue theÌ„ as of true subiects but the soule of man for religioÌ„ is bound to none but vnto god and hys holy word To a certayne godly woman instructing her how she should behaue her selfe in the time of her widowhode THe grace of god and the comfort of his holy spirit be with you and with all them that vnfainedly loue his holy gospell Amen I thanke you deare sister for yor most louing remembraunce and althoughe I can not recompence the same yet doe I wishe with all my hart that god would doe it requiring you not to forget your duty towardes god in these perilous days in the which the Lorde wyll trye vs. I truste you doe increase by readyng of the Scriptures the knowledge you haue of God and that you diligently applye your selfe to folowe the same for the knowledge helpeth not excepte the lyfe be accordyng there vnto Further I do hartely praye you to consider the state of your widowhode and if God shall put in your mynde to chaunge it remember the sayeng of Saint Paule 1. Corinthians 7 it is lawfull for the widow or mayden to mary to whom they list so it be in the lord that is to say to such a one as is of Christes religion Dearely beloued in Christ remember these wordes for you shal fynd therby great ioy and comfort if you chaunge your state Whereof I will when I haue better leysure as now I haue none at all further aduertise you In the meane time I commende you to God and the guidyng of hys good spirite who stablyshe and confirme you in all well doyng and keepe you blameles to the daye of the Lorde Watche and praye for this day is at hand Yours assured in Christ Ioh Hoper An aunswer to a frende of his for a woman that was troubled with her husband in matters of religion how she should behaue her selfe towardes him THe grace and peace of God our deare father throughe Iesus Christe oure Lord Amen As concerning the party whom you wrote vnto me of I haue here sent you mine aduise and what I thynke is beste in this case to be done Fyrste she shall

and transitorye Happye are we if we departe in the Lorde who graunte vnto you and to all your fellowe prysoners fayth and constancy Commend me to the moste reuerend fathers and holy confessors of Christe D. Cranmer Bishoppe of Caunterburye D. Rydley bishop of London and the good olde father D. Latymer Them and al the rest of the prisoners wyth you for the Lords cause salute in my name and in the name of all my fellowe Ministers the whiche do wyshe vnto you the grace of god and constancye in the truth Concernyng the state of our church it remayneth euen as it was when you departed from vs into your countrey God graunt we may be thankefull to hym and that we doe not onely professe the fayth wyth wordes but also expresse the same effectually wyth good workes to the prayse of our Lord. The worde of god increaseth daily in that part of Italye that is nere vnto vs and in Fraunce In the meane whyle the godly susteyne greuous persecutions and wyth great constancy and glory through torments they go vnto the Lord. I and all my household wyth my sonnes in lawe and kynsmen are in good health in the Lorde They doe all salute you and praye for your constancye beyng sorowfull for you and the rest of the prisoners There came vnto vs Englyshe men studentes both godlye and learned they be receaued of oure Magistrate Tenne of them dwell together the reast remaine here and there with good men Emonges the rest M. Thomas Leuer is deare vnto me and familiar If there be any thing wherin I may do any pleasure to your wife children they shall haue me wholy at coÌ„maundement Wherof I wil write also to your wife for I vnderstand she abideth at Franckford Be strong and mery in Christ waytyng for hys deliueraunce when and in what sorte it shall seme good vnto hym The Lorde Iesus shew pity vpon the realme of England and illuminate the same wyth his holy spirit to the glory of his name and the saluation of soules The Lorde Iesus preserue you and delyuer you from all euill with all them that call vpon his name Farewell and farewell eternally The 10. of October 1554. From Zurich You know the hand H. B. â§ Certayne letters of Doctor Taylor parson of Hadley in Suffolke who by his death martyrdom there witnessed and confyrmed that doctrine which he had before most painfully and faithfullye taughte The 9. of February in the yere of our Lord. 1555. Â¶ To my deare fathers and brethren D. Cranmer D. Rydley and D. Latymer prisoners in Oxforde for the faythfull testimonye of gods holye Gospell RYght reuerend fathers in the lord I wysh you to enioye continually gods grace and peace throughe Iesus Christ and God bee praysed agayne and agayne for thys your most excelleÌ„t promotioÌ„ which ye are called vnto at this preseÌ„t that is that ye are couÌ„ted worthy to be allowed amongest the nuÌ„ber of Christs recordes and witnesses Many professe god ad ignem exclusiue that is in words outwarde profession but few stick to him ad ignem inclusiue that is in dede and in suffring for his sake England hath had but a few learned bishoppes that would sticke to Christ ad ignem inclusiue Once agayne I thanke God hartely in Christ for your most happy onset most valiant proceding most coÌ„stant suffryng of al such infamyes hyssynges clappyngs tauÌ„tes open rebukes losse of lyuyng and liberty for the defence of gods cause truth and glorye I can not vtter wyth penne how I reioyce in my harte for you iij. such captaynes in the foreward vnder Christes crosse banner or standerd in such a cause and skyrmishe when not onely one or ij of our deare redemers strong holdes are besieged but all hys chiefe castels ordeyned for our safegard are trayterously impugned Thys your enterprise in the sight of all that he in heauen of all gods people in earth is most pleasant to behold This is an other manner of nobilitie then to be in the forefronte in worldly warrefares For gods sake praye for vs for we faile not daily to praye for you We are stronger and stronger in the lord hys name be praysed and we doubt not but ye be so in Christe owne sweete schole Heauen is all and wholy of our syde therefore Gaudete in domino semper et iterum gaudete et exultate Your assured in Christ Rowland Taylor Â¶ To a frende of his whiche was desyrous to know the talke that was betwixt him and the Quenes commissioners at the tyme of hys examination WHeras you would haue me to wryte the talk betwene the king and Quenes most honourable councel and me on Tuesday the xxij of Ianuar. this so farre as I remeÌ„ber was the effect therof Fyrst my lord ChauÌ„cellor said you amoÌ„g other are at this tyme sent for to enioy the Kynges and Quenes maiesties fauour and mercy if you wyll now ryse agayne with vs from the fall which we generally haue receiued in this Realme from the which god be praysed we are now clearely deliuered miraculously If you will not ryse wyth vs now and receyue mercy now offered you shall haue iudgement accordyng to youre demerites To this I aunswered that so to rise shoulde be the greatest fall that euer I coulde receiue for I shoulde so fall from my deare sauiour Christ to Antichriste For I doe beleue that the Religion set forth in Kyng Edwardes dayes was accordyng to the veyne of the holy Scripture whiche conteineth fully all the rules of our christian religion from the which I do not intende to decline so long as I liue by gods grace Then maister Secretary Bourne sayd whiche of the religions meane you of in kyng Edwardes dais for you know there were dyuers bokes of religion set forth in hys dayes There was a religion set forth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caunterburye do you meane that you will sticke to that I aunswered my lord of Caunterbury made a Catechisme to be translated into Englishe whiche booke was not of his owne makyng yet he set it forth in his own name and truely that booke for the tyme dyd much good but there was after that set forth by the most innocent king Edwarde for whoÌ„ god be praysed euerlastingly the whole churche Seruice set forthe wyth greate deliberation and the aduise of the best learned men of the realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited accordyng to the rules of our religion in euerye behalfe that no christian conscience coulde be offended with any thyng therin conteyned I meane of that booke refourmed Then my lord Chauncellour saide diddest thou neuer read the booke that I set forthe of the Sacrament I aunaunswered that I had redde it Then he sayde howe likest thou that boke With that one of the Councel whose name I

know not sayde my Lorde that is a good question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then said I my Lorde I thynke manye thinges be farre wyde from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my lord sayd thou art a very varlet To that I aunswered that is as yll as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt betyll browe To that I aunswered I haue redde ouer and ouer agayne the holye Scriptures and Saint Austines workes throughe and Saynct Cyprian Eusebius Origene Gregory Nazianzen with dyuers other bookes through oute therfore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignorauÌ„t Besides these my lord I professed the Ciuil lawe as your Lordship dyd and I haue redde ouer the Cannon law also Then my lorde sayd with a corrupte iudgemente thou readest all things Touchyng my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lorde ye dyd wryte one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscieÌ„ce that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord said tut tut tut I wrote against Bucer in priestes mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maried many yeres To that I answered I am maried in dede I haue had .ix chidreÌ„ in holy matrimony I thanke god this I am sure of that your procedings now at this present in this realme against priestes mariages is the mainteinauÌ„ce of the doctryne of deuils against natural law Ciuil law CanoÌ„ law generall CouÌ„cels CanoÌ„s of the apostles auÌ„cieÌ„t doctors gods lawes TheÌ„ spake my lord of Duresme saying you professed the Ciuil lawe as you saye then you knowe that Iustinian writeth that priestes at their takyng of Orders shoulde sweare that they were neuer maried and he bryngeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I dyd not remember any suche lawe of Iustinian but I am sure that Iustinian writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in cod that if one would bequeath to his wife in his testament alâ—egacie vnder a condition that she should neuer marye agayne and take an othe of her for the accomplyshyng of the same yet she shall marye againe if he dye notwithstandyng the aforesayd condition and othe taken and made agaynst mariage and an othe is an other manner of obligation to God then is a papisticall vowe Moreouer in the Pandectes it is contayned that if a man doe manumit his handmayd vnder a condition that she shall neuer marye yet she maye mary her Patrone shal loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnatural vnlawful conditioÌ„ against matrimony Then my Lorde Chauncelour saide thou sayest that priestes maye be maryed by gods lawe howe prouest thou that I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paule bothe to Timothy and to Titus where S. Paule doth speake most euidently of the mariage of priestes Deacons and bishops And S. Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy saithe it is an heresy to say that a Bishop may not be maried Then my lorde Chauncellour said thou lyest of Chrisostome but thou doest as all thy companions do belye euer without al shame both the scriptures the doctors Diddest thou not also saye that by the Cannon law priestes may be maried which is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I answered we reade in the decrees that the fower generall counsels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesme and Calcedon haue the same autoritye that the foure Euangelistes haue And we reade in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon lawe that the Councell of Nice by the meanes of one Paphnutius dyd allowe Priestes and bishops mariages therefore by the best part of the Canon law priestes may be maryed Then my Lorde Chauncellor said thou falsifiest the generall councel for there is expresse mention in the said decree that priests should be diuorced from their wyues which be maried TheÌ„ sayd I if those words be there as you say theÌ„ am I content to lose thys great head of myne let the booke be fetched Then sayd my lord of Duresme thoughe they bee not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which boke the decree was takeÌ„ Then sayd I it is not like that the pope would leaue out any such sentence hauing such authoritie making so much for hys purpose Then my lord Chauncelor sayd Gracian was but a patcher and thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I aunswered my Lord I can not but maruaile that you do cal one of the chiefe papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my lord Chauncelor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilte thou not returne againe with vs to the Catholike church and with that he rose And I said By gods grace I wil neuer depart froÌ„ Christes church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison And my lord ChauÌ„celor sayd thou shalt haue iudgemeÌ„t within this weke My lord of Durreme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we oughte to preferre gods word before al men And so I was deliuered againe vnto my keper R. T. The copy of a writing that D. Taylour sent to a frende of hys concerning the causes vvherfore he vvas condemned IT is heresie to defend any doctrine against the holy scripture therfore the Lord Chauncelor and byshops consenting to his sentence against me be heretikes for they haue geueÌ„ sentence against the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paule to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly that Byshops priestes and Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of deuilles to inhibite matrimony and S. Paule willeth euery faythfull minister to teach the people so least they be deceaued by the marked marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These bishops are not ignorant that it is not only S. Paules counsel and lawful but gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„t also to marry for such as can not other wise liue chast neither auoyde fornicatioÌ„ 1. Cor. 7 Gene. 2. They know that such as do marry do not sinne They know that god before sinne was ordained matrimony and the in paradise betwene two of his principal creatures MaÌ„ Woman They know what spirite they haue whiche say it is euil to marrye seing God sayd Gene. 2. it is not good for maÌ„ to be alone without a wife hauing no speciall gift contrary to the generall coÌ„maundement and ordinaunce diuerse times repeted in the booke of Genesis Gene. 1. which is to encrease multiply They know that Abraham caried into the land of Chanaan his old yet barraine wife the vertuous womaÌ„ Sara with him Gene. 12. leauing father mother

our swete Sauiour Christ in bearing the crosse it is appointed vnto vs that euen with him also we shall bee glorifyed For it is a true saying 2. Timo. 2 If we be dead with him we shall also liue with him If we be patient we shal also reygne with him 2. Cor. 4. If we deny him he shall also denye vs. Wherefore we be of good cheere alwayes bearyng about in our bodye the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus myght appeare also in our body For we know that he which raysed vp the Lord Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall ioyne vs to himself together with you Wherfore we are not weryed but though our outward man peryshe yet the inward man is renued day by day For our tribulation which is momentane and light prepareth an exceding an eternal weight of glory vnto vs whiles we loke not on the things which are sene but on the thinges which are not sene For the things which are sene are temporall but things which are not sene are eternal We testifie vnto you reuerend fathers Esay 12. that we drawe these waters with ioy out of the welles of the Sauiour And I trust we shall continually with you blesse the Lord geue thanks to the lord out of these welles of Israell Apoca. 19. we trust to be merye together at the great Supper of the Lambe whose Spouse we are by fayth and there to sing that song of euerlasting Haleluyah Amen Yea come Lord Iesu The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christ be with you Amen Â¶ To the professours of the Gospell and true doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in the towne of Litchefelde GRace and peace with continuance in vnfayned fayth and a good conscience be vnto you in Christ Iesu Amen At what time it pleased that gracious god of Abraham Isaac and Iacob wonderfullye to woorke the deliueraunce of their ofspring the Israelites euen as he broughte to passe the same by hys mighty arme so dyd he thereunto admitte mans ministery as his ordinary instrumente and therfore instructed fyrste Moses that faythefull seruaunte of hys what was to be done as also with what chereful courage he should do the same These people by the hand of this Moyses were brought by no smal perils Deut. 34. the mydde way toward their promised patrimonye when as it pleased God to take vnto hym selfe hys seruaunte Moyses from this myserable vale In whose place he appoynted Iosua that worthy leader of the Lordes people who not alonely for his parte dydde boldelye take in hande so daungerous an enterprise Iosua 1. but also wyth earnest studye styrred vppe hys sayde people wyth lusty courage to goe forwarde in the appoynted passage of theyr ieoperdous iourney Yea he was hable abouÌ„dantly to coÌ„fort theÌ„ with such coÌ„fortes as he himself receaued of his god who at sundry tymes assured him therof saying vnto hym thus euen as I was with Moses so wil I be with thee I wil not forsake thee neither leaue thee be thou therfore of good courage and stronge feare not neyther be dismayde for I am with thee in all that thou takest in hande What soeuer thinges be written are written for our doctrine c. Dearely beloued albeit that in these dais it may be sayd truelye that ye haue very fewe suche captaynes to be compared wyth Moyses or Iosua gods synguler iewelles yet that same lord which is no chaungelyng but euen the same mercifull and almightye defendour of all his people at all tymes doth and shall in some degree directe you his chosen children in the highe way toward your heauenly inheritaÌ„ce by the hand of a Moses in some parte resembling these two principal paternes For though we your brethreÌ„ who heretofore by our vocation haue sit in the chayre of Moses and be gostly captaines as Moses and Iosua vnto you though I say we well know and acknowledge how little we haue to boast of as of oure selues yet this we haue to reioyce of in the lord our god that as we haue bene of hym appointed vnto such a place and function so we do not altogether degenerate For first vnto our owne strengthning euen that gratious god whiche byddeth vs to be strong by the operation of his spirit performeth the same in some part in vs al glory be vnto hym therfore Also in the word of the lord we testify vnto you to be stronge in the lorde and shrynke not backe because of the sundrye temptations assaultynge you in the passage vnto your countrey through the wildernes of thys world Be content to be proued as those people were Doe not addict your selues vnto the fantasing of the flesh pottes of Egypte Exo. 16. most vnthankfully relinquishyng the promised possession We geue you to know what warrantise we haue of prosperous successe in suche our procedinges no lesse be ye assured then those former captaynes Moyses and Iosua had For besydes that all the same most comfortable promises which made them their people to be bold to procede in their enterprise do beloÌ„g vnto vs we haue to reioyce in our god for his vnmeasurable mercies more plentifully powred vpoÌ„ vs by that abouÌ„daÌ„t grace in hys deare sonne our christ in whome he offreth vs al fulnes of fauour and beneuoleÌ„ce all readines of deliueraunce appoyntyng all credite wythout care to be geuen vnto such a gouernour Yea and that same hys Christ who is made of hym our annointed sauiour is now become our graunde captayne yea what is he not vnto vs to do vs good He is our shepeheard we be his people and the shepe of hys pasture he is our husband we be hys spouse Iohn 10 Math. 28. He hathe promysed to keepe hys sheepe that none shall snatch them out of hys handes He hath promysed to be wyth hys church alwayes yea and that effectually to be wyth it euen as the heade to geue lyfe vnto the members and parts of the body euen as the vyne stocke to quicken the vyne braunches and euen as the most louyng husband to tender cherish defende and keepe hys welbeloued spouse Let vs be bold to committe our selues vnto suche a safe conductor castyng oure care vpon hym for were it not that he many tymes more careth for vs then we can for our selues it would not be well wyth vs. Full little dyd Peter perceaue any cause of greuance for that perillous fal which after befell Luke 24. But that suffraigne shepeheard before hand espied the spyteful desire of that woluish Sathan to syft his Peter that sely poore shepe and therfore prayed vnto hys father that Peters fayth myght not faynt Such a shepehard shall he be alway vnto his people huÌ„bly complaining vnto him in extreme daungers And great cause haue we so to do consideryng not only the greedy desyre of this Satan most tyrannously ragyng lyke a roaryng Lyon seeking whome he maye deuoure but also the

for I doe dailye twyse at the least in thys sorte remember you And I do not doubt deare wyfe but that bothe I and you as we be writen in the boke of lyfe so we shal together enioy the same euerlastingly through the grace mercy of god our deare father in his sonne our Christ And for thys present life let vs wholy apoynte our selues to the wil of our good god to glorify him either by life or by death and euen that same mercyfull Lord make vs worthye to honour hym eyther way as pleaseth him Amen I am mery I thanke my god and my Christ in whome and through whome I shall I knowe be hable to fyght a good fighte and fynyshe a good course then receyue the crowne which is layde vp in store for me and all the true souldiours of Christ 1. Timo. 4. Wherfore wyfe let vs in the name of our God fyght lustely to ouercome the flesh the deuyll and the world What our harnesse and weapons be in thys kynd of fyght looke the vi vnto the Ephesians and pray praye praye I would that you make no sute for me in any wyse Thanke you knowe whom for her moste swete and comfortable puttyng me in remembraunce of my iourney whether I am passyng God send vs al good spede and a ioyfull meetyng I haue to fewe suche frendes to further me in that iorney which is in dede the greatest frendeship The blessyng of god be wyth you all Amen A prisoner in the Lord. Laurence Saunders Â¶ To hys VVyfe GRace mercye and peace c. Deare wyfe euen that our mercifull God and moste louyng father whom we call vpon daily and of whose mercies we daily taste â—nd who wyl be a most tender father vnto all theÌ„ which hartely turne vnto hym beleue in hym and cast theyr care vpon hym that our good god I say euen for hys sonne our swete Christs sake be your helper and keper Amen Amen And nowe you see hys goodnes towardes you by manye wayes prouokyng you to embrace him as your only god only comfort He is more redy mercifully to receiue you theÌ„ you can be readye to runne vnto hym for helpe He saith by hys prophet I wyll fauour them euen as a father doth fauour hys chyld that offendeth Esay 49. And in an other place is it possible that a mother can forget her childe which she hathe borne If she be forgetfull yet wyl not I forget thee Thus sayth he vnto al such as vnfaynedly seke hym You be in the Lordes bondes and in his blessed tuition I do not doubte Commend your selfe and that which he hath geuen you vnto his mercyfull and blessed wyll and so do I and shall doe by hys goodnes Exercise your selfe in the comfortable remembraunce of gods manyfold mercifull promises Put hym in remembraunce of the same by often prayer and put your whole trust in him who for hys names sake hys promyse sake and for hys Christes sake wyl do that is best for you Commend me to all the godly there Send me word in any wyfe if you lacke Take hede that you be no more chargeable vnto them at whose house you be then you shal fully content them in any wise God kepe you A letter wrytten to Steuen Gardiner Byshop of VVynchester and then Lord Chauncellour as an aunswer to some thyngs wherwith he had before charged hym TOuching the cause of myne imprisonment I doubt whether I haue broken any law either proclamatioÌ„ In my doctrine I did not forasmuch as at the time it was permitted by the proclamatioÌ„ to vse accordyng vnto our coÌ„scieÌ„ces such seruice as was theÌ„ established My doctrine was theÌ„ agreable vnto my conscieÌ„ce and the seruice then vsed He meaneth the publike preaching of gods word in hys owne paryshe This proclamatioÌ„ was to inhibite the preaching of gods holy word The acte which I dyd was such as beyng indifferently weighed sounded to no breaking of the proclamation or at leaste to no wylful breakyng of it for as muche as I caused no bell to bee ronge neyther occupied I any place in the pulpit after the order of Sermons or lectures But be it that I dyd breake the proclamation thys long tyme of continuance in prysoÌ„ may be thought to be more then sufficient punishmente for such a faulte Touchyng the chargyng of me with my religion I say wyth S. Paule Confiteor hoc quod iuxta viani quaÌ„ vocaÌ„t haeresim Actes 24 sic colo patriuÌ„ deuÌ„ credens omnibus quae in lege et prophetis scripta sunt spem habeÌ„s in deuÌ„ c. Quin in hoc et ipse studeo sine offendiculo conscientiam habere erga deum et erga homines semper That is to saye this I confesse that after the waye whiche they call heresy so worshyp I the God of my forefathers beleuyng all thynges whyche are written in the law and prophets and haue hope towardes God c. And herein I endeuoure my selfe to haue alwaye a cleare conscience towardes God and towardes men So that GOD I call to witnes I haue a conscience And this my conscience is not grounded vppon vayne fantasye but vppon the infallible veritye of Gods woorde with the witnessyng of hys chosen churche agreable vnto the same It is an easye thynge for them whiche take Christe for their true pastour to discerne the voyce of their true shepeheard from the voyce of wolues hirelynges and straungers forasmuch as Christ saith Iohn 10 Oues meae vocem meam audiunt That is my shepe heare my voyce Yea and therby they shall haue the gifte to know the ryght voyce of the true shepehard and so to follow hym and to auoide the contrary as he also sayth Oues pastorem sequuntur quia nouerunt vocem eius altenum vero non sequuntur sed aufugiunt ab eo quia non noueruut vocem alienorum That is the shepe follow the shepeheard for they know hys voyce a straunger wyl they not follow but fly from him for they know not the voyce of a strauÌ„ger Such inward inspiratioÌ„ doth the holy ghost put into the children of God beyng in deede taught of god but otherwyse vnhable to vnderstaÌ„d the true way of theyr saluation And albeit that the wolfe as Christe sayth commeth in shepes clothyng yet he sayth ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos That is by their fruites ye shall know them For there be certaine fruites wherby the wolfe is bewraied notwithstandyng that otherwise in sundry sortes of deuout holines in outward shew he semeth neuer so simple a shepe That the Romish religion is rauenyng and woluishe it is apparant in three pryncipal pointes Fyrst it robbeth god of his due and only honour Secondly it taketh away the true comfort of conscieÌ„ce in obscuring or rather burieng of Christ his office of saluation Thirdly it spoyleth god of hys true worship seruice in spirit truth apointed in his prescript coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts

be lose and free Be myndefull of all duety due vnto the Lord aboue Be thankefull for his benefites the pledges of his loue Consyder with your selues I say to sanctifye the Lord In euery place continually by thought dede and by word L. Saunders â§ Letters of that hartie and zelous man of God Maister Iohn Philpot ArchdeacoÌ„ of Winchester who besides the great tyrannye and tormentes whiche he suffered in Boners blynde colehouse and other hys paynfull imprisonments was also most cruelly martyred for the testimony of the Lord Iesus The .18 daye of December in the yeare of our Lorde .1557 Â¶ A letter which he sent to the Christian congregation exhortyng them to refrayne themselues from the Idolatrous seruice of the papistes and to serue god wyth a pure and vndefiled conscience after hys worde IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England the faithles departyng both of men and women from the true knowledge and vse of christes syncere religion whiche so plentifully they haue ben taught do know their own consciences bearyng witnes to the verity therof Hebr. 6. If that earth be cursed of god which eftsoues receiuing moysture and pleasaunt dewes from heauen doth not bryng forth fruit accordyngly how much more greuous iudgement shall such persons receiue which hauyng receiued from the father of heauen the perfitte knowledge of hys worde by the mynistery therof do not shew forth gods worshippe after the same If the lord will requyre in the daye of iudgemente a godly vsury of all manner of talentes whiche he lendeth vnto men and women Math. 25. howe much more wyll he requyre the same of hys pure religion reueled vnto vs which is of all other talentes the chiefest and most perteynyng to our exercise in thys lyfe if we hydde the same in a napkyn and set it not forth to the vsurie of gods glory and edifieng of his church by true confession God hath kindled the bryght lyght of his gospell whyche in tymes paste was suppressed and hyd vnder the vyle ashes of mans traditioÌ„s and hath caused the bryghtnes therof to shine in our harts to th ende that the same myght shyne before men to the honour of hys name It is not only geuen vs to beleue Math 5. Rom. x Math. 12. Luke 12. Math. 7 but also to confesse and declare what we beleue in our outwarde conuersation For as S. Paule wryteth to the Romaynes the belief of the hart iustifyeth to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe It is all one before god not to beleue at al and not to shew forth the lyuely workes of our beliefe For Christ saith either make the tree good and hys fruites good or els make the tree euill and the fruites euil because a good tree bryngeth forthe good fruites so that the person which knoweth hys maisters wyll and doth it not shall be beaten wyth many strypes And not all they which say lord lord shall enter into the kyngdom of God but he that doth the wyll of the father Luke 9 And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me saith Christ and of my words of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before hys father After that we haue built our selues in to the true church of god it hath pleased hym by geuyng vs ouer into the handes of the wicked Sinagoges to proue our buildyng Math. 7. to haue it known aswell to the world as to our selues that we haue ben wise builders into the true church of god vpon the rock and not on the sande and therfore now the tempest is risen and the stormes do mightely blow agaynste vs that we might notwythstandyng stand vpryghte and bee firme in the Lorde to hys honoure and glorye and to oure eternall felicitye There is no newe thynge happened vnto vs for wyth suche tempestes and daungerous weathers the churche of GOD hathe continuallye bene exercised Nowe once agayne as the Prophete Aggey telleth vs the Lorde shaketh the earthe Aggeus 2. that those myghte abyde for euer whyche be not ouerthrowne Therfore my dearely beloued bee stable and immoueable in the worde of god and in the faithfull obseruation therof and let no man deceiue you with vayne words saying that you may kepe your faith to your selues and disseÌ„ble with Antichriste and so liue at rest quietnes in the world as moste men do yeldyng to necessitie This is the wisedome of the flesh Rom. 8 1 Cor. 6. Math. 16. but the wisedome of the flesh is death and enmitye to god as our sauiour for ensample aptely did declare in Peter who exhorted christ not to go to Ierusalem to celebrate the passeouer and there to be slayne but councelled hym to loke better to himselfe Likewise the world would not haue vs to forsake him neither to associate oure selues to the true church which is the body of Christe whereof we are liuely members and to vse the sacraments after gods word with the daunger of our lyues But we must learne to aunswer the world as Christ dyd Peter and say go behynd me SataÌ„ thou sauourest not the thyngs of god Heb. 11. Psa 116. Shal I not drynke of the cup which the father geueth me For it is better to be afflicted to be slayn in the church of god then to be counted the sonne of the king in the Sinagoge of false religioÌ„ Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred but rather to be desired which assuredly bringeth with it the crown of euerlasting glory These bloodye executioners doe not persecute Christes Martyrs but crowne them with euerlastyng felicitye We were borne into this world to be witnesses vnto the truth both learned vnlearned Nowe since the time is come that we must shew our faithe declare whether we wil be gods seruauntes in righteousnes and holines as we haue bene taught and are bound to follow or els with hypocrisy serue vnrighteousnes let vs take good heede that we bee founde faythful in the lordes couenaunt and true members of hys church in the which through knowledge we are ingraffed from the which if we fall by transgression wyth the commeÌ„ sort of people it will more straightly be required of vs thaÌ„ many yet do make accompt therof We caÌ„not serue two maisters Luke 18. 3. Reg. 18 Apoc. 3. we may not halte on both sides and thynke to please god we must be feruent in gods cause or els he wyll cast vs out from hym For by the first commaundement we are coÌ„maunded to loue God wyth all our harte with al our mynde with all our power and strength but they are manifest traÌ„sgressours of this commaundement which with theyr hart mynd or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion contrary to the worde of god in the papistical Synagoge which calleth it self the church and is not As greatly do they offend god now whiche so doe as the Israelites dyd in tymes past by forsakyng

with sulphure brimstone wyth wailing gnashing of teeth world wtout end But yet many wil say for their vain excuse god is merciful his mercy is ouer al. But The scripture teacheth vs that cursed is he that synneth vpon hope of forgeuenes Truth it is that the mercy of God is aboue al his workes and yet but vpon such as feare him for so is it writen in the psalmes Psa 102.146 the mercy of GOD is on them that feare hym and on such as put theyr trust in hym Where we may learne that they onely put theyr trust in god that feare him and to feare god is to turne from euyll and to do that is good So that such as do loke to be pertakers of gods mercy may not abyde in that which is knowne to be manifest euill and detestable in the syght of god An other sort of persons do make them a cloke for the rayn vnder the pretence of obedieÌ„ce to the magistrates whom we oughte to obey althoughe they bee wycked But such muste learn of Christ to geue to Cesar that is Cesars and to god that is due to god Luke 20. 1. Peter 2. and wyth S. Peter to obey the hygher powers in the Lord albeit they be euill if they coÌ„maund nothing contrary to gods worde otherwise we oughte not to obey theyr commaundementes although we should suffer death therfore as we haue the apostles for our example herein to follow who answered the magistrates as we ought to doe in this case not obeying their wicked preceptes saying iudge you whether it bee more ryghteous that we shoulde obeye men rather then GOD. Actes 4. Daniel 6. Math. 15 Also Daniell chose rather to bee cast into the denne of Lyons to be deuoured theÌ„ to obey the kynges wycked commaundements If the blynde leade the blynde both fall into the ditche There is no excuse for the transgression of gods woorde whether a man doe it voluntarily or at commaundemente althoughe greate damnation is to them by whom the offence coÌ„meth Some other there be that for an extreme refuge in their euill doyngs do run to gods predestination and election saying that if I be elected of god to saluatioÌ„ I shal be saued whatsoeuer I do But such be great temptours of God and abhominable blasphemours of gods holy election and caste themselues downe from the pynacle of the temple in presumptioÌ„ that god may preserue them by his aungels through predestination Such verily may recken themselues to be none of gods elect childreÌ„ that wil do euill that good may ensue whose damnation is iust as S Paule faith Gods predestination and election ought to be with a symple eye considered Rom. 3. to make vs more warely to walke in good and godly conuersation according to Gods woorde and not to set cocke in the hoope and put all on Gods backe to doe wickedly at large for the elect children of God muste walke in ryghteousnes and holynes after that they be once called to true knowledge for so sayeth Sainte Paule to the Ephesians Ephe. 1. that God hath chosen vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde that we shoulde be holy and blameles in his sight 2. Peter 1. Therefore Saint Peter willeth vs through good works to make oure vocation and election certayne to oure selues whiche we knowe not but by the good workyng of Gods spirite in vs according to the rule of the Gospel and he that transformeth not him selfe to the same in Godly conuersation may iustlye tremble and doubte that he is none of the electe children of God but of the viperous generation a child of darkenes For the children of lyghte will walke in the workes of lyghte and not of darkenes thoughe they fall Proue â—4 Iohn 12 they do not lye still Let all vayne excusations be set a part and whyles ye haue lyghte as Christe commaundeth beleue the lyghte and abide in the same Iohn 3. least eternall darkenes ouertake you vnwares The lyghte is come into the worlde but alas men loue darkenes more then the lyght God geue vs hys pure eyesalue to heale oure blyndnes in thys behalfe O that men and women woulde be healed and not seeke to bee wilfully blynded The Lord open their eyes Heb. 6.10 â–ª that they maye see howe daungerous a thynge it is to declyne from the knowledge of truth contrarye to theyr conscience But what sayde I conscience manye affirme theyr conscience will beare them well enoughe to doe all that they doe and to goe to the Idolatrous Churche to seruice whose conscience is verye large to satisfye man more than God And although theyr conscience can beare them so to doe yet I am sure that a good conscience will not permitte them so to doe whiche can not bee good vnlesse it bee directed after the knowledge of Gods word and therfore in Latyn thys feelyng of mynde is called Conscientia whiche soundeth by interpretation with knowledge And therefore if oure conscience bee ledde of her selfe and not after true knowledge yet we are not so to bee excused as Sainte Paule beareth witnes saying 1. Cor. 4. 1. Timo 1. althoughe my conscience accuseth me not yet in thys I am not iustifyed And he ioyneth a good conscience with these three sisters charitye a pure hart and vnfayned fayth Charitie kepeth Gods commaundementes a pure harte loueth and feareth God aboue all and vnfayned fayth is neuer ashamed of the profession of the Gospell what soeuer damage she shall suffer in bodye thereby The Lorde whiche hath reuealed hys holy wil vnto vs by hys woorde graunte vs neuer to bee ashamed of it and geue vs grace so earnestlye to cleaue to hys holye woorde and true Churche that for no manner of worldlye respecte we become partakers of the workes of hipocrisye whiche God doth abhorre so that we may be founde faythfull in the Lordes Testamente to the ende both in harte word and deede to the glorye of God and oure euerlasting saluation Amen Iohn Philpot prisoner in the Kinges Benche for the testimonye of the truth 1555. To hys deare frende in the Lorde Iohn Careles prisoner in the kings Bench. MY dearely beloued brother Careles I haue receaued your louing letters ful of loue coÌ„passioÌ„ in so much that they made my hard hart to wepe to see you so careful for one that hath bene so vnprofitable a member as I haue bene am in Christes Church God make me worthye of that I am called vnto and I pray you cease not to pray for me but cease to weepe for hym who hath not deserued suche gentle teares and prayse God with me for that I now approch to the coÌ„pany of them whose want you may worthely lament god geue your pitiful hart his inward consolation In dede my deare Careles I am in this worlde in hell in the shadowe of death but he that hath brought me for my desertes down vnto hell shall shortly lift

downe to hel and fetcheth vp agayne Praysed be that Lord for euer yea praysed be hys name for that he hath geuen me true experience and liuely feling of the same Blessed be the lord god whose mercy endureth for euer whiche hath not dealt with me according to my deepe desertes nor destroyed me in hys dyspleasure when I had iustly deserued it Oh what rewarde shal I geue agayne vnto the Lorde for all the great benefites that he hath done for my soule I will gladlye receyue the cup of saluation at his hande and will worshippe his name with prayer and with prayse Ah my deare hart yea most deare vnto me in the lord thynke not this sodaine chaunge in me to be some fickle phaÌ„tasy of my folish head as in dede some other would surelye suspect it to be for doutles it is the meruelous doynge of the Lord most mercifull vnto me hys vnworthye creature God for his great mercy sake geue me grace to be more than full vnto him then I heretofore haue ben and kepe me that I neuer fall forth of hys fauour agayne And now my deare brother most blessed messenger of the lord whose beautifull feete haue brought much glad tydings vnto my soule what shall I do or say vnto you in the leaste parte to recompence your fatherly affection and godly care that you continually kepe for me Oh that god would geue me the spirite of feruent prayer that I might yet that waye supplye some little part of my duty toward you Ah my true louyng frend how sone did you lay aside all other busines to make a swete plaister for my wounded conscience yea and that out of a painfull payre of stockes which place must nedes be vneasye to wryte in But god hath brought you into a strait place that you might set my soule at libertye Out of your pynchyng payneful seat you haue plentifully powred vpon me your precious narde the swete sauour wherof hath greatly refreshed my tired soule The lord likewyse refresh you both bodye and soule by powring the oyle of his gratious Spirite into yours swete hart Ah good Ieremy Ieremy 20 hath Phasure put thee in the stockes Why now thou hast the ryghte rewarde of a prophet Thy glory neuer began to appeare vntil now I dout not but shortly in stede of Ahikam the sonne of Saphan Ieremy 26 Iesus the sonne of the liuyng god will come and deliuer thee forth of the hands of all thine enemies wil also make good against theÌ„ the Antichristian Sinagoge al the wordes that thou hast spoken in hys name Ieremy 1. The lord hath made thee this day a strong defeÌ„ded Tower an iron pyller and a brasen wall against the whole rable of Antichrist and though they fyghte against thee neuer so fiercely Ieremy 15. yet shall they not ouercome thee for the Lord himselfe is with thee to helpe and delyuer thee and he will ridde thee out of the handes of the wycked wyll delyuer thee out of the hands of the tyraÌ„nes And in that you are not busy in casting pearles before swine Math. 7 nor in geuing holy things vnto dogs you are much to be commended in my simple iudgement And sure I am that your circumspect and modest behauiour hytherto hath bene as much to gods glory confusion of your enemies as any mans doinges that are gone before you Wherfore myne aduise most earnest desyre is wyth all other of your louyng frendes that you styll keepe that order with those bloodthursty byshoppes that you haue begonne For though in conclusion they wyll surely haue your blood yet shall they come by it wyth shame enough and to their perpetuall infamy whiles the world doth indure They would in dede condemne you in hugger mugger to darken gods glory if it might be but Sathans thoughtes are not vnknowen to you and the depthe of hys subtiliy is by you wel foreseene Therfore let them do whatsoeuer god shall suffer them to do for I know al thynges shall turne to your best Though you lye in the darke storryed wyth the bishoppes blacke cole dust yet shall you shortly be restored to the heauenly light psal 68 and made as whyte as snowe in Salmon and as the wyngs of a Doue that is couered wyth siluer wings and her fethers lyke golde You knowe the vessell before it is made bright is soyled wyth oyle and other thinges that it may scoure the better Oh happy be you that you be nowe in the scouryng house for shortly you shall be set vpon the celestial shelfe as bryght as aungels Therefore my deare harte I wyll nowe accordyng to your louyng requeste caste awaye all care and reioyse wyth you and prayse GOD for you and praye for you day and nighte Yea I will nowe with Gods grace synge psalmes of prayse and thankesgeuyng with you for nowe my soule is turned into her olde rest agayne and hath taken a swete nappe in Christes lappe I haue cast my care vpon the Lorde which careth for me and wyll be Careles accordyng to my name in that respecte whiche you woulde haue me I wyll leaue out my vnsemely addition as long as I lyue for it can take no place where true faythe and hope is residente So soone as I had red your most godly and comfortable letter my sorrowes vanished away as smoke in the wynde my spirite reuiued and comfort came agayne wherby I am sure the spirite of god was author of it Oh good maister Philpot which art a pryncipall potte in dede sylled with most precious lycour as it apeareth by the prenceous powryng forthe of the fame oh pot most happy of the high potter ordayned to honour whiche doest contayne such heauenlye treasure in thy earthen vessell oh potte chryse happy in whom Christ hath wrought a great myracle altering thy nature and turnyng water into wyne and that of the best whereout the maister of the feast hath fylled my cup so full that I am become dronken in ioy of the spirite through the same when Martyrdome shall breake thee O vessell of honour I knowe the fragraunce sauoure of thy precious narde wyll much reioyce the heauy hartes of Christes true members although the Indasses wyll grudge murmure at the same yea and burst out into wordes of slaunder saping it is but lost and waste Be not offended deare harte at my Metaphoricall speache for I am disposed to bee merye and with Dauid to daunce before the Arke of the Lord and though you play vpoÌ„ a payre of Organes not very comely or easy to the flesh yet the swete sound that came from the same causeth me thus to do O that I were with you in body as presently I am in spirite that I might syng all care awaye in Christe for now the tyme of comforte is come I hope to be wyth you shortlye if all thinges happen arighte for my olde frendes of Couentrye haue put the Counsell in

remembraunce of me not sixe dais ago saying that I am more worthy to be burnt then any that was burned yet Gods blessyng on their hartes for their good reporte GOD make me worthye of that dignitie and hasten the tyme that I might set forthe hys glorye Praye for me deare harte I beseâ—h you and will all your company to doe the same and I wil pray GOD for you all so longe as I liue And now farewell in Christe thou blessed of gods owne mouthe I wil for a time take my leaue but not my last farewell Blessed be the tyme that euer I came into the kynges Benche to bee ioined in loue and fellowship with such deare childreÌ„ of the lord My good brother Bradford shal not be deade whyles you be alyue for verelye the spirite of hym dothe teste on you in most ample wyse Your letters of comforte vnto me in eche poynt do agree as though the one were a copy of the other He hath planted in me and you doe water the Lorde geue good increase My deare brethreÌ„ and fellow prisoners here haue them humbly and hartely commended vnto you and your company mournyng for your miserye but yet reioysing for your plenteous consolation and comfort in Christ We are all cherefull and mery vnder our crosse and do lack no necessaries praised be god for his prouidence and great mercyes towardes vs for euermore Amen Iohn Careles Â¶ To certayne godly women forsakyng theyr owne countrey and goyng beyond the seas in the tyme of persecution for the testimony of the Gospell THe spirite of truth reueled vnto you my derely beloued by the gospell of our sauiour Iesus Christ be continually abidyng with you and augmented into a perfecte buildynge of you into the lyuely temple of God throughe the mighty operation of his power Amen I read in the Euangelists of certain godly women that ministred vnto Christ followyng hym in the dayes of his passion and neuer forsooke hym but beyng dead in hys graue brought oyle to annoynt him vntil that he had shewed himself vnto them after hys resurrection and hydden them shewe vnto hys disciples which at his passion were dispersed and tell them that he was rysen and that they should see him in Galile To whom I may iustly compare you my louing systers in Christ who of late haue sene hym suffer in hys members and haue ministred to their necessity annointing them with the comfortable oyle of your charitable assistance euen to the death and now since ye haue sene Christ to liue in the ashes of them whom the tyrannes haue slayne he wylleth you to go away vpon iust occasion offered you to declare to our dispersed brethren and systers that he is risen and liueth in hys elect members in England and by deathe doth ouercome infidelitye and that they shall see hym in Galile which is by forsakyng this world and by a faythfull desyre to passe out of this world by those wayes which he with his holy martyrs hath gone on before God therfore entier systers direct your way as he dyd Abraham and Tobias vnto a strauÌ„ge land God geue you helth both of body soule that ye may go from vertue to vertue grow froÌ„ streÌ„gth to strength vntyl ye may see face to face the god of Sion in his holy hyl with the innumerable coÌ„pany of hys blessed Martyrs and Sainctes Let there be continuall ascensions vnto heaueÌ„ in your hartes Let there be no decrease of any vetue which is already planted in you Be as the light of the iust such as Salomon sayth increaseth to the perfect day of the Lorde Let the strength of god be coÌ„mended in your weake vessels as it is Be examples of faythe and sobrietie to all that ye shall come in company withall Let your godly conuersation speake where your tonge may not in the congregation Be swift to heare and slow to speake after the counsell of S. Iames. Be not curious about other mens doings but be occupied in prayer and continuall meditation wyth reuerent talkyng of the worde of God without contention amongest the sainctes Let your faythe shine in a straunge countrey as it hathe done in your owne that your father which is in heauen may be glorified by you to the end This farewell I send you not as a thyng nedefull which know alredy what your duety is and be desirous to performe the same but as one that woulde haue you vnderstand that he is myndefull of your godly conuersation whereof he hathe had good experience and therefore wryteth this to bee as a perpetuall memoriall betwixt you and hym vntyll our metyng together before god where we shall ioy that we haue here louyngly put one another in memory of our duetye to performe it Farewell agayne myne owne bowels in christ and take me with you wheresoeuer you goe and leaue your selues with me that in spirite we may be present one wyth another Commend me to the whole congregation of christ wyllyng them not to leaue their countrey without witnes of the Gospell after that we all be slayne which already be stauled vp and appoynted to the slaughter and in the mean season to pray earnestly for our constancy that Christe may be glorified in vs and in them both by lyfe and death Farewell in the Lorde Yours for euer Iohn Philpot. Â¶ An exhortation to a Syster of hys constantlye and cherefully to stick to the truth and to abide the triall of that doctrine which she had fruitefullye professed GOd the eternall father who hath iustifyed you by the bloode of hys sonne Iesus Christe and calleth you to hallowe hys name thoroughe a good conuersation and profession of lyfe he sanctifye you with daily encrease of vertue and fayth by his holy spirite that you may appeare a vessell of sanctification in the myddest of thys wycked and peruerse generation to the lande and prayse of the Gospell Amen I haue occasion myne own deare syster to prayse God in you for two causes the one that to your habilitie you are readye to shewe your selfe a naturall louyng syster vnto me your poore afflicted brother as by your gentle tokens you haue eftsones testified beyng absent as also presently visityng me which well declareth that you be a verye naturall syster in dede and to be praysed in this behalfe But in the other that you be also a syster to me in faythe after Christes gospell I am occasioned to thanke god so muche the more how much the one excelleth the other and the spiritual consaÌ„guinity is more perdurable then that which is of flesh and bloode and is a worker of that whyche is by nature for coÌ„monly such as be vngodly be vnnaturall and onely louers of themselues as daily experience teacheth us The lyuyng lord which throughe the incorruptible seed of hys worde hath begotten you to be my liege syster geue you grace so to grow in that generation that you may encrease to a perperfecte age in the lord to be

2â— but the spirite sayth it must be brought whether it would not Here is the victory of the world here is true fayth euerlasting glory Who is he which desireth not to be fouÌ„d faithful to his maister And now is the time that euery faithfull seruaunt of Christ hath iust oportunitie to shew himself a glorious soldiour in the Lords sight Now do the Amalachites inuade the true Israelites that the Israelites might with spede be glorified I nede not for want of vnderstaÌ„ding to admonish you here of but as a willing souldiour in Christ to exhorte you so to runne as you may get the victory and that spedely with vs. A man that is bydde to a glorious feast wysheth hys frend to go with him and to be partaker therof God doth call me most vnworthye among other to drinke of the bridecup of his sonne wherby we shal be made worthy as many of our brethren haue bene before vs to sit at the ryght hand and at the left hand of Christ O what vnspeakeable conditioÌ„ is that may any worldly thing stay vs froÌ„ the desire thereof Since we seke the kyngdome of God why do we not apprehende it being so nere offred vnto vs Let vs approche nere vnto God and god wil drawe nere vnto vs. God drawe vs after hym that we may all runne after the sauoure of hys sweete oyntmentes Christ annoynt vs that we may be suppled in these euil dayes to runne lyghtly vnto the glory of the lord Shame imprisonment losse of goodes and sheeding of our blood be the iust price which we must willingly bestow for the same Wherfore dearly beloued in the Lorde let not the great charges kepe you backe from bying this glory for the reward is ten thousand told greater thaÌ„ the price That you haue maried a wife whom God blesse I can not excuse you from this marte but you must bring your wife for a vsurye to the Lord whose pleasure is in godlye yokefellowes I wishe you to be as I am excepte these horrible bandes but yet most comfortable to the spirite assuring vs that we are made worthy through Christ of the kingdome for the which we suffer Praysed be the Lord for the afflictioÌ„ which we suffer he geue vs strength to continue to the ende CoÌ„mende me to M. Heath and tel him that I would wishe hym with me to proue how apt he is to cary the crosse of Christ I pray for his continuance in Christ as for myne owne Commend me to his wife and to Maistres Hall certefiyng them that I am broughte to the gates of hell that I mighte neuer enter into the same but bee raysed vppe from hell to heauen through the word that sanctifyeth vs. Commend me to M. Elsinge his wife and thanke them that they remembred to prouide me some ease in prison and tel them that though my Lords Colehouse be but very blacke yet it is more to be desyred of the faythful then the Queenes palace God make her a ioyful mother and preserue them both to the comforte of Gods people Thus for this time farewel deare brother Written in post hast bicause of straite keping This day I loke to be called before the commissioners againe Pray deare brother for the spirite of wisedome to remaine with me CoÌ„mende me to your wife I thanke you both for your tokeÌ„s Your token I haue sent to your wife my tokeÌ„ vnto you is my faythful hart with this letter CoÌ„mend me to al my frendes tel them I thanke God I am chereful in Christ wishing them to feare god more then maÌ„ and to learne to despise earnestly the vanities of this world desiring you al to pray for me that I may ende my iourney with fidelitie Amen Iohn Philpot. To Maister Robert Glouer prisoner in Couentrye for the mayntenaunce of Gods Gospel THe knowledge of god which hath illightned your mynde with the true religion of Christ and now doth in the beginning of darkenes shine in you to the coÌ„mendation of your true faith to the streÌ„gthning of many weake brethren remain with you to the ende through the mighty operatioÌ„ of the holy ghost AmeÌ„ It is a singular comfort to the afflicted flock of Christ to behold such as haue bene ministers and professours of his truth in religioÌ„ to stand in the same that in the tyme of persecution wheÌ„ as the same may not be abidden by before the face of the ryche mighty in this world to be preached without present dauÌ„ger So Paule willeth Timothe both in season out of season to be earnest in sowing the worde And praysed be God that we here in prison for the testimony therof doe heare of your diligence in this behalfe which cease not to do the office of an Euangeliste although it be with dauÌ„ger of afflictioÌ„ Such faythful ministers be to be honoured that do submitte their own heades to peril for the loue of the gospel Such Christ wil acknowledge and confesse before his father in heauen that they are those which haue biddeÌ„ with him in temptations â–ª therefore shall eate and drinke with him at his table in the kingdome of heauen I thought it therfore my dutie at the motion of this bearer albeit I haue no bodily acquaintance with you to exhort you as s Paul willeth vs to exhort one an other as long as we are in this life boldly to continue in this good necessary worke of the Lord specially in these euil daies in the which Sathan rageth against the church of Christ daily imprisoneth and robbeth the members therof for their faythfull testimonye and be you assured he will not leaue you vntouched for aboue all other he seeketh to suppresse the good ministers of the woorde for they bee such as haue destroyed his kingdome but you muste not for feare of his odious and tedious assaultes withdraw your selfe from your vocation but rather prouoke him by your constant profession to do his worst knowing that the same shall turne vnto you to the best euen to the crowne of your glory There is none crowned but suche as holde out to the gole end and therefore our sauiour Christ sayth in the gospell Beatus qui perseuerat vsque in finem You ruÌ„ne wel god is praysed therin the afflicted church much comforted by so faythfull a captayne runne out therfore as I doubt not you wil and feare nothing of that you shall suffer for your laboure for if you be faythful vnto death you shal assuredly haue the reward of eternal lyfe Many go on wel til they come to the pikes and then they turne their backes and geue ouer in the plaine field to the shame of Christ and his church that hath so faynte harted soldiours in his host at the time of nede in that which his glory ought most maÌ„fully to be shewed I done not but you haue alredy cast the price of thys your building of the house of god that it is

was alowed therein Bee not deceyued good Syster wyth the perswasible wordes of man neyther be afrayd of his threates Followe the Gospell of Christe accordynge to true knowledge and feare to doe that whyche by the same is straightlye forbydden you Tempte not GOD anye longer by thys euyll doynge for you can doe nothynge more haynous in hys syghte Lette thys haltyng bee healed vppe and turne not from the ryghte wayes of the Lord. Be not ashamed of his gospel neither of the crosse which is the badge of the true and vnfayned professons therof whyche you see now hys faythefull praised be his name therfore are so wel content and wyllyng to beare but rather as you are called take vppe your crosse and be assured thereby to enter into Christes glorye for onlesse we suffer wyth hym we shall not raygne wyth hym and yf we dye not with Christ we shall not lyue wyth Christe The crosse nowe is the redye way to heauen therfore I wish you should choose to be afflitted with the people of god rather then to liue in the tabernacles of the wicked Do not any more that whych of all thynges ye haue now most cause to repent neyther lay daily the foundation of repentance but let this fal be a teaching vnto you of the wante of faythe whyche is in you and so become more feruente in prayer and godlye exercises that wyth thys newe yeare ye maye become a newe woman in a godlye and newe perfection the whyche GOD for hys mercies sake in Christ worke bothe in you and me to the ende Amen VVritten in hast by your brother in captiuity Iohn Philpot. Â¶ To a faythful woman and late wyfe to one of the bishops which gaue theyr liues in the Lordes quarell REmember deare Syster that your lyfe in this world is a continual warfare to fight against the world the flesh and the deuil in the which you are apointed for the tryal of your faith loue to godt to fight manfully to ouercom for the spirit of god which is in you is stroÌ„ger theÌ„ he which is in the world by this you may know that you are the child of god euen by the spirit which striueth in you against the flesh sinne wil not suffer sinne to raigne in you This spirit is obtained by often and daylye readynge and hearynge the woorde of GOD ioyned with faithful and hartye prayer for diligent readyng of Gods worde planteth the holy spyryte in you and earneste prayer encreaseth the same Reade therefore the worde studiouslye and praye hartelye that the same good gyfte of faythe whiche you haue learned of youre faythefull husbande and good bishop in the Lorde who hath gloriouslye yelded hys lyfe for the same maye be confyrmed in you euen vnto deathe that you may receyue the same crowne of glorye whiche he nowe hathe for precious is the deathe of the faythfull in the Lordes syghte therefore desire still to dye to the Lorde and be glad to be poore both in bodye and spirit and thus assure your selfe the kyngdoÌ„ of heauen is yours Your owne in the Lord Iohn Philpot. â§ Letters of Maister Iohn Bradforde a faythfull Minister and a synguler pyller of Christes churche by whose greate trauailes and diligence in preaching and plaÌ„ting the syncerity of the gospel by whose most godly and innocent lyfe and by whose long and payneful imprisonments for the maintenance of the truth the kyngdom of god was not a litle aduauÌ„ced who also at last most valiaÌ„tly cherefully gaue his blood for the same The .4 day of Iuly In the yere of our Lord. 1553. Â¶ To all that professe the gospell and true doctryne of our Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe in the City of London Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lorde now not only in prison but also excommunicated and condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine wysheth mercy grace and peace wyth encrease of all godly knowledge from God the father of mercy through the merites of oure alone and omnisufficient redemer Iesus Christ by the operation of his holy spirite for euer Amen MY dearely beloued brethren in our sauiour Christ althoughe the tyme I haue to lyue is very little for hourely I looke when I shoulde be had hence to bee conueyed into Lankeshyre there to bee burned and to render my lyfe by the prouidence of God where I fyrst receyued it by the same prouidence and althoughe the charge is great to kepe me from all thyngs wherby I might sygnify any thyng to the world of my state yet hauyng as now I haue pen ynke through gods workyng manger the head of Sathan and his souldiours I thought good to write a short coÌ„fession of my faith and therto ioyne a little exhortation vnto you all to lyue according to your profession This my faith I would gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple but alas by startes and stelth I wryte in maner that that I write and therefore I shal desyre you al to take this breuitye in good part First for my faith I do confesse and praye all the whole congregatioÌ„ of Christ to bear witnes with me of the same that I do beleue constantly through the gift and goodnes of god for faith is gods only gift al the xij articles of the symbole or crede commenly attributed to the collection of the Apostles not bicause of the crede it selfe but bicause of the worde of god the which teacheth and confyrmeth euery article accordyngly This word of god writteÌ„ by the prophets and Apostles left and conteined in the canonical bookes of the holy Bible I do beleue to conteyne pleÌ„tifully al things necessarye to saluation so that nothyng as necessary to saluation ought to be added therto and therfore the church of Christ nor none of hys congregation ought to be burdened with any other doctrine then which here out hath her foundation and grounde In testimony of which fayth I render and geue my life beyng condemned as wel for not acknowledging the Antichrist of Rome to be christs Vicar general and supreme head of hys catholike vniuersall church here and els where vpon earthe as for denying the horrible and idolatrous doctrine of transubstantiation and christes real corporall carnal presence in his supper vnder the formes and accidentes of bread and wyne To beleue Christ our sauiout to bee the heade of hys churche and kinges in their realmes to be the supreme powers to whome euerye soule oweth obedience and to beleue that in the supper of Christe which the sacrament of the aultar as the papistes cal it and vse it dothe vtterlye ouerthrowe is a true and a very presence of whole Christe god and man to the faythe of the receauer but not to the stander by and loker vpon as it is a true and a very presence of breade and wyne to the senses of men to beleue this I say wyl not serue and therfore

as an heretyke I am condemned shall be burned wherof I aske god hartely mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it maye please my deare lorde and Sauiour to suffer For albeit my manyfolde synnes euen sythen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onelye this temporall but also eternall fyer in hell much more then my former synful life which the lord pardoÌ„ for his christs sake as I know he of his mercy hath done neuer wil lay my iniquities to my charge to condemnatioÌ„ so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name although I say my manyfold greuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that man or deuil can do vnto me and therfore I coÌ„fesse that the lord is iust that his iudgements be true deserued on my behalfe yet the bishops and prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his word his truth and religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioyce that euer I was borne hetherto kept of the lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth the heaueÌ„ly father to glorify his name to testify his truth to coÌ„firm his verity to oppugne his aduersaries Oh good god merciful father forgeue me my great vnthaÌ„kfulnes especially herein And you my derely beloued for the lord Iesu christs sake I humbly hartely in his bowels blood do now for my last Yale farewel in this preseÌ„t life besech you euery of you that you wil coÌ„sider this worke of the lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hypocrisie carnal security Professe not the gospel with tong lips only but in hart veritye frame and fashioÌ„ your liues accordingly Be ware gods name be not euil spokeÌ„ of the gospel lesse regarded by your coÌ„uersatioÌ„ God forgeue me that I haue not so hartely professed it as I should haue done but haue sought much my self therin The gospel is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wine therfore cannot be put in old bottels without greater hurt then good to the botlels If we will talk with the lord we must put of our shooes carnal affectioÌ„s if we wil heare the voyce of the lord we must wash our garmeÌ„ts be holy if we wil be christes disciples we must deny our selues take vp our crosse folow christ We caÌ„not serue ij masters if we seke christes kingdoÌ„ we must also seke for the righteousnes therof To the petition of let thy kingdome come we muste ioyne thy wyll be done done done on earthe as it is in heauen If we wil not be doers of the word but hearers of it we sore deceiue our selues Yf we heare the gospel loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles builders vpoÌ„ the sand The lordes spirit hateth faining disceitfulnes the lord abhorteth If we come to him we muste beware we come not with a double hart for theÌ„ it may chaÌ„ce that god wil answer vs according to the blocke which is in our harte so we shal deceiue our selues and others To faithe see that we couple a good conscience lest we make a shipwracke To the Lorde we must come with feare and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucify our fleshe wyth the lust and concupiscences thereof If we wyl be vnder grace synne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the lord and draw nigh to hym wyth our lippes and leaue our hartes elsewhere lest the lords wrath waxe whotte and he take from vs the good remaynyng in no case can the kyngdome of Christe approche to them that repente not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repente be hartely sory that we haue so carnally so hypocritically so couetously so vayne gloriously professed the gospel For al these I confesse of my selfe to the glorye of God and myne owne confusion here that he may couer myne offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger and plagues of god most iustly fallen vpoÌ„ vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our harts euery of vs may say it is I Lord that haue sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisy my vayn glory my couetousnes vncleanes carnality security idlenes vnthankefulnes self loue and such lyke which haue deserued the takyng away of our good kynge of thy worde and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmeÌ„t and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and encrease of auctoritye and peace to thine enemyes Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. Turne to vs agayne oh lord of hostes and turne vs vnto thee Correcte vs but not in thy furye leaste we bee consumed In thy wrathfull displeasure reproue vs not but in the myddes of thine anger remember thy mercye for if thou wylte marke what is done amysse who shall be able to abyde it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshypped oh then be mercyfull vnto vs that we myghte truelye worshyppe thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name bee mercyfull vnto our sinnes for they are greate oh heale vs and helpe vs for thyne honoure let not the wycked people say where is theyr god c. On this sorte my right dearely beloued let vs hartely bewayle our synnes repent vs of our former euyll lyfe hartely and earnestly purpose to amende our lyues in all thynges continually watch in praier diligently and reuerently attend heare and read the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Let vs reproue the workes of darkenes let vs flye from all Idolatrye let vs abhorre the Antichristian romish rotten seruice detest the popyshe masse forsake their Romish God prepare oure selues to the crosse be obediente to all that be in authoritye in all thynges that be not agaynst God and his woorde for then aunswere with the Apostles it is more meete to obeye God then man Howbeit neuer for any thing resiste or ryse agaynst the Magistrates auenge not your selues but committe your cause to the lord to whom vengeaunce pertayneth and he in his time wil reward it If ye feele in your selues an hope trust in god that he will neuer tempte you aboue that he will make you able to beare be assured the lorde wil be true to you and ye shal bee able to beare al bruntes But if ye want this hope fly get you hence rather then by your tarying gods name should be dishonoured In suÌ„me cast your care on the Lord knowing for most certayne that he is careful for you with him are all that heares of your head numbred so that not one of theÌ„ shall perish without his good pleasure wil much more then nothing shal happen to your bodies which shal not be profitable

destroye the impenitent Now is the fyer gone out before the face of the Lorde and who is able to quench it Oh therefore repente you repente you It is enough to haue lyued as we haue done It is enough to haue played the wanton gospellers the proud protestantes hypocriticall false Christians as alas we haue done Now the lorde speaketh vnto vs in mercy and grace oh turne before he speake in wrath Yet is there mercy with the lorde and plenteous redemption yet hath he not forgotten to shew mercy to them that cal vpoÌ„ hym oh then cal vpon him while he may be founde for he is rich in mercy and plentiful to al them that cal vpon him so that he that calleth vpon the name of the lord shal be saued If your sinnes be as red as skarlet the Lord saith he wil make them as white as snow He hath sworne and neuer will repente hym thereof that he wyll neuer remeÌ„ber our iniquities but as he is god faithfull and true so will he be our God and we shal be his people Hys law wyll he wryte in oure hartes and engraft it in oure myndes and neuer wyll he haue in mynde oure vnryghteousnes Therfore my dere hartes in the Lord turne you turne you to the lorde your father to the lorde your Sauiour to the Lorde your comforter Oh why do you stop your eares and harden your hartes to day when you heare hys voyce by me your porest brother Oh forget not how that the lord hath shewed hym selfe true me hys true preacher by brynging to passe these plagues which at my mouth by my preaching ye ofteÌ„ heard before they came specially wheÌ„ I entreated of Noes flood and wheÌ„ I preached of the 23. chap. of S. Math. gospel on S. SteueÌ„s day the last that I was with you And now by me the same Lord sendeth you word dere cuntrey men that if ye will goe on forewardes in your impenitencie carnality hypocrisy idolatry couetuousnes swearing gluttony dronkennes whoredome c. wherewith alas alas our countrey floweth yf I saye ye wil not turne leaue of seyng me now burned emongs you to assure you on all sydes how god seketh you and is sory to do you hurt to plague you to destroy you to take vengeance vpon you oh your bloode wyll be vppon your owne heades Ye haue bene warned warned again by me in preaching by me in burnyng As I said therfore I say agayne my deare hartes and derlinges in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you cease from doyng euill study to do well awaye with idolatry flye the Romishe god seruice leaue of from swearing cut of carnality abandon auarice driue away droÌ„kennes flye froÌ„ fornication flattery froÌ„ murther malice destroy disceitfulnes cast away al the workes of darknes put on piety godlines serue god after his word not after custome vse your tonges to glorify god by praier thankes geuing confessioÌ„ of his truth c. Be spiritual by the spirit mortify carnal affectioÌ„s be sober holy true louing gentle merciful then shal the lords wrath cease not for this your doyngs sake but for hys mercies sake Go to therfore good cuntreymeÌ„ take this couÌ„sel of the lord by me now sent vnto you take it as the lords couÌ„sel I say not as mine that in the day of iudgemeÌ„t I may reioyce with you and for you the which thing I hartely desyre and not to be a witnes against you My blood wil cry for veÌ„geance as against the papists gods enemies whom I besech god if it be his good wil hartelye to forgeue yea euen them which put me to death and are the causers therof for they know not what they doe so wyl my blood cry for vengeance against you my dearely beloued in the lord if ye repent not amend not and turne not vnto the Lorde Turne vnto the Lorde yet once more I hertely beseche thee thou Manchester thou Bolton Burye Wigyn Lierpole Ashton vnderlyne Mottrine Stepport Winsley Eccles Preste Middleton Radcliefe and thou Citye of Westchester where I haue truely taught and preached the worde of god Turne I say vnto you all and to al the inhabitauntes thereaboutes vnto the Lord our god and he wil turne vnto you He wyll say vnto his aungel it is enough put vp thy sword The which thyng that he wyl do I humbly besech his goodnes for the precious bloodes sake of his deare sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ Ah good brethreÌ„ take in good part these my laste wordes vnto euerye one of you Pardon me mine offences and negligence in behauiour amonges you The Lord of mercy pardon vs all our offeÌ„ces for our sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen Â¶ Out of prison readye to come to you The .11 of Februarye Anno. 1555. Iohn Bradford Â¶ To the faythfull and such as professe the true doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christe dwellyng at VValden and thereaboutes Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruant of the Lorde nowe in bandes and condemned for the same true doctryne wisheth grace mercye and peace wyth the encrease of all godlines in knowledge and lyuyng from God the father of all comforte through the desertes of our alone and full redemer Iesus Christe by the mightye workyng of the most holy spirite the comforter for euer Amen WHen I remember how that by the prouideÌ„ce and grace of god I haue bene a man by whoÌ„ it hath pleased hym through my ministery to call you to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe somethyng effectually as it seemed to so we emoÌ„gs you his true doctrine religioÌ„ left that by my affliction and the stormes now rysen to trye the faythful and to conforme them like to the Image of the sonne of GOD into whose companye we are called ye myghte be faynte harted I coulde not but out of prison secretly for my kepers may not know that I haue penne and ynke to write vnto you a signification of the desyre I haue that you should not only be more confirmed in the doctrine I haue taught emonges you which I take on my death as I shall aunswer at the daye of dome I am perswaded to be gods assured infallible and playne truth but also should after your vocation auouch the same by confession profession and lyuyng I haue not taught you my dearely beloued in the lord fables tales or vntruth but I haue taught you the verity as now by my blood gladly praysed therefore be god I shal seale vp the same In dede to coÌ„fesse the truth vnto you and to all the church of Christ I do not thinke of my selfe but that I haue moste iustlye deserued not onelye this kinde but also all kyndes of deathe and that eternallye for myne hypocrisye vayne glory vncleannes selfe loue couetousnes ydlenes vnthankefulnes and carnal professing of gods holy gospell lyuyng therein not so purely louynglye and painfully as I shoulde haue done the lord of mercy

for the blood of Christ pardon me as I hope yea I certainelye beleue he hath done for his holy names sake through christ But my dearely beloued ye and all the whole worlde maye see and easely perceiue that the prelates persecute in me another thing then mine iniquities eueÌ„ christ himself christes verity and truthe bicause I can not dare not nor wyll not confesse transubstantiation and howe that wicked men yea myce and dogges eatyng the sacrament which they terme of the altare therby ouerthrowyng christes holy supper vtterly do eate christes naturall and reall bodye borne of the Virgine Mary To beleue and confesse as gods worde teacheth the primatiue churche beleued and al the catholyke good holy fathers taught for 500. yeres at the least after christ that in the supper of the Lorde which the masse ouerthroweth as it doth Christes priesthode sacrifyce death and passion the ministery of hys worde true fayth repentaunce and all godlines whole Christ god and man is present by grace to the fayth of the receyuers but not of the standers by and lokers on as bread wyne is to theyr senses wil not serue and therfore I am condempned and shal bee burned out of hand as an heretyke Wherfore I thanke my lord god hartely that wil doth vouch me worthy to be an instrument in whoÌ„ he him self wold suffer For ye see my affliction and death is not simplye bicause I haue deserued no lesse but much more at his handes and iustice but rather because I confesse hys veritye and truth and am not affrayd through his gifte so to doe that ye also mighte bee confirmed in his truth Therfore my dearely beloued I hartely do praye you and so many as vnfaynedly loue me in god to geue with me and for me most hartye thankes to our heauenly father through our Sauiour Iesus Christ for this his exceding great mercy towards me you also that your fayth shold not wauer froÌ„ the doctrine I haue taught and ye haue receaued For what can ye desire more to assure your consciences of the veritye taughte by your Preachers then their owne liues Goe to therfore my deare harts in the lord wauer not in Christes religioÌ„ truely taught you set forth in King Edwards dayes Neuer shal the enemyes be able to burne it to prison it and kepe it in bonds Vs they may prison they maye bynde and burne as they do and wil do so long as shal please the lord but our cause religion and doctrine which we confesse they shall neuer be able to vanquishe and put away Their Idolatry and popyshe religion shal neuer be builte in the consciences of men that loue the truth As for those that loue not gods truth that haue no pleasure to walke in the wayes of the Lord in those I say the deuill shal preuayle for god wil geue them strong illusioÌ„ to beleue lies Therfore deare brethren and sisters in the Lord I humbly besech you and pray you in the bowells and blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ now going to the death for the testimony of Iesus as often times I haue done before thys presente out of the pulpit that ye would loue the Lordes truth loue it I say to liue it and frame your liues thereafter Alas ye knowe the cause of all these plagues fallen vpon vs and of the successe which Gods aduersaryes haue dayly is for our not liuing gods wordâ— ye know how that we are Gospellers in lippes and not in life we are carnall full of concupiscene idle vnthankefull vncleane couetous aâ—â—â—gant dissemblers craftye subtile malicious false backebiters c. And euen glutted with gods word yea we lothed it as dyd the Israelites the Manna in the wildernes and therefore as to them the Lords wrath waxed whotte so doth it vnto vs so that there is no remedye but that for it is better late to turne then neuer to turne we confesse our faultes euen from the bottome of our harts and with hartie repentance which god worke in vs al for hys mercyes sake we runne vnto the Lord our God which is exorable merciful and sory for the euil poured out vpon vs and cry out vnto him with Daniell saying we haue sinned we haue sinned greuouslye Oh lord god against thy maiesty we haue heaped iniquitie vpoÌ„ iniquitie the measure of our transgressioÌ„s floweth ouer so that iust is thy wrath veÌ„geance falleÌ„ vpoÌ„ vs for we are very miserable we haue coÌ„teÌ„pned thy long suffering we haue not harkened to thy voyce when thou haste called vs by thy preaches we hardened our hartes and therefore now deserue that thou sende thy curse hereupon to harden our hartes also that we should henceforth haue eyes and see not eares and heare not hartes and vnderstande not leste we should be conuerted and saued Oh be merciful vnto vs space vs good Lord and al thy people whoÌ„ thou hast dearely bought Let not thine enemies triumphe altogether alwaies against thee for then wil they be puft vp Loke down and behold the pitifull complaintes of the poore let the sorrowfull sighinges of the simple come in thy sight and be not angry with vs for euer Turne vs Oh Lord god of hostes vnto thee and turne thee vnto vs that thou mayest be iustified in thy swete seÌ„tences and ouercome when thou art iudgâ—d as now thou art of our aduersaries for they saye where is their god Can God deliuer them now Can their gospell serue them Oh Lord how long For the glory of thy name and for thy honours sake in the bowels and blood of Iesus Christ we humbly besech thee come and helpe vs for we ar very miserable On this sort I say dearelye beloued let vs publikelye and priuately bewaile oure sinnes but so that hereto we ioyne ceasing from wilfulnes and sinne of purpose for ells the Lorde heareth not oure prayers as Dauid sayth And oâ— Saint Iohn it is written the impenitent synners god heareth not Now impenitent are they which purpose not to amend their liues as for example not only those which folow stil theyr pleasures in couetousnes vncleanes carnalitie but those also which for feare or fauour of man do against their conscience consent to the romish rags and resort to the rotten religion communicating in seruice and ceremonyes with the papistes thereby declaring themselues to loue more the worlde then God to feare more man then Christ to dread more the losse of temporall thinges then of eternal in whom it is euident the loue of God abideth not for he that loueth the worlde hath not Gods loue abidyng in him sayth the Euangelist Therfore my deare harts and deare agayne in the lord remember what ye haue professed Christes religioÌ„ name and the renouncing of the deuil sinne and the worlde Remember that before ye learned A. B. C. your lessoÌ„ was Christs crosse Forget not that Christ wil haue no disciples but such as wil promise to denie them selues to take

vp their crosse marke they must take it vp follow him not the multitude custome vse CoÌ„sider for gods sake that if we gather not with Christ we scatter abroade What should it profite a maÌ„ to winne the whole world and lose his own soule We must not forget that this life is a wildernes and not a paradyse here is not oure home we are nowe in warfare we muste nedes fight or els be taken prisoners Of al things we haue in this life we shal cary nothing with vs. If Christ be our captain we must folow hiÌ„ as good souldiers If we kepe coÌ„pany with him in afflittion we shal be sure of his societie in glory If we forsake not him he wil neuer for sake vs. If we coÌ„fesse him he wil coÌ„fesse vs but if we deny him he wil deny vs. If we be ashamed of him he wil be ashamed of vs. Wherefore as he forsoke father heauen and al things to come to vs so let vs forsake all thinges to come to him being sure moste certayne that we shal not lose therby Your children shal finde feele it double yea treble what soeuer ye lose for the Lords sake and ye shal finde and fele peace of conscience frendeship with god which is more worth then al the goods of the world My dearly beloued therfore for the Lordes sake coÌ„sider these thynges which I now write vnto you of loue for my Vale and laste farewell for euer in thys present life Turne to the Lorde repente ye your euill and vnthankeful life declare repentaunce by the fruites take time whyles you haue it come to the Lorde whiles he calleth you runne into his lappe whiles his armes be opeÌ„ to embrase you seeke him whiles he may be found cal vpon him whiles time is conueniente forsake and flye from all euill both in religion and in the rest of your life and conuersation let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes and prayse god in the day of his visitation Oh come again come againe ye straunge children I wil receaue you sayth the Lord. Conuert and turne to me and I will turne vnto you Why wil ye nedes perishe As sure as I liue swereth the Lord I wil not your death tourne therefore vnto me Can a woman forget the child of her wombe If she should yet wil not I forget you sayth the lord your god I am he I am he which putteth awaye your sinnes for mine owne sake Oh then deare frends turne I say vnto your dearest father Cast not these his sweete and louing woordes to the grounde and at your tayle for the Lorde watcheth on hys worde to performe it which is in two sortes to them that lay it vp in their hartes and beleue it will he pay all and eternall ioye and comforte But to them that caste it at their backes and wilfully forget it to them I say wil he poure out indignation and eternal shame Wherfore I hartely yet once more besech and pray you and euery of you not to contemne this poore and simple exhortation which now out of prison I make vnto you or rather the Lord by me Loth would I be to be a witnes against you in the last day as of truth I must be if ye repent not if ye loue not gods gospel yea if ye lyue it not Therfore to conclude repent loue gods gospell lyue it in all your conuersation so shall gods name be praysed his plagues mitigated his people comforted his enemies ashamed Graunt all thys thou gracious Lord god to euery of vs for thy deare sonnes sake oure Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom with thee and the holy ghost be eternall glory for euer and euer Amen The 12. of Febr. 1555. By the bondman of the Lord your afflicted poore brother Iohn Bradford To the honourable lord Russell nowe Earle of Bedford being then in trouble for the veritye of gods Gospell THe euerlasting and most gracious god father of our sauioure Iesu Christ blesse your good Lordship with al manner of heauenly blessinges in the same Christ our onely comfort and hope Amen Praysed be god our father which hath vouched you worthy as of fayth in his Christ so of his crosse for the same Magnified be his holy name who as he hath deliuered you from one crosse so he hath made you willinge I trust and ready to beare an other when he shal see his time to lay it vpon you for these are the most singular giftes of God geueÌ„ as to fewe so to none els but to those few which are most deare in his sight Faith is reckened and worthely among the greatest giftes of god yea it is the greatest it self that we enioy for by it as we be iustifyed made gods childreÌ„ so are we temples possessours of the holy spirit yea of Christ also Eph. 4. and of the father him self Iohn 14. By fayth we driue the deuil away 1. Pet. 5. We ouercome the world 1. Ioh. and are already citizens of heauen and fellowes with gods deare saints But who is able to recken the riches that thys fayth bringeth with her vnto the soule shee sitteth vpoÌ„ No man nor Angell And therfore as I sayd of al gods giftes she may be set in the toppe haue the vppermost feare The which thing if men considered in that she commeth alonely froÌ„ gods own mercy seate by the hearing not of Masse or Mattyns Diriges or such draffe but of the word of God in such a tong as we can and do vnderstand as they would be diligent and take great heede for doing or seing any thyng which might caste her down for theÌ„ they fal also so would they with no lesse care read and heare Gods holy woorde ioyning therto moste earnest and often prayer aswel for the more and better vnderstanding as for the louyng liuing confessing of the same maugre the head of the deuil the world our flesh reason goods possessions carnall frendes wyfe children and very life here if they shoulde pulle vs barke to harken to their voyce and counsell for more quiet sure and longer vse of them Now notwithstanding this excellency of fayth in that we read the Apostle to match therewith yea as it were to preferre suffering persecution for Christes sake Philip. 1. I trowe no man will be so fonde as to thinke otherwise but that I and all gods children haue cause to glorifie prayse god which hath vouched you worthy so great a blessing For though the reason or wisedome of the world thinke of the crosse according to their reach and according to their present sense therefore flyeth from it as from a most great ignominie shame yet Gods scholers haue learned otherwise to thinke of the crosse that it is the frame house in the which god frameth his children like to his sonne Christe the fornace that fyneth gods golde the highe waye to heauen the Sute and

before you though it be to come as euen now present lyke as you do and wyl your patientes to doe in purgations and other your ministrations to consyder the effecte that wil ensue where through the bitternes and lothesomnes of the purgatioÌ„ is so ouercome and the painfulnes in abydyng the workyng of that is mynistred is so eased that it maketh the patient willyngly ioyfully to receiue that is to be receiued although it be neuer so vnpleasauÌ„t so I say set before you the ende of this straite way and theÌ„ doutles as Paule saith aeternuÌ„ poÌ„dus gloriae pariet whiles you loke not on the thyng sene for that is temporal but on the thing which is not sene which is eternall So dothe the husbandman in plowing and tilling set before him the haruest time so doth the fisher consider the draught of his nette rather theÌ„ the casting in so doth the merchaunt the returne of his merchauÌ„dise and so shoulde we in these stormy daies set before vs not the losse of our goods liberty very lyfe but the reaping time the comming of our sauiour Christ to iudgement the fire that shall burne the wicked disobedieÌ„t to gods gospel the blast of the Trumpe the exceding glory prepared for vs in heauen eternally suche as the eie hathe not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of man can conceyue The more we lose here the greater ioye shall wee haue there The more we suffer the greater tryumphe For corruptible drosse we shall fynde incorruptible treasures for golde glorye for syluer solace without ende for ryches robes royall for earthely houses eternall Palaces myrthe wythout measure pleasure wythout payne felicitye endeles Summa we shall haue God the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste Oh happye place oh that thys daye woulde come Then shal the ende of the wicked be lamentable then shall they receiue the iust rewarde of thy vengeaunce then shall they crye woe woe that euer they dyd as they haue done Reade Sapien 2.3.4.5 Reade Mathew 25. Reade 1. Corrinthians 15. 2. Corrinthians 5. and by fayth whiche GOD encrease in vs consyder the thinges there set forth And for your comforte reade Hebrewes 11. to see what faythe hath done alwayes consyderyng the way to heauen to be by many tribulations that all they which wyll lyue godlye in Christe Iesu must suffer persecution You know thys is oure Alphabet he that wyll bee my Disciple sayeth Christ must denye hymselfe and take vppe his crosse and followe me not thys Bishoppe nor that Doctour not thys Emperour nor that Kynge but me sayeth Christe for he that loueth father mother wyfe chyldren or verye lyfe better then me is not worthye of me Remember that the same Lorde sayeth Math. 8. he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall loose it Comforte your selfe wyth thys that as the Deuyls had no power ouer the Porkettes or ouer Iobes goodes wythout Gods leaue so shall they haue none ouer you Remember also that all the heares of your head are numbred wyth GOD. The Deuyll maye make one beeleue he wyll drowne hym as the Sea in hys surges threateneth to the lande but as the Lorde hathe appoynted boundes for the one ouer the whyche he cannot passe so hathe he done for the other On god therfore cast your care loue him serue him after hys worde feare him trust in him hope at his hande for all helpe and alwayes praye lookyng for the crosse and when soeuer it commeth bee assured the Lorde as he is faythfull so he will neuer tempte you further then he will make you able to beare but in the myddest of the teÌ„ptation wil make such an euasion as shal be most to his glorye and your eternall comfort God for his mercy in Christe with his holye spirite endue you comforte you vnder the winges of hys mercy shadow you and as his deare childe guide you for euermore To whose merciful tuition as I doe wyth my hartye prayer committe you so I doubte not but you praye for me also and so I beseche you to do stil My brother P. telleth me you would haue the last part of sainct Hieromes workes to haue the vse thereof for a fortenighte I cannot for these .iij. dais wel forbeare it but yet on thursday next I wil send it you if god let me not vse me that I haue as your owne The lorde for his mercy in Christe directe oure wayes to his glory Amen Out of pryson by yours to commaunde Iohn Bradford To Maystres M. H. a godly gentlewoman comfortyng her in that common heauines and godly sorrow which the feeling and sense of sinne worketh in gods children I Humblye and hartelye praye the euerlyuyng good god and father of mercye to blesse and kepe your harte and mynd in the knowledge and loue of his truth of his Christ through the inspiration and workyng of the holy spyryte Amen Although I haue no doubte but that you prosper and go forwardes daily in the way of godlines more and more drawyng towardes perfection and haue no neede of anyethyng that I can wryte yet because my desyre is that you myghte be more feruent and perseuer to the ende I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you besechyng you bothe often and diligently to call vnto your mynd as a meane to styrre you hereunto yea as a thyng which god most straitly requireth you to beleue that you are beloued of god that he is your dere father in through and for Christ and his deathes sake This loue tender kyndnes of god towards vs in Christ is aboundaÌ„tly herein declared in that he hath to the godly worst of creation of this worlde made vs after his image redemed vs beyng lost called vs into his church sealed vs with his marke and signe manuel of Baptisme kept and conserued vs all the dais of our lyfe fed nourished defended and moste fatherlye chastised vs and nowe hath kindled in our hartes the sparcles of hys feare faith loue and knowlege of hys Christ and truth and therfore we lament because we lament no more our vnthankfulnes our frailenes our diffidence and waueryng in things wherin we should be moste certain Al these thyngs we shuld vse as meanes to coÌ„fyrme our faith of this that god is our god and father and to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in Christ to this end I say we should vse the thynges before touched especially in that of all thinges god requyreth this faith and persuasion of hys fatherly goodnes as hys chiefest seruyce For before he aske any thyng of vs he saieth I am the Lord thy god geuyng hymselfe and then all he hath to vs to be our own And this he doth in respect of hymself of hys owne mercye and truth and not in respect of vs for then were grace no grace In consideration wherof when he saieth Thou shalte haue none other gods but me thou shalt loue me with all thy hart

you can then shall you beyng assured I say of gods fauour towards you geue ouer your self wholye to helpe and care for others that be in neede then shall you contempne this life and desyre to be at home with your good and sweete father then shall you labour to mortify all thynges that woulde spot eyther soule or bodye All these thynges spryng out of thys certayne perswasion and fayth that god is our father and we are hys children by Christe Iesus All thynges should helpe our fayth herein but Sathan goeth about in all thynges to hynder vs. Therfore let vs vse earnest and harty prayer Let vs ofteÌ„ remember this couenaunt I am the Lorde thy god let vs looke vpon Christe and his precious bloud shed for the obsignation and confyrmation of this couenant Let vs remember all the free promises of the gospell let vs set before vs gods benefites generallie in making this worlde in ruling it in gouernyng it in calling and keping his church c. Let vs set before vs gods benefites perticulerly how he hath made vs creatures after his image howe he hath made vs of perfecte limmes forme beautie memorye c howe he hath made vs Christians and geuen vs a right iudgement in hys religion howe he hath euer sithen we were borne blessed kept nouryshed and defended vs how he hath often beaten chastised and fatherly corrected vs how he hath spared vs and doth nowe spare vs geuing vs time space place grace Thys if you do and vse earnest prayer and so flye from all thynges whiche might wound your conscience geuing your self to diligence in your vocation you shall finde at the length that whiche god graunte to me with you a sure certaintye of saluation without all such doubt as may trouble the peace of conscience to your eternall ioy and comfort Amen Amen Yours to vse in Christ Iohn Bradford An other letter full of Godly comforte written to the same person THe good spirite of God whiche guideth hys children bee with you my good sister in the Lord for euer Amen Althoughe as I to you so you vnto me in person are vnknowen yet to hym whom we desire to please we are not onely in persons but also in harts knoweÌ„ throughly sene And therfore as for his sake you wold by that you sent of me be perceaued how that in God you beare to me a good will so that I to you myght be sene in God to beare you the lyke I sende to you these fewe woordes in writinge wyshing that in all youre doinges and speache yea euen in your very thoughtes you woulde laboure to feele that they are all presente and open before the syghte of GOD be they good or badde Thys cogitation ofteÌ„ had in mind and prayer made to god for the working of his spirit thereby as a meane you shall at the leÌ„gth fele more comfort coÌ„modity theÌ„ any man can know but such as be exercised therin Howbeit this is to be added that in thinking your self al that you haue doe to be in the sight of god this I say is to be added that you thinke his sihht is the sight not only of a Lorde but rather of a father which teÌ„dreth more your infirmaties theÌ„ you can tender the infirmities of any your childreÌ„ Yea wheÌ„ in your self you see a motherly affection to your little one that is weake let the same be vnto you a trace to traint you to see the vnspeakeable kinde affectioÌ„ of god your father towards you And therfore vpoÌ„ the coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of your infirmities natural euils which coÌ„tinually cleaue vnto vs take occasioÌ„ to go to god as your father through Christ before his mercifull harte lay open your infirmities euils with desire of pardoÌ„ helpe after his good wil pleasure but in his time not when you wil by what meanes he wil not that way that you woulde in the meane season haÌ„ge on hope of his fatherly goodnes surely you shal neuer be ashamed For if a womaÌ„ that is natural can not finally forget the child of her woÌ„be be sure god which is a father supernatural can not nor wil not forget you Yea if a womaÌ„ could be so forgetful Esaye 4â— yet god him self saith he wil not be so This opinioÌ„ yea rather certain persuasion of god your father through christ see that you cherish by al meanes aswel by diligente consideration of his benefites as of hys louing corrections whether they be inwarde or outwarde see that you nourishe knowing for certaine that as the deuill goeth about nothing so much as to bring you in a doubt whether you be gods childe or no so whatsoeuer shal moue you to admit that dubitation be assured the same to come froÌ„ the deuill If you fele in your self not only the want of good things but also pleÌ„tie of euil do not therfore doubt whether you be gods child in christ or no. For if for your goodnes or ilnesse sake which you feele or feele not you shold beleue or doubt theÌ„ should you make Christ Iesus for whose sake only god is your father eyther nothiÌ„g or els but a half Christ But rather take occasion of your wantes in good of your plenty in euil to go to god as to youre Father to pray him that in as much as he commaundeth you to beleue that he is your God and Father so he would geue you his good spiryte that you myght feele the same liue as hys child to his glorye cease not vpoÌ„ such prayers to loke for coÌ„fort in Gods good tyme stil hopyng the beste reiectyng al dubitatioÌ„ so al euil works words cogitations as the Lorde shall enable you by hys good spirit grace which I besech hym to geue vnto you my goodsister for euer And further I praye you that as he hath made you to be a helper vnto your husbaÌ„d so you wold endeuour your self therin to shew the same aswel in soule as body and begge grace of god that your endeuours may be effectual to both your coÌ„fortes in Christ AmeÌ„ Iohn Bradforde To my beloued in the Lord. VV. P. GRrace and peace froÌ„ God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Deare brother god most iustly hath caste me now into a dungeon but much better then I deserue wherin I see no maÌ„ but my keper nor can see any except they come to me Somthing in the earth my lodging is which is an exaÌ„ple memorial of my earthly affectioÌ„s which god I trust wil mortifie of my sepulchre wherunto I trust my Lord God will bring me in peace in his good time In the meane season he geue me pacience liuely hope and his good spirite This disease was a Rewme with a feblenes of stomacke wherwith he was muche troubled whiles he was at libertye I praye you pray for me for the prayer of the godly if it be effectuall worketh much

with God I thanke God my common disease doth lesse trouble me now then wheÌ„ I was abroad which doth teach me the merciful prouidence of god towards me Commend me to Maistres Wilkinson whom we pray god to strengtheÌ„ in his truth grace vnto the end Vse true and harty prayer and you shall perceaue god at length will declare him selfe to see where now many thinke he sleepeth Out of the Tower by the Lordes prisoner Iohn Bradford To Maistres I. H. a faythfull woman and fearyng God whom he exhorteth to bee pacient vnder the crosse not to feare death MY dearly beloued I besech our mercifull father to comfort your heauie and pensiue hart with his own coÌ„solations in Christ as I am assured he will in his good time which with pacience loke for good sister after the example of Iob Iames. 5. Helias AbrahaÌ„ and al the deare Sainctes of God whiche are set forth vnto vs for patrons of pacience god graunte vs well to cutte oure clothe after them for God is the same God nowe and the ende will shewe that he is a mercifull Lorde and full of compassion My deare sister you shall vnfaynedly feele it at the length though presently it semeth otherwise vnto your sense you shall after you be a litle exercised herein Heb. 12 finde a quiet fruite of righteousnes the God of grace which hath called you vnto hys eternal glorye confirming strengthning you being some deale afflicted with your brethren and sisters that be in the worlde 1. pet 5 for alone you suffer not as I truste you knowe It comforted me to reade in your letters that no displeasure of father mother husband children c. doth moue you to be ruled after the counsell of the worlde and therefore you will me not to bee afearde for you Oh my beloued what thankes shoulde I geue to our god and deare father for thys hys excedyng kindenes towards you His name be magnified for you for euer his mercy be more and more multiplyed vnto you in you vpon you for euer and euer Amen God make me thankefull herefore But you adde that the feare of death doth now and then moue you a little Howbeit you saye that as I haue counseyled you you wyll stryue there agaynste My good Ioyce I take you at your woorde keepe promyse I praye you that is stryue agaynste it and I promyse you in the name of the Lord that you shall haue the victorie which I woulde wishe you to set before your eyes also so shall the terrour of death trouble you the lesse Souldiers goinge to warre set not before their eyes simplye the stripe but rather the victorye and my good sister will not you herein followe them In your trauaile with childe doth not the hope of the babe to be deliuered mitigate the maladye Doth not the sicke in taking bitter and lothsome Phisicke set before him the commoditie which wil ensue And my deare sister wil not you by these be somthing enformed Consider what this life is consider what death is consider what is prepared for you after death Concerning thys life you knowe that it is full of miserye vanitie and woe it is a playne exile and hath nothing in it permanente It is therfore compared to a vapor to a smoke to a shadowe yea to a warrefare a wildernes a vale of wretchednes wherein we are compafed on euery side with moste fearce and fearefull enemyes and shoulde we desire to dwell here Should we lust to liue in this lothsome and laborious life Shoulde we wyshe to tarrie in thys wretchednes Shoulde we haue pleasure to remaine in thys perillous state Daniells denne is not so dreadfull as is this dongeon we dwell in Concerning death to them that be as I knowe you are Gods deare children my tenderlye beloued sister what other thynge is it then the dispatcher of all displeasure the ende of al trauaile the doore of desires the gate of gladnes the porte of paradyse the hauen of heauen the rayle of reste and quietnes the entraunce to felicitie the beginnyng of all blisfulnes It is the very bedde of doune and therefore wel compared to a sleepe for the doulefull bodies of Gods people to reste in oute of the whiche they shall rise and awake moste freshe and lustye to life euerlasting It is a passage to the Father a chariot to heauen the Lordes messenger a leader vnto Christ a going to oure home a deliueraunce from bondage and prison a dimission from warre a securitie from all sorrowes and a manumission from all miserye So that the very heathen dyd in some places cause the daye of their death to be celebrated with myrth melody and minstrelsie and should we be dismayde at it Shoulde we be afrayde of it Should we tremble to heare of it Should such a frend as it is be vnwelcome Should the foulnes of hys face feare vs from his good conditions Should the hardenes of his huske hinder vs from his swete cornell Shoulde the roughnes of the tide tie vs to the bancke and shore there to be drowned rather then the desire of oure home dryue vs to go aburde Shoulde the hardnes of the saddle set vs on our feete to perish by the waye rather then to leape vp and endure the same a litle and so to be where we woulde be Concerning that which is prepared for you after death if I shoulde go about to expresse it the more I should so do the further I should be from it For the eye hath not seene neither the eare hath heard nor the harte of man is able to conceaue in any poynte the ioye myrth melodye pleasure power welth riches honour beautie fellowshippe deynties odours glorye wisedome knowledge threasures securitie peace quietnes and eternall felicitie which you shal haue and enioye world without ende with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost with the Aungels Archangels with the Patriarckes and Prophetes with the Apostles and Euangelistes with the Martyrs and Confessors and with all the Saintes of God in the Palace of the Lorde in heauen the kingdome of God the glorye of the Father Oh woe to the blyndnes of our eyes that see not this Woe to the hardnes of our hartes that feele not this Woe to the deafnes of our eares that heare not thys in suche sort as we should do wherthrough we might be so farre from fearyng death that rather we shoulde wish it crying with Simeon Now let thy seruaunt depart in peace With Paul I desire to be desoulued and to be with Christ With Dauid when shall I come and appeare before thee And agayne Oh woe is me that my habitation is thus prolonged c. Psa 119. But halas deare sister great is oure vnbeliefe Full faynte is oure fayth or elles nyghte and daye teares shoulde be oure bread and drinke Psal 41. whilest it is sayde vnto vs where is your GOD It is a token of little loue

he prayeth for vs. now is not sene elsewhere or otherwise sene then by fayth there vntil he shal be sene as he is to the saluation of them that loke for hys comming which I trust be not farre of For if the day of the lord drew nere in the Apostles time Luke 21. which is now aboue xv C. yeres past it cannot be I trust long hence now I trust our redemers comming is at hande Apo. 6 Then these Masse sayers and seers shall shake and cry to the hylles hyde vs from the fearce wrathe of the Lambe if they repente not in tyme. Then wyll neither gold nor goodes frendeshippe nor fellowship lordeship nor authoritye power nor pleasure vnity nor antiquity custome nor counsel Iohn 12. Doctours decrees nor any mans deuise serue The woorde whyche the Lorde hathe spoken in that daye shall iudge The worde of god shal be our iudge 1. Cor. x. i. Cor. 6. the worde I say of god in that daye shall iudge And what sayeth it of Idolatrye and idolaters Sayeth it not flee from it And further that they shall bee dampned Oh terrible sentence to all Massemongers and worshippers of thynges made with the handes of Bakers Carpenters c. Heb. 7.9.10 Thys worde of God knoweth no moe oblations or sacrifices for synne but one onely whiche Christe hymselfe offered neuer more to bee reoffered but in remembraunce thereof hys supper to be eaten sacramentallye and spiritually accordyng to Christes institution whyche is so peruerted now that there is nothyng in it symply according to the iudge I meane the worde of God Math. 5. It were good for men to agree with their aduersary the worde of god nowe whyleste they bee in the waye wyth it leste yf they linger it wil deliuer them to the iudge Christe in all thynges harken to the worde of god as dyd the Thes Act. 17. who wyll commytte them to the Taylor and so they shall be cast into pryson and neuer come our thence til they haue payde the vttermost far thyng that is neuer My dearely beloued therfore marke the worde harken to the worde it alloweth no Massyng no suche sacrificyng nor worshyppyng of Christe wyth tapers candels copes canapies c. It allowed no Latyne seruice no images in the Temples no prayeng to Sainctes dead no pray iuge for the deade It alloweth no suche disssmulation as a greate many vse nowe outwardelye Hebr. 20. If anye wythdrawe hym selfe my soule sayeth the holye Ghoste shall haue no pleasure in hym It alloweth not the loue of thys worlde i. Iohn 2. whiche maketh ment to doe many tymes agaynst their consciences for in them that loue the world Math. 12 Apo. 3 3. Reg. 18. Rom. â— Math. 16. Mark 8. Luk. 9.14 phil 2. math 7.20 Rom. 16. Acts. 4.5 Ephesi 5. Iohn 10 the loue of God abydeth not It alloweth not gatherers elsewhere then wythe Chryste but sayeth they scatter abroade It alloweth no luke warme gentlemen but yf God be God then followe hym yf Baal and a peece of breade be GOD then followe it It alloweth not faythe in the harte that hath not confession in the mouthe It alloweth no Disciples that wyl not denye themselues that wyl not take vp theyr crosse and follow Chryst It alloweth not the seeking of our selues or of our owne ease and commodity It alloweth not the more parte but the better part It alloweth not vnity except it be in verity It alloweth no obedience to any which cannot be done without disobedience to GOD. It alloweth no churche that is not the spouse of Chryste and harkeneth not to hys voyce only It alloweth no doctor that speaketh against it It alloweth no generall counsayle that followeth not in all thynges Galat. 1 Summa it alloweth no aungel much more thaÌ„ any such as should teach any other thing theÌ„ Moses the Prophets Christ Iesus and his Apostles haue taught and lefte vs to loke vpon in the writen worde of god the holy bookes of the Byble 1. Timot. 6 Math. 7 Ieremy 8. Rom. 16. but curseth al that teach not only contrary but also any other doctrine It sayth they are fooles vnwise proude that will not consent to the sounde worde and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and byddeth commaundeth vs to flee from such Therfore obey this commaundement company not wyth theÌ„ specially in their church seruice but flee from theÌ„ for in what thyng consent they to Christs doctrine He biddeth vs praye in a tounge to edify 1. Cor. 14. Math. 6. â—oan 14.15 Math. 26. Luke 22 1. Cor. 12 they commaund contrary He biddeth vs cal vppon hys father in hys name when we pray they bidde vs runne to Mary Peter c. He byddeth vs use his supper in the remembraunce of hys death passion preachyng it out tyll it come whereby he dothe vs to witte that corporally he is not there in the forme of bread therefore sayeth Paule tyll he come He willeth vs to eate of the bread callyng it breade after consecration and drynke of that cup all makyng no exception so that we do it worthely that is take it as the sacrament of his body blood brokeÌ„ shed for our sinnes not as the body it self bloode it selfe wythout bread wythout wyne but as the sacramente of hys bodye and blood The fruites that follow the worthye receiuyng of the Lordes supper whereby he dothe represent and vnto our faythe geue and obsigne vnto vs hymself wholy with all the merites and glory of hys body and bloode But they forbid vtterly the vse of the supper to all but to their shauelinges except it be once in the yeare and then also the cup they take from vs they neuer preach forth the lordes death but in mockes and moes Transubstantiation taketh away the Sacrament They take awaye all the Sacrament by their transubstantion for they take away the element and so the Sacrament To be short they most horribly abuse thys holy ordinaunce of the Lord by adoration reseruation Apoc. 22 Iohn 5. oblation ostentation c. In nothyng they are contented wyth the symplicity of gods word They adde to and take fro at their pleasure and therefore the plagues oâ— God wyll fall vpon them at the lengthe and vpon all that wyll take theyr parte They seke not Christ nor hys glory for you see they vtterly haue cast away his word Ieremy 8. Deut. 4 Apoc. 18. and therefore as the prophet saith there is no wisedome in theÌ„ They follow the strompet church and baudie spouse of Antichrist which they cal the catholike churche whose foundation and pillers is the deuil his daughter the masse with his childreÌ„ the pope his prelates Their lawes are craft crueltie their weapons are lying and murther their end studye is their own glory fame wealth rest possessioÌ„s For if a maÌ„ speake nor do nothing against these thoughe he be a

Sodomite an adulterer an vserer c. it forceth not he shall bee quiet enough no maÌ„ shal trouble him But if any one speake any thing to gods glory which caÌ„not stand wtout the ouerthrow of mans glory theÌ„ shall he be disquieted imprisoned troubled except he will play muÌ„me and put his finger vpon hys mouth although the same be a most quiet and godly maÌ„ Iob. 31. So that easely a man may see how that they be Antichrists church and sworne souldiers to the pope and his spouse and not to Christ and his church for theÌ„ would they not cast away gods word theÌ„ would they be no more aduersaryes to his glory which chiefly consisteth in obedience to hys word Therfore my deare hartes in the Lord seme not to allow this or any part of the pelfe of thys Romishe churche and Sinagoge of Sathan Halt not on both knees 3. Reg. 18. Hebr. 12 Mat. 10.16 Marke 8. Luk. 9.14 2. Timo. 3. Rom. 10 1. pet 3. for halting will bring you out of the way but like valiaunte champions of the Lorde confesse confesse I say with your mouth as occasioÌ„ serueth and as your vocatioÌ„ requireth the hope and fayth you haue and fele in your harte But you wil say that so to do is perillous you shall by that meanes lose your libertie your landes your goodes your frends your name your life c. and so shall your children be left in miserable state c. To this I aunswere my good brethreÌ„ that you haue professed in baptisme to fighte vnder the standerd of your captaine Christ will you now for perils sake leaue your lorde You made a solempne vow that you would forsake the world wil you be forsworne runne to embrace it now Mat. 16.19 Mat. 10. Marke 8. Luke 9. You sware promised to leaue al folow Christ wil you now leaue him for your father your mother your children your lands your life c. He that hateth not these saith Christ is not worthy of me He that forsaketh not these him self also and withal taketh not vp his crosse and followeth him the same shal bee none of his Disciples Therfore eyther by a Christ adewâ— be forsworne runne to the deuill quicke Aect. 20. or els say as a Christian shoulde say that wife Psal 119. Psal 49. Heb. 11.12 psa 1â—9 39 childreÌ„ goods life c. are not to deare vnto you in respect of Christ who is your portion and enheritaunce Let the worldlynges which haue no hope of eternall lyfe feare perilles of losse of landes goods lyfe c. Here is not oure home we are here but pilygrymes and straungers thys lyfe is but the deserte and wildernesse to the lande of reste We looke for a citye whose woorkeman is GOD hym selfe Hebr. 11. psal 120 Iob. 9. psal 90 Iob. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 8 Phil. 1. math 7. Luke 13. 2. Cor. 4. Iohn 16. math 25. Rom. 8 We nowe dwellers in the tentes of Cedar We are nowe in warrefare in trauayle and laboure whereto we were borne as the byrde to flye We sorrowe and syghe desiryng the dissolution of oure bodyes and the puttynge of of corruption that we myght put on incorruption The waye we walke in is straite and narrowe and therefore not easie to oure ennemye the corrupte fleshe but yet we must walke on for yf we harken to oure enemye we shall be serued not frendly Let them walke the wyde way that are ruled by their enemyes let vs bee ruled by our frendes and walke the straite waye whose end is weale as the other is woe The tyme of our suffering is but short as the time of their ease is not long but the tyme of oure reioysing shall be endles as the tyme of their tormentes shal be euer and intollerable Our breakfaste is sharpe but oure supper is swete The afflictions of thys life may not be compared in any part to the glory that shal be reueyled vnto vs. 2. Timot. 3 Thys is certayn if we suffer with Christ mat 10. we shall reygne with hym if we confesse hym he will confesse vs and that before hys father in heauen and al hys Aungells and Sainctes saying math 25. come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginnyng Apo. 7.14.19.20.21 3. Cor. 2. Esay 64. Hebr. 12 There shall be ioye myrthe pleasure solace melodye and all kynde of beatitude and felicitie such as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of man is able in any poynte to conceaue it as it is In respecte of thys and of the ioye set before vs should not we runne oure race thoughe it be somthyng roughe Did not Moses so the Prophets so Christ so the Apostles so the Martyrs so the confessors so Psal 36 They were dronkeÌ„ with the swetenes of this geare therfore they conteÌ„pned al the man deuils could do to theÌ„ Their soules thirsted after the lord his tabernacles psa 84.41 63. therefore their liues goods were not to dere to them Read the 11. to the Hebrues and the .2 of the Machabees the .7 Act. 14. 2. Timo. 3. Chapt. and let vs go the same way that is by many tribulations Let vs labour to enter into the kingdome of heauen â–ª for al that wil liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution Thinke therefore the crosse 1. pet 4. if it come for confession of Christ no straunge thing to gods children but rather take it as the Lords medicine by the which he helpeth oure imfirmities setteth forth his glory Our sinnes haue deserued crosse vpon crosse Psalm 8. Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 1 1. Cor. 15 now if god geue vs his crosse to suffer for his truth confessing him as he doth by it bury our sinnes so doth he glorifye vs makinge vs like to Christe here that we may be like vnto him elswhere for it we be pertakers of the affliction we shal be partakers of the consolation if we be like in ignominye we shal be like in glory Greate cause we haue to geue thaÌ„kes to god for leÌ„ding vs libertie lands goodnes wife children life c. thus long so that we shall bee giltie of ingratitude if he now shall come and take the same away except we be chearefull and content Iob. 1. God hath geuen and God hath taken away sayth Iob as it pleaseth the lord so be it done And should not we doe thys Deut. 13. especiallye when the Lord taketh these away of loue to trye vs proue vs whether we be faithful louers or strompets that is whether we loue hiÌ„ better theÌ„ his gifts or otherwise This is a truth of all truthes to be layd vp in our hartes read the historye of the widow 4. reg 4. Psal 37 Psal â—47 that that is not loste which semeth so to be for the coÌ„fessioÌ„

treasures are their hurded where theues caÌ„not come to steale them there is your hart and therfore you can and wyll say as the philosopher sayd when he was robbed of al he had Omnia mea mecum porto I cary al wyth me If he an heathen toke hys ryches to be the worldes rather then hys howe muche more should we so do Therefore my deare brother accordyngly prepare your selfe as you haue done and do I hope Read the .2 of Ecclesiasticus how he counsaileth them that wyll serue god to prepare themselues to temptation Often set before your eyes the iudgement of Christ his commyng in the cloudes and the resurrection which is now our comfort especially in afflictions I wryte to you none otherwyse then I am persuaded I thanke god and purpose to go before you I knowe there is an eternall lyfe I hope to be pertaker of it through christ I know this is the way thether I meane by suffring I know yf we suffer wyth hym we shall raigne wyth hym I know that by the crosse he maketh vs lyke to Christ here that we mayghte be like to hym elsewhere therfore I wryte to you not wordes only And hereupon I am the more earnest as to admonish so to pray you to cleaue styl to the lord and hys true religion which you haue receiued and I for my part am sure that I haue preached vnto you For the confirmation wherof as I am in bondes so I trust in the goodnes of God and his power to geue my lyfe in and for the same that you and others might be certeyne and follow as god shal cal you and vouche you worthy Remember that die you must but wheÌ„ as you know not so where and how it is vncertain to you Again al that you haue you must leaue behind you for nothing shall go with you but a good or an euil conscience Moreouer to whoÌ„ you shal leaue your goods it is hyd from you for you may purpose but god wyll dyspose Therfore if god wyll haue you to dye or to lose your goodes for hys cause how much are you bouÌ„d then to blesse God sure you may be that you can not perish for of all wayes to heauen it is the most sure way Your goods God wil preserue so that your children shal find them although the wyckeh spoyle euerye peece of them for the rightuous mans seede I haue not sene saith Dauyd beg theyr bread but god wyll blesse them into a thousande generations the which thyng I pray god to remember towardes your chylderne for his name sake Amen Thus wyl I betake you to god and to his holy word which is able as to teache you whych way to serue god so to saue you if you beleue and loue it If I thought it myght do you any good I would send you a boke which Iames Bradshaw already hath to teach you how you shuld behaue your selues especially coÌ„cerning the Masse I wrote it sitheÌ„ my trouble CoÌ„mend me to T. Riddleston although I feare me he haue defiled himselfe in this false seruice That boke I would wish he wuld read as you shal aduertise me I wil do in sending to him I shal pray god to illuminate his eies with his grace Commend me to Syr W. Charelton who I trust hath kept himselfe pure from idolatry god graunt he so continue Written in haste as it appeareth from the Counter in the Poultre By yours in Christ Iohn Bradford To hys godly frendes G. and N. encouragyng theÌ„ to prepare themselues to the crosse and patieÌ„tly to endure afflictions for god cause and hys hohys Gospell THe God of all mercies and the father of al consolations shew vnto you more and more the riches of his mercies in christ Iesus our lord and graunt you a liuely faith to apprehend and pul vnto your selues the same to your euerlastyng comfort Amen Because my mind will not let me rest to thinke vpon as it were to see sore stormes like to fal more felly theÌ„ any yet we haue felt I should rather say ye haue felt are lyke to feele if ye continew to confesse christianly as ye haue begunne I thought it my duety to admonish you that therefore ye shoulde not be dismayde nor thynke it any straunge thyng For vndoubtedly you coÌ„fessyng Christ accordyng to the truth taught you yea receiued of you though trouble come the same shal be so farre froÌ„ hurting you that it shal profit you excedingly making you therby lyke to him which for your sakes suffered much greater sorrow then al men can sustain aswell that your sorrowes and afflictions whatsoeuer they be that shal come vnto you shuld be saÌ„ctified in his crosse that which he suffred as also that in him ye might haue both exaÌ„ple how to order your selues in the crosse and how sone shortly and gloriously the ende of your crosse wil be Therfore I say be not dismayde in that the crosse cannot but conforme and make vs lyke vnto Christ not symply of it self but by gods spirit which maketh it hys chiefe meane therto fyrste in putting vs in mynde of our corruption receaued of Adam the cause of al care then by occasioning vs to remeÌ„ber as well our priuye hydde sinnes as also our more manifest euils that we there throughe might be prouoked to repentaÌ„ce asking of mercy the whiche vndoubtedly god wil geue vs for his christes sake therto also his holy sprite to saÌ„ctify vs if we aske the same Nowe this sprite will not cease more more both to mortify the old man with his desires also to renew repaire the new man dailye with augmeÌ„tation encrease so that at the lengthe we shal be made so lyke to Christ that we caÌ„not but be coupled vnto him I meane not by faith as now we be but eueÌ„ in dede leauing here behind vs with Hely our cloke the flesh which one day god wil call quickeÌ„ again to be like vnto the glorious immortal body of his son Iesus Christ out lord after the it hath suffred slepte as his hath done the afflictioÌ„s time which god hath alredy apoiÌ„ted My dere brethern and sisters this is most certaine that the afflictioÌ„s and crosses which ye shal suffer god hath alredy apointed for you so that they are not in the power choise and wil of your his enemies If ye would fly theÌ„ ye caÌ„not but will ye nil ye nedes muste ye haue them If ye wil not cary them in the loue of god ye shal cary them in his displeasure Therfore cast your care on him which careth for you hath couÌ„ted al the heares of your heads so that one shal not perish if that ye commit your selues to his ordering wher els your heads bodies yea soules too shal perishe if that ye with draw your selues as vnwilling to take his cup to drink of it not that I would haue you to thrust your selues hedlong rashly to

word for mine hypocrisie in professing preaching hearing speaking of gods word for my not praying to God for the continuance of it for my not liuing of it throughly as it requireth c. I wil speake nothing of my manyfeste euils for they are knoweÌ„ to you wel enough Deare brother sister with me say ye the like for your owne parts with me ioyne your hartes let vs goe to our heauenly father for his Christes sake besech him to be mercifull vnto vs and to pardoÌ„ vs Oh good father it is we that haue deserued the taking away of thy worde it is we that haue deserued these thy iust plagues fallen vppon vs we haue done a mysse we haue dealt vniustly with thy Gospel we haue procured thy wrath therfore iust art thou in punishing vs iust art thou in plaging vs for we are very miserable But good Lorde and deare father of mercy whose iustice is such that thou wilte not punish the poore soules of thys realme which yet haue not thus sinned against thee as we haue done for many yet neuer heard thy word for our trespasses whose mercye is so great that thou wilt put our iniquities out of thy remembraunce for thy Christes sake if we repent beleue graunt vs we besech thee true repeÌ„taunce and fayth that we hauing obtayned pardon for our sinnes may through thy Christ get deliueraunce froÌ„ the tyrannye of Antichrist now oppressing vs. Oh good father which haste sayd that the Scepter of the wicked should not long lie vpon and ouer the iuste lest they put forth their hands to iniquitie also make vs iust we pray thee in Christes name cut a sunder the cordes of theÌ„ that hate Sion let not the wicked people saye where is their god Thou our god art in heauen doest what soeuer it pleaseth thee vpoÌ„ earth Oh that thou wouldest in the meane whiles before thou do deliuer vs that I say thou wouldest open oure eyes to see al these plagues to come froÌ„ thee al other that shal come whatsoeuer they be publike or priuate that they come not by chaunce nor by fortune but that they come eueÌ„ froÌ„ thy hand and that iustly mercifully iustlye because we haue do deserue them not only by our birthpoyson stil sticking working in vs but also by our former euil life past which by this punishment al other punishments that wouldest haue vs to cal to our remeÌ„brance to set before vs that the mightest put theÌ„ froÌ„ before thee where as they staÌ„d so long as they are not in our remeÌ„brance to put theÌ„ away by repentance Mercifully oh lord god doest thou punish in that thou doest not correct to kil but to amend that we might repent our sinnes aske mercy obteine it freely in Christ and to beginne to suffer for righteousnes sake to be part of thy house wherat thy iudgement beginneth to be pertakers of the afflictions of thy church and thy Christ that we myght be pertakers of the glory of the same to weepe here that we might reioice elswhere to be iudged in this world that we might with thy Saints iudge hereafter the world to suffer with Christ that we might reigne with him to be like to Christ in shame that we might be like to him in glory to receaue our euelles here that we might with poore Lazarus finde rest elswhere rest I say such a rest as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the hart of man is able to coÌ„ceaue Oh that our eyes were open to see this that the crosse coÌ„meth froÌ„ thee to declare thy iustice thy mercy and hereto that we might see how short a time the time of suffring is how long a time the time of reioysing is to theÌ„ that suffer here but to theÌ„ that wil not how long and miserable a time is appointed and prepared a time without tyme in eternal woe and perditioÌ„ too horrible to be thought vpon FroÌ„ the which kepe vs deare father geue more sight in soule to see this geare and how that al thy dearest childreÌ„ haue caried the crosse of greuous affliction in thys lyfe in whose coÌ„pany do thou place vs and such a crosse lay vpoÌ„ vs as thou wilt make vs able to beare to thy glory and our saluation in Christ for whose sake we pray thee to shorten the dayes of thys our great misery fallen vpon vs most iustlye and in the meane season geue vs pacience repeÌ„taunce faith and thy eternal consolation Amen Amen Amen And thus deare hartes I haue talked me thinkes a litle while with you or rather we haue all talked with god Oh that god would geue vs his spirite of grace and prayer My dearly beloued pray for it as for your selues so for me and that god would vouchsafe to make me worthy to suffer with a good conscience for his names sake Pray for me I shal do the like for you This .20 of December by him whom by this bringer ye shal learne I pray you geue my commendations to all that loue me in the Lord. Be mery in Christ for one day in heauen we shall mete and reioyce together for euer more Amen Iohn Bradford To my good brother Iohn Careles prysoner in the King Bench. THe father of mercy god of all coÌ„fort viset vs with his eternal consolatioÌ„ according to his great mercies in Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen My very deare brother if I shall report the truth vnto you I can not but signify that sitheÌ„ I came into prisoÌ„ I neuer receaued so much consolation as I did by your last letter the name of god be most hartely praysed therfore But if I shal report the truth vnto you and as I haue begonne speake stil the verity I must confesse that for mine vnthankfulnes to you wardes to god especially I haue more nede of gods merciful tydings theÌ„ I had euer heretofore Ah that SathaÌ„ enuieth vs so greatly Ah that our Lord would tread hys head vnder our feete shortly Ah that I myght for euer both my self beware be a godly example to you others to beware of vnthankefulnes Good brother Careles we had more nede to take hede after a lightning of a foile theÌ„ before God therfore is to be praysed euen wheÌ„ he hideth that of long a chearful countenaunce from vs lest we being not expert how to vse it as we should do do hurt more our selues thereby so great is our ignorance and corruptioÌ„ Thys my good brother ryghte deare to my very hart I write vnto you as to one whoÌ„ in the Lorde I embrace and I thanke god that you do me in like maner God our father more more geue vs both his good spirite that as by fayth we may fele our selues vnited vnto him in Christ so by loue we may fele oure selues linked in the same Christe one to an other I to you and you to me

eie hath not sene the eare hath not heard the hart caÌ„not conceiue how great glorious gods reward wyl be vpoÌ„ your bodies much more vpon your soules God opeÌ„ our eies to see and fele this in dede Then shal we thynke the crosse which is a meane herto to be commodious Then shall we thanke god that he would chastice vs. TheÌ„ shall we saye with Dauid happy am I that thou hast punished me for before I wente astray but now I kepe thy lawes This that we may do in dede my derely beloued let vs firste knowe that our crosse coÌ„meth from god Secondly that it commeth from god as a father that is to our weale good Therfore let vs thirdly cal to mind our sinnes aske pardon Whereto let vs fourthly loke for help certainly at gods hand in his good time helpe I say such as shal make most to gods glory to the comfort coÌ„moditie of our soules bodies eternally This if we certainly conceiue theÌ„ wil there issue out of vs harty thankes geuiÌ„g which god requireth as a most precious sacrifice That we may al through Christ offer this let vs vse earnest praier to our god and dere father who blesse vs kepe vs and coÌ„fort vs vnder hys swete crosse for euer Amen Amen My dere hartes if I could any way comfort you you should be sure therof though my lyfe laye theron but now I must do as I may because I caÌ„not as I would Oh that it would please our deare father shortly to bring vs where we should neuer departe but enioy continually the blessed fruicion of hys heauenly presence pray pray that it may spedely come to passe pray To morow I wyll sende vnto you to knowe your estate send me worde what are the chiefest things they charge you wythall From the Counter By your brother in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To Mystres Hall prysoner in Newgate and ready to make aunswer before her aduersaries OVr most merciful god and father throughe Christ Iesus our lord and sauiour be merciful vnto vs and make perfect the good he hath begonne in vs vnto the ende Amen My deare Sister reioyce in the lord reioyce be glad I say be mery and thankful Math. 5 not only because Christ so coÌ„maundeth vs but also because our state wherin we are preseÌ„tly requireth no lesse for we are the lords witnesses God the father hath vouched saffe to choose vs emonges many to witnes and testify that christ hys sonne is Kyng and that hys word is true Christ our sauiour for hys loues sake towards vs wil haue vs to beare recorde that he is no vsurper nor deceyuer of the people but Gods Embassadour Prophet and Messias so that of al dignities vpon earthe this is the highest Greater honoure had not hys Prophetes Apostles nor dearest frendes then to beare witnes wyth Christ as we now doe The worlde folowyng the counsell of theyr Syer Sathan would gladly condempne Christ and hys verity but loe the lord hath chosen vs to be hys champions to lette this As stoute souldiours therfore let vs stand to our maister who is wyth vs and standeth on our ryght hande that we shall not be muche moued if we hope and hange on hys mercye he is so faythful true that he wyl neuer tempt vs further then he will make vs hable to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say thys day you shall be called forth what you shal answer The lord which is true cannot lie hath promysed and wyll neuer fayle nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shall make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hange therfore on this promyse of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in hym Neuer was it hearde of or shal be that any hopyng in the lord was put to foyle Therfore as I said I say againe Deare Syster be not only not careful for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he wil confesse you and neuer be ashamed of you Thoughe losse of goodes and lyfe be lyke here to ensue yet yf Christ be true as he is most true it is otherwyse in dede for he that loseth hys life sayth he wynneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our synnes haue deserued many deathes Now if god deale so with vs that he wil make our deserued deathe a demonstration of hys grace a testimonyall of hys veritye a confirmation of hys people an ouerthrowe of his aduersaries what great cause haue we to be thankful Be thankeful therfore good Syster be thankefull reioyce and be merye in the Lord be stoute in hys cause and quarell be not faynte harted but runne out your race and set your captayne Christe before your eyes Beholde how great your rewarde is See the great glory and the eternitie of felicity prepared for you Striue and fyght lawfully that you may gette the crowne Runne to get the game you are almost at your iorneyes end I dout not but our father will with vs send to you also 4 Reg. 2. as he did to Hely a fiery charette to conuey vs into his kyngdome Let vs therefore not be dismayde to leaue our cloke behind vs that is our bodies to ashes God wyll one daye restore them to vs lyke to the body of our lord and sauiour Iesus christ whose coÌ„ming is now at hande let vs loke for it and lift vp our heads for our redeÌ„ption draweth nigh Amen Amen The Lord of mercy graunt vs hys mercy AmeÌ„ I pray you pray for me and so desire my bretherne whiche be wyth you Gods peace be with vs all Amen Blessed be the deade that dye in the Lorde then how much more they that dye for the Lord. Your brother in bondes Iohn Bradford Â¶ An admonition to certayne professours and louers of the gospell to beware they fall not from it in consentyng to the Romyshe religion by the example of the shrinkyng haltyng and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christ which is the true effecte of gods gospell beleued my derely beloued bee more and more plentifully perceyued of you throughe the grace of our deare father by the myghty workyng of the holy spirit our comforter Amen Though I haue many lettes presently to hynder me from writyng vnto you yet beyng desired I could not but somethyng signifye my readye good wyll in this behalfe so much as I may when I cannot so much as I woulde You heare and see how Sathan bestirreth hym ragyng as a roryng Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partlye what stormes he hath raysed vppe to drowne the poore boote of Christ I meane hys church You see how terribly he trayneth his souldiours to geue a fierce onset on the voward of gods battel You see how he hath receyued power of god to molest gods children and to begyn at hys house By reason wherof consider

two thynges one the cause on our behalfe the other what wil be the sequel on straungers For the first yf we be not blynd we cannot but well see that our sinnes are the cause of all this misery our synnes I saye whiche I woulde that euerye one of vs woulde applye to our selues after the example of Ionas and Dauid turnyng ouer the wallet that other mens offences myghte lye behynde and our own before Not that I would excuse other men which exteriorly haue walked much more grossely then manye of you haue done but that I woulde prouoke you all as my selfe to more harty repentaunce and prayer Let vs more more encrease to know and lament our doubtyng of God of hys presence power anger mercy c. Let vs better feele and hate our selfe loue securitie negligence vnthankefulnes vnbeliefe impatience c. and then doubteles the crosse shall be lesse carefull yea it shall be comfortable and Christ most deare and pleasaunt death then shall be desired as the dispatcher of vs out of all misery and entraunce into eternall felicity ioy vnspeakable the which is so much the more longed for by howe muche we feele in dede the Serpentes byttes wherwyth he woundeth our heeles that is our outward Adam and senses If we had I say a liuely and true feelyng of his poyson we could not but as reioyce ouer our Captayn that hath brused hys head so be desirous to follow hys example that is to geue oure lyues wyth hym and for hym Coloss 1 and so to fyll vp hys passions that he myght conquere and ouercome in vs and by vs to his glory and comfort of hys chyldren Now the second I meane the sequell or that whyche wil follow on the straungers my derely beloued let vs wel loke vpon For if so be that god iustly do thus geue to Sathan and hys sede to vexe and molest Christe and hys penitente people oh what and how iustly maye he and wyll he geue to Sathan to intreate the rechlesse and impenitent synners If iudgement beginne thus at gods house what wil follow on them that be wythout if they repent not Certainly for them is reserued the dregges of gods cuppe that is Brymstone fyre and tempest intollerable Nowe are they vnwilling to drynke of gods cuppe of afflictions which he offreth common with hys sonne Christ our Lord lest they shoulde lose theyr pygges wyth the Gergesites Math. 8. They are vnwillyng to come into the waye that bryngeth to heauen euen afflictions they in their hartes crye let vs caste his yoke from vs they walke two wayes that is they seeke to serue god and Mammon which is vnpossible They wil not come nighe the straite waye that bryngeth to lyfe they open their eyes to beholde presente thynges onelye they iudge of religion after reasoÌ„ and not after gods word they follow the more part and not the better they professe God wyth their mouthes but in their hartes they deny hym or elles they woulde sanctifye hym by seruing him more then men they part stake wyth GGD whych woulde haue al geuing part to the world to the Romishe route and Antichristian Idolatry now set abroad emongest vs publikely they will haue Christ but none of his crosse which will not be they wil be counted to lyue godly in Christe but yet they wil suffer no persecutioÌ„ they loue thys world wher through the loue of god is driuen forth of them they sauer those things that be of men and not that be of god Summa they loue god in their lippes â–ª but in their harts yea and in their dedes deny him aswel by not repenting their euils past as by continuing in euil stil by doyng as the world the flesh and the deuil willeth yet stil perchaunce they wil praye or rather prate thy wyll be done in earth which is generally that euery one shuld take vp his crosse and follow christ But this is a hard sermoÌ„ who is able to abide it Therfore Christ must be praied to depart lest al their pigges be drowned The deuil shal haue his dwelling again in theÌ„selues rather theÌ„ in their pigges therfore to the deuil shal they go dwel with him in eternal perdicioÌ„ daÌ„nation eueÌ„ in hel fier a torment endles aboue al cogitations incomprehensible if they repent not Wherfore by theÌ„ my derely beloued be admonished to remeÌ„ber your professioÌ„ how that in Baptisme you made a soleÌ„pne vow to renouÌ„ce the deuil the world c. You promised to fight vnder christes staÌ„derd You learned christs crosse afore you begun with A. B. C. Go to theÌ„ pay your vow to the lord fyght lyke men and valiant men vnder Christes standerde take vp your crosse and follow your maister as your brethern M. Hoper Rogers Tailor and SauÌ„ders haue done and as now your bretherne M. Cranmer Latymer Rydley Farror Bradforde Hawkes c. be redy to do The Ise is broken before you therfore be not afraide but be content to dye for the lord You haue no cause to wauer or doubte of the doctryne thus declared by the bloud of the pastours Remember that Chryste sayeth he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall lose it And what shoulde it profite you to wynne the whole worlde much lesse a little quietnes your goodes c. and to lose your owne soules Render to the Lorde that he hath lent you by such meanes as he would haue you render it and not as you woulde Forgette not Christes disciples must denye themselues as well concernyng their wyl as concernyng their wisedome Haue in mynde that as it is no small mercy to beleue in the Lord so it is no smal kindnes of God towardes you to suffer any thyng muche more death for the Lord. If they be blessed that dye in the Lorde howe shall they be that dye for the Lorde Oh what a blessyng is it to haue death due for our synnes diuerted into a demonstration and testification of the lordes truth Oh that we had a little of Moses faith to loke vpon the ende of the crosse to loke vpon the rewarde to see continuallye wyth Christe and hys people greater ryches then the ryches of Egipt Oh let vs pray that god would open our eyes to see hys hyd Manna heauenlye Ierusalem the congregation of the first borne the melodye of the sainctes the tabernacle of God dwellyng wyth men then should we runne and become violent men and so take the kyngdome of heauen as it were by force God oure father geue vs for hys Christes sake to see a little what and howe great ioye he hath prepared for vs he hathe called vs vnto and most assuredlye geueth vs for hys owne goodnes and truthes sake Amen My derely beloued repent bee sober watch in prayer be obedieÌ„t after your vocations shewe your obedience to the hygher powers in all thyngs that are not agaynst gods worde therein acknowledge the soueraigne power of the Lorde howbeit so

shall be able by the worde of God euer to impugne it muche lesse to confute it In the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians Ephesi 1. the Apostle sayeth thus Blessed be god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs wyth all maner of blessynges in heauenly thinges by Christ accordyng as he hath elect or chosen vs in hym before the foundation of the world was layed that we should be holy and without blame before hym through loue and hath predestinate vs or ordeyned vs thorough Iesus Christ to bee heyres vnto hymselfe accordyng to the good pleasure of hys wyll to the prayse of the glory of hys grace wherwyth he hath made vs accepted in the beloued by whom we haue receyued redeÌ„ption thorough hys bloud and the forgeuenes of our sinnes accordyng to the riches of hys grace which grace he hath shed on vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and vnderstandyng and hath opened vnto vs the mysterye of hys wyll accordyng to hys good pleasure which he purposed in hymselfe to haue it declared when the tyme was full come that he myght gather together all thynges by or in Christe as well the thynges that be in heauen as the thynges that be in earth euen in or by hym by or in whome we are made heyres beyng thereto predestinate accordyng to the purpose of hym whiche worketh all thynges accordynge to the decree or counsayle of hys owne wyll that we which hoped before you in Christe shoulde bee vnto the prayse of hys glory in whome ye also hoped after that ye heard the word of truth the gospell of your saluation wherein ye also beleuyng were sealed wyth the holy spirite of promyse whyche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vntyll the redeÌ„ption or full fruition of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of hys glory These be the wordes of Paule which I haue faithfullye translated accordyng to the very texte in the Greeke as by the iudgement of all that be learned I desyre herein to bee tried Out of the which wordes of Paule we may wel perceiue euerye thing affirmed in my propositioÌ„ as I wil geue occasion plainly to them that wil to see it The cause of gods election is his grace good will First that the cause of gods election is of hys good wyll the Apostle sheweth in saying that it is throughe hys loue wherby we are holy and wythout blame also accordyng to the good pleasure of his will according to his good pleasure purposed in hymselfe accordyng to hys purpose which worketh all thynges after the counsel of his owne wyll The tyme of gods election was from the beginning Secondly that election was before the beginnyng of the world the apostle plainely sheweth in sayeng that we were chosen before the foundation of the world was laid and afterwardes in callyng it the mysterye of hys wyll purposed wyth hymselfe in tyme to be declared Election is in Christ Thirdly that election is in Christ the Apostle doth so flatly and plainly set it forth that I nede not here to repete it We sayeth he are chosen in him we are heyres by hym wt are accepted by him we are gathered together in him c. Electionis not of all men Fourthly that election is of some of Adams posteritye and not of al we may plainly see it if we coÌ„sider that he maketh the true demonstration of it beleuing hoping and hauing the earnest of the spirite In whom yea hoped saith he after ye heard the word c. In whom ye beleued wer sealed vp c. Agayne in attributyng to the electe forgeuenes of synnes holynes blameles liuyng being in Christ c. That we shold be holy saieth he c. we haue receyued forgeuenes of sinnes c. Who seeth not that these are not common to al men 2. Thess 3 Act. 13. 1 Iohn 1 Math. 13 Al men haue not faithe saieth Paule elsewhere None beleued saith Luke but suche as were ordained to eternall life None beleue but such as be borne of god None beleue truly but such as haue good hartes and kepe gods seede to bring forth frute by patience Fayth is a demonstratioÌ„ of election to such as be of yeres of discretion Psal 125. So that it is plain faith being a demonstration of gods election to them that be of yeres of discretion that all men are not elect because all men beleue not For he that beleueth in the lord shal be as mount Sion that is he shal neuer be remoued for if he bee remoued that is finally perish surely he neuer truely beleued But what go I about to lighten a caÌ„dell in the cleare sonne light wheÌ„ our sauiour plainly saith that all be not chosen but few Many be called saith he but few be chosen Mat. 20. And in the 2. chap. to the Ephes the Apostle plainly saith that the greate riches of gods mercy through hys exceding great loue hath saued theÌ„ before their parentes many other Gentiles whiche were excluded from Christ and strauÌ„gers from the promise hopeles godles c. Rom. 11. Psal 144. Wherthrough we may be occasioned to cry oh the depth of the iudgements of god which is iuste in all hys doynges and holy in al hys workes extendyng his mercy after hys good pleasure wyll aboue al his workes Fyftly that god hath predestinate these Election is to eternal life thus elect vnto euerlastyng lyfe in Christe the apostle dothe also in the wordes before writen declare in saying and hath predestinate vs through Iesus Christe to be heyres vnto hymselfe Agayne by hym sayth he yeare made heyres and predestinate to the prayse of hys glorye Rom. 8 So sayeth the Apostle elsewhere whom he hathe predestinate them hath he predestinate to be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of hys sonne Luke 10 And therfore Christ sayeth reioyce in thys that your names are writen in heauen Syxtlye The ende of election is to the prayse and glory of god that the ende of election is to the prayse of gods glory and grace the Apostle sheweth here in saying we are predestinate to be holye without blame before god c. In saying we are predestinate to the glory of hys grace And in saying also vnto the prayse of hys glory so that nothing can be more manifest Seuenthly Election is not without vocation and iustificatioÌ„ in time that predestination is not without vocation in gods tyme and iustification the Apostle here dothe teach in bringyng vs to the consideration of hearing the word of truthe beleuing receiuing the holye spirite remission of synnes c. In whom saith he ye haue hoped after that ye heard the word of truth c. Againe by whome ye haue redemption that is remission of synnes thorough the sheding of hys blood c. Also he hath in hys full tyme declared the mystery of hys wyl c. Vnto the Rom. the apostle sheweth it moste

manifestly in saieng whoÌ„ he hath predestinate theÌ„ he calleth whoÌ„ he calleth theÌ„ he iustifieth Wherby we may se the predestination or electioÌ„ is not vniuersal of al for al be not iustified Eightly and laste of all that election is so certayne that the elect and predestinate to eternall lyfe shall neuer peryshe or erre to dampnation finallye Election is certain for euer the Apostle dothe here also very playnly shewe in saieng that they are predestiinate to the prayse of gods grace He sayth not to the prayse of hys iustice to the praise of hys wisdome to the prayse of hys power although he myght moste truely saye so but he sayeth Rom. 12 to the prayse of hys grace whiche were not grace yf there were any respect at al of workes on our behalf for theÌ„ were grace not grace If there should be any condemnation of the electe and predestinate to eternall lyfe it must needes be because of theyr synnes but where were the praise of gods grace then which is the ende of gods election Shal we not by thys meanes make gods election without an ende and so wythout a heade and so no election at all as some would haue further then they elect themselues â–ª Let such feare they shall not find the benefit of gods election because they seke it as the Israelites dyd Rom. 11. Psalm 69 and not as the elect which not only finde it but also obtayne it The other are blinded as it is written God hath geuen them the spyryte of vnquietnes eyes that they should not see and eares that they shoulde heare eueÌ„ to thys day c. Secondly he sheweth the certaintye of saluation to them that be elected in saying that they be accepted in the beloued Once accepted and beloued in Christ Iohn 13 Rom. 11 Iohn 13 and euer beloued for whome he loueth he loueth to the ende and gods giftes are suche that he cannot repente hym of them And therfore sayth Christ I know whome I haue chosen attributyng to election the cause of final perseuerance By which thyng Iudas was sene not to be elected to eternall lyfe althoughe he was elected to the office of an Apostle as Saule was elected to the office of a king Which kind of election is to be discerned in readyng the scriptures from thys kynd of election the which I speake of now that is from election to eternal lyfe in Christ Thirdly he sheweth the certaintye of saluation of the electe by callyng them heyres For yf we be heyres of god theÌ„ are we fellow heires wyth Christ Rom. 8 to be afflicted and glorifyed wyth Christe and therfore saith he accordyng to the decree of hys owne will Loe he calleth it a decree or counsel which shal stand as Esay saith Esay 46 the counsel of the Lorde shal stande Fourthlye he sheweth this certaintie by saying that they are elect and predestinate to the prayse of gods glory which we should more care for then for the saluation of all the worlde Thys glory of the lord is set forth as well in them that perishe and are reprobates as in the elect therefore Iohn 12 S. Iohn bringing in the place of Esay speaking of the reprobate sayth that Esay spake that wheÌ„ he sawe the glory of the lord This glory of the Lord to bee set forth by vs is a great mercy and benefite of God I am assured that if the very deuilles and reprobates dyd not repine hereat but were thankful that they might be ministers in any poynte to set forth Gods glorye I am assured I say that they should finde no hell nor tormentes Their hel and tormentes coÌ„meth of the loue they haue to them selues and of the malice enuie and hatred they haue agaynste God hys glory Let them tremble and feare that may not away with the glory of the Lord in election and reprobation Let not their eyes be euil because god is good doth good to whom it pleaseth him wrong he doth to no man Rom. 9 nor can do for then he were not righteous so no God He can not condemne the iust for theÌ„ were he vntrue because his word is contrary He can not condemne the penitent and beleuer for that were againste his promise Let vs therfore laboure studie crye and praye for repentaunce and fayth Math. 25. then can not we bee damned because we are the blessed of the father before all worldes and therefore we beleue therfore we repent 1 Cor. 2 And for asmuch as it pertayneth to vs which be within to see and to speake of those things which are geuen vnto vs of God in Christe let vs laboure hereaboutes 1. Cor. 5. Ephesi 1. and leaue them that be withoute to the Lorde which will iudge them in hys tyme. The Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians for none other wisedome and reuelation from God Coloss 2 then wherby they might know god and haue their mindes illumined to see what they should hope for by their vocation and how rych the glorye of his enheritaunce is vppon hys Sainctes Further then thys I thynke is vnsemely for vs to search vntill we haue sought out how rych Gods goodnesse is and wil be to vs hys children The which we can neuer do but the more we goe theraboutes and the more we taste hys goodnes the more we shall loue hym and loth all thynges that displease him Thys I say let vs doe and not be too busy bodyes in searching the maiestie glorye of god or in nourishyng in any wise the doubting of our saluatioÌ„ wherto we are ready enough and the deuil goeth about nothing els so much as that for by it we are dul to do good to other we are so carefull for our selues By it we are more dulle to do good to our selues because we stand in doubt whether it profiteth vs or no. By it we dishonoure god either in making him as though he were not true or els as though our saluation came not only altogether from hym but hanged partly on our selues By it the deuil wil bring meÌ„ at length to dispaire and hatred of god Doubt once of thy saluation and continue therin surely he then wil aske no more It was the first thyng wherwith he tempted Christe Math. 4. if thou bee the sonne of god c. It is the first principallest darte he casteth at gods electe But as he preuailed not agaynst Christe no more shal he do against any of his members Ephesi 6 Luke 18. Psal 34. Psal 92 for they haue the shield of faith which quencheth his fiery dartes They praise god nyght day how then should they perish The Angels of the Lord pitch their tentes round about theÌ„ how theÌ„ should Sathan preuaile They are borne in the hands of the Angels least they should hurt their feete at any stone God hath geuen coÌ„maundement to hys Angels ouer them Heb. 1. Luk. 10 phil 4.

brimstone stormye tempestes Whose Palace and home shall be hell fyre and darkenesse Whose cheare shall be weping and gnashing of teeth Whose song shal be woe woe woe from the which the lord of mercye deliuer vs. My dearely beloued I write not thys as one that thinketh not wel of you but as one that would you dyd wel and therfore to helpe you therto I write as I write Beseching God to open your eyes to see the daungers men be in that dissemble with God and man to the ende you doe not the lyke and also to open your eyes to see the hygh seruice you doe to God in aduenturing your selfe and that you haue for hys sake Oh that mens eyes were opened to see that the glorye of God resteth vppon them that suffer any thyng for his sake Oh that we considered that it is happinesse to suffer any thyng for Christes sake which haue deserued to suffer so much for our synnes iniquities Oh that our eyes were opened to see the great reward they shal haue in heaueÌ„ which suffer the losse of any thing for Gods sake If we knewe the crosse to be as a purgation moste profitable to the soule as a purifying fyre to burne the drosse awaye of our dyrtinesse and synnes as an ouen to bake vs in to bee the Lordes breade as soope to make vs white as a stewe to mundifie and clense vs as Gods framehouse to make vs lyke to Christe here in sufferyng that we maye be so in reygning then should we not so muche care for thys little shorte sorrowe whiche the fleshe suffereth in it but rather in consideration of the excedyng endlesse ioye and comforte which wyl ensue we should runne fowards in our race after the example of oure Captayne Christ who comforte vs all in our distresse and geue vs the spirite of prayer therein to watche and pray that we be not led into temptation whiche God graunt to vs for euer Amen And thus muche I thoughte good to write to you at thys presente to declare my carefulnesse for the well doinge of you and all youre familye whom I commende with you into the handes and tuition of God oure Father So be it Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford An other letter to Maister George Eaton ALmyghtye God oure heauenlye father recompence aboundauntlye into youre bosome my dearelye-beloued here and eternallye the good whiche from hym by you I haue continuallye receaued sythen my comming into pryson Otherwyse can I neuer be able to requite your louing kindnesse here then by praying for you and after thys lyfe by witnessyng youre faythe declared to me by your fruites when we shal come appeare together before the throne of our sauiour Iesus Christ whether I thaÌ„ke god I am eueÌ„ now a going euer loking wheÌ„ the officers wil come satisfie the precept of the Prelates wherof though I caÌ„ not coÌ„plain because I haue iustly deserued an hundreth M. deathes at gods hands by reasoÌ„ of my sines yet I may and must reioice because the Prelates do not persecute in me mine iniquities but Christ Iesus his veritie so that they persecute not me they hate not me but they persecute Christ they hate Christ And because they caÌ„ do him no hurt for he sitteth in heaueÌ„ laugheth theÌ„ their deuises to scorne as one daye they shal feele therfore they turne their rage vpon his pore shepe as Herode their father did vpoÌ„ the infantes Math. 2. Great cause therfore haue I to reioyce that my deare Sauiour Christ will vouchsafe amongest manye to choose me to bee a vessel of grace to suffer in me which haue deserued so often iustly to suffer for my sinnes that I might be most assured I shal be a vessell of honour in whom he wil be glorifyed Therfore my right dere brother in the lord reioice with me geue thanks for me and cease not to pray the god for his mercies sake woulde make perfect the good he hath begon in me And as for the doctrine which I haue professed preached I vnto you do confesse in writing as to the whole world I shortly shall by gods grace in suffering that it is the verye true doctrine of Iesus Christ of hys Church of hys Prophets Apostles al good men so that if an Aungel shoulde come from heauen and preache otherwyse the same were accursed Therefore wauer not deare hart in the Lord but bee confyrmed in it and as youre vocation requireth when God so wil confesse it though it be perillous so to do The ende shall euidenlye shewe an other manner of pleasure for so doing then tounge can tell Be diligence in prayer and watche therein Vse reuerente reading of Gods worde Set the shortnes of this time before your eies let not the eternitie that is to come depart out of your memorye Practyse in doing that you learne by reading hearing Decline froÌ„ euil pursue good Remember theÌ„ that be in bondes especially for the Lordes cause as members of your body and fellowe heyres of grace Forget not the afflictions of Sion and the oppression of Ierusalem and god our father shall geue you hys continuall blessing through Christe oure Lorde who guyde vs as hys deare children for euer Amen And thus I take my Vale and farewell wyth you deare brother for euer in thys present lyfe tyl we shal meete in eternall blisse whether our good God and father bring vs shortly Amen God blesse all your babes for euer Amen Oute of pryson thys .8 of Februarye Your afflicted brother for the Lordes cause Iohn Bradford A letter writen to hys Mother as a farewell when he thoughte he shoulde haue suffered shortlye after TThe Lord of lyfe and Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ blesse you and comfort you my good and deare Mother wyth hys heauenly comfort consolation grace and spirite nowe and for euer Amen If I thought that dayly yea almoste hourlye you dyd not crye vpon God the father throughe Iesus Christ that he woulde geue me hys blessing euen the blessing of his children then would I write more hereaboutes But for asmuch as herein I am certayne you are diligente and so I besech you good Mother to continue I thynke it good to write somethyng whereby thys your crying might bee furthered Furthered it wyll be if those thynges which hynder it bee taken away Among the which in that I thynke my imprisonmente is the greatest and chiefest I will there about spend thys letter and that brieflye leaste it myghte encrease the let as my good brother thys brynger can tell you You shall knowe therefore good Mother He meaneth the dauÌ„ger of more streat imprisonment that might hereby folow that for my bodye thoughe it bee in an house oute of the whiche I can not come when I wyll yet in that I haue conformed my wyll to Gods wyll I finde herein lybertye enoughe I thanke God And for my lodging beddyng meate drinke Godlye

my good and most deare Mother geue thankes for me to god that he hath made the fruite of your woÌ„be to be a wytnes of hys glory and attend to the truth whiche I thank god for it I haue truly taught out of the pulpit of Manchester Vse often and continual prayer to God the father through Christ Harken as you may to the scriptures serue God after hys worde and not after custome beware of the Romyshe religion in Englande defyle not your selfe wyth it cary Christes crosse as he shall saye it vppon your backe forgeue them that kyll me pray for theÌ„ for they know not what they do committe my cause to god our father bee myndeful of both your daughters to help them as you can I send all my writinges to you by my brother Roger doe wyth them as you will because I cannot as I woulde he can tel you more of my mynd I haue nothyng to geue you or to leaue behind me for you onely I pray God my father for hys christes sake to blesse you and kepe you from euyll He geue your patience he make you thankeful as for me so so for your selfe that wyll take the fruite of your wombe to witnesse hys verity wherin I confesse to the whole worlde I dye and departe thys lyfe in hope of a much better which I loke for at the hands of god my father through the merytes of hys deare sonne Iesus Christ Thus my deare Mother I take my laste farewell of you in this life besechyng the almighty and eternall father by Christ to graunte vs to mete in the lyfe to come where we shall geue hym continuall thankes and prayse for euer and euer Amen Â¶ Out of pryson the .24 of Iune 1555. Your sonne in the Lord Iohn Bradforde To one by whom he had receiued much comfort and reliefe in hys trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of god in Christ peculier to hys children be euer more felt of you my derely beloued in the lord AmeÌ„ When I consider with my selfe the benefites which God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not wyth drye eyes geue him thaÌ„kes for certainly they are very many and great And nowe beyng yet still the lordes prisoner I perceiue from him moe benefits by you For the which I thinke my self so much bounde to you my good brother althoughe you were but the instrumeÌ„t by whoÌ„ god wrought and blessed me that I loke not to come out of your dette by anye pleasure or seruice that I shal euer be able to do you in this life I shal hartely pray vnto god therfore to requite you the good you haue done to me for his sake for I knowe that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of god his word He therfore geue you dailye more more to be tonfirmed in his truth word so pleÌ„tifully poure vpoÌ„ you the riches of his holy spirit and heaueÌ„ly treasures laid vp in store for you that your corporal earthly riches may be vsed of you as sacraments significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heaueÌ„ly and the lesse to esteme the other that is the earthly For Satans sollitation is so to set before you the earthly that therin and thereby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forgette them and altogether become a louer worshipper of the erthly MaÌ„mon so to fal to couetousnes a desire to be rich by the meanes to bring you into many noisom and hurtful lustes as now adais I heare of many which haue vtterly forsakeÌ„ god al his heaueÌ„ly riches for Antichrists pleasure the preseruing of their worldly pelf which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertain as they may be most certain they leaue to theÌ„ gods wrath veÌ„geauÌ„ce in his time to be sent by visitation if they in time hartely repeÌ„t not preueÌ„t not the same by earnest praier Wherin my good brother if you be diligeÌ„t harty perseuer I am sure god wil preserue you froÌ„ euyll froÌ„ yelding your self to do as the world now doth by allowing in bodely fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitatioÌ„ mind doth disalowe But if you be cold in prayer come into coÌ„sideration of earthly present thinges simply thaÌ„ shal you fal into faithles folies woundyng of your conscseÌ„ce from which god euermore preserue you with your good wife your babe Leonard al your family to that which I wish the blessing of God now and for euer through Christ our Lord Amen I pray you geue thankes for me to your old bedfellow for his greate frendship for your sake shewed to me when I was in the Tower Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued Syster Mystres A. VV. THe euerlasting peace of Christ be more more liuely felt in our hartes by the operatioÌ„ of the holy ghost now and for euer Amen Although I know it to be more then nedeth to write any thing vnto you good Syster beiÌ„g as I dont not you be diligeÌ„tly exercised in reading of the scriptures meditating the same harty praier to god for the helpe of his holy spirit to haue the sense feelyng especially of the comfortes you reade in gods swete boke yet hauing such opportunitie knowing not whether hereafter I shall haue the like as this bringer can declare I thought good in few wordes to take my farewel in writing because otherwise I can not And now me thinkes I haue done it For what els can I or should I say vnto you my derely beloued in the lord but farewel Farewel dere Sister farewell How be it in the lord our lord I say farewel In him shal you farewel so much the better by how much in your self you fare euil shal fare euil WheÌ„ I speake of your self I meane also this world this life al things properly perteining to this life In theÌ„ as you loke not for your welfare so be not dismaide when accordinglye you shall not feele it To the lord our god to the Lambe our Christ which hath borne our sinnes on his back and is our mediator for euer do I send you In him loke for welfare that wtout all wauering because of his owne goodnes and truth whiche our euilnes and vntruth cannot take awaye Not that therefore I woulde haue you to flatter your selfe in any euill or vnbeliefe but that I would comfort you that they should not dismay you Yours is our Christe wholye Yours I say he is wyth all that euer he hath Is not thys welfare trow you Mountaynes shall moue and the earthe shall fall before you fynde it otherwyse say the lyer Sathan what he lyste Therfore good Sister farewel and be merye in the Lord be mery I say for you

haue good cause If your welfare ioy and saluation hanged vpon any other thyng then only gods mercy and truth then might you wel be sad heauy and stand in a doubte But in that it hangeth only vpon these two tell Satan he lyeth when he would haue you to stand in a maÌ„meryng by causyng you to cast your eyes which only in thys case should be set on Christ your sweete sauiour on your selfe in some parte In dede looke on your selfe on your fayth on your loue obedieÌ„ce c. to awake you vp from securitie to styrre you vp to diligence in doyng the things apperteyning to your vocatioÌ„ but when you would be at peace wyth god and haue true consolation in your coÌ„science altogether loke vpon the goodnes of god in Christ Thynke on this commaundement which precedeth all others that you must haue no other gods but the Lorde Iehouah which is your Lord and god the which he could not be if that he dyd not pardon your synnes in very dede Remember that Christe commaundeth you to call hym father for the same entente And hereto call to mynde all the benefites of god hetherto shewed vpon you and so shal you fele in very dede that which I wyshe vnto you now and praye you to wyshe vnto me farewell or welfare in the Lord Iesus wyth whome he graunte vs shortlye to meete as hys chyldren for hys name and mercyes sake to oure eternall welfare Amen Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford Â¶ An other letter to Mystres A.VV. ALmighty god our heauenly father for hys christes sake encrease in vs fayth by which we may more and more see what glory and honour is reposed and safely kept in heauen for all them that beleue wyth the hart and confesse Christe and hys truthe wyth the mouthe Amen My derely beloued I remember that once heretofore I wrote vnto you a Vale or a farewell vpon coniecture but now I wryte my farewell to you in thys lyfe in dede vpon certaine knowledge My staffe standeth at the dore I continually looke for the Shiriffe to come for me and I thank God I am ready for hym Now go I to practise that which I haue preached Now am I climing vp the hil it wil cause me to puffe and blow before I come to the cliffe The hill is stepe and high my breath is short and my strength is feble pray therfore to the lord for me that as I haue now through hys goodnes euen almost come to the toppe I may by hys grace be strengthned not to rest til I come where I should be Oh louing Lord put out thy hande and drawe me vnto thee for no man coÌ„meth but he whome the father draweth Se my derely beloued gods louing mercy he knoweth my short breath and great weakenes As he sent for Helias a fâ—ry chariote so sendeth he for me for by fyre my drosse muste be purifyed that I may be fine gold in hys syghte Oh vnthankefull wretche that I am Lorde do thou forgeue me myne vnthankfulnes In dede I confesse ryghte deare to me in the lord that my synnes haue deserued hell fyre much more then thys fyer But loe so louyng is my Lorde that he conuerteth the remedye for my synnes the punishmente for my transgressions into a testimoniall of hys truth and a testification of hys verity which the Prelates doe persecute in me and not my synnes therfore they persecute not me but Christ in me which I doubte not wyl take my part vnto the very ende Amen Oh that I had so open an harte as coulde so receiue as I should do this great benefite and vnspeakable dignitye which God my father offreth to me Now pray for me my derely beloued pray for me that I neuer shrinke I shal neuer shrynke I hope I trust in the Lorde I shal neuer shrinke for he that alwayes hath taken my parte I am assured wil not leaue me when I haue most nede for hys truth merties sake Oh Lord helpe me into thy handes I commende me wholy In the Lorde is my my truste I care not what man can do vnto me Amen My derely beloued say you Amen also and come after if so god call you Be not ashamed of the gospell of Christ but kepe company wyth hym stil He wyll neuer leaue you but in the myddest of temptation wil geue you an outscape to make you able to beare the brunte Vse harty prayer reuerently reade and heare gods worde put it in practise looke forthe crosse lift vp your heades for your redeÌ„ption draweth nigh know that the death of gods saintes is precious in hys syght be mery in the Lorde pray for the mitigation of gods heauy displeasure vpon our countrey God kepe vs for euer God blesse vs wyth his spirituall blessynges in Christ And thus I bydde you farewell for euer in thys present lyfe Pray for me praye for me for gods sake pray for me God make perfecte hys good worke begonne in me Amen Out of prison this 7. of February Yours in the Lorde Iohn Bradford Â¶ To certayne godlye men relieuers and helpers of hym and others in theyr imprisonmente THe peace of Christ which passeth all pleasure and worldly felicity be daily more and more felte in your hartes my right derely beloued in the Lord by the inwarde workyng of the holy spirite the earnest of our inheritaunce and guider of gods electe wyth the whyche god our dere father more more endue vs al vnto the ende for hys beloued sonnes sake our lord Iesus Christ Amen Praysed be god the father of our lord Iesus Christ which is a father of mercy a god of al consolation that hath blessed you with the knowlege loue of his truth not only to your own coÌ„fortes but also the great ease coÌ„fort of many which without the helpe of god by you hetherto had bene in much more misery By your releuing the lordes prisoners I am brought to see the rote wherof the worke doth spring euen the knowlege loue of gods truth wherfore we are in haÌ„des The which knowledge loue in that it is a blessyng of all blessings the greatest for it is euen eternal life Ioh. 17 I caÌ„not but praise god for you on this behalfe that it hath pleased hym to much you worthy so excelleÌ„t singuler a benefit which is more to be estemed desired cared for theÌ„ any thyng els The world for al that euer it hath caÌ„not attayne by any meanes to this blessing which God our father hath geueÌ„ you freely of his own good wil through christ eueÌ„ before ye were purposed to desire it Therfore I besech you al to be thankful with me to reioyce in the lord For if he haue geueÌ„ vs such a gift vnasked vndesired yea vnthought vpoÌ„ how can it be the he wil deny vs any good thing now which may be necessary for vs Wil he trow ye sowe his sede in the ground of your hartes

professours and through the grace of GOD the constaunte confessoures of the same are as it were the out swepynges of the worlde yet I say the veritye it selfe is a thyng not vnworthye for your eares to heare for your eies to see and for your hands to handle helpe and succour accordyng to that the Lord hathe made you able and placed you where you are for the same purpose Your hyghnes and honours ought to know that there is no innocency in wordes or dedes where it is enoughe and suffiseth onely to accuse It behoueth kynges Quenes and all that be in authoritye to knowe that in the administration of their kyngdomes they are gods Ministers It behoueth them to know that they are no Kinges but playne tyrannes whiche raigne not to thys ende that they maye serue and set forth gods glorye after true knowledge And therefore it is required of theÌ„ that they woulde be wyse and suffer themselueh to be taught to submit them selues to the lordes discipline and to kisse their Soueraign lest they perishe as al those Potentates wyth theyr pryncipalities and dominions cannot long prosper but peryshe in dede yf they and their kyngdomes be not ruled wyth the scepter of God that is wyth hys worde which who so honoureth not honoureth not GOD and they that honour not the Lord the Lord wyll not honour them but brynge them into contempte and at the length take hys own cause whiche he hathe most chieflye committed vnto them to care for into hys owne hands and so ouerthrow them and set vp hys truth gloriously the people also perishing with the Prynces where the worde of prophecy is wantyng muche more is suppressed as it is nowe in thys Realme of Englande ouer whyche the eyes of the Lorde are set to destroye it your hyghnes and all your honours yf in tyme you loke not better to your office and duties herein and not suffer your selues to bee slaues and hangemen to Antichriste and hys prelates which haue brought your highnes honours alreadye to lette Barrabas lose and to hange vppe Christe As by the grace and helpe of God I shall make apparante yf first it would please your excellent maiestye and all your honoures to take to harte gods doctryne whiche rather through the malice of the Pharisees I meane the Bishops and prelates then your consciences is oppressed and not for oure contemptible and execrable state in the syghte of the worlde to passe the lesse of it For it the doctryne I meane is hygher and of more honour maiestye then al the whole worlde It standeth inuincible aboue all power beyng not our doctryne but the doctryne of the euerlyuynge GOD and of hys Christe whome the father hath ordeyned Kyng psal 72 to haue dominion from sea to sea and from the ryuer vnto the endes of the worlde And truely so dothe he and wyll the raigne that he wyll shake all the whole earth wyth hys yron brasen power wyth hys golden siluery brightnes only by the rodde of hys mouth to shyuers in such sorte as though they were pottes of clay accordyng to that whiche the Prophetes doe wryte of the magnificence of hys kyngdome And thus much for the thyng I meane the doctryne and your dueties to harkeÌ„ to propagate defend the same But now wyll our aduersaries mainly cry out against vs bicause no man may be admitted once to whist agaynste them that we pretend falsely the doctryne and word of god calling vs the most wycked contemners of it and heretikes schysmatikes traytors c. Al which their sayings how malicious and false they are though I myght make reporte to that which is writeÌ„ by those men whose workes they haue condemned and all that reteyne any of them publikelye by proclamation yet here wil I occasion your maiesty and honours by this my writyng to see that it is farre otherwyse theÌ„ they reporte of vs. God our father for his holy names sake directe my penne to be hys instrumeÌ„t to put into your eies eares and hartes that which most may make to hys glorye to the sauegard of your soules and bodies and preseruatioÌ„ of the whole realme Amen Iohn Bradford To a faythefull and deare frende of hys entreatyng of this place of S. Paule to the Romaynes The feruente desyre of the creature wayteth when the children of God shal be delyuered GRace and peace wyth encrease of all godlynes in Christe I wyshe vnto you my dearely beloued Because thys morning I had some knowledge more then before I had howe that my lyfe stoode in greate danger that euen thys weke so farre as men myght both by the doynges and sayinges of such as be in authoritie attempted and spoken concernyng me iudge and perceiue I thought good my ryght dearely beloued in the Lord to go about somthyng whyche might be on my behalf as it were Cygnea cantio That is which myght be a speciall comfort to hym beiÌ„g theÌ„ ready to be burnt as the Swannes soung is swetest a little before his death a SwaÌ„nes song and towardes you both a monumente of the kynde of my loue and also a helpe or at the leaste an occasion for you to profyte in that whiche I beare you recorde you moste desire I meane euerlastyng life and the state therof And thys will I attempt vpon the laste talke we had betwixt vs when you were here with me I know you haue not forgotten that we talked together of the place of S. Paule to the Rom. cap. 8. concerning the groninges of the Creature and hys desyre of the reuelation of the childreÌ„ of god You demauÌ„d whether thys word Creature was to be vnderstand of man or no and I tolde you that though some dyd take Creature there for man because there is no kinde of creature whiche may not be acknowledged in man yet sayde I the texte it self considered with that which the Apostle writeth of Christ Eph. 1. Col. 1. the restorer and reformer of all thynges that be both in heauen in earth and with the argument which S Paule presentlye hath in hand there doth enforce a Godlye mynde to take euery creature there as also S. Chrisostome and. S. Ambrose do for the whole worlde and euerye creature both heauenly and earthly All thyngs I told you were made for man according to mans state so are they When man was without sinne in gods fauour there was no malediction curse or corruption But when maÌ„ by synne was caste out of fauour then was the earth curse For the wickednes of the inhabitauntes fruitfull landes are tourned into salte grounde as for their pietie barreine countreyes are made fruitfull Psae 107. The Angels them selues doe reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth thereby geuing vs notice that in their kinde they lament ouer the impenitent In readyng the Prophets you may see how that all thyngs do depende of man When they Prophecye any great blessing or plague to come to gods

corruption And let vs consider these thinges so that we wholy may bende our selues to put away all the oldenes of our flesh whence in dede corruption and death doth come and that we may prouoke our selues to the newnes of the spirite and the lyfe of Christe wherin is all incorruption and the true taste of the resurrection for to thys ende the holy ghost dyd wryte this by the Apostle That therfore this spirit might lead vs hereunto let vs pray then we shall vnderstand this place of Paule wyth profit If perchaunce it wyll moue you that the Apostle speaketh not of thys delyueraunce of the creature from corruption in anye other place but here neither anye other holye wryter I would you would thynke that the misery of the restauration of Israel also of Antichrist is not expounded but in the Apostels writyngs and that but in one place yea the manner of our resurrection is not written but in .ij. places We oughte to knowe that they are the wordes of the Lorde what soeuer the Apostle hathe lefte to vs written Again the simplicity of this place Rom. 8 is plaine And thus my dearely beloued I haue written to you so muche as I thynke is sufficient about thys mater and therfore nede not to tary herein any longer or to spende anye more tyme about the answeryng of that which is but curiositye God our father geue vs nowe hys holye spirite to leade vs into thys and all other necessary truth in such sort that we may haue a liuely feelyng of eternall lyfe begonne in vs that we may become first new and so loke for new heauen and earthe wherin ryghteousnes dwelleth which God impute to vs and begynne in vs for hys Christes sake Amen Amen Your owne for euer in the Lorde Iohn Bradford â§ Certayne letters of mayster Thomas Whyttel a godlye and a faythefull Minyster and preacher of gods worde who after he had relented by the tyrannye and cruel dealyng of Bonner returned agayne wyth greate constancye and stoode to the defence of the truthe vnto the fyre The .12 of Ianuary In the yeare of our Lorde 1556. To my beloued frende and faythfull Brother in Christe Iohn Careles prysoner in the Kynges Benche THe peace of god in Christ be wyth you continually dearely beloued brother in Christe with the assistaunce of gods grace and holye spirite to the workyng and performyng of those thynges which may comforte and edifye hys churche as ye daily do to the glorye of hys name and the increase of your ioy and comforte of soule in thys lyfe and also your rewarde in heauen wyth Christ our captayn whose faythful souldiour you are in the lyfe to come Amen I haue greatly reioyced my deare hart with thankes to god for you synce I haue heard of your fayth and loue towards god and hys saintes wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the verity of Christes doctrine and religioÌ„ which I haue heard by the reporte of many but specially by the declaryng of that valiaunt captaine in Christes church that stout chaÌ„pion in gods cause that spectacle to the world I meane our good brother Philpot who now lyeth vnder the aultare swetely enioyeth the promysed rewarde And speciallye I my condemned fellowes geue thankes to God for your louyng and comfortable letter in the depenes of our trouble after the fleshe sente vnto vs to the consolation of vs al but most specially to me most sinfull myser on mine owne behalfe but happy I hope through godslouing kindnes in Christ shewed vnto me who suffred me to fainte and fayle through humayne infirmity by the workyng of the Archenemye in hys sworne souldiours the byshops and priestes In whome so liuely appeareth the verye visage and shape of Satan that a man if it wer not preiudice to gods word might wel affirme them to be Deuils incarnate as I by experieÌ„ce do speake Wherfore who so shal for conscieÌ„ce matters come into their hands had nede of the wilines of the Serpent to saue hys head though it be with the woundyng of his body and to take diligent hede how he consenteth to theyr wycked writyngs or setteth hys hand to their couenauÌ„tes Sore dyd they assault me and craftelye tempte me to theyr wycked wayes or at least to a denegation of my faythe and true opinions though it were but by colour and dissimulation and alas somethyng they dyd preuayle Not that I any thyng at all lyked their opinions and false papisticall religion or els doubted of the truth wherin I stand but only the infirmity of the flesh begyled me desiryng lyberty by an vnlawfull meanes God lay it not to my charge at that day so I desire you hartely to pray How be it vncertain I am whether more profite or disprofite came therby profit to me in that god suffred Satan to buffit me by his foresayd ministers of myschiefe shewyng me mine infirmitye that I should not boste nor reioyce in my selfe but only in the Lord. Who when he had led me to hel in my conscience through the respect of hys fearefull iudgementes agaynste me for my fearefulnes mistrust and crafty clokyng in suche spirituall and weighty matters in the whiche myne agony distresse I found thys old verse true Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus yet he left me not there but brought me from thence againe to the magnifieng of hys name suspectyng of fleshe and bloud and coÌ„solation of myne own soule also that I myght fele the disprofite in offending the congregatioÌ„ of god which peraduenture will rather adiudge my fal to come of doutfulnes in my doctrine religion theÌ„ of humain imbecillity Wel of the importune burdeÌ„ of a troubled conscieÌ„ce for denying or dissembling the knoweÌ„ verity I by experience could saye very much more which perhaps I wil declare by writyng to the warnyng of other if god graunt time for now am I my fellowes redy to go heÌ„ce euen for Christes cause Gods name be praysed who hathe hetherto called vs. Pray I pray you that we may end our course wyth ioy and at your appointed tyme you shal come after But as the Lord hath kepte you so wyll he preserue your lyfe styll to the intent you should labour as you do to appease and conuince these vngodly contentions and controuersies which now do to muche raigne brauwlyng about termes to no edification GOD is dishonoured the church disquieted and occasion to speake euyll of the Gospel ministred to our aduersaries But such is the subtilty of Sathan that whom he cannot wynne with grosse idolatrye in open religion them he seketh to corrupt and deceyue in opinions in a priuate profession But here I wyl abrutply leaue least wyth my rudenes and symplicity I shuld be tedious to you desiring you my louyng brother if it shal not seme greuous vnto you to wryte vnto me and my fellowes yet once agayne if you may haue leasure and we tyme to the same and sende me worde

Iude. 1. as Peter Paul Iude prophecyed it shold be to poison kil our soules wyth false doctrine And where he fayleth hys purpose that way then moueth he hys members to persecute the sely carcases of the Saints because they wyl not denye nor dissemble theyr pure fayth in our liuyng Christ confesse a dead bready christ and honour the same as Christ god man Exod 20. 1. Iohn 5. 2. Corin. 10 contrary to gods coÌ„maundements Thys is the working of SathaÌ„ who knowing hys own iust daÌ„pnation would al mankynd to be pertakers wyth him of the same such a mortal hatred beareth he agaynst god his people Matth. 4. And therfore when thys wicked tempter could not kyll Christ with suttel temtation to fal down worship him theÌ„ he stirred vp hys seruantes the byshops Pharisees to kil hys body wherby notwithstanding the deuyl lost hys title enterest which he had to mans soule and maÌ„ by his precious passion and death was raunsomed froÌ„ the deuil death hel to immortalitie lyfe euerlasting and so when Sathan thought to haue wonne all in kylling of Christ he lost all and so shall he do in vs if we abyde constant and strong in the fayth of our lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ vnto the end God graunt it for his mercyes sake in Christ blessed are al they that put their trust in hym Amen Wherfore my hartely beloued brethreÌ„ sisters be of good coÌ„fort through Iesus Christ for he that is in vs is stroÌ„ger theÌ„ he that is in the world Therfore draw ye nere to god Iames. 2 he wil draw nere to you Resist the deuil he wil as Iames saith flee froÌ„ you Beware of the leueÌ„ of the Pharisees Math. 16. Touch not pitche least ye be defiled therewith Eate no swynes fleshe for it is against the lawe I meane defyle not your selues neither inwardly nor outwardly with thys false wicked religion of Antichrist for it is nothing els but pitch Apo. 13.14 Apo. 18 2. Cor. 6. swynes flesh Beware of the beastes marke lest ye drinke of the cup of gods wrath If god haue geueÌ„ you knowlege fayth disseÌ„ble not therwith Deny not the knowen verity before men lest Christ denie you before hys father Come away froÌ„ Babilon as Iohn biddeth you touch no vncleane thing but seperate your selues from the companye of the vngodly as Paul commaundeth you What soeuer ye haue done amysse heretofore now repent and amend psal 129. for with the lord there is mercye and plenteous redemption The third thing note which I gather out of the foresayd words of Peter is this that he sayth reioyce because ye are pertakers of Christs passioÌ„s Our sufferings my welbeloued are christs sufferings and that iniury that is done to vs for his sake he rekoneth it to be done to himself as he said to Paul Act. 9. Saule Saule why persecutest thou me Col. 1. Therfore we ought to reioyce in our sufferings as Paul writeth which we suffer with Christ one with an other as Peter sayth so to fulfyll that which is behinde of the passions of Christ in our flesh which Christ hath by hys passion fully redemed saued vs in hys own person howbeit hys elect must suffer with him for him vnto the worldes end Mat. 5. that he may be glorifyed in theÌ„ and they therby corrected clensed froÌ„ sinne in thys world be made more mete temples for the holy ghost and also obtain a great reward in heaueÌ„ for their suffering for righteousnes sake according to his promise And therfore I say my brethreÌ„ reioyce in the lord alwayes agayne I say reioice Let vs reioyce in the crosse of our lord Iesus Christ Phil 3. Galat. 6. wherby the word is crucifyed to vs we to it And why shoulde we so greatly reioyce in the crosse of Christ which we now suffer Because saith Peter when his glory appeareth we may be mery glad And this is the fourth note that I gather out of his words aboue writeÌ„ Wherin is set out the reward of suffering not to be had in this world but at his coming to iudgement when we shal be raysed agayn and then shall they that haue sowen in teares reape in ioy as christ sayth blessed are they that wepe here for they shal laughe Blessed are ye when meÌ„ hate you thrust you out of their company rayling on you abhorring your name as an euel thiÌ„ge for the sonne of maÌ„s sake Luke 6 reioyce ye in that day and be glad for your rewarde is great in heauen Wherfore my dearly beloued through hope of thys heauenly ioye reward 1. Cor. 2. Heb. 12 which he that caÌ„ not lie hath promised which ioy is so great that no eare hath heard no eie hath sene nor the hart caÌ„ thinke where we shal dwel for euer in the heauenly citie the celestiall IerusaleÌ„ in the presence of God the father Iesus Christ our mediatour as Paul sayeth and in the coÌ„pany of innumerable Angels and with the spirits soules of al faythful iust men reioyce be glad seiÌ„g ye be called to so great glory 2 pet i. see that ye make your election vocation sure by good workes specially by suffering aduersitie for the Gospels sake Phil. 1. for it is geuen vs of god saith Paul not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Continue in prayer pray for me that I may end my course with ioye Haue brotherly loue amongest your selues Iohn 14 which is a tokeÌ„ that ye be Christs distiples Edifie coÌ„fort one an other in the word of the lord the god of peace loue be with you alwaies AmeÌ„ For your liberalitie kindnesse shewed vpoÌ„ the prisoners afflicted people of god in this time of persecutioÌ„ the lord wil reward you wheÌ„ he cometh to reward euery maÌ„ according to their dedes and wil not leaue a cup of cold water bestowed vpon his faythfull people vnrewarded God make you rich in al grace Matth. 10. 2. Cor. 8. that ye alwayes hauing sufficient may be ryche vnto al manner of good workes The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of god and the felowship of the holy ghost be with you alwayes Amen Your brother nowe in bondes for the gospell Thomas Whittell To my louyng and faythfull brother Iohn Careles prisoner in the Kynges Benche THe same faith for the which AbrahaÌ„ was accompted iuste and Mary blessed wherby also al iust men liue the lorde god our louing father encrease and stablyshe in you and me to the obteining of eternal life in our alone and swete Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen I caÌ„ not worthely sufficiently prayse god my hartely be loued brother for the consolation ioye that I receaued by reasoÌ„ of your louing letters repeÌ„ting me much that

grene and sappie tree and what followed then on the dry braunches Ieremye speaking in the person of God sayth in the City wherin my name is innocate Luke 14. will I beginne to punish but as for you meanyng the wycked you shal be as innocentes and not once touched Ieremy 15. for the dregges of gods wrathe the bottome of all sorrowes are reserued vnto them in the ende but gods householde shal drinke the flower of the cuppe of hys mercye 2. Para. 3. And therfore let vs saye with Ezechias play the men and shrynke not let vs comfort our selues for the lorde is with vs our helper and fighteth for vs. The Lord is saith he wyth you when you bee wyth hym and when you seke hym he wyl be found of you and agayne when you forsake hym he wil forsake you Wherfore we oughte not to be dismayde or discourage our selues but rather to be of good comfort not to be sadde but mery not sorrowful but ioyful in that god of his goodnes wyll vouchsafe to take vs as hys beloued children to subdue our sinfull lustes our wretched flesh and blood vnto his glory the promoting of his holy word and edifyeng of hys churche 2. Cor. 5. What yf the earthly house of this our habitation Paule meanyng the body be destroyed We knowe assuredlye we shall haue a building of God not made wyth handes but euerlasting in heauen wyth such ioyes as faith taketh not hope toucheth not nor charitye apprehendeth not They passe all desires and wishes Gotten they may be by Christ estemed they cannot be Wherfore the more affliction persecution the word of God bryngeth the more felicity greater ioy abydeth in heaueÌ„ But the worldly peace idle ease wealthy pleasure and thys present pleasaunt transitory lyfe and felicity which the vngodly folishly imagine to procure vnto themselues by persecuting and thrustyng away the gospel shal turne vnto their owne trouble and at laste vnto horrible destruction and mutations of realmes and countreyes and after thys lyfe if they repent not into their perpetuall infelicity perdition and damnation 1. ReguÌ„ 25 For they had rather wyth Nabal and hys temporal pleasures descend to the Deuyl then wyth poore Christ and his bodely troubles ascend into the kingdome of God hys father But an vnwise man saith the psalmist comprehendeth theÌ„ not negther doth the folish vnderstand them that is these bloody persecutours growen vppe and flourishyng like the flower and grasse in the fielde But vnto this ende do they so floryshe that they might be cut downe and caste into the fyre for euer Iob. 21. For as Iob saith their ioy lasteth but the twinklyng of an eye and death shall lye knawyng vpon them as doth the flocke vpon the pasture psal 4â— Mar. 9. yea the cruell worme late repentance as S. Marke saith shal lie gnawyng tormentyng and accusing their wretched conscience for euermore Let vs therfore good christians be constante in obeying God rather then men For although they slay our synfull bodies yea rather our deadly enemies for gods verity yet can they not do it but by gods sufferance and good wil to hys prayse and honour and to our eternall ioy and felicity For our bloode shedde for the gospell shall preache it with more fruite and greater furtheraunce then dyd oure mouthes lyues and writynges as dyd the bloud of Abell Steuen wyth many other moe What thoughe they laughe Christ and hys worde to scorne which sytte in the chayre of peruerse pestilent scorners To whom as to the wyse Gentiles of the world the gospell of Christe is but folishnes as it was to the Iewes a slauÌ„der and a stumbling stone wherat they now beyng fallen haue prouoked the wrath and veÌ„geaunce of god vpon them Luke 2. These are the dayes of vengeaunce saith Luke that all thynges written may be fulfylled And surely it shall be no lesse then a huge storme of euylles that shall come vpon vs because that a longe and a cursed obstinate maliciousnes of vs hath gone before crying in the eares of the Lorde GOD of hostes who so manye tymes and so many wayes haue bene prouoked wyth the vnspeakable ryches of hys goodnes hys patience and longe sufferyng to amendment and haue neuertheles contemned the same Esay 3 and proceded forward to worse and worse prouokyng and styrryng the presence of gods maiesty vnto anger EZech. Now therfore sayth God by the mouth of hys Prophet I will come vpon thee and I wyl send my wrathe vpon thee vpon thee I say O Englande and punyshe thee accordyng to thy wayes reward thee after al thine abhominations Thou hast kyndled the fyer of gods wrathe and hast styrred vp the coales Esay 5. For thou wast once lyghtned and haddest tasted of the heauenly gifte and wast become pertaker of the holy Ghost and haddest tasted of the good worde of God Yea it is yet in thy mouth saith the Prophet Alas O England thou knewest thy Lord maisters wil but dydst nothing therafter thou must therfore saith he suffer many stripes many sharpe strokes walke on in the glittering whote flame of thyne owne fyer and in the coales that thou hast kindled This commeth to thee from my hand saith the Lord namely that thou shalt slepe in sorrowe yea euen so thou shalt The playne truth telleth the tale the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God and the ordinary course of hys plagues from the begynning confirmeth the same The ioy of our hart saith Ieremy is gone our glory is fallen away Ieremy 5. our mery singyng is turned into mournyng the garland of our heade is fallen Alas and weale away that euer we synned so sore Wo worth all abhominations and wyckednes wo worth cloked hypocrisie wo worth our carnall liberty wo worthe our most cursed Idolatry For because of these thynges sayth the Lord ye shall perishe wyth sword hunger and pestilence Wherfore let all the wycked enemies of Christ and all the vnbeleuers be afrayed to bee tormented and vexed wyth all hellish furies and cleane without hope at gods accountyng day which know not God in Christe to be theyr very rightuousnes their life Iohn 8. theyr onely saluation and alone Sauiour nor beleue not in hym They must saieth S. Iohn nedes abyde and perishe wyth their sinnes in death and in eternal damnation But we be the chyldreÌ„ of saints as the elder Toby dyd aunswer and loke for an other lyfe whyche God shall geue to all them which chaunge not their fayth nor shrynke not from hym Reioyce therfore ye christian afflicted brethern for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louyng father Matth. i0 and yf we abyde fast in Christe and turne not away lyke weathercockes surely we shall lyue for euer Christe affirmyng the same saying my sheepe here my voyce I knowe

excluded for fayth wholy taketh place not flesh nor the carnal imaginatioÌ„s of our grosse fleshly and vnreuerent eatyng after the maner of our bodely foode which profiteth nothyng at all as Christ witnesseth Ioan. 6 but with a sorowfull wouÌ„ded conscience an hungrye and thirstie soule a pure faythful mynde do fullie embrace behold and feede loke vpon that most glorious body of Christe in heauen at the ryghte hand of god the father very God and very man which was crucifyed slaine his bloodshed for our sinnes there now making intercession offring geuing his holy body for me Rom. 8. Heb. 9 yea my body my raunsome my full pryce satisfaction my Christ and al that euer he hath and by thys spirituall and faythfull eating of thys liuely and heauenly bread I fele the most swete sappe tast of the fruites Roma 5. benefites vnspeakeable ioyes of Christes death passion fully disgested into the bowells of my soule For my minde is quieted froÌ„ al wordly aduersities tormoylinges and troubles my conscience is pacified froÌ„ sinne death hel daÌ„pnation my soule is ful hath euen enough wil no more for al things are but losse vyle phil 3 dunge and drosse vaine vanitie for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesu my Lord and Sauiour Thus nowe is Christes flesh my very meate in dede Iohn 6. Ephesi 5 Galat. 2. his bloode my verye drinke in dede I am become flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Now I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me yea I dwell in hym and he in me for through fayth in Christ and for Christes sake we are one that is of one consent mynd and felowship with the father the sonne and the holy ghost Ioan. 17. Thus am I assured and fully persuaded and on this rocke haue I builded by Gods grace my dwelling resting place for body and soule life and death And thus I commit my cause vnto Christ the righteous and iuste iudge who will an other day iudge these debates and controuersyes whom I humblye beseche to caste hys tender and merciful eies vpon the afflicted and ruinous churches and shortlye to reduce them into a godlye and perpetuall concorde Amen Thus doe I beleue and this is my fayth and my vnderstanding in Christe my Sauiour and his true and holy religion And this who so euer is ashamed to do Mar. 8. among this adoulterous and sinneful generation of hym shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Angels Robert Samuell â§ Letters of Maister Iohn Hullyer a true pastour and a faythfull minister in Gods Church who for the confyrmation of that doctrine which he had most faythfully professed and taught gaue hys bodye to bee burnte at Cambrige the .16 daye of Aprill Anno. 1556. A letter written to the Christian congregation exhorting them constantly and faythfully to abyde in the doctryne of the Lorde IT standeth nowe moste in hande O deare Christians all them that looke to be accounted to be of Christes flocke at that greate and terrible daye when a seperation shall be made of that sorte that shall bee receaued from the other which shall be refused faythfully in thys tyme of greate afflictions to heare oure Maister Chrisâ—es voyce the only true shepeheard of our soules which sayth Matth. 24. whosoeuer shal endure to the end shal be safe For eueÌ„ now is that great trouble in hand as here in England we may wel say that our Sauiour Christ spake of so long before which should followe the true and syncere preachyng of hys Gospell Therfore in thys tyme we muste needes eyther make that we be hys faythfull souldiours and continue in hys battell vnto the ende puttyng on the armour of GOD Ephesi 6. 1. Thess 5. the buckler of fayth the brest plate of loue the helmette of hope and saluation and the sworde of hys holy worde whiche we haue hearde plentifullye wyth all instance of supplication and prayer or elles if we do not worke and laboure wyth these we are Apostataes and false souldiours shrynkyng moste vnthankefullye from our gracious and soueraigne Lord and Captayne Christe and leanyng to Beliall For Luk. 14 as he sayth playnlye who soeuer beareth not his crosse and followe hym he can not be hys Dysciple And no man can serue .ii. Math. 6. Maisters for eyther he muste hate the one and loue the other or elles he shall leane to the one and despyse the other The which thinge the faythfull Prophette Helias signifyed 3. ReguÌ„ 18 when he came to the people and sayde whye halte ye betwene .ii. opinions If the Lorde be GOD follow hym or if Baall bee he then followe hym Nowe let vs not thynke but that the same was recorded in wryting for oure instruction whom the endes of the worlde are come vppon Roman 15 as the Apostle Sainct Paule sayeth what so euer thynges are written aforehande they are written for oure learnyng If Christe be that onely good and true shepeheard that gaue hys lyfe for vs then let vs that beare hys marke and haue our consciences sprinckled wyth hys bloode followe altogether for oure saluation hys heauenlye voyce and calling according to our profession and fyrste promyse But if we shall not so do certaynely say what we can although we beare the name of Christ yet we bee none of hys shepe in deede for he sayth very manifestlie my shepe heare my voyce and followe me Iohn 10 a straunger they wyll not followe but will flee from hym for they know not the voyce of a straunger Therefore let euerye man take good hede in these perillous dayes whereof we haue had so muche warnyng aforehand that he be not begyled by the goodly outwarde shewe and appearaunce as Eue was of our olde subtill ennemye whose crafte and wilinesse is so manifolde and diuerse and so full of close wyndings that if he can not bring hym directly and the plaine strayght way to consent to his suggestions then he wyll allure him and wynde hym in by some other false wayes as it were by a traine that he shall not perceaue it to deceaue hym with all and to steale from hym that goodly victorie of the vncorruptible and eternall crowne of glorie 2. Timot. 2. whiche no man elles can haue but he that fyghteth lawfullye as at thys presente daie if he can not induce hym throughlye as other doe to fauoure hys deuilyshe religion and of good will and free harte to helpe to vpholde the same yet he will enuegle hym to resort to his wicked and whorysh Scholehouse and at tht least wise to be coÌ„uersant and kepe company with his congregation there and to holde hys peace and say nothing whatsoeuer he thynke so that he be not a diligent souldiour and a good labourer on Christes syde to further hys kyngdome by that subtill

shew ourselues feareful souldiours as it is manifestly declared in the ReuelacioÌ„ of S. Iohn where it is written Apo. 2. that the fearefull shall haue their part wyth the vnbeleuing and abhominable in the lake that burneth wyth fire and brimstone which is the seconde death Apoc. 3 Againe it is written in the same booke for our warnyng because thou art betwixt both and neyther cold nor whote I wyll spewe the out of my mouth Now therfore good christians these true testimonies of gods liuely worde depely considered and wayed lette vs chiefly stand in awe of hys most terrible iudgementes Esay 8. Prouer. 3. and be not as they that presumptuously tempt hym Let him alway be our feare dread He now chasteneth he nowe nurtereth vs for our profite delightyng in vs euen as a louyng father in hys beloued childe Heb. 12 1. Cor. 11 2. Reg. 7. to make vs perfect and to haue vs to be pertakers of his holynes He now iudgeth vs not vtterly takyng away hys euerlastyng loue and mercy from vs as he dothe from the malignaunt and wycked that we should not be condemned wyth the wycked world but if we now refuse hys most louing chastising followe the world we must nedes haue our portioÌ„ wyth the world Wyde is the gate broad is the way which leadeth to destructioÌ„ Math. 7 and many there be which go in therat But straite is the gate narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that fynde it Oh how much better is it to go thys narrow way wyth the people of god then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a tyme. In consideration whereof let vs wythout anye more slackyng and further delayes in thys great warnyng by gods louyng visitation submit our selues betime vnder hys myghty hand 1. pet 5 that he maye exalte vs when the tyme is come And thus I wholy committe you to hym and to the worde of his grace which is able to build further beseching you most hartely to pray for me that I may be strong through the power of hys might and stande perfect in all thynges beyng alwais prepared and redy lokyng for the mercye of our lord vnto eternal rest and I will pray for you as I am most bound So I trust he wil graciously heare vs for hys promise sake made vnto all faithfull in his dearely beloued sonne Christ our alone Sauiour whose grace be with your spirit most deare Christians for euer So be it By your Christian brother Iohn Hullyer a prisoner of the Lorde Â¶ Iohn Hullyer beyng of longe tyme prysoner and now openly iudged to dye for the testimony of the lord Iesus wysheth hartely to the whole congregation of God the strength of hys holy spirite to theyr euerlasting health both of body and soule I Now most dere christians hauyng the swete comforte of gods sauing health and beyng confirmed wyth hys free spirit be he only praysed therefore am constrayned in my conscience thinkyng it my very duety to admonish you as ye tender the saluation of your soules by al maner of meanes to separate your selues from the companye of the Popes hirelinges consideryng what is said in the reuelation of S. Iohn Apo. 14. by the Aungel of god touching al men The words be these If any man worship the beast and hys image and receyue hys marke in his forehead or in hys hand the same shall drynke the wyne of the wrath of God which is poured into the cup of his wrath and he shall be punished with fyre and brimstone before the holy aungels and before the lambe and the smoke of theyr tormeÌ„t ascendeth vp euermore Marke well here good christians who is this beast and worshippers that shal be pertakers of that vnspeakable torment This beast is none other but the carnall and fleshly kingdome of Antichrist the Pope wyth hys rable of false Prophetes and ministers as it is most manifest the which to maintayn their high titles worldly promotions and dignities do with much crueltye daily more and more set forth and establish their owne traditions decrees and decretals contrary to gods holy ordinaunces statutes lawes and commaundements and wholy repugnant to hys syncere pure religion and true worshippyng Nowe what doe they elles but worshippe thys beast and hys image which after they had once already escaped from the fylthines of the world 2. peter 2. through the knowlege of the lord and Sauioure Iesus Christe are yet again taÌ„gled therin and ouercome vsing dissimulation vnfaithfully for feare of their displeasure doing one thyng outwardlye and thinkyng inwardlye an other so hauing them in reuerence vnder a cloke and colour to whom they ought not so much as to say god spede Iohn 3. adioining themselues to the malignauÌ„t congregatioÌ„ which they ought to abhorre as a deÌ„ne of theues murtherers Iohn 10 EZe 16 as the brothel house of most blasphemous fornicators whose voices being contrary to christes voice if they were of his flocke they would not know but wold fly froÌ„ theÌ„ as he himself being the good shepehard of our soules doth ful wel in his holy gospel testify Iohn 10. Agayn what do they els I pray you but receiue the beastes marke in their foreheades in their hands which do beare a faire face and couÌ„tenance outwardly in supporting them as other do being ashamed openly to confesse christ and his holy gospel But this fainednes dissimulatioÌ„ Mar. 18. christ and hys gospel wil in no wise allow of whoÌ„ it is said whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me my words in this adulterous and synful generation Luke 9. of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shal come in the glory of his father with his holy angels Therfore sayth almighty god by his prophet Malachy Mala. 1. Heb. 6 cursed be the disseÌ„blers Ye wer once syghtned and tasted of the heauenly gift were become partakers of the holy ghost tasted of the word of god and of the power of the world to come Luk. 6. 2. Iohn 2. And our Sauiour Christ sayth no man that putteth his hand to the plough and loketh backe is apt for the kingdom of god Therfore S. Iohn the Apostle vseth this for a manifest token that the backesliding froÌ„ the true teachers of gods word declareth euideÌ„tly that they be not of the nuÌ„ber of them For sayth he they went out froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs no dout they would haue coÌ„tinued wyth vs. Surely so long as we vse dissimulatioÌ„ to play on both handes we are not in the light For whatsoeuer is manifest Ephe. 4 the same is light as the elect vessel of god S. Paul witnesseth Wherfore good christiaÌ„s for gods most dere loue deceiue not your selues through your own wisdoÌ„ through the wisdoÌ„ of the world which is folishnes before god but certify

stay your owne conscience wyth the sure truth faithful word of god 1. Cor. 3 with the infallible testimonies of holy scripture For although gods mercy is ouer al hys works Psal 3. Heb. 3. yet it doth not extend but only to them that hold fast the confydence reioicing of hope vnto the end not being weary in wel doing but rather waxe euery day stroÌ„ger and stronger in the inward man Therfore in the ReuelatioÌ„ of S. Iohn 2. Cor. 4. where it is entreated of the beast and hys image it is also said here is the sufferauÌ„ce of saints here are they that kepe the commaundements the fayth of Iesus Christ Wherby almighty god doth shew plainly that he doth vse those wycked men as instruments for a tyme to try the patience fayth of hys peculiar people without the performance wherof we can haue no part among the lyuyng but as it is said in the same Reuelation the feareful shal haue theyr part in the lake that burneth wyth fyre and brymstone whych is the second death But peraduenture ye wyll obiect and saye vnto me what shal we do Shal we cast our selues hedlong to death I saye not so But this I saye that we are all bounde yf euer we loke to receyue saluation at gods hand in this case wholy to be obedient to hys determinate counsel and foreknowlege 1. Corin. 12 expressed by the gyft of the spiryt in holy Scripture and then to cast all our care vpon hym who worketh al in al for the best vnto them that loue hym Roma 28. thus he geueth commaundement saying come away from her my people Apo. 18. that ye bee not partakers of her synnes and that ye receyue not of her plagues Now who hearyng thys terrible voyce of god which must nedes be fulfylled wyl not wyth al spede dyligeÌ„ce apply hymself to do therafter except such as wyll presuÌ„pteously tempt hym And as touchyng suche the wyse man sayeth Ecclesi 3. he that loueth peryl and daunger shal peryshe therein but they that be of the fayth of Abraham euen as he dyd so wyl they in al assayes trials be obedieÌ„t to the heauenly voyce howsoeuer it semeth contrary to theyr own natural wyl carnal reasoÌ„ Psalm 36. according to the sure word of fayth which sayth hope thou in the lord kepe hys way hold thee styl in the lord abyde patiently vpon hym Let not thy ielousy moue thee also to do euil 2 Cor. 6. Come out from among theÌ„ ioyne not your selues to their vnlawful assembles yea do not once shew your selues wyth the least part of your body to fauour theyr wycked doyngs but glorify god as most ryght is so wel in your whole body outwardly 1. Cor. 6. as inwardly in your spirit or els you can doe neyther of hothe wel for your body doth beloÌ„g to god so wel as your spirit At the dreadful day of iudgement we shal al receyue the works of our bodyes accordyng to that we haue done 2. Cor. 5 whether it be good or bad Therfore whatsoeuer we do we may not bring the spirit in bondage to the body but contrariwise we must subdue the body and the will of the flesh to the spirite that the spirit may freely accomplishe the will of God in all thinges for otherwise we shall neuer bee partakers of his promise with the true children of AbrahaÌ„ For as S. Paule saith they which are the children of the flesh are not the childreÌ„ of god if we shal liue according to the flesh we shal die For to be carnally minded is deth but to be spiritually minded is life and peace because that the fleshly mynded is enmity of god for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neyther can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Nowe chose you which way you wil take either the narrow way that leadeth vnto life which christ himself and his faithful folowers haue gone through before or els the broad path way that leadeth to destruction which the wicked worldlings take their pleasure in for a while I for my part haue now written this short admonition vnto you of good wyl as God be my witnes to exhort you to that way which at length you your selues should proue and finde to be best yea and reioyce therof And I do not onely write this but I wil also wyth the assistance of gods grace ratify confirme and seale the same wyth the effusion of my blood when the full time shal be expired that he hath appointed which so farforth as I maye iudge muste nedes be within these few dayes Therfore I now byd you al most hartely farewel in the lord whose grace be with your spirit Amen Watch pray watch and pray pray pray So be it Iohn Hullyet â§ Letters of Maister Robert Glouer a gentleman of muche godlye learnynge innocencye and vpryghtnes of lyfe and hartye zeale to the worde of God burnte at Couentrie for the faythfull testimonye of the same the .14 daye of September In the yere of our Lord .1555 To my moste intyrelye beloued wyfe Marye Glouer THe peace of conscience whiche passeth all vnderstanding the sweete consolation comfort strength and boldenesse of the holy ghoste be continuallye increased in your hart through a feruent earnest and stedfaste fayth in our most deare and only Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen I thanke you hartelye moste louyng wyfe for your letters sent vnto me in my imprysonment I redde them wyth teares more then once or twyse wyth teares I say for ioy and gladnesse that God had wroughte in you so mercyfull a worke fyrst an vnfayned repentaunce secondlye an humble and harty reconciliation thyrdly a willyng submission and obedience to the wyll of God in all thynges Whiche when I redde in your letters and iudged them to proceede from the bottome of your hart I coulde not but be thankfull to God reioysing with teares for you and these hys greate mercyes poured vppon you These your letters and the hearyng of your moste Godlye procedynges and constante doinges from tyme to tyme haue muche releued and comforted me at all tymes and shall bee a goodlye testimonye wyth you at the greate daye agaynste manye worldlye and deintye daines whiche set more by their owne pleasure and pelfe in this world then by Gods glory litle regarding as it appeareth the euerlasting healthe of their owne soules or others My prayer shal be whylest I am in this world that god whiche of his great mercy hath begonne his good worke in you will finishe it to the glory of his name and by the myghtie power and inspiration of hys holye spirite so strengthen stablishe and confyrme you in all his wayes to the ende that we maye together shewe forth his prayses in the worlde to come to our vnspeakeable consolation euerlastingly Amen So long as God shall lende you continuance in this

miserable worlde aboue all thinges geue your selfe continuallye to prayer 1. Timo. 2 lifting vp as Saint Paul sayth cleane or pure handes withoute anger wrath or doubting forgeuing as he sayeth also if you haue any thing againste anye man as Christ forgeueth vs. And that we may be the better willing to forgeue it is good often to call to remembrance the multitude and greatnesse of our own sinnes which Christ dayly and hourely pardoneth and forgeueth vs then we shal as Saint Peter affirmeth 1. peter 4. be ready to couer and hide the offences of our brethren be they neuer so many And because gods word teacheth vs not only the true maner of praying but also what we ought to doe or not doe in the whole discourse and practise of this life What pleaseth or displeaseth God and that as Christ sayth the worde of god that he hath spoken shall iudge in the last daye let your prayer be to this end specially that god of his greate mercy woulde open and reuele more more daily to your hart the true sense knowledge and vndersteanding of his moste holy word and geue you grace in youre liuing to expresse the fruites thereof And for as muche as it is as the holye ghoste calleth it the woorde of affliction 1. Cor. 1. that is it is seldome withoute hatred persecution peryll daunger of losse of life and goodes and whatsoeuer seemeth pleasante in this worlde as experience teacheth you in this time call vpon GOD continuallye for hys assistance alwayes as Christ teacheth casting your accomptes what it is lyke to coste you endeuoring your selfe throughe the helpe of the holye ghoste by continuance of prayer to laye youre foundation so sure that no storme or tempeste shall be able to ouerthrowe or caste it downe remembryng alwayes as Christe sayeth Lothes wyfe Luke 17. that is to beware of lookinge backe to that thinge that displeaseth GOD. And because nothing displeaseth GOD so much as Idolatrye that is false worshippyng of God otherwyse then hys woorde commaundeth looke not backe I saye nor tourne not your face to their Idolatrous and blasphemous Massing manifestly agaynst the word practyse example of Christe as it is most manifest to all that haue any taste of the true vnderstanding of Gods word that there remayneth nothyng in the church of England at this preseÌ„t profitable or edifying to the church and congregation of the Lord all thynges being done in an vnknowen tonge contrary to the expresse comaundemente of the holy ghost They obiect that they be the Churche and therefore they must be beleued My aunswere was the Church of GOD knoweth and reknowledgeth no other heade but Iesus Christe the sonne of GOD whom ye haue refused and chosen the man of sinne the sonne of perdition enemye to Christ the deuilles deputye and Lieuetenaunte the Pope Christes Churche heareth Iohn 10 teacheth and is ruled by hys woorde as he sayeth my sheepe heare my voyce If you abyde in me my worde in you you be my Disciples Their churche repelleth gods worde and forceth all men to follow their traditions Christes Church dare not adde or diminyshe alter or chaunge his blessed testament but they be not afrayde to take awaye all that Christ instituted and goe a whoring as the Scripture sayeth with their own inuentions letari super operibus manuum suarum to glorye Act. 7. reioyce in the workes of their owne handes The Churche of Christ is hath bene and shal be in all ages vnder the crosse persecuted molested and afflicted the world euer hating theÌ„ because they be not of the worlde But these persecute murther slaye kill such as professe the true doctrine of Christ be they in learning liuing coÌ„uersation other vertues neuer so excellent Christ and his Church reserued the tryal of their doctrine to the word of god Iohn 5. and gaue the people leaue to iudge therof by the same word search the scriptures But thys Churche taketh awaye the woorde from the people and suffer neyther learned nor vnlearned to examine or proue their doctryne by the woord of God The true Church of God laboureth by all meanes to resyste and withstande the lustes desyres and motions of the worlde the flesh and the deuyll These for the moste part geue themselues to all voluptuousnesse and secretlye commit suche thinges whiche as Saint Paule sayeth it is shame to speake of Ephe. 5. By these and suche like manifest probations they do declare themselues to be none of the Churche of Christe but rather of the Sinagoge of Sathan It shall be good for you oftentymes to conferre and compare theyr proceedynges and doinges with the practyse of those whom the woorde of God doth teache to haue bene true members of the Churche of God and it shall woorke in you both knowledge erudition and boldnesse to withstand wyth sufferyng their doings I likened them therfore to Nemrod whom the Scripture calleth a mightye hunter or a stoute champion telling them that that which they coulde not haue by the worde they would haue by the sworde and be the Church whether men wil or no and called them wyth good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the deuil and as their father the deuyll is a lyer and murtherer so their kyngdome and church as they call it standeth by lying and murtheryng Haue no fellowshyppe with them therfore my deare wife with their doctrine and traditions least you be pertaker of their synnes for whom is reserued a heuye dampnation wythoute spedye repentaunce Beware of such as shall aduertyse you somethyng to beare with the worlde as they do for a season There is no dallying with Gods matters it is a fearefull thynge as Saincte Paule sayeth to fall into the handes of GOD. Remember the Prophet Helias 3. ReguÌ„ 18 Luk. 9. why halte ye on both sydes Remember what Christe sayeth he that putteth hys handes to the ploughe and looketh backe is not worthy of me And seing god hath hetherto allowed you as a good souldiour in the forewarde play not the coward Apo. 2. neyther draw backe to the rereward Saint Iohn numbreth amonge them that shall dwell in the fierye lake suche as be fearefull in gods cause Set before your eyes alwayes the examples of suche as haue behaued themselues boldelye in Gods cause as Steuen Peter Paul Daniell the three children the wydowes sonnes and in youre dayes Anne Askewe Laurence Saunders Iohn Bradford with many other faythfull witnesses of christ Phil. 1. Be not afrayd in nothing sayth S. Paule of the aduersaries of Christes doctrine the which is to theÌ„ the cause of perdition but to you of euerlasting saluation Christe commaundeth the same saying feare theÌ„ not Let vs not followe the example of hym whiche asked tyme fyrste to take leaue of hys frendes If we so doe we shall fynde fewe of them that wyll encourage vs to goe forwarde in our businesse

my answere of the Maisters coÌ„trarye to the lawes of the Realme they hauyng neither statute lawe proclamation letter warrante nor commaundement for my apprehension They would haue layed al the matter vpon the Summer Who being examined denyed it before theyr faces as one of my frendes told me saying that he had no comaundemente concerning me but for my elder brother God lay not their extreme doinges agaynste me to their charge at the great day The second day after the bishops coming to Couentry M. Warren came to the Yeldhaule willed the chiefe Iayler to cary me to the Byshop I layed to M. Warrens charge the cruell seekyng of my death and when he woulde haue excused hym self I tolde hym he coulde not wype hys hands so he was as giltye of my blood before God as though he had murthered me with his own hands And so he parted froÌ„ me saying I nede not to feare If I wold be of his beliefe God open hys eyes if it be his will and geue hym grace to beleue thys which he all of hys inclination shall finde I feare to true for their partes that is that all they whiche cruelly maliciously and spytefully persecute molest afflict the meÌ„bers of Christ for their conscience sake and for the true testimonye of Christes word and cause them most vniustly to be slayne and murthered without spedy repentance shal dwel with the deuil hys Angels in the fiery lake euerlastingly where they shall wysh desire crye call but in vaine as their ryghte companion Epulo did to be refreshed of them Luk. 16 whom in this world they contemned despised disdayned as slaues misers and wretches When I came before the Byshop in one Dentons house he began wyth this protestation that he was my bishop for for lacke of a better and willed me to submit my selfe I said to hym I am not come to accuse my selfe what haue you to lay to my charge He asked me whether I was learned I answered smally learned M. ChauÌ„celor standyng by sayd I was a maister of Arte. Then my Lord layd to my charge my not commyng to the curch Here I myght haue dalyed wyth hym and put hym to his proofes for asmuch as I had not bene for a long season in hys diocesse neither was anye of the Citizens hable to proue any suche matters against me Notwythstandyng I aunswered him thorough gods merciful helpe that I neither had nor would come at their church as long as their masse was vsed there to saue if I had theÌ„ v. hundreth liues I wylled hym to shew me one iote or tytle in the scripture for the profe and defence of the masse He answered he came to teach and not to be taught I was coÌ„teÌ„t I told him to learne of hym so farre as he was able to teach me by the word of god Who shal iudge the worde said my Lorde I answered Christ was content that the people should iudge hys doctryne by searchyng the scriptures and so was Paule me thynketh ye should clayme no further priuiledge or preeminence then they had I offered hym further that I was contente the primitiue church next to the Apostles tyme shoulde iudge betwixt hym and me He refused also to be iudged by that Then he was my Bishop he said and therfore I must beleue hym If you saye blacke is whyte my lord must I also say as you saye and beleue the same because you say it is so M. Chauncelour noted me to be arrogant because I would not geue place to my byshop I said to my lord if you wil be beleued because you be a byshop why fynd you fault wyth the people that beleued M. Latymer M. Rydley M. Hoper and the residue of them that were bishops He aunswered because they were heretykes And may not you erre quoth I as wel as they I loked for learnyng at my lordes hand to persuade me and he oppressed me onely wyth hys authority He sayd I disseÌ„ted from the church and asked me where my churche was before kynge Edwardes tyme. I desired hym to shewe me where their churche was in Helias tyme and what outward shew it had in christes tyme. My lord said that Helias complaint was onely of the tenne tribes that fell from Dauids house whom he called heretykes You be not able to shew said I any prophets that the other ij tribes had at the same tyme. My lorde makyng no aunswer to that M. Rogers one of the maisters of the City commeth in the meane season taking vpon hym as though he would aunswere to the text But my lord forthwith commauÌ„ded me to be committed to some toure if they had any besides the coÌ„mon Iaile saying he wold at the end of hys visitatioÌ„ of his diocesse wede out such wolues M. Rogers wylled hym to content hymselfe for that night tyll they had taken further order for me EueÌ„ where it pleaseth you said I to my lord I am conteÌ„t so I was returned at that tyme to the commoÌ„ Iayle again from whence I came On the Friday mornyng beyng the next day after I had warning by one of the prisoners to prepare my selfe to ride wyth my fellow prisoners the same day to Lychfield there to be bestowed at the bishops pleasure Which tidings at the firste somethyng discouraged me fearyng lest I should by the meanes of my great sicknes through extreme handling which I loked for haue died in the pryson before I should come to my aunswer But I rebuked immediatly with gods worde this infidelity in my selfe and by the same corrected myne owne mistrust and fantasy after this manner What make I of God Is not his power as great in Lichfield as in Couentry Doth not hys promyse extend as wel to Lichfielde as to Couentry was he not with Abacucke Daniel Misach and Ieremy in their moste daungerous imprisonments He knoweth what things we haue nede of He hath numbred all the heares of our head The sparow falleth not on the grouÌ„d wtout our heaueÌ„ly fathers wil much more wyl he care for vs if we be not faithlesse whoÌ„ he hath made worthy to be witnesses of his truth So long as we put our trust in hym we shall neuer be destitute of hys helpe neyther in pryson neyther in sicknes nor in healthe neyther in life nor in death neither before kynges nor before bishops nor the Deuill hymselfe muche lesse one of hys ministers shal be able to preuayle agaynst vs. wyth such lyke meditations I waxed chereful and of good consolation and coÌ„fort So that hearyng one say that they could not prouide horses enough for vs I sayd let them cary vs in a donge carte for lacke of horses if they list I am well content for my part Notwithstandyng at the requeste of my frendes I wrote to maister Maior and hys bretherne briefly requiring them that I might make aunswer here to such thynges as shoulde be layde to my charge but I receyued no aunswer of my

then he can well wyshe or dare desyre His worde cannot lye call vpon me in the day of trouble and I wil heare thee and thou shalt prayse me Psal 50. I aunswered the enemy also on thys maner I am a synner and therfore not worthye to bee a wytnesse of hys truth What then Must I deny hys word because I am not worthy to professe it What bring I to passe in so doyng but adde synne to synne What is greater synne then to deny the truth of Christes gospell As Christ hymself beareth wytnesse he that is ashamed of me or of my wordes of hym I wyll be also ashamed before my father and all hys Aungels I myght also by lyke reasoÌ„ forbeare to do any of gods commaundements When I am prouoked to pray the enemy may say vnto me I am not worthy to pray therfore I shall not pray And so in like maner of all the commaundementes I shall not forbeare swearyng stealyng murtheryng because I am not worthy to do any commauÌ„dement of God These be the delusions of the Deuill and Sathans suggestions which muste be ouercome by continuaunce of prayer and wyth the word of god applied accordyng to the measure of euery mans gift against al assaultes of the Deuill At the bishops first comming to Lichefield after myne imprisonment I was called into a by chamber nexte to my prison to my Lord. Before whome when I came and sawe none but hys officers chaplaines and seruauntes except it were an old prieste I was partly amased and lifted vp my hart to god for his mercifull helpe and assistaunce My lord asked me how I liked my imprisonment I gaue him no answer touchyng that questioÌ„ He proceded to persuade me to be a member of hys church whiche had continued so many yeres As for our church as he called it was not knowen be said but lately in king Edwards tyme. I professe myself to be a member of that church said I that is builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesu Christ beyng the head corner stone so alledged the place of S. Paule to the Ephes And this church hath bene froÌ„ the beginning said I though it beare no glorious shewe before the world beyng euer for the most part vnder the crosse affliction contemned despised and persecuted My lord on the other side contended that they were the church So cryed all the cleargy against the Prophets at Ierusalem saying templum Domini templum Domini the church the church And always wheÌ„ I was about to speak any thing my lord cryed hold thy peace hold thy peace I coÌ„maund thee by the vertue of obedieÌ„ce to holde thy peace callyng me a proud arrogant heretyke I wylled my lord to burtheÌ„ me with some specialties theÌ„ to conuince me wyth some scriptures good learnyng Then my lord began to moue certayne questions I refused to answer him in corners requiryng that I myght make my aunswer openly He sayd I should aunswer hym there I stode wyth hym vpon that poynte vntill he said I should to pryson againe and there haue neither meate nor drink til I had answered hym Then I lyfted vp my hart to God that I myght stand and agree wyth the doctrine of hys most holy worde The first question was this how many sacramentes Christ instituted to be vsed in the churche The Sacrament of Baptisme said I and the sacrament that he instituted at hys last supper No more sayd he To all those that declare a true and vnfayned repentaunce a sure hope trust confidence in the death of Christ to such the ministers I graunt that haue authority to pronounce by the power of gods word the remâ—ssion of their sinnes Here interrupting me he wold nedes beare me in hand that I called this a Sacrament I would not greatly contend wyth hym in that point because the matter was of no great wayght or importance although he in so doyng dyd me wroÌ„g for I called it not a sacrameÌ„t He asked me further whether I allowed their confession I said no. Then he would know my mynde what I thoughte of the presence of Christes bodye in the sacrament I aunswered that their masse was neyther sacrifice nor sacrameÌ„t because said I you haue takeÌ„ away the true institutioÌ„ which when you restore again I wil tel you my iudgement coÌ„cernyng christes body in the sacrament Here was he preueÌ„ted that he could not make an end of this whych he most godly had begonne by reason of the ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ which came from London concernyng his executioÌ„ and martyrdome which he suffred shortly after To the Maior of Couentrye and hys Brethren I Besech you to vnderstande that it is not vnknoweÌ„ aswel to the keper of the Iaile as to the inhabitours about me where I dwel that I am a man subiect to very great sickenes and haue bene by the space of seuen yeres more so that it is not like that I shall be remoued without perill and daunger of my life And because I was here committed toward by your appointement I woulde gladly here aunswer to such thinges as shal be layde to my charge If I may obtain this of you I haue cause thaÌ„kfully to reknowlege your indiffeÌ„ercy if otherwise I pray god it be not laid to your charge at the great day where euerye man shall haue iust iudgement without respecte of person Your prisoner in the Lord alwayes myndfull of you in my poore prayer Robert Glouer Â¶ To hys wyfe chyldren and whole family as hys last farewell to them for euer in thys worlde THe mightie consolation of the holy spirit froÌ„ our most louing merciful father for his dere sonnes sake Iesus Christ continually dwell in your hart my deare and to the ende most faithfull and godly wife His holy Aungels pitche their rentes aboute you and your litle ones and suffer you not to be tempted aboue your strength so to the end that we may dwell altogether with our louing and mercifull god father sing prayses to his name with his Angels and Archaungels for euer and euer Amen I bidde you all farewel in the Lorde Continue in prayer reioyce in hope be pacient in your affliction comfort your hart alwayes with the life to come For my departure consider how oft I haue bene going froÌ„ you through my loÌ„g sicknesse and yet god my most louing and mercifull father maruelousye hath reserued me to thys high promotion for the which you ought to geue harty thankes if you loue his glory my eternal ioy felicitye And if you shewe your selues obedient children to your heauenly father he wil loue you kepe you helpe you so that you shal lacke nothing expedient for soule or body and in the end when his good wil pleasure is you shal come to me and perpetuallye enioy me I you we al shall haue the fulnesse of that ioye that shall neuer be taken from you Ye litle ones loue your mother yeld

reuerent obedieÌ„ce vnto her in al godlines Be not vnkind nor vnthaÌ„kful Praye for her preseruation coÌ„tinuance amongest you Pray that she may be an ensample to you in al the waies of the Lord. And how ye may be haue your selues towards god your mother and al other estates and degrees let alwayes gods word be your rule Exercise your selues therin night and day ioyning alwaies praier therewith God send you a good guide good passage if it be his wil out of this idolatrous blody realm And as Christ coÌ„mitted his mother to Iohn so I coÌ„mit you in this world to the Angell of God Augustine Bernher Hys aduertisement if you wil folow I trust you shal not decline froÌ„ the feare of god Be thankful for him cease not to pray for hys preseruation And thus I coÌ„mit al aswell seruaunts as wife children to the merciful tuition of our most mercifull god and father to his deare sonne our onely Sauiour Iesus Christ with the holy ghoste the comforter to hym be al prayse now and for euer Amen I hartely forgeue you al and doubt not but that you do the same to me Robert Glouer Be faythfull vnto the death and I will geue thee the crowne of lyfe Apoc. 2. â§ Letters of Robert Smyth one of the Chappell at Wyndsor who as a true and constant witnes of Gods woorde which he most faythfullye had professed was cruellye Martyred at Vrbridge the .14 daye of Auguste In the yeare of oure Lorde 1555. To all them whiche loue God vnfaynedlye and entend to lead a Godly lyfe accordyng to hys gospell and to perseuer in his truth vnto the end grace and peace from God the father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen BE not afraid most dearely beloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ at these most perilous daies This letter is thought of some to be M. Hopers partely for that in one copie amonges diuers it is entitled vnto him and also by the phrase and manner of writing it may be well coniectured so to be wherein by the sufferaunce of God the prince of darkenes is brokeÌ„ lose and rageth in hys members agaynst the elect of god with all crueltye to sette vp againe the kingdome of Antichrist agaynst whom see that ye be strong in fayth to resiste hys moste deuelyshe doctrine with the pure Gospell of God armynge your selues with pacience to abyde what soeuer shall bee layde to your charge for the truthes sake knowing that thereunto ye be called not onelye to beleue in him but also to suffer for him Oh howe happye are ye that in the syght of God are counted worthye to suffer for the testimonye of Christe Quyet therefore your selues Oh my louynge brethren and reioyce in hym for whome ye suffer for vnto you doe remayne the vnspeakeable ioyes which neyther the eye hath sene nor the eare hath heard neyther the harte of man is hable to comprehend in any wise Be not afrayd of the bodely death Apo. 17. for your names are wrytten in the booke of life And the Prophette doth recorde Psalm 115. that in the fighte of the Lorde precious is the death of hys Sainctes Watche therefore and praye that ye be not preuented in the day of temptation Nowe commeth the daye of your tryall wherein the waters rage Matth. 7. and the stormye windes blowe Nowe shall it appeare whether ye haue builded vppon the fleting sande Ephe. 2 or vpon the vnmoueble rocke Christe whiche is the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets whereon euery house that is builded groweth into an holy temple of the Lorde by the mightye woorking of the holye ghoste Nowe approcheth the daye of your battaile wherin it is required that ye shewe your selues the valiaunte souldiours of Iesus Christe 2. Tim 8 Ephe. 6 phil 2 Heb. 12. Col. â— wyth the armoure of God that ye maye be hable to stande faste againste all the craftye assaultes of the deuill Christe is your Captayne and ye be hys souldiours whose cognisance is the crosse to the which he willingly humbled hym selfe euen vnto the death and thereby spoyled his enemies and nowe triumpheth he ouer them in the glorye of his father making intercession for them that here doe remayne to suffer the afflictions that are to bee fulfilled in his misticall bodye Pet. 5. It behoueth therefore euery one that will be counted hys scholer to take vppe his owne crosse and followe hym as ye haue him for an ensample and I assure you that he being on your side nothing shall be hable to preuaile againste you And that he will be with you euen to the worldes ende ye haue his promise in the .28 of Mathewe He will goe forth with his hoste as a conquerer to make a conquest He is the man that sitteth on the whyte horse Apoc. 6 1. Cor. 1. crowned with immortalitie and ye brethren are hys felowshippe whereof he is the heade He hath your harte in hys hande as a bowe bente after his godlye will he shall direct the same according to the ryches of hys glory into al spirituall and heauenly cogitations He is faythfull 1 Cor iâ— and wil not suffer you to be further assaulted theÌ„ he wil geue you streÌ„gth to ouercome and in the most daunger he will make a way that ye maye be hable to beare it Shrynke not therefore deare hartes when ye shall hee called to aunsweare for the hope that is in you i. Pet. 3. for we haue the comforter Luk. 13. Act. 2. psalme 52. euen the spirite of truth whiche was sente from the heauens to teach vs. He shall speake in vs he shall strengthen vs what is he then that shall be able to confouÌ„d vs Nay what Tiranne is he that now boasteth hym selfe of hys strengthe to doe mischiefe whom the Lord shall not with the same spirite by the mouthe of hys seruauntes stryke downe to hell fyre Yea sodainly will the Lorde brynge downe the glorye of the proude Philistians by the handes of hys seruaunte Dauid Their strengthe is in speare and shielde â— ReguÌ„ 17. psal 6. 2. Cor. 6 Heb. 8. Psalm 32. but oure helpe is in the name of the Lorde whiche made both heauen and earth He is our buckler and our wall a stronge tower of defence He is oure God and we are his people He shal bryng the counsels of the vngodlye to nought He shall take them in their owne nette He shal destroye them in their owne inuentions The ryghte hande of the Lorde shall woorke thys wonder Psalm 117. Psalm 52. psal 65. Hys power is knowen amonge the children of men â–ª Their fathers haue felt it and are confounded In lyke maner shall they knowe that there is no counsell agaynste the Lorde when their secretes are opened to the whole worlde and are founde to be agaynst the liuyng God Woorke they neuer so craftelye Gene. 12. builde they neuer so stronglye yet downe shall

Marke 6 Matth. 10. Apo 5. God wyl not be mocked naye they that dissemble with him deceiue themselues Such shal the lord deny and caste oute at the laste daye such I say as beare two faces in one hoode such as play on both handes such as deny the knowen truth such as obstinately rebel agaynst hym All such with theyr partakers shall the lord destroy God defend you from al such and make you perfecte vnto the ende Iohn 16. Your sorow shall be turned into ioy A letter sent to a frende of hys THe eternall God kepe you in hys feare I haue me hartely commended vnto you your husband besechyng almighty god to preserue you in well doyng and in perfect knowledge of hys Christ that you may be souÌ„d fautles in the day of the Lord. I haue heard say that my frend is geueÌ„ ouer to vanity It breaketh my hart not only to heare that he so dothe but also teacheth other that it is vnhurtfull to go to all abhominations whyche now stande in the Idoles temples Neuerthelesse deare frend be not moued to followe synners for they haue no inheritaunce wyth GOD and Christe But looke that by goyng into the Idoles temple you defyle not the temple of God for lyghte hath no fellowshyp wyth darkenes but looke what the Lord hath commaunded that doe For yf not goyng to church were wythout persecution they woulde not learne you that lesson But all thing that is swete to the flesh is allowed of the fleshly The Lord shal rewarde euery man accordyng to hys works he that leadeth into captiuity shal go into captiuity and he that by the fleshly man is led in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption The lord Iesu geue you hys holy spirit Amen Seke peace and ensue it Feare god loue god with al your hart wyth al your soule and wyth all your strength Your frend and all mens in Christ Iesus R. Smith Scribled in hast from Newgate the .12 of May. To hys VVyfe THe God and father eternal which brought againe froÌ„ death our Lord Iesus Christ kepe thee deare wyfe nowe and for euer wyth thy Parentes and all thy frendes Amen I prayse God for hys mercye I am in the same state that you lefte me in rather better then worse lokyng daylye for the lyuyng GOD before whome I hunger full sore to appeare and receyue the glorye of whyche I trust thou art wyllyng to be a partaker I geue GOD most harty thankes therefore desyryng thee of all loues to stande faste in that fayth which thou hast receyued and let no man take awaye the seede that almighty god hath soweÌ„ in thee but lay hands of euerlastyng lyfe which shal euer abide wheÌ„ both the earth al earthly frends shal peryshe desyryng them also to receiue thankfully our trouble which is momentane light as S. Paule saith not worthy of the things which shal be shewed on vs that we patieÌ„tly carying our crosse may attayne to the place whether our Sauiour Christ is gone before to the which I besech god of his mercy bring vs spedely I haue bene much troubled about your deliuerauÌ„ce fearyng much the persuasions of worldlings haue found a frend which wil I trust find a meane for you if you be not alredy prouided desiring you in any case to abide suche order as that my frende shall appoint in god And bear wel in mind the words which I spake at our departiÌ„g that as god hath choseÌ„ vs made vs worthy to suffer with him we may endeuour our selues to folow vprightly in thys our vocation desiryng you to present my hartye commendations to all our frendes and especiallye to your Parentes kepyng youre matter close in anye wyse Geue moste hartye thankes to my frende whiche onelye for our cause is come to Windsor Continue in prayer Do wel Be fautles in al thyngs Beware of abhominations Keepe you cleane from synne Praye for me as I doe for you I haue sente you a piece of golde for a token and moste entierlye desire you to sende me worde yf you lacke any thyng The lord Iesu preserue you and yours Amen From Newgate the .15 of Apryll Yf you wyll mete wyth me agayn Forsake not Christ for any payne By your faithfull husband Robert Smyth â§ Letters of Maister Bartelet Grene a gentleman and professour of the Lawe who for gods cause and the mayntenaunce of hys holy Gospel suffred martyrdome the .13 of Ianuarye In the yere of our Lord. 1556. To hys dearely beloued in the lord Mystres Elizabeth C. WOuld God if it were hys pleasure that with this letter I might send you my hart mind and whatsoeuer there is in me elles that pertaineth vnto god So should I thynke it the best message happiest letter that euer I could wryte But though I obtaine not my desyre yet shal I not cease with continual praier to labour for you desiring almighty god to encrease that which he hath long sith begon in you of sober life earnest zeale towards his religioÌ„ In faith as saith S. Paule she that is a true widow freÌ„dles putteth her trust in god i. Cor 7 coÌ„tinuing day and nyght in supplication and prayer but she that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet alyue And verely a true widowe is she that hathe maried Christ forsakyng the vanities of the world and lust of the fleshe For as the maried woman careth how to loue please and serue her husband i. Tim 5 so ought the widowe to geue all her harte and soule thoughtes and wordes studies and labours faythfully to loue god vertuously to bring vp her children and householde and diligentlye to prouide for the poore and oppressed Therfore Sainte Paule firste instructeth a widowe howe to behaue her selfe that is to beginne wher Paule leaueth not to lyue in pleasure then to watch vnto prayer as the onely meanes to obtaine al our desires stedfastly laying vp all our trust in God as SalomoÌ„ ryght well saith psalm 34. Luk. 2. first escheue euill then do good Of Anna the praise is wrytten that she neuer went out of the temple but serued God wyth fastyng and prayer nyght and daye so well had she espoused Christ Iudith 8. Iudith ware a smocke of heare contynuyng in fastyng and had good reporte of al men The next care that belongeth vnto a wydow is that she bring vp her chrildreÌ„ and household godly Ephes 6. in the nourture and informacion of the Lord. Wherof Sainct Paule sayth if any widow haue chyldren or Nephewes 1. Tym 5. let them learne firste to rule theyr owne house godlye and to recompence theyr elders The incontinency coueteousnes of Phynees and O phny not corrected by Ely their father â— Reg. 2 prouoked gods veÌ„geauÌ„ce vpoÌ„ him all his kynred The ouer tender loue of Absolon expelled Dauyd from his kyngdom 2. ReguÌ„ 15 The vnrebuked sinnes of Ammon encouraged Absolon to

the swete promises of god and so do you my deare harte for to you they do as well pertaine as they did to him and as surely shall they be performed vpon you as they were vpon him for he is one god and deare father vnto you both and for his mercy truth and promyse sake he must nedes make good vnto you all that he hath sayd If his loue towardes you stode in the respect of your owne meryte or worthines you myghte well mourne lament complayne yea you had good cause to doubt feare and mistrust But seyng he loueth you onely for and in Iesus Christ who is your whole holines righteousnes redmption lay away all mourning lamenting and complaining banishe from you all feare mistrust and infidelitie and know that as long as Christ dothe continue gods sonne so long must the loue of the father continue towardes you immutable and his good wil vnchangeable cannot be altered through any of your infirmities For this is most true that as long as the cause of any thing doth last so long must the effect remain but christ is the whole cause why the father loueth you and he also continueth for euer then must I nedes conclude that the loue of the father continueth towardes you for euer and as the Palmiste moste ioyfully so often syngeth hys mercy endureth for euer and euer Thys is most true myne owne dere hart although the Lorde for a tyme byde it from your senses that you myghte be the more earnest in prayer to hym for the feelyng of it also the more thankefull for it when he dothe geue the liuely tast of it as doutles he wil do or euer it be long and then shall you bee well hable to comforte other in the same state that you are now in with the same comfort wherwyth you are and further shall be comforted of god Heb. 12 Therfore lift vp your handes that are now a little fallen downe and stretch forth the weake knees of your troubled minde which now mourneth with a godly mourning and therfore shal it be full well comforted wyth that swete peace of GOD whiche passeth all vnderstandyng and you are sure alreadye to enioye the blessing that Christe gaue vnto the godly mourners of Sion vpon the mounte Eccle. 7 at the fyrst set moÌ„ that he made Oh happy V. in whose mourning company I had rather be then in the house of mirth banckettyng of such as see not what cause they haue to mourne and be sory But yet my good brother vse a measure in thys your godly mournyng and make not your faythful frends to much sory for you Let the persuasions of such godlye louers as you do daily company withal or rather the persuasions of the holye ghoste by them moue you to some godly myrth and reioycing Phil 4 Consider that you are commaunded of God by the mouthe of Sainte Paule therto Reioyce in the Lord saithe he and I say agayne reioyce Marke howe he doubleth the sentence that we may perceiue it is a most earnest and necessarye thing he requireth Obey the commaundement of God in this behalf wherin as you cannot but highly please him so I assure you you shall very much reioyce my poore harte and the hartes of other whych pray for you wyth mournyng teares and make that cruell enemye Sathan and all your aduersaries sory which will reioyce and laughe to see you mourne Oh my good brother let it manifestly appeare that the lorde of hys great mercye hathe hearde oure faythfull and hartye requestes for you Oh howe woulde that reioyce me in the myddes of my troubles Therfore now to conclude because the darkenes constrayneth me to make an ende for thys tyme I say my dere and faythful brother V. in respecte of the greate cause you haue of your owne parte through Christ and for the glory and honour of almighty GOD the comfort ioy and reioycyng of your deare bretherne and Sisters in Christe also your owne duety by the commaundement of GOD and last of all to vexe molest and greue Sathan wythal reioyce in the Lord and be most hartely glad in hym who is wholy yours and you are hys and shal be for euermorâ— Selah Farewell mine owne bowels in the Lord and prayse GOD with ioyfull lippes and a merye harte and praye for me his most vnprofitable seruaunt which haue more cause concerning my self to lament then any one man liuing out my good bridegrome is preseÌ„t byddeth me cast away my mourning garmentes and therfore I must nedes be mery with him so he biddeth you to be by my mouthe for he is present with you although for sorrowe you cannot knowe hym as Magdalen could not in the garden vntil he spake vnto her The Lord God speake the wordes of comforte in your hart and open the eies of your mynd that you maye perfectly perceiue and fele his blessed presence and so reioice in the same for euermore Amen CoÌ„fort your hart in Christ and cast your care vpon him for he careth for you Your brother in the Lorde abydyng his good pleasure Iohn Careles Vnto all the faythful flocke of Iesus Christ within the city of LondoÌ„ which feare god vnfainedlye seke to serue hym in suche holynes righteousnes as is acceptable in hys syght Iohn Careles wysheth the eternall peace of God in Iesus Chryst the continuall ayde strengthe and comforte of hys moste holye spirit wych the encrease of faythe and liuely feling of his mercy now euermore AmeÌ„ WHen I had with my selfe well waied and considered right worshipfull citizens the greate charge and burden that you haue borne and ben at not only wyth me which am most vnworthye of your liberall benefites but also wyth many other the poore afflicted people of God euer since the tyme that Tyranny last broke lose into this miserable land c I was euen ashamed and in conscience confounded to thinke of my great slouthe and negligence yea ingratitude and vnthankfulnes towardes you in not sowing some of these spirituall gyftes whiche God hath geuen me emongest you of whome I haue reaped so manifoldly your temporall benefites God for hys dere sonnes sake forgeue me my great synne that in this pointe I haue commiited against both him and you desiring you also to do the same and I will promyse you by gods grace if he spare me lyfe I will henceforthe better performe my duety towardes you my poore prayer alwais supplieng that whych otherwyse I am not hable to performe And in testimony therof I haue here writen vnto you this simple admonition the which I wene wil be my leaue taking of you and last farewel in this corruptible life as by many likelyhodes it dothe appeare wherefore I besech you all to accept it in good parte as a sygne and token of some parcell of my good will towardes you But what shal I write vnto you or wherof shall I entreate that you alredy do

their pigges of worldlye pelfe c. Could the wicked papistes euer haue wroughte their cursed feates as they haue nowe done for the aduauncing of their paultrye and brynging the reaste of their tyrannye and cruell purpose to passe had not these dissembling gospellers bene so aplyable to their myndes at the fyrste dashe and with theyr subtill persuasions bewitched the hartes of others to come to their wickednesse No surely they shoulde sooner for shame dispaire and distresse of minde haue hanged themselues as their predecessour Iudas dyd and therefore I dare accuse them all before God excepte they repent as accessaryes to the wilfull murther of all the Godlye Christian Preachers that haue of late bene putte to death wythin this Realme and also of the soules of such as perish for lacke of true preaching Ah now do I perceaue that it was not for noughte that the Prophet so sore threatneth them with eternall damnation Esay 30 when he cryeth woe be vnto those shrincking children that secke succour vnder the shadow of wicked Pharao Oh woe is my harte for them that euer they shoulde so slyde froÌ„ the Lord their Instructour and cause other to do the same Yea the most mercifull Lorde hym selfe doth in his woorde bewayle them and as it were mourne for them saying alas for these disobediente shrinckyng children that they will take counsell withoute me alas that they will take a secrete aduyse and not oute of my spirite Esay 30. and therefore heape they synne vppon sinne c. Nowe tell me O you vayne and carnall gospellers that bee not onely content to playe the disobediente shrincking children your selues but also as muche as in you lyeth doe assure all other to doe the lyke to the greate dishonour of GOD and destruction of your brethrens soules tell me I saye where you haue that counsell and wicked aduyse Verely oute of the spirite of errour and lyes for oute of the Lordes spirite of truth you haue it not for the spirite of God is alwayes consonante and agreable to hys woorde Yea in his word he commaundeth the true seruauntes of God to set themselues at libertye 2. Cor. 6 and not anye longer to beare the straunge yoke with the vnbeleuers But you contraryewyse counsell them to become agayne the bondslaues of Sathan and his sonne Antichriste seruyng their Idolatrye and superstition with their bodelye presence You byd them beare still the straunge-yoke of mens traditions and deuilyshe inuentions with the vnbeleuers tellyng them that there is honest fellowship betwene ryghteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse and good companye betwene lyghte and darkenesse and frendlye concorde betwene Christ and Beliall and that the beleuer and the infidell may parte stakes well enough that their bodye which is or ought to be the teÌ„ple of the holy ghost may agree with Images wel enough whiche be forbidden by the word of God yea and teaching them to worshippe the greatest Idoll that euer was vnder heauen and therefore whereas the Lorde by hys holye Prophet doth commaunde hys people to come oute from amongest them and to seperate theÌ„ selues from theÌ„ and to touch no vncleane thinge you like tempting Serpents do will them to thruste in them selues amonge the thickest of them to ioyne theÌ„ selues which ought to be the meÌ„bers of Christes mysticall bodye to the wicked members of SathaÌ„ And not only to touch vncleane thinges but also to behold and outwardly worship them yea to receaue into their bodies which ought to be the temple of the liuyng god the most filthy Idoll the straunge god Mauzim the papistes God of defence yea and there to retain him vntil the Iakes receaue hym which is a more meter place for hym then the sanctifyed body of a Christian Alas and weale away that euer anye man that beareth the name of a Christian yea of a Gospeller and fauourer of Gods word should become such a vyle slaue to Sathan and to do hym such notable seruice in these perilous dayes by the meanes wherof he hath preuailed more then he euer dyd in so shorte tyme since the beginnynge of the worlde Oh what deuyll hath bewitched you you runnagates froÌ„ God that you shoulde now doe hym such diligente seruice whom you haue not only pretended to hate but also promised at your baptisme vtterlye to forsake Yea and that you shoulde nowe become suche pernitious enemyes to Christ whose woorde you haue so long pretended to loue some of you nygh these .20 yeares Haue you cleane forgotten what you professed and promysed vnto hym at your baptysme Hath not the deuill seruauntes enough of the papistes and infidells to sette a woorke to suppresse Christes syncere religion but he muste sende forth you to helpe hym whiche of all other oughte to hynder his cruell enterpryse Where bee your wittes become oh you madde men the which for a little mucke of thys molde wyl lose the precious parte of euerlasting lyfe Well if you wyll needes playe the traytours agaynst God and dissembling deuils and runne hedlong into hell your selues yet I praye you take not suche paines to draw others wyth you which by their wil would not come there Goe not aboute to persuade them that euil is good Esay 5. that darkenes is light and that soure is swete least your woe and damnation be the greater If he shal be sore punyshed that hydeth hys talente in the grounde and doth none other man good therewyth howe muche more shall he be punished that occupyeth his talent to euill vses and imployeth the same to the destruction of hys weake brethren Math. 18. for whom Christe dyed If it were better for one to haue a mylstone hanged aboute his necke and to be caste into the middest of the sea then to offend one of Christes little ones yea though it were but by example what then shall become of them that leade them forth of the waye to commit most strong and detestable Idolatry If euill may not be done although good should come therof then that euil may not be done wherof coÌ„meth nothing but innumerable euils both to bodye soule yea so many as a greate volume were not able to contayn theÌ„ if they should be ryghtly descrbed I could make a great many of strong argumentes forth of the scriptures to proue the doings of these disseÌ„blers both with god man to be deuilish detestable but these be sufficient to warne such as haue not their harts hardned but as for the rest I will say wyth S. Iohn Apoc. 22. he that is filthy let hym be filthy stil and vpon their own heades be the peril of their perishyng And now againe to you my deare hartes which by such haue bene deceaued or are by feare or fragilitie fallen to you I speake and of loue I warne you my deare and faithfull frendes of London whom I loue in the Lorde as I am no lesse bounde I woulde bee full lothe to be a witnesse agaynste anye of you all at

victorye is once gotten you maye receiue the inmercessible crowne of glory of gods free gift through hys greate mercy in Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour To whome wyth the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory prayse thankes power rule and dominion for euer and euermore AmeÌ„ The blessyng of God be wyth you all Iohn Careles Â¶ To my faythfull and louyng brother VVilliam Aylsebury THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the continual aide strength comfortes of his most pure holye mighty spirite with the encrease of faith and liuely feelyng othys mercye be wyth you my deare and faythfull louyng brother W. Ailsebury to the increase of hys good gyftes in you and the full finishyng of that which the Lorde hath so gratiouslye begonne in you that the same maye bee to the setting forth of his glory the commoditye of hys poore afflicted churche and to your owne euerlastyng comforte in hym Amen Albeit my dere harte in the lord that at this very present my sorye slowe hande is something pestered with writyng to please my frendes which daily cal vpon me for the performance of my promise and duety towardes them by the meanes wherof I cannot now wryte vnto you in so ample maner as I fayne would yet lest by my to long silence my great ingratitude for your loue and godly letters shuld to muche appeare I haue here in haste scribled these fewe wordes vnto you desiring you to accepte the same in good parte vntyl the Lorde shall sende me a more conueniente tyme to expresse my good will and bounden dutye more largely vnto you promisyng you in the meane space that my poore praier shal supply that which wanteth otherwise as I trust you do not forget me in yours for verely I haue great nede of it My deare brother I thanke you most hartely for your godlye louing and moste comfortable letters in the which I do euidently perceiue the precious gyftes of God wherwith you are plentifully endued the Lorde be praised for you and from the bottome of my harte I do reuerence his spirite in you Wherfore my good brother bee not negligent in the talent that God hath deliuered vnto you but diligently applye the same as I knowe well you doe that the Lorde may receiue his owne wyth vauntage and you the rewarde of a faythfull seruaunt at the tyme of hys most ioyefull returne Truely I wyl not speake it to flatter you neither would I prouoke you to vaine glory but I wyll saye as I see iuste cause that god hathe aboundantly blessed you with the swete knowledge and pure vnderstandyng of his holy worde Be alwaies thankefull vnto god I charge you and humble and meke in your owne sight that GOD onely may haue al the glory from the bottome of your hart And loke that you be very circumspect in al your life conuersation that the light of your good workes may so shine before men that they may be occasioned to glorify your heaueÌ„ly father on your behalfe Be diligent in your doings and quick trusty in al your Maisters busines that you go about that by al meanes you maye do honour to the doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ RemeÌ„ber that Sathan nowe wyll haue greater spite at you then at many other because you are such a mortall enemy to his kingdome on enerye syde Therefore bee you sure he will nowe lie bitynge at your heele to see if he can geue you a fall anye manner of waye that he myght make the truth of that godly doctrine which you constantly confesse to be slaundered by the meanes therof I knowe well that Sathans thoughtes are not hidde from you 2. Cor. 2. I doubt not but you will be more circuÌ„specte theÌ„ I can declare notwithstanding I thought it my bounden duty to warne you as one whom I loue as myne owne soule wyshing you all the good I can possible Commend me vnto my deare frend Iohn Manning and thanke him for his manifold kindnes I am much to blame for him but if the lord do spare my lyfe a litle longer I wil write somthing to him for a remembraunce when I am gone Desire hym to praye for me as I do not forget hym I haue sente you your writinges agayne wyth thankes I pray you write me a copye of that coÌ„cerning the Trinitie for I lyke it meruelous wel it is so briefe pithy I haue no leisure to write it yet wold I fayne haue it as knoweth the lord GOD to whose moste merciful defence I do hartely committe you wyth my good brother Iohn Manning that he with his grace and spirit wil guide you both with al the rest of his deare children vnto the ende Amen The blessing of God be with you nowe and euermore Amen Your owne vnfainedly Iohn Carelet prysoner of the Lorde Pray praye praye To my most faythefull and deare brother T. V. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the continuall comfortes of his moste pure holy spirit be with you my deare and faythfull brother V. and in all thinges make you ioyfull throughe the liuelye feeling of hys fatherly mercy and godly prouideÌ„ce for you that you hauing daily more and more the sure sence of the same may be able of your owne good experience perfectly to comfort me and all other with the same comfort which you haue and further shal receiue of god who blesse and kepe you now and euer Amen I cannot expresse my deare harte in the Lord howe my ioyes do increase to see how god of hys great mercye dothe daily adde vnto his true church and poore afflicted congregation such as he in Christ hath elected to saluation before the foundation of the world was laid of which most happy nuÌ„ber preserued only by his free mercy and grace the lorde no doubte hath chosen and doth recken you for one and hath registred your name in his booke of life where it shal remaine for euer and that so sure that neither Sathan deathe sinne nor hell shall euer be able to blot or scrape out the same thoughe for the further proofe and triall of your faith god many times suffreth the same to appeare to your senses farre contrary Reioyce therefore and with gladnes geue god most humble prayse and harty thankes that euer you lyued to see this day in the which he hath surely sealed you with his holy mighty spirite vnto the day of your final redemption and most happy deliueraunce from all corruption God make the same certayn vnto you by thou true testimony of the holy ghost in your hart whose witnes vnto your spirit that you are the adopted sonne of God is more sure and certain then al the outward oracles in the world And as this most true heauenly doctryne doth bring al mirth ioy peace and quietnes vnto a christian conscience so doth it set Satan in a most sore rage malice against the same for that auncient enemye of ours

caÌ„not abide that we shoulde altogether hange and depend vpon god our most deare father with full trust and confidence He woulde not haue vs thoroughly persuaded of his great loue kindnes towards vs yea of his most fatherly care prouideÌ„ce for vs his dere childreÌ„ For the enemy knoweth that whosoeuer hath faithfully conceiued this true opinion of God shall by the same be allured yea forced and constrained to set all his loue and hartes delighte vpon the lorde agayne and in respect of the same onely be willing to serue him in true holines and righteousnes all the dayes of hys lyfe yea of loue and childlye feare seke to please him be lothe to offend hym redy with good wil to suffer all thyngs for his sake which be the points and properties belonging to the lordes elect Therefore aboue all thinges â–ª Sathan seeketh to darken and make dymme this doctryne of oure saluation yea cleane to quenche it out if he could and to bryng vs from this persuasion of gods spirite vnto distrust and infidelitie which is the very roote and fountayne where hence al other wickednes doth spryng for whatsoeuer is not done of thys faith and godly persuasion is sinne in the syght of god how glorious soeuer it doth appeare in the syght of men Let vs therfore aboue all thinges praye for the encrease of faythe by the lyghte whereof we doe perfectlye see in oure good Christ God to be presently ours with all that euer he is or can be and shall be for euermore Let vs hold thys faste as the sure shore ancker of our soule and though Satan styrre vp neuer so many stormes and teÌ„pestes of trouble and persecution or neuer so many foule and foggy mistes of darkenes and heresies yet shall our shippe sayle in safety for god himselfe is our lodes man and his holy and mighty spirite is the Maister marriner and both can and wil guide conduct vs into the hauen of health and port of euerlasting safegard Therfore let vs say with Dauid that though the waues and ragyng surges of the seas be meruailous yet the Lord is more mighty and meruailous and can styl them wyth a word Alas I am here constrained to make an ende eueÌ„ in the middest of my letter truly I haue bene faine by occasioÌ„s that hath come to lay aside this letter vi or vij tymes since I begaÌ„ Therefore take it in good worth as it is an other time I trust to finishe the same to your comfort and to the accoÌ„plishyng of my dutye towardes you to whome I doe owe my selfe and all that I can doe as knoweth God to whose most mercifull defence I doe hartely commit you my deare brother V. al the rest of his deare darlinges whom I loue as myne owne soule and thanke God for your loue to me The blessyng of God be with you all Amen Yours vnfainedly Iohn Careles prysoner of the Lorde at all tymes abyding hys moste mercyfull wyll and pleasure Pray for me for gods sake â–ª as I wyll neuer forget you To my most deare and faythefull brother T. V. THe euerlastyng peace of god in Iesus Christ the continuall ioy and comforte of hys moste pure holye and mightye spirite with the encrease of faith and liuely feling of his mercy be wyth you my deare hart in the Lorde and faithful louyng brother T. V. to the ful accomplishing of that good worke which he hath so gratiously begonne in you that the same by al meanes may be to the setting forth of his glory to the coÌ„moditie of his poore affliced congregation and to the swete coÌ„fort and quietnes of your conscience in hym now and euermore Amen With such due honour loue and reuerence as it becommeth me to beare vnto the swete saintes and dearely beloued children of god I haue me most hartely coÌ„mended vnto you my dere brother V. wyth al earnest and faythful remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of you in my daily praiers thanking God right hartely that you do likewyse remember me in yours assuryng you that my poore harte dothe dailie feele greate consolation thereby GOD onely haue the praise for the same and all other his benefites Ah my deare harte in the lord well is me that euer I was borne that God of hys great mercy and infinite goodnes hathe vsed me moste miserable wretche at anye tyme as his instrument to minister anye thyng vnto you either by worde or writing that might be an occasion of your ioye and comforte in the Lorde and a prouoking of you to praise and thankesgeuing vnto GOD for the same as your most louing and godlye letter seemeth to importe Oh happie am I that the Lorde hathe appointed me vnto so good a grounde to sowe his seede vpon but much more happy are you whose harte the lord hath prepared and made so meete to receiue the same so effectuouslye geuing thereto the sweete showres and heauenlye dewes of hys grace and holye spirit that it may bring forthe fruites in due season accordingly the encrease wherof we shal shortly reape together with perfect ioy gladnes that continually Therfore my deare brother I say vnto you as good Elizabeth did to her dere cosin Mary happy are you Luke â— happy shal you be for euermore because you haue beleued The most swete faithful promises of your redemer Iesus christ you haue surely laid vp in the treasury of your hart His coÌ„fortable callinges you haue faithfully heard his louing admonitions you haue humbly obeyed and therfore you shall neuer come into iudgement your synnes shal neuer be remembred for your sauiour hath cast them all into the bottome of the sea Miche 7 Psal â—03 he hath remoued them from you as farre as the East is froÌ„ the West hath geuen you for an euerlasting possession his iustification and holines so that now no creature neither in heauen nor in earth shal be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly kyng Satan is now iudged he is now cast out froÌ„ you he hath no parte in you you are wholy geuen vnto Christ which wil noâ— lose you your stedfast fayth in him hath ouercome that sturdie bragging prince of the worlde Christ hath geuen you the final victory ouer him and al his army that they shal neuer hurt you What would you haue more Oh my deare hart how great treasures are layde vppe in store for you and howe glorious a crowne is already made prepared for you And albeit the holy ghost doth beare witnes of all these thynges in your hart maketh you more sure and certayne therof then if you had all the outward oracles in the worlde yet I beyng certainly perswaded fully assured by the testimony of gods spirit in my coÌ„science of your eternal sure saluatioÌ„ in our swete Sauiour Iesus Christ haue thought it good yea and my bounden duty not only at this tyme to write vnto you and to shew my ioyfull

hart in that behalf but also by the worde and commauÌ„dement of Christ to pronounce and affirme in the name and worde of the heauenly king Iehouah and in the behalfe of hys swete sonne Iesus Christ our lorde to whome all knees shall bowe whom al creatures shall worship and also by the impulsion of the holy ghost by whose power and strengthe all the faythfull be regenerate I do I say pronounce to thee my deare brother T. V. that thou art already a citizen of heauen The lord thy God in whom thou doest put all thy trust for hys deare sonnes sake in whome thou doest also vndoubtedlye beleue hath freely forgeuen thee all thy synnes clearely released all thyne iniquities and fully pardoned all thyne offences be they neuer so many so greuous or so great and will neuer remember them any more to condemnation As trulye as he liueth he wil not haue thee die the death but hath verely determined purposed eternallye decreed that thou shalt liue with him for euer Thy sore shal be healed and thy woundes bound vp eueÌ„ of him self for his own names sake He doth not nor will not loke vpon thy synnes in thee but he respecteth beholdeth thee in christ in whoÌ„ thou art liuely graffed by fayth in his blood and in whom thou art most assuredly elected and chosen to be a swete vessell of his mercye and saluation and waste thereto predestinate in him before the foundation of the world was layde In testimonye and earnest whereof he hath geuen thee his good and holye spirite which worketh in thee fayth loue and vnfayned repentance with other godly vertues contrary to the corruption of thy nature Also he hath commaunded me this daye although a most vnworthy wretch to be a witnesse hereof by the ministerye of his holy woorde grounded vppon the truth of his most faythful promises the which thou beleuiÌ„g shalt liue for euer Beleuest thou this my dere hart I know well thou doest beleue The Lord encrease thy fayth geue thee a liuelye feeling of all his mercyes whereof thou arte warranted and assured by the testimonye of the holy ghoste who confirme in thy conscience to the vtter ouerthrowing of Sathan and those his most hurtful dubitations wherby he is accustomed to molest and vexe the true childreÌ„ of god all that I haue sayd and by gods grace I will as a witnes therof confirme seale the same with my blood for a most certaine truth Wherefore my good brother prayse the Lorde with a ioyfull hart and geue hym thankes for thys his exceding greate mercye casting awaye all dubitaâ— on and waueryng yea all sorrowe of harte and pensiuenesse of minde for this the Lord your God and moste deare and louing father commaundeth you to do by me nay rather by his own mouth and worde pronounced by me But nowe my deare brother after that I haue done my message or rather the Lordes message in deede I could fynde in my hart to write ij or .iij. sheetes of paper declaryng the ioye I beare in my hart for you myne owne bowels in the Lord yet the time being so shorte as you do wel knowe I am here constrayned to make an ende desiring you to pardon my slacknesse and to forgeue my great negligence towardes you promising you still that so long as my poore life doth last my praier shall supplye that my penne doth want as knoweth the almighty god to whose most mercifull defence I do hartely commit you all other his deare children as wel as though I had rehearsed them by name desiring them most hartely to remember me in their harty daily prayers as I know right well they do for I feele the daily comfort and commoditie therof and therfore I neither will nor can forget them nor you or any such like The blessing of God be with you all Amen Yours for euer vnfaynedlye Iohn Careles still carefull for you prisoner for the testimony of gods euerlasting truth abiding his most blessed will and pleasure Pray p.p.p. To my deare frend and faythfull Syster Mystres Marye Glouer THe same euerlasting god and most gracious good Lord that blessed Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and comforted them in al their crosses troubles manifolde afflictions yea preserued them prouided for theÌ„ in al extreme parell daunger and necessities blesse comfort preserue and kepe you with al your swete children and familye my deare frende and faythfull Sister in the Lord good Mystres Mary Glouer with and by the power of his holy and mighty spirite our eternal comforter nowe and for euermore Amen Ah my deare frende what shall I saye or howe shall I comforte you in thys great crosse that GOD hath layd vppon you in taking home to hym selfe those his blessed Sainctes whom he for a time lente you Verelye I am afrayde least I shall renewe your sorrowes in speaking of them But my deare hart let that bee farre from you rather now with them reioyce in GOD for their greate glory triumphe and victorye euer submitting with all meekenesse your will vnto his whiche onely is good and woorketh all thinges for your beste of whiche thing if you bee fullye and throughly perswaded you can by no meanes lacke spiritual ioy and comforte Wherof in fewe wordes I wil something saye althoughe I doubte not but you knowe it alreadye though perhappes now sorrow doth a litle darkeÌ„ the same as at times it hath done in many good men but fayth is of such force and power if it be vnfayned that it will with Ionas forth of the Whales bellye crye vnto the Lorde and bring from him the comfortes of his spirite and promyses whiche chiefelye do consiste in that whiche is rehearsed in the fyrste commaundement Heare Israel sayth the Lorde I am thy Lord GOD and thou shall loue me c. Beholde with a stedfaste and liuely fayth this swete saying and commaundement of God He biddeth vs heare geue credence To what I pray you Forsooth that he of his goodnes hath geuen him selfe wholye vnto vs to bee oure owne peculiar and proper possession for euer Psal 16. as the Prophet Dauid doth pleasauntlye syng The Lord him selfe sayth he is my portion and enheritaunce my lotte is fallen vnto me in a happye grounde c. Oh gracious GOD what a thing is this that the greate Lorde Iehouah that omnipotente GOD whiche made heauen and earth the sea and all that is therein vppon whose prouidence all thinges doe depende at whose onelye becke both Aungell and deuill muste bee fayne to obeye Oh Lorde I saye what a thing is this that he will vouchsafe to geue him selfe wholye to be ours with all that euer he maye bee Oh what are we moste vyle dounge earth and ashes yea most wicked cattiffes and horrible sinners that he woulde vouche vs worthye of this greate benefite whiche can not bee expressed wyth the tounges of men or Aungels Thys muste we now nedes thynke and beleue

be to our sinnes great vnthankfulnes which is the greatest cause of the taking away of such worthy instruments of god as shold setforth his glory instruct his people If we had bene thankful vnto god for the good ministers of his worde we had not bene so sone depriued both of it and them The Lord forgeue our great ingratitude and sinnes geue vs true repentance fayth holde his hand of mercy ouer vs for hys dere soÌ„ne Christs sake Take not away al thy true preachers forth of this realme O lorde but leaue vs a sede least England be made like vnto Sodome Gomore when thy true Lothes be gone But what go I about to miÌ„gle your mirth with my mourning your iust ioy with my deserued sorowe If I loued you in dede as I haue preteÌ„ded I should surely reioyce with you most hartely prayse god on your behalfe froÌ„ the very bottome of my hart I should prayse god day night for your excelleÌ„t electioÌ„ in through his great mercy should geue him most huÌ„ble thankes for your vocation by his gospel your true knowlege in the same I should earnestly praise him for your swete iustificatioÌ„ wherof you are most certain by gods grace spirite and should instantly pray vnto him for your glorificatioÌ„ which shal shortly ensue I shold reioyce be glad to see you so dignifyed by the crowne of martirdome and to be appointed to that honour to testifie hys truth to seale it with your blood I should highly extolle the lord who hath geueÌ„ you a glorious victory ouer al your enemies visible inuisible hath geueÌ„ you grace streÌ„gth to finishe the tower that you haue begonne to build Finallye if I loued you I should most hartely reioyce bee glad to see you deliuered froÌ„ this body of sinne and vyle prison of the fleshe and brought into that heauenly tabernacle where you shal be safely kepte neuer offend him more This and much more should I do if I had a good hart towards god or you his deare child But alas I am an hypocrite and do seeke nothing but mine own coÌ„moditie I would haue gods euerlastiÌ„g prouideÌ„ce geue place to my peuish wil purpose although it were to the hinderance of his glory your swete coÌ„moditie God forgeue me my horrible ingratitude sinnes and offences against hym and good brother do you forgeue me my great negligence and vnthankfulnes towards you and hence forth I promise you I wil put my will to Gods will and pray that the same may be fulfilled in you so longe as you be on this earth and wheÌ„ you are taken hence I wil most hartely prayse the Lord for you so long as I haue my being in this world Ah my deare harte now I muste take my leaue of you and as I thinke my vltimum Vale in this life but in the life to come I am ryght well assured we shall merely meete together and that shortly I trust And in taking of my leaue of you my deare hart in the lord I shall desyre you faythfully to remember all the sweete messages that the Lord our good God and moste deare louing father hath sent you by me his most vnworthye seruaunte whiche as they are moste true so shall they bee moste truely accomplyshed vppon you eternally and for the more assuraunce and certificate thereof to youre Godlye conscience he hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded me to repete the same vnto you again in his own name word Therefore now geue eare faithful credence Harken O ye heauens thou earth geue eare and beare me witnes at the great day that I do here faithfully truly the lords message vnto his deare seruant his singularly beloued elect child Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloued of god I pronounce testifie vnto thee in the word name of the lord Iehouah that al thy sinnes whatsoeuer they be be they neuer so many so greuous or so great be fully frely pardoned released forgeuen thee by the mercy of god in Iesus Christ thine only Lord and swete Sauiour in whom thou doste vndoubtedly beleue Christe hath clensed thee with hys bloode clothed thee with hys righteousnes hath made thee in the sight of god his father without spot or wrinckle So that wheÌ„ the fier doth his appointed office thou shalt be receaued as a swete burnt sacrifice into heauen where thou shalt ioyfully remaine in gods preseÌ„ce for euer as the true inheritour of his euerlasting kingdome vnto that which thou wast vndoutedly predestinate ordayned by the lords vnfallible purpose decree before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was layd And that this is most true that I haue said I cal the whole Trinitie the almighty eternal Maiestie of god the father the sonne the holy ghoste to my recorde at this present whom I humbly besech to confirme stablishe in thee the true and liuely feling of the same Amen Selah Now with a mery hart a ioyfull spirite something mixed with lawfull teares I take my farewell of you mine owne deare brother in the Lord who send vs shortly a mery meting in his kingdome that we may both sing prayses together vnto him with his holy Angels blessed spirites for euer euer Farewel thou blessed of the lord farewell in Christ depart vnto thy rest in the Lord pray for me for Gods sake As I had made an end of this simple letter I heard some comfort both of good Maister Philpottes seruant yours but alas I do scarcely beleue them Wel I wil hope in god and pray al night that god will sende me some comforte to morrow if the Lord geue you sparing to morrow let me heare .iiij. words of comfort froÌ„ you for gods sake The blessing of god be with you now and for euer Amen Yours for euer in the Lord Iesus Iohn Careles liuyng in hope agaynst hope To a faythfull frende of hys by whome he had receyued much comforte in hys trouble and affliction THe peace of God in Iesus Christ wyth the eternall comfort of hs swete spirite bee wyth you my deare brother now and euer Amen Ah my dere faithfull brother what huÌ„ble praise harty thaÌ„kes am I bouÌ„d coÌ„tinually to reÌ„der vnto god for you in that he hath made you so worthy and comfortable an instrument vnto me his most vnworthy seruaunt in this tyme of my great conflict This is the coÌ„flict whereby Sathan hath alwais sought to molest and vexe the true childreÌ„ of god to plucke them from the hope of their saluatioÌ„ in Christ â–ª Read psal 77.88.22 31.38.69 and concernyng this matter reade before fol. 152 194. 288. 325. the whole letter followyng not onely against flesh and blood but also against the spirituall power of darkenes In which wrestling though I be very weake yet haue I I thanke God most hartely therefore receiued such

the conuersion or confounding of al gainesaiers and to the comfort and confirmation of al gods dere children Amen Farewel mine owne swete brother farewel as myne owne harte Your owne in Christ Iohn Careles Because he maketh mention in the former letter and other heretofore of the most godlye and christian conflictes which he had susteyned we thought good to adioyne hereto this swete and heauenly exercise followyng whereby it may appeare what fruite these conflictes wroughte in hys most godly and christian conscience SOme men for sodayne ioye do wepe And some in sorow syng When that they lie in daunger depe To put away mournyng Betwene them both will I beginne Being in ioy and payne In sighing to lament my sinne But yet reioyce agayne My sinfull life doth still increase My sorow is the more From wyckednes I cannot cease Wo is my hart therfore Sometimes when I thinke to do wel And serue God night and day My wycked nature doth rebell And leadeth me astray As bonde and captiue vnto sinne which greueth me full sore This miserye do I liue in Wo is my harte therfore In dede sometyme I do repent and pardon doe obtaine But yet alas incontinent I fall to sinne agayne My corrupte nature is so yll Offending more and more That I displease my Lord god still Wo is my harte therfore Wo is my harte wo is my mynd woe is my soule and sprite That to my God I am vnkynde In whome I shoulde delite Hys loue alwayes I should regard which towarde me was so pure But I wyth synne do him rewarde O most vnkynd creature The beast the byrde the fishe the foule Their maker doe obey But I that am a liuing soule Am farre much worse then they For they accordyng to their kinde To serue him do not cease But I wyth sinfull hert and mynde Do daily him displease Thus do I sore complayne of synne And with kyng Dauyd wepe For I do feele my harte within The wrath of God full deepe To heauen myne eyes I dare not life Agaynst it I haue trespaste And in the earth I fynde no shifte Nor succour that can last What shall I do shall I dispaire And from my Sauiour slide Nay god forbid there is no feare Syth Christ for me hath dyed God became man and for vs men He dyed and rose againe His mercy great we may see then For euer doth remayne Therefore my sinne I will confesse To God and mourning make who wil forgeue the same doutlesse for hys sonne Christes sake Yf sinne in me god should respecte Then do I know full well His iustice would me sone reiecte To the deepe pit of hel Hys glorious eies cannot abide The foule and filthy smoke Wherwith I am on euerye syde Couered as with a cloke But he in Christ doth me behold In whom he doth delite And myne offences manyfold Through him releaseth quite Reputyng me amongest the iust Forgeuyng al my sinne Therfore my faith my hope my trust Shall euer be in hym O Lord encrease true faith in me Thy good spirite to me geue That I may grow in loue toward thee And euer seeke to liue In true obedience of thy will And thankefulnes of hart And with thy grace so guide me stil That I neuer departe From thy true word and testameÌ„t All the dayes of my life Nor froÌ„ thy churche most innocent Thine owne true spouse and wife But froÌ„ that filthy whore of Rome Lord kepe me euermore As gratiously thou hast yet done Thankes be to thee therfore And sith thou haste of thy goodnes Forgeuen me all my sinne StreÌ„gth me thy truth for to coÌ„fesse And boldly die therin That as I haue confessed thee Before the wicked sort thou maiest in thy good time know me To my ioy and comfort My soule returne vnto thy reste Thou art wel satisfied The Lord hath graunted thy request And nothyng thee denied Prayse be God the father of myght Praise be to thee O Christ Praise be to thee O holy sprite Three in one God most hyest Continue constant in Christ ê™ Careles Â¶ A briefe admonition wrytten to Mystres Iane Glascocke in a booke of hers when she came to the pryson to visite hym THere is nothynge that the holye Scripture throughout doth so much coÌ„mend vnto vs as a true faith stedfast trust in the promises of gods eternal mercies towardes vs in Iesus Christ For from the same as forth of the chiefe fountaine and welspring of lyfe doe flowe al kindes of vertues and godly fruites specially true loue towardes God in the which we ought purely to serue hym all the daies of our lyfe and also christian charitie towardes our neighbours aswell to helpe them at all nedes as also not to hurt them by any meanes Therfore pray earnestly for the encrease of faith and liuely felyng of gods mercy for al things are possible vnto hym that can vndoubtedly beleue Faithe is the thynge whiche assureth vs of gods mercy and wherby we vanquishe all the fiery dartes of the deuill our victory that ouercommeth the worlde the knyfe that killeth and mortifieth the flesh and finally that whiche setteth vs at peace with God and quieteth our consciences alwayes before hym and maketh vs mery and ioyful vnder the crosse with many moe things then I can now expresse Pray therefore for fayth in fayth And for the Lordes sake beware of popery and popish idolatry the idâ—lle of the wicked Masse and other Idolatrous seruice Make not your body which is a member of Christ a member of Antichrist Remember that we shall receaue of God according to that we do in the body be it good or euill Therfore glorifye god in your body which is dearly bought Betray not the truth lest the Lorde denye you If God be God follow him You caÌ„ not serue .ij. Maisters I write not this as doubting you but by the way of admonition God kepe you from al euill â˜ž My Syster dere god geue you grace With stedfast fayth in Christes name Hys gospell styll for to embrace And lyue accordyng to the same To dye therfore thinke it no shame But hope in god wyth faythfull trust And he wyl geue you prayse with fame When you shall ryse out of the duste For which most swete and ioyful day To God with fayth your prayer make And thinke on me I do you praye The which did wryte this for your sake And thus to God I you betake Who is your castell and stronge rocke He kepe you whether you slepe or wake Farewel dere Mystres Iane Glascoke If God be with vs who can be agaynst vs. â˜ž Though worldly waues do rage apace And wicked wyndes blowe out of frame Though MouÌ„taynes moue forth of their place Through the great tempestes of the same Yet shall the Lorde styll you defende Vnder the shadowe of hys wynges He loueth you vnto the ende And for your wealth doth worke all thynges Therefore in hym put all your trust Feare not

these boysterous wyndes that blow The Lord can lay them when he luste And bring the raging waues full lowe But your safegard shall styl remayne In a strong castell of defence God graunt vs well to meete agayne With myrth and ioye in his presence Iohn Careles To the afflicted Christian â˜ž Feare not for death passe not for handes Onely in God put thy whole trust For god wil requyre thy blood at their hands And this thou doest know that once die thou must Onely for Christ thy lyfe if thou geue Death is no death but a meane for to lyue A letter of Doctor Taylour of Hadley written to his wife This pacâ—er is called syr Robert Bracher a false protesstant in Kyng Edwardes dayes afterward a deadlye enemye to that religion whiche he had professed and now is become a protesstante agayne serueth at S. Denys in LoÌ„don in Fannâ—-church strete calleth hym self Harry Bradshawe Thys pedler coÌ„myng to the buryal of hys frende and gods great enemye Walter Clarke of Hadley albeit he came somewhat to late to the market as he sayd yet beâ—ng desyrous to vtter hys ware opened there his packe ful of most pâ—stilent poysoned doctrine Thys was one of theÌ„ that so vnmercâ—fully thrust D. Taylours wife childreÌ„ out of the doâ—es as she hâ—â— ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ can testifye whiche we haue here placed as it came to our handes with certayne other letters following DEare wife I pray god be euer with vs through Christ our only Mediatour Amen I thanke you for my cap I am somthing proud of it for it is one steppe froÌ„ the cleargy in these dayes I thank god my harte is cleane deuided from their proceedings For I know that no maÌ„ can serue .ij. Maisters specially if they agree no better theÌ„ Christ Antichrist do I am glad that Hadley can skil of such packing ware as was brought thether the fyrst day of May last past Christes shepe caÌ„ discerne christs voice froÌ„ the voyce of straungers theues or hyrelings The packe bringer was sory that he came to late to the funeral market of hys faythfull frend But here I wil leaue theÌ„ both to Gods iudgement someting touche the matter wherof the packer made mentioÌ„ on his opening day At the first he called the scripture as I heare ful of darke sentences but in dede it is called of S. Dauid a candle to our fete a light to our pathes Our Sauiour Christe calleth his word the light which euyll doers do flye froÌ„ hate lest their dedes should be reproued therby S. Paul wold haue vs to walke as childreÌ„ of light in any wise not to coÌ„tinue in ignoraÌ„ce or darknes But al we in the world perteyn to .ij. princes eyther to the father of light truth or els to the prince of darknes lyes In these dayes preachers declare euidently of whoÌ„ they are sent and with what spirit they speake to what prince they belong For they cry out againste Gods lightes sunne moone sterres torches lampes lanternes cressets caÌ„dels in gods booke the Bible prouided of gods great goodnes mercy to auoyd al foule darknes cloudes mistes or daungerous doubtful waies in this our iourney to our heaueÌ„ly father long home mansioÌ„ houses derely purchased heritage Esay gods faithfull messenger sayeth woe be vnto theÌ„ that call sweete sower good euil light darknes Therfore coÌ„meth my people into captiuitie because they haue no vnderstaÌ„dyng Our sauiour Christ pronouÌ„ceth errours heresyes to remaine amoÌ„g the people so long as ignorance of the scriptures remaineth And hereby it appeareth to al good coÌ„sciences what they meane which defame or accuse gods blessed word being ful of light as though it were ful of darknes These oules wold haue al day lightes scraped out of bokes harts churches Oh lord turne their hartes tonges bowe theÌ„ froÌ„ the way of darkenes lest they go to the prince of darknes be cast into the paradise of vtter darknes where is weping gnashing of teeth Now touching the packes of wolle packes of cloth I feare they were as al other their wares be transsubstantiate into flockes eueÌ„ his very finest packing stuffe against only fayth iustifying â–ª for the corporal presence of Christes body in the sacrameÌ„t for praying for soules departed for auriculer coÌ„fessioÌ„ Abrahams iustification by faith by grace by promise not by workes is plainly setforth both in the Epistle to the Rom. cap. 4 to the Gala Cap 3. And Abrahams works of obedience in offring vp his sonne so long after his iustification must nedes be takeÌ„ as a fruit of a good tree iustifying before men not of iustificatioÌ„ before god for theÌ„ had maÌ„ to glorye in then did Christ die in vaine And where as the .6 chap. of S. Iohn was alleaged to proue the Christ did geue his body corporally in his supper eueÌ„ as he had promised in the said 6. chap. it is most vntrue For only he gaue his body sacramentally spiritually effectually in his supper to the faithfull Apostles and corporally he gaue it in a bloody sacrifice for the life of the world vpoÌ„ the crosse once for al. There in his own persoÌ„ in his own natural body he bare al our sines by whole stripes we were healed as S. Peter proueth 1. Pet. 2. Esay cap 53. In dede receauing Christs sacrameÌ„t accordiÌ„gly as it was instituted we receaue Christes body Christs blood euen as I sayd before the Apostles dyd But the popysh Masse is an other matter The Masse as it is now is but one of Antichristes youngest doughters in the which the deuill is rather present receaued then our Sauiour the .2 person in Trinitie god man O Lorde god heauenly father for Christes sake we besech thee to turne againe England to the right way it was in in King Edwardes tyme from thys babilonicall stewyshe spirituall whoredome conspiracye tyranny detestable enormityes false doctrine heresye hardnesse of hart and contempte of thy worde coÌ„mauÌ„dements froÌ„ this euident opeÌ„ Idolatry sacriledge simony blasphemy superstitioÌ„ hypocrisy transubstaÌ„tiate Angel of light day deuil kingdoÌ„e of lies foule vain schismes sectes sedition apostasie gaye swete poyson honied and sugered viperous venime wily woluishnes Sathanical subtiltye and abhomination in the sight of God and of all such as put on the true spectakles of holy scripture I am the more plaine now in this matter because I feare greatly the many wil be to much ready to go froÌ„ Christ to Antichrist from the Bible true gods seruice religioÌ„ to latine lying legendes portases Massebokes superstition They say their church can not erre in any point when in dede they be not of gods church and therefore they can do nothing but erre euen as they do almoste in all cases of true fayth But to come again to the packer rather theÌ„ preacher he briÌ„geth S. Chrisostomes sentence writing ad popuâ—uÌ„ antiochenum

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

receiued thorough faith meÌ„ are made sauory vnto god which themselues lose not their saltnes now when they be proued wyth the boisterous stormes of aduersity persecution or others being that vnsauory salt which hath lost his saltnes that is to wit those vngodly ministers which do fal froÌ„ the word of god vnto the dreames traditioÌ„s of Antichrist whether of these I say be more to be credited and beleued let all men iudge Wherfore my derely beloued Iames. 1. receiue the word of god with mekenes that is graffed in you whiche is able to saue your soules and see that ye be not forgetfull hearers deceyuyng your selues with Sophistry but doers of the worde whom Christ doth likeÌ„ to a wise man which buildeth hys house on a rocke that wheÌ„ the great raine desceÌ„deth Math. 7. the floudes come and beat vppon that house it fal not because it is grounded vpon a rocke that is to wit that when Satan al hys legioÌ„ of deuils with al their subtile suggestioÌ„s the world and al the mighty princes therof with their crafty couÌ„cels Psalm 2 do furiously rage againste vs we faint not but abyde constant in the truth being grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ a most sure rocke which is Christ the doctryne of the gospel against which the gates of hel that is the power of Satan cannot preuaile Math. 16 And be ye folowers of Christ and the apostles and receiue the worde in much afflictioÌ„ as the godly Thessalonians dyd 1. Thess â— for the true followers of Christ the apostles be they which receiue the worde of god They onely receyue the worde of God which both beleue it and also frame theyr lyues after it and be ready to suffer all maner of aduersity for the name of the Lorde as Christ and all hys Apostles dyd and as all that wil liue godly in christ Iesu must do 2. Tim. â— Actes â— Math. â— Math. 7 Marke â— for there is none other way vnto the kingdome of heauen but throughe much tribulation And if we suffer any thing for the kingdome of heauen and for rightuousnes sake we haue the prophets Christ the Apostels Martyrs for an ensample to coÌ„fort vs for they did al enter into the kingdom of heauen at the straite gate narrow way the leadeth vnto life which few do find And vnlesse we wil be coÌ„teÌ„nt to deny our owne selues take vp the crosse of Christ follow hym we cannot be his disciples for if we deny to suffer with Christ his saints it is an euideÌ„t argument 2. Tim. 2 that we shal neuer raign â— him And again if we caÌ„ find in our harts patiently to suffer persecutions and afflictioÌ„s it is a sure token of the righteous iudgement of God that we are counted worthy of the kingdome of God for whiche we also suffer 2. Thess â— It is verely saieth the Apostle a ryghteous thing wyth God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble vs and rest to vs that bee troubled For after this lyfe the godly being deliuered from their tribulations and paynes shall haue a most quiet and ioyfull rest wheras the wicked and vngodly contrarywise shal be tormented for euermore wyth intollerable vnspeakable paynes Luke 16. as christ by the parable of the riche glutton and wretched Lazarus doth plainely declare and teach These ought we to haue before our eyes alwayes that in tyme of aduersitie and persecution wherof all that wyll be the chyldren of god shall be pertakers Heb. 12 and wherwyth it hath pleased God to put some of vs in vre already we may stand stedfast in the Lord and endure euen vnto the ende 2. Tim. 2. that we may be saued For vnles we like good warriours of Iesus Christ will endeuour our selues to please hym who hath choseÌ„ vs to be his souldiours fyght the good fyght of fayth euen vnto the ende we shal not obtaine that crowne of righteousnes which the Lord that is a ryghteous iudge shall geue to all them that loue hys comming Let vs therfore receiue with mekenes the word that is graffed in vs Iames. 1. which is able to saue our soules and grouÌ„d our selues on the lure rock Christ For as the Apostle saith other foundation can no man lay besides that which is laid already which is Iesus Christ If any man build on thys fouÌ„dation gold 1. Cor. 3. syluer precious stones timber hay stubble euery mans worke shal appeare for the day shall declare it and it shal be shewed in the fyre and the fyre shall try euery mans worke what it is If any mans worke that he hathe builded vpon abyde he shall receyue a rewarde if any maÌ„s worke burne he shall suffer losse but he shal be safe hymselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were through fyre By fyre here doth the Apostle vnderstand persecution and trouble For they which do truly preach and professe the worde of god which is called the worde of the crosse shal be rayled vpon abhorred hated thrust out of company persecuted and tried in the fornace of aduersitie as gold and syluer are tried in the fire By gold siluer and precious stones 1. Cor. 1. Math. 5 Luke 6. Math. 3 Psalme 1 he vnderstandeth them that in the middes of persecution abide stedfast in the word by tymber hay and stubble are ment such as in tyme of persecucion do fall away from the truthe and when Christ doth purge his flore with the winde of aduersity these scatter away from the face of the earth like light chaffe which shal be burned wyth vnquencheable fire If they then which do beleue do in tyme of persecution stande stedfastly in the truth the builder I meane the preacher of the word shal receiue a reward and the work shal be preserued and saued but if so be that they go backe and swarue when persecution aryseth the builder shall suffer losse that is to say shall loose hys labour coste but yet he shal be saued if he beyng tried in the fire of persecution do abide fast in the faith Wherefore my beloued geue diligent hede that ye as liuing stones be builded vpoÌ„ this sure rocke 1. Peter 2. 2. Cor. 3 and be made a spiritual house a holye priesthode for to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable vnto god by Iesus Christ For we are the true teÌ„ple of god and the spirit of god dwelleth in vs if so be that we continue in the doctrine of the gospel We are also an holy and royal priesthode for to offer vp spirituall sacrifices and oblations 1. Pet. 2 for the sacrifices of the new testameÌ„t are spiritual and of three maners The first is the sacrifyce of prayse and thankesgeuyng which S. Paule doth call the fruites of those lippes which confesse the name of god The second is mercy towards our neighboures Heb. 13 Osee 6 Rom. 12 as the prophet Osee saith I wil haue

offended either wyth the cares of this worlde and deceitfulnes of riches choke the worde and so are vnfruitful Read the parable of the sower amonges other things note and marke that the most parte of the hearers of gods worde are but hypocrites and heare the word wythout any fruite or profite yea onely to their greater condemnation for onely the fourth part of the seede doth bryng forth fruite Therfore let not vs that be Ministers or professours and followers of gods worde be discouraged thoughe that very fewe do credite and followe the doctrine of the Gospell and be saued Math. 11. Whosoeuer therfore hath eares to heare let him heare for whosoeuer hath to hym shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundaunce but whosoeuer hath not from hym shal be taken away that he hath that is to saye they that haue a desyre of righteousnes and of the truthe shal be more and more illuminated of God On the contrary parte they that doe not couet after righteousnes and truth are more hardened and blynded though they seeme vnto themselues most wise For God doth here follow an example of a louyng father which when he seeth that fatherly loue correction doth not helpe towardes hys children vseth an other way He ceaseth to be beneficial vnto them and to minister vnto them fatherly correction he geueth them ouer vnto themselues suffering them to lyue as they luste themselues Heb. 6 Mat. 8 But we truste to see better of you my derely beloued and that ye lyke Gaderenites for feare to lose your worldly substaunce or other delytes of this life Actes 14. wil not banysh away Christ his Gospell froÌ„ amongst you but that ye â— all diligeÌ„ce of mynd wyll receaue the word of god taught you by such ministers as now when persecuioÌ„ aryseth because of the word 2. Tim. 1 2. Tim. 2. are not ashamed of the testimony of our lord Iesus but are conteÌ„t to suffer aduersity with the gospel therin to suffer trouble as euil doers euen vnto bondes And if ye refuse thus to do your own blood wil be vpon your own heads And as ye haue hadde plenteous preaching of the gospell more theÌ„ other haue had Acts. 18 so shal ye be sure if ye repent not bryng forth fruites worthy of repentaunce to be sorer plagued to receaue greater vengeance at gods hand then others and the kyngdome of God shal be taken from you and be geuen to an other nation which wil bring forth the fruites therof Wherfore my dearly beloued in christ take good heede to your selues â–ª ponder wel in your mindes how feareful and horrible a thing it is to fal into the hands of the liuing god And see that ye receaue not the word of god in vaine 2. Cor 6. Iame. 2. but continually labour in fayth and declare your fayth by your good works which are infallible witnesses of the true iustifying fayth which is neuer idle but worketh by charitye Gala. 5. Tit. 2. Rom. 13. Geue your selues I say continually to al maner of good works Amonges the which the chiefest are to be obedient to the Magistrates syth they are the ordinaunce of god whether they be good or euil vnlesse they coÌ„maund Idolatry vngodlynesse that is to say things contrary vnto true religioÌ„ for then ought we to say with Peter we ought more to obeye God then man But in any wise we must beware of tumult Act. 5. insurrection rebellion or resistance The weapon of a christiaÌ„ maÌ„ in thys matter ought to be the sword of the spirit Eph. 6 which is gods word prayer coupled wyth humilitye due submissioÌ„ wyth readines of hart rather to dye then to doe any vngodlynes Iohn 19. Iob 34. Rom. 14 Christ also doth teache vs that all power is of god yea eueÌ„ the power of the wicked which god causeth oftentymes to reygne for our synnes disobedience towards hym hys worde Whosoeuer then doth resiste any power doth resiste the ordinance of god and so purchase to hym self vtter destruction vndoing We must also by al meanes be promoters of vnitie peace concord 1. Pet. 2 Eph. 6 We must honour and reuerence princes al that be in authoritie pray for them and be diligent to setforth their profit coÌ„modity SecoÌ„dly we must obey our parentes 1. Tim. 5. or theÌ„ that be in their romes be careful for our housholdes that they be prouided fed not only with bodely foode but much rather with spiriturall fode which is the word of god Thirdly we must serue our neighbours by al meanes we can Math. 7 1. Tim. 2 remeÌ„bryng well the saying of Christ what soeuer ye would that meÌ„ shold do vnto you do ye likewyse vnto theÌ„ for this is the law and the Prophets Fourthly we must diligently exercyse the necessary worke of prayer for al estates knowing that god therfore hath so much coÌ„maunded it hath made so great promises vnto it doth so wel accept it After these works we must learne to know the crosse Math. 5. what affection mind we must beaâ—e towardes our aduersaryes enemies what soeuer they be to suffer al aduersities euil paciently to pray for theÌ„ that hurt persecute trouble vs. And by thus vsing our selues we shal obtayne an hope and certainty of our vocation that we be the elect children of god And thus I coÌ„meÌ„d you brethreÌ„ vnto god to the word of his grace 2. Pet. 1 Actes 20. which is able to build further geue you an enheritance among al theÌ„ which are sanctifyed beseching you to helpe M. SauÌ„ders me your late pastours al theÌ„ that be in bondes for the gospels sake with your praiers to god for vs that we may be deliuered froÌ„ al theÌ„ that beleue not from vnreasonable froward men Rom. 15. Coloss 4 Phil. 1. that thys our imprisonments affliction may be to the glory profite of our christiaÌ„ brethren in the world that Christ may be magnifyed in oure bodyes whether it be by death or by lyfe Amen Salute froÌ„ me al the faythful brethren and because I write not seueral letters to them let them eyther read or heare these my letters The grace of our Lord be with you al Amen The .28 of Iune by the vnprofitable seruaunt of Iesus Christ and now also hys prisoner George Marshe Saue your selues from this vntoward generation praye pray Acts. 2. pray neuer more nede To certayne of his dearly beloued frendes dwelling at Manchester in Lankeshyre GRace be with you and peace from God our father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Amen After salutations in Christ to you with thankes for your frendly remembraunces of me desiryng and wyshing vnto you not only in my letters but also in my daylye prayers suche consolation in spirit and taste of heauenlye treasures that ye maye thereby

death for hys sonnes sake What a spectacle shall it beto the worlde to beholde so godlye a fellowshippe as you seruauntes of god in so iust a quarrel as the gospel of Christ is with so pure a conscience so stronge a fayth and so liuelye a hope to offer your selues to suffer moste cruell tormentes at the handes of Gods enemyes and so to ende your dayes in peace to receaue in the resurrection of the ryghteous life euerlasting Heb. 11. Be stronge therfore in your battayle The Lord God is on your syde and hys truth is your cause phi 3 and agaynst you be none but the enemies of the crosse of Christ as the Serpent and hys seede the Dragon wyth hys tayle Math. 3. Iohn 8. the marked meÌ„ of the Beast the ofspring of the Pharisees the congregation malignaunt the generation of Vipers murtheters as theyr father the deuyll hath bene from the beginnynge To conclude such are they are the Lord God hath alwayes abhorred and in all ages resisted and ouerthrowen God from whom nothing is hid knoweth what they are He that searcheth the hartes of men Psal 34. Heb. 4. he hath founde them oute to be craftye subtyll full of poyson proude disdaynefull stifenecked deuourers rauenees and barkers agaynste the truthe fylthye and shamelesse and therefore doth the spirite of God by the mouthes of his holye Prophettes and Apostles call them by the names of Foxes Iude. 1. Serpents Cockatrices Lions Leopardes Bulles Beares Wolues Dogges Swine Beastes teaching vs thereby to vnderstande that their naturall inclination is to deceaue poyson and destroye as muche as in them lyeth the faythfull and elect of God Psalm 76. But the Lord with his right arme shall defende hys little flocke agaynste the whole rabblement of these worldlings Matth. 20. Luk. 2i Math. 10. 1. Pet. 2. whiche haue conspired against him he hath numbred all the heares of hys childrens heades so that not one of them shall peryshe withoute hys fatherly will He keepeth the sparowes muche more will he preserue them whom he hath purchased with the bloode of the immaculate Lambe He wil keepe them vnto the houre appoynted wherein the name of God shall bee glorifyed in his Sainctes In the meane tyme let them woorke theyr willes Math. 10 Sapi. 3. let them enuye let them maligne let them blaspheme let theÌ„ curse banne betraye whyppe scourge hange and burne for by these meanes God will trye his electe as golde in the furnace and by these fruites shall they also bring themselues to be knowen what they be for all theyr shepes skinnes For as he that in suffering patiently for the Gospell of God is thereby knowen to be of Christe euen so in likewise is the persecutour of hym knowen Psal 7. to be a member of Antichriste Besydes thys their extreme crueltye shall be a meane the sooner to prouoke god to take pitie vppon hys seruauntes and to destroye them that so tyranouslye entreate hys people as we maye learne by the historyes as well in the bondage of Israell vnder Pharao in Egypte Exod. 13. Esd 3.13 as also in the miserable captiuitie of Iuda in Babilon Where as when the people of God were in moste extreme thraldome then did the Lord stretch forth his mighty power to deliuer hys seruauntes 2. Mach. 7. Iacob 4. i Pet. 5. Apo. 9. Heb 12. Iacob 2 Though God for a time suffer them to bee exalted in theyr owne pride yet shall they not scape hys vengeaunce They are hys roddes and when he hath worne them to the stumpes then wil he caste them into the fyer thys shall bee their fynall rewarde Our dutie is in the meane while paciently to abide the wil of god which worketh all thinges for the beste Thus dealeth he wyth vs partly for our trial 2 Cor i2 Esdras 36 partly also for our synnes which we most greuously haue committed to the great slaunder of hys gospel wherby the name of God was euill spoken of amonge his enemies Roma 2. for the whiche he nowe punisheth vs wyth hys fatherly corrections in this worlde i. Cor i Luke 15 that we should not be dampned wyth the worlde By thys meanes seeketh he hys sheepe that were lost to bryng them home to the folde agayne By this way seketh he to reforme vs that we may be like vnto him Ephesi 4 after the image of his sonne Iesus Christ in all holines and righteousnes before hym Finally thys way vseth his godly wisdome to make vs therby to know hym Ose 13. our selues in hym that afore tyme had in a maner forgotten him praysed bee his name therefore And as for these Balaamites which now do molest vs commit theÌ„ to the handes of god geue hym the vengeaunce and he will reward them Rom. 12. phil 2 Luke 8. Marke 4. psal 8. psal 4. Ieremy 12. Fal ye to prayer and let these belly gods prate For he is in heauen and slepeth not that kepeth Israell He is in heauen that made the seas calme when the Disciples were afraid Let vs now faithfully call vpon hym and he will heare vs. Let vs cry vnto the Lord for he is gratious and merciful When we are in trouble he is wyth vs he wyll deliuer vs and he wyll glorify vs. If we come vnto hym we shal fynde hym turned vnto vs. If we repent vs of our wickednes done against hym Ieremy 18 then shal he take away the plague that he hathe deuised against vs. Let vs therfore earnestly repent bryng forth the worthy frutes of repentaunce Let vs study to be hys then shall we not nede to feare what these hypocrites do agaiÌ„st vs Matth. 12. which with their pretensed holines deceiue the hartes of the symple and abuse the authoritie of god in hys Prynces causing them by their procurement to testify their ambicious prelacie and to erect vp their Idole agayne wyth the Romish Masie God in whose handes are the hartes of kynges Iob. i2 pro. 15.22 opeÌ„ the harte of the Quenes hyghnes to espye them out what they be so to wede them out that they no longer be suffred to trouble the congregation of God to poyson the realme wyth Pope holy doctrine psal 24.30 78. God almighty for hys sonne Iesus Christes sake deliuer the Quenes highnes and this her church realme from these proude prelates which are as profitable in the churche of Christe as a polecatte in the myddes of a warren of connies To conclude my bretherne I commit you to God and to the power of hys worde whiche is hable to establysh you in all truth Hys spirite be wyth you and worke alway that ye maye be myndful of your dueties towardes hym whose ye are both bodye and soule Whome see that ye loue serue dreade obey aboue all worldly powers and for nothyng vnder the heauens defyle your conscience before God Dissemble not wyth hys worde

might be the better by them if he returne not agayne Euen so dearly beloued and ryght worshipfull my good frendes I hauing shortlye to passe vnto my heauenly inheritaunce whiche is hidden with Christ to our common countrey and eternal dwelling place which we shal haue â— god neuer to returne before the latter day in the whiche our soules shall come to iudgement and receaue their bodyes to be glorifyed according to their doings haue thought it my dutye to coÌ„municate vnto you somthing with whoÌ„ I haue fouÌ„d great humanitie of the fewe heauenly treasures with the whiche God among others hath endued me in Christe whereby he hath made me his childe and assuredly the enheritour of the kingdome of heauen wich all those which vnfaynedly loue him and constantly cleaue to his holy gospell and that is by the renouation of his Image whereunto man was first created lyke vnto god which is to be in the fauour of God to know God truly to liue iustely to delight feruently in the conteÌ„pplacion of God to bee continually happye to be immortall voyde of al corruption and sinne the which blessed Image through synne is deformed in vs and in maner loste sauing that it hath pleased GOD of his mercye who willeth not the death of a sinner to restore that Image by grace throughe knowledge and beliefe of the Gospell whiche otherwyse in our nature is cleane suppressed extinguished Therefore we knowing the greate and lamentable losse whiche we doe sustaine in Adam ought moste earnestly to seeke the recouerye thereof that we mighte eternallye liue like vnto God in immortalitie and felicitie the whiche we shall neuer recouer vnlesse we goe aboute to mortifye our outwarde man all the dayes of our life more and more and bee renewed in spirite according to the true knowledge of GOD the whiche if we bee then may we bee assured that we haue found that ioye felicitie and eternall life whiche Adam had in paradise yea and more then that tenne thousand folde for that it is suche as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart caÌ„ coÌ„ceaue which christ hath prepared for vs. This image of god whosoeuer by faith doth fynd he hath found the most precious treasure that any man can finde for he is euen here a citizen of heauen and in possession of eternal life Therefore I coÌ„mit vnto you principally a dailye care of the renouation of this image as the chiefest iewel you can desire in this world And hereof now I am the more moued to put you in remembraunce because I loue you entierly in the lord and desyre your fellowshyp which the iniquity of our tyme will not permit me to enioy here And for asmuche as we haue a better life to come then this present is an eternall societie with Christ whiche neyther the malice of tyme neither the distance of place can dissolue or separate I exhort you now as one that hath obtained mercy of god in the reparacion of hys image in me to embrace the care therof with earnest desyre to attayn the same wherby we shal al haue a perfect fruition of our loue frendship which alreadye we haue here begon with god in heauen shal bee wythout all doute made ioyfully perfect Let this be a perpetual remembrance of your poore afflicted frend which daily loketh through fire to enter into that eternal life where he trusteth assuredly to enioy your fellowship if the image of god be renued in you through the knowledge of Christ which you haue receyued do know Loke whose image the coyne beareth his it is Semblably if your conuersation be after the gospell verely you are the elect of Christ but if it be according to the world his seruants you are whom your lyfe doth expresse We haue all in Baptisme put on Christ whom if we endeuour to represeÌ„t we are in dede the sonnes of God and inheritours wyth Christ One good rule S. Paule to the Rom. in the xij chap. doth appoint for the restauration of this our image of God Fashion not your selues saith he vnto thys world but be ye chauÌ„ged in your shape by the renewyng of your mynde that ye maye proue what is the will of god which thing is good acceptable perfect God grauÌ„t that this rule may take place with you then doutles our companye shall be inseparable wyth all the saynts of God in eternall blesse Be you not deceyued by the vayne possessions and vncertayne pleasures of this worlde whiche serue to none other purpose then to blynde your eyes that they mighte not behold the things which be glorious and permanent for euer The thynges whiche we see are mortall but the thynges which we see not but certainly hope for be immortall For all flesh as the Prophete Esay saythe is but grasse and the glory therof as the flower of the fielde Oh that you whiche haue the possessions of thys world would so accompt theÌ„ not sel your eternal inheritance for a messe of porrige as Esau dyd God open your eyes that you may see the glory of Christ in the mount wyth Peter Iohn and Iames. Then I doubte not you would say with Peter Lord it is good for vs to abyde here let vs here make our dwelling places We haue in this world no fyrme mansion but we seke after that which is to come the which yf we seke nowe where it maye be found we shal surely finde it If we mortify the image of Adam which through synne raigneth in our flesh then shal the image of Christ reuiue in vs to our eternall glorye We are all baptised to die wyth Christe to the ende we shoulde walke in newnes of lyfe as persons dead to the world and liuyng to God And if we dye with hym by crucifieng our concupiscence and lustes we shall eternally lyue Infidelitie is the cause of all our misery which causeth vs to feare maÌ„ more then GOD and to esteme the thynges presence more then the thynges to come God illighten our eyes that we may vnderstand how precious an inheritaunce Christ hath prepared for suche as hunger and thurst therafter Then I doubte not we would say wyth Sayncte Paule I am surely persuaded that neyther deathe nor lyfe neyther Aungels nor rule neyther power neyther thynges present neyther thynges to come neyther anye other treasure or creature shall separate vs from the loue whych is in Christe Iesus The Lorde encrease our fayth and geue vs hys holy spirite to discerne wyth our selues howe muche we are growen in hys image and are lyke vnto hym for howe muche we are vnlyke to the worlde so muche more are we like vnto god and so much the more do we approche vnto hym The lord drawe you by hys holye spirite and fashion you vnto hys lykenes that we may eternally lyue together The meanes to come therevnto is diligent exercise in gods worde continuall and faithfull prayer a desyre and loue to

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