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 ¶ 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 ☞ 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. ☞ 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
the glorye of the world and a bragginge victorye But besides the innumerable raylinges rebukes and taunts wherwith I was bayted on euery side least our cause which in deede is gods cause and his churches should also by the false exāples of our disputations be euel spoken of slaundered to the world so the verity sustayne hurt hinderāce therby I haue thought good to wryte my aunsweres my selfe that whosoeuer is desirous to know them and the truth withall maye thereby perceyue those thinges whiche were chiefly obiected against me and also in effect what was aunswered of me to euerye of them Howebeit good Reader I cōfesse this to be most true that it is impossible to set forth either al that was God knoweth tumultuously spoken like as of mad men obiected of so many whiche spake oftētimes hudle so that one could not well heare an other eyther all that was aunswered of me briefly to such and so diuerse opponentes Moreouer a great part of the time appointed for the disputations was vaynly spente in most contumelious tauntes hyssinges clapping of handes and triumphes more then tolerable euen in stage playes and that in the english tounge to get the peoples fauor withall All which thinges when I with godly griefe did suffer and therwithall did openly bewayle and witnes that that companye of learned men and scholes which were appoynted to graue men and to graue matters were contaminate and defiled by such folish and Robinhode pastimes and that they which were the doers of such things did but therby openly shew theyr vanity I was so far by my such humble complaynt from doinge good or helping any thing at al that I was enforced what wyth hissing showting and what with authority to heare such great reproches and slaunders vttered agaynste me as no graue man without blushing could abide the herynge of the same spokē of a most vile knaue against a most wretched ruffiane At the beginning of the disputatiō when I should haue confirmed mine answer to the fyrst proposition in few woordes and that after the maner of diputations before I could make an ende of my probation whiche was not verye longe euen the doctours them selues cried oute he speaketh blasphemies blasphemies blasphemies And whē I on my knees most humbly hartly besought thē that they would vouchsafe to heare me to the end wherat the Prolocutor something moued as it seemed cried out let him reade it let him read it Yet whē I again began to read it there was by by such a cry and noyse blasphemies blasphemies as I to my remembrance neuer heard or redde the like except it be one which was in the actes of the Apostles stirred vp of Demetrius the siluer smith and others of his occupation cryenge out agaynst Paule greate is Diana of the Ephesians great is Diana of the Ephesians and excepte it were a certayne disputation which the Arrians had against the Orthodoxes such as were of godly iudgment in Affricke where it is said that such as the presidents rulers of the disputatiō were such was also that end of the disputatiō Al was done in hurly burly and the slaunders of the Arrians wer so outragious that nothyng coulde quietly be hearde So wryteth Victor in the sebooke of his historye And thus the cryes and tumultes of these men agaynste me nowe so preuayled that whether I woulde or no I was inforced to leaue of the readinge of my probations although they were but short And of the truthe herof I haue al those that were present beyng of any discretion or honestye to be my witnesses But hereof wil I cease to complayne any further c. ¶ To Doctor Weston requiring performaunce of certaine promises made vnto him but neuer fulfilled according to thaccustomed wily vnfaythful dealyng of the papistes MAyster Prolocutor ye remember I am sure how you promised me openlye in the Scholes after my protestation that I should see how my aunsweres were there taken and written of the notaries whome you appoynted Me fateor neminem recusante to write what should be sayd and to haue had licence for to haue added vnto them or for to haue altered them as vpon more deliberation shoulde haue seemed me beaste Ye graunted me also at the deliuerye of myne aunswere vnto your fyrste proposition a copye of the same What promises he made openly in the scholes that were neuer performed reade in the booke of Martyrs Folio 958. These promyses be not performed If your suddeyne departure be any part of the cause therof yet I pray you remēber that they maye be performed for performance of promyses is to be looked for at a righteouse iudges handes Now I send you here myne aunswers in writynge to your seconde and thyrde propositions and doe desire and require earnestlye a copye of the same and I shall by Gods grace procure the paynes of the writer to be payde for and satisfyed accordinglye When I woulde haue confyrmed my sayenges with authorities or reasons you sayde there openlye that I shoulde haue hadde time and place to saye and brynge what so euer I could an other time And the same your sayenge was then there confyrmed of other of the Commissioners Yea and I dare say the audience also thought then that I shoulde haue had another daye to haue broughte and sayd what I could saye for the declaration and confyrmation of mine assertions Now that this was not done but so sodēly sentence geuen before the cause was peefectlye heard I can not but merueil at all and the due reformation of all things which are amisse I commit vnto almighty god my heauenly father which by hys deare son our sauiour Christ whome he hath made the vniuersall iudge of all flesh shall truely rightuously iudge both you and me Mayster Proloquutor I desire you and in Gods name require you that you truly bring forth and show al my thre aunswers writen subscribed with mine own hand vnto the higher house of the cōuocatiō specially vnto my lord chauncelor my Lordes of Duresme Elie Norwich Worcetor Chichester and also to show and exhibite this my writynge vnto them which in these few lines I write herevnto you And that I do make this request vnto you by this my writyng know you that I dyd take witnes of thē by whom I did send you this writing of those which were then with thē present that is of the baylifes of Oxford and of Maister Irish Alderman than there called to be a witnes By me N. Rydley 23. Aprilis 1554. To a Cosin of hys GOds holye spyrite be with you nowe and euer Amen When I cal to remēbrabnce beloued cosine the state of those that for fear of trouble either for losse of goods wil do in the sight of the world those thinges that they know and be assured are contrary to the will of God I can do no lesse but lament theyr case beyng assured that the ende
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 cōmentary 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 mēber 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 Londō I may not leaue thee
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. ¶ 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 strōger thē 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 kyngdō of heauen is yours Your owne in the Lord Iohn Philpot. ⧠Letters of Maister Iohn Bradforde a faythfull Minister and a synguler pyller of Christes churche by whose greate trauailes and diligence in preaching and plāting 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 aduaūced who also at last most valiātly cherefully gaue his blood for the same The .4 day of Iuly In the yere of our Lord. 1553. ¶ 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 cōfession 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 congregatiō 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 writtē by the prophets and Apostles left and conteined in the canonical bookes of the holy Bible I do beleue to conteyne plētifully 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
now fil vp the measure of their fathers which flew the prophets and Apostles that al righteous blood from Abell to Bradford shed vpō the earth may be required at their hands Of this therfore I thoughte good before my death as time liberty wold suffer me for the loue and duty I beare vnto thee to admonishe thee good mother and my sister the towne that ye woulde cal to minde from whence ye are fallen and study to do the first woorkes Ye knowe if you will these matters of the Romysh supremacye and the Antichristian transubstantiation wherby Christes Supper is ouerthrowen his priesthoode euacuate hys sacrifyce frustrate the ministery of his worde vnplaced repentaunce repelled fayth fainted godlines extinguished the masse maintayned Idolatrye supported and all impietye chearyshed you know I say if you will that these opinions are not only besides Gods word but euen directly againste it and therfore to take part with them is to take part against god agaynst whom you can not preuayle Therfore for the tender mercye of Christ in his bowells and blood I besech you to take Christes collyrium and eye salue to annoynte your eyes that ye maye see what ye doe and haue done in admittinge as I heare ye haue admitted yea alas authorised and by consent confirmed the romyshe rotten ragges whiche once ye vtterly expelled Oh be not canis reuersus ad vomitum be not sus lota reuersa ad volutabrū coeni Beware least old Sathā enter in with seuen other spirites and so the laste shall bee worse then the firste It had bene better ye had neuer knowē the truth then after knowledge to runne from it Ah woe to this world the thyngs therin which hath now so wrought with you Oh that euer this dirt of the deuill should daube vp the eye of the realme for thou O mother art as it were the eye of the realme If thou be light and geue shine al the body shalfare the better but if thou the lyght be darkenes alas how great will the darkenes be What is man whose breath is in hys nose-threls that thou shouldest thus be affrayd of hym Oh what is honour life here but plain bubbels What is glory in thys world but shame Why arte thou affrayde to carye Christes ccosse Wilt thou come into his kingdome and not drinke of his cup Dost thou not knowe Rome to be Babilon Doste thou not know that as the old Babilon had the children of Iuda in captiuitye so hath this true Iuda that is the confessours of Christ Dost thou not know that as destruction happened vnto it so shall it do vnto this And trowest thou that God wil not deliuer his people now when the tyme is come as he did then Hath not God commaunded hys people to come out from her and wilt thou geue ensample to the whole realme to runne into her Hast thou forgottē the woe that Christ threatneth to offence geuers Wilt thou not remember that it were beter a mylstone were hanged about thy necke and thou throwen into the sea then that thou shouldest offend the litle ones And alas how hast thou offended Yea how dost thou stil offend Wilt thou consider things according to the outward shew Was not the Sinagoge more seemely like to the true churche then the simple flocke of Christes Disciples Hath not the whore of Babilon more costly aray and riche apparel externally to set forth her self then the homely housewife of Christ Where is the beautye of the Kinges doughter the Church of Christ Withoute or within Doth not Dauid say within Oh remember that as they are happy which are not offended at Christ so are they happy which are not offended at his poore church Can the pope his prelates meane honestly which make so much of the wife and so litle of the husband The churche they magnifie but Christ they contemne If this church were an honest womā that is Christes wife except they woulde make much of her husband Christ and hys word she would not be made much of of thē Whē Christ and his Apostles wer vpon earth who was more like to be the true church They or the prelates bishops and Sinagoge If a man shoulde haue followed custome vnity antiquitie or the more parte should not Christ and his company haue bene cast out of the dores Therfore badde Christ search the scriptures And good Mother shal the seruaūt be aboue his maister shal we loke for other intertainemente at the handes of the worlde then Christ and his deare Disciples founde Who was taken in Noes time for the church Poore Noe and his family or others Who was taken for gods church in Sodome Lot or others And doth not Christ say as it went then so shall it go now towardes the comming of the sonne of man What meaneth Christ when he saith iniquitie shal haue the vpper hand doth he not tel that charitie shal waxe colde And who seeth not a wonderfull great lacke of charitie in those which would now be taken for Christes church All that feare god in this Realme truly can tel more of this then I can write Therfore dere Mother receaue some admonitiō of one of thy poore children now going to be burned for the testimony of Iesus Come agayne to Gods truth come out of Babilon confesse Christ and his true doctrine repent that whiche is past make amendes by declaring thy repentaunce by the fruites Remember the readinges and preachings of Gods Prophet and true preacher Martyne Bucer Call to mynde the threatninges of God nowe some thynge seene by thy children Leauer and others Let the exile of Leauer Pilkinton Gryndall Haddon Horne Scorye Pouet c some thing awake thee Let the imprisonmente of thy deare sonnes Cranmer Ridley and Latimer moue thee Consider the Martyrdome of thy Chickens Rogers Saunders Taylour And nowe cast not awaye the poore admonition of me going to be burned also to receaue the like crowne of glorye with my fellowes Take to harte Gods callyng by vs. Be not as Pharao was for then wil it happen vnto thee as it dyd vnto hym What is that Hardenesse of hart And what then Destruction eternally both of bodye and soule Ah therefore good Mother awake awake repente repent bustell thy self and make haste to turne to the Lord for elles it shal be more easye for Sodome and Gomorre in the day of iudgement then for thee Oh harden not your harts Oh stop not your eares to day in hearing gods voice though it be by me a most vnworthye messenger Oh feare the Lord for his anger is begonne to kindle Euen now the are is layde to the roote of the tree Ye know I prophecyed truely to you before the swet came what woulde come if ye repented not you carnall gospelling and now I tel you before I depart hence that the eares of mē wil tingle to heare of the vengeaunce of God that will fal vppon you all both towne and vniuersitie if
way Math. 7 2. Timot. 3 2. Cor. 5 Math. 14. which few walke in for fewe lyue godly in Christ Iesu few regard the lyfe to come few remember the day of iudgement fewe remember how Christ will deny them beforh hys father that do denye him here few consider that Christ wyll be ashamed of them in the last day which are ashamed now of hys truthe true seruice few cast theyr accomptes what will be laid to theyr charge in the day of vengeaūce fewe regard the condemnation of their owne consciences in doyng that which inwardly they disalow few loue god better then theyr goodes Rom. 14. but I trust yet ye are of these few my derely beloued I trust ye be of the little flocke which shall enherite the kyngdome of heauen I trust ye are of the mourners and lamēters which shal be comforted with comfortes which neuer shal be taken from you if ye nowe repente your former euils Luke 10 if nowe ye stryue agaynste the euyls that are in you if now ye cōtinue to call vppon God if nowe ye defile not your bodies with anye Idolatrous seruice vsed in the Antichristian churches Ephesi 4. if ye moleste not the good spirite of God which is geuen you as a gage of eternal redēption a coūseller master to lead you into all truth whiche good spirit I beseche the father of mercy to geue vs all for hys dere sonnes sake Iesus Christ our lord Acts. 20 to whom I cōmend you al to the word of his grace which is able to helpe you all saue you all that beleue it follow it serue god therafter And of this I would ye were al certain that al the heares of your heades are numbred so that not one of thē shal perish Math. 8. Iob. 1. Psa 104 Psa 13. 1. pet 5 neither shal any man or deuil be able to attempt any thing much lesse to doe any thing to you or any of you before your heauēly father which loueth you most tēderly shal geue thē leaue when he hath geuen them leaue they shal go no further then he wyll nor kepe you in trouble any longer then he wyll Therfore caste on hym all your care for he is carefull for you onely studye to please him and to kepe your consciences cleane and your bodies pure from the Idolatrous seruice which now euery where is vsed and god will meruelously and mercifully defend and comforte you whiche thing he doe for hys names sake in Christ our Lord. Amen Iohn Bradforde To my good Lady Vane THe true sense and swete feelyng of gods eternall mercies in Christe Iesus bee euer more and more liuely wrought in your hart by the holy ghost Amen I most hartely thanke you good madame for your comfortable letters where as you would be aduertised what were beste to bee done on your behalfe concernyng your iij. questions the truthe is that the questions are neuer well sene nor aunswered vntil the thynge whereof they arise bee well considered I meane vntill it be sene how great an euill the thing is If it be once in dede in your hart perceaued vpon probable and pithy places gathered out of gods booke that there was neuer thing vpon the earthe so great so much an aduersary to gods true seruice to Christes death passion priesthode sacrifice and kingdome to the ministery of gods worde and sacraments to the church of God These questions were concerning the masse wherin she desired hys iudgement to repentaunce faith and all true godlines of life as that is wherof the questiōs arise as most assuredly it is in dede then cannot a christiā hart but so much the more abhorre it and al thynges that in any point might seme to allow it or anye thyng pertainyng to the same by howe much it hath the name of gods seruice Agayne your Ladiship doth know that as all is to be discommended and auoyded which is followed or fledde from in respect of our selues in respecte of auoyding Christes crosse so the ende of all our doynges should be to godwards to his glory to our neighbours to edification and good example wherof none can be geuen in allowing anye of the .iii. questions by you propoūded But because this which I write now is breefe and needeth the more consideration or explication as I doubt not of the one in you so from me by Gods grace you shall receaue the other shortly For I haue alreadye written a little booke of it which I will send vnto you He meaneth his booke whiche he calleth the hurt of hearīg masse in the which you shall haue your questions fully aunswered and satisfied and therefore I omitte to write any more hereaboutes presentlye beseching God our good father to guide you as his deare childe with his spirite of wisedome power and comforte vnto eternall life that you may be stronge and reioyce in him and with his church to cary Christes crosse if he shall so thinke it neede 1. Pet. 1. which is a thyng to be desired wished and embraced if we looked on thinges after the iudgement of Gods word and tryed them by that touchstone If you be accustomed to thinke on the breuitie vanitie and miserie of this life and o◠the eternitie truth and felicitie of euerlasting life if you looke on thinges after their endes and not after their present appearaunce only if you vse your self to set gods presence power and mercy alwayes before your eyes to see thē as god by euery creature would you should I doubt not but you shall finde such strength and comforte in the Lord as you shall not be shaken with all the power of Sathan Gods mercy in Christ be with you and his good spirite guide you for euer Amen An other letter to the Lady Vane AS to myne owne soule I wishe to your Ladiship grace and mercy from God our deare Father in Christe our Lorde and Sauioure I thanke God that something he hath eased you and mitigated his fatherly correction in vs both I woulde to God he had done so much in the behalfe of the greefe of the body to you as he hath done to me For as for the soule I trust you feele that which I pray god encrease in you I meane his fatherly loue and graunte that I may with you feele the same in such degree as may please him I wil not say as you feele least I should seeme to aske to muche at one time God doth often muche more plentifullye viset with the sense of hys mercye them that humble them selues vnder his mightye hande and are sore exercised as you long haue bene then others whiche to the face of the worlde haue a more shewe and appearaunce Therfore I wysh as I do and that not only for myne own commoditye but also that I myght occasion you to the consideration of the goodnesse of God which I by your letters doe well espye which is in
their rable fall and the builders them selues shall then be scatred vppon the face of the earth as accursed of God The iuste shall see thys and be gladde psalme 33. and prayse the name of the Lord that so meruelouslye hath delte with hys seruauntes as to bryng theyr enemyes vnder their feete Then shall the fearefull sede of Caine tremble and quake Gene. 4. Gene. 21. Gen. 11. phil 3 psalme 2. 1. Corin. 3. psalm 74. Iob. 5. Apoc. 12. Then shall the mockynge Ismalites be caste oute of the doore Then shal the proude Nembrothe see hys laboure loste Thou shall the beaste of Babilon bee troden vnder foote Then shall the Scribes and Pharisees for madnes fret and rage Then shal their paynted wysedome be knowen for extreme folly Then shall the bloody Dragone be voyde of hys praye Then shal the whore of BabiloÌ„ receaue double vengeance Then shall they scratch their crownes for the fall of theyr Maistres harlotte whom they nowe serue for filthye lucre when no man wyll bye theyr wares anye more then shall the popyshe priesthode crye weale a waye with care euen when the Lord shall helpe hys seruauntes Apo. 18 Psal 145. which daye is not farre of the day wherin the kyngdome of Antichrist shall haue an ende and neuer aryse anye more In the meane tyme abide in certayne and sure hope 1. Corin. 6. 1. Cor. 8. Heb. 9. cleanyng-vnto the promyses of God whiche in their owne tyme shall bee fulfylled Acquite your selues lyke men agaynste the enemies of God in all humblenesse of minde stronge in spirite to acknowledge one God one holye Sauiour Iesus Christ one onely euerlasting and sufficiente sacrifice for the remission of sinnes euen the precious bodye of the Lorde Iesus once offered for all and for euer Whiche nowe sitteth on the righte hande of God Act. 3. and from thence shall he come to iudge both the quicke and the dead at the laste day and vntill that tyme Heb. i. i pet 3. Ephesi 1. occupyeth that blessed bodye none other place to dwell in to be kepte in to be closed in but onelye in the heauens euen in the glorious maiestye of GOD personallye abyding there in the fleshe not commynge downe from thence tyll the laste houre Ephess 2. And as he neuer ceaseth to bee man so doth he neuer lose the similitude of man hys body there hath hys liniamentes he leaueth them not so hath that bodye there hys highnesse and shrinketh not and hys manlye shape he altereth not at any tyme. He is in that he tooke of the virgine Marye a naturall man in all conditions excepte sinne Rom. 1. And what he tooke of hys blessed Mother by the woorking of the holy ghoste he toke it for euer and will not exchaunge the same for anye other He tooke the shape of a man with the substance of hys manhoode in one sacred wombe There were they coupled together by the holy ghoste neuer to be deuided a sunder Ephe. 2. He retayneth the one with the other inseperablye As he wyll not alter the substance of hys fleshe into the substance of breade no more wyll he alter the shape of hys bodye into the forme of breade There can not bee a greater absurditie agaynste the truth then to thynke that he woulde leaue the shape that he tooke in the virgins wombe being an accident vnto hys manhode and ioyne vnto the same a wafer take baken in an ouen or betwene a payre of yrons â— Iohn 1 As he is in heauen very man one onely mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus he it is that is the propitiation for oure sinnes Be bolde therfore to confesse thys moste pure and Apostolicall doctrine Col. i. and also that all fauoure mercye and forgeuenesse commeth onely by hym He only of God the father was made for vs al wysedome ryghteousnesse 1. Cor. i. Eph. 2. sanctification and redemption All these are the giftes of God the father frely geuen vnto vs by Christe Iesus God and man through fayth in hys bloode and not by the merites of men Abacu 2. Gala. 3. Act. 10. Giftes they are I saye frelye geuen vnto vs of fauour withoute our deserte by beleuyng and not by deseruing To thys do the lawe and the Prophettes beare witnesse Thys doctrine haue all the blessed Martyrs of Christes Churche witnessed wyth their bloode to be true To thys truth haue al the consciences of al true beleuers subscribed euer synce the Ascension of Christ Thys witnesse is not of man but of God What better quarrel can ye thâ—n haue to geue your liues for Luk. 9. then the truth it selfe That man that geueth hys life for the truth taketh the redyest waye to lyfe He that hath the Popes curse for the truth is sure of Christes blessing Well then my brethren what shall nowe lette but that ye goe forwarde as ye haue begonne Naye rather runne wyth the runners that ye maye obtayne the appoynted glorye Iohn 14 Psal 15. Eph. 4. Col. 5. Math. 10 Marke 8. Holde on the ryghte waye looke not backe haue the eye of youre harte fyxed vpon god and so runne that ye may get hold of it Cast away al your worldly pelfe and worldly respectes as the fauour of frends the feare of men sensuall affection respecte of persons honoure prayse shame rebuke wealthe pouertye ryches landes possessions carnall fathers and mothers wyfe and chyldren wyth the loue of youre owne selues and in respecte of that heauenlye treasure ye looke for lette all these bee denyed and vtterlye refused of you so that in no condition they doe abate your zeale or quenche youre loue towardes GOD. In thys case make no accompte of them but rather repute them as vyle in comparison of euerlastynge lyfe Phil. 3. A waye wyth them as thornes that choke the heauenlye seede of the Gospell where they bee suffred to growe Luke 8.14 They are burdens of the fleshe whiche incomber the soule Roman 7. exchaunge them therefore for aduauntage Doth not he gayne that fyndeth heauenlye and immortall treasure for earthlye and corruptible ryches Loseth that man anye thynge whiche of hys carnall father and mother is forsaken Ephe. i. Gala 4. Phi. 3. when therefore he is receaued of God the father to bee hys childe and heyre in Christe Heauenlye for earthlye for mortall immortall for transitorye thynges permanente is great gaynes to a Christian conscience Therefore as I beganne I exhorte you in the Lorde not to be afrayde Shrynke not my brethren mistrust not God Heb. 6. 1. Cor. 2. be of good comforte reioyce in the Lorde holde faste youre fayth and continewe to the ende Denye the worlde and take vppe your crosse and followe hym whiche is youre loadesman and is gone before If you suffer wyth him you shall reigne with hym What waye can you glorifye the name of your heauenlye father better then by sufferinge
doctrine with their bloode from whom I will dissente in no poynte for I am a poore man without learning but am commaunded of GOD to followe the counsel of his constante Preachers and so doe I entend to doe god geuing me grace and assistance thereto As for you I know you to be none of Christes shepeheards but rauening wolues whiche come to kill and scatter the flocke of Christe as the Lorde sayde you shoulde and doth will vs to beware of you and your poysoned doctrine bidding vs to iudge you accordyng to your fruites whereby all men maye see and knowe what you bee that will not be wilfullye blynd But the good shepeheardes haue geuen their liues for the defence of Christes flocke and I am commaunded to followe their faythfull and Godlye example and to confesse with them one truth euen to the fyre if GOD shall see it good and thys as a true Christian I haue hetherto done and hence forth by Gods grace entende for to doe And if for the same GOD shal suffer you to take away my lyfe as you haue done theirs I am contented therewith â–ª hys will bee done for that onelye is good But of thys be you sure the Lorde wil shortelye call you to accompte for all the innocente bloode that is shedde with in thys Realme which you haue brought into a most wofull case and made many a heauye harte in the same and moe I perceaue you will make so long as the Lord for our sinnes wil suffer you to prosper and vntill the time that your owne iniquitye be full rype But then be you sure the Lord will sitte in iudgement vpon you as well as you do now vpon his Saincts and will reward you according to your deseruings to whoÌ„ with my whole harte I commit my cause and he will make aunswere for me when the full tyme of my refreshyng commeth In the meane space I will keepe silence with thys that I haue sayde trusting that I haue sufficiently discharged my conscience in confessing my fayth and religion to you declaring of what Church I am euen of the catholyke Church of Iesus Christ which was wel knowen to be here in â—â—glande in our late good Kings dayes by two speciall tokens which can not deceaue me nor suffer me to be deceaued that is to say the pure preaching of his holy worde and the due administratioÌ„ of the holy sacramentes which is not to be sene in your Romyshe church and therfore it can not iustly be called the Church and spouse of Christ I beleue in the holy Trinitie and al the other articles of the Christian faith contained in the three Credes and finally al the canonicall Scripture to be true in euerye sentence And I detest al sectes both of the Arrians and Anabaptistes or any other that diuide themselues froÌ„ the true church of Christ whiche is his mysticall body the ground and piller of truth and the very house of the liuing God And if for these things you take away my life and make yourselues giltye of my blood you may for I am in your handes as the shepe brought to the Shambles abyding the grace of the Butcher And bee you sure your iudgement stepeth not but when you crye peace peace 2. Thes 5. and all is safe then shall your plagues beginne lyke the sorowes of a woman trauelyng with child according to Christes infallible promise This kinde of aunsweare my deare harte it shall bee beste for you to make and by Gods grace I doe entende to take the same order my selfe in tyme to come when the Lorde shall vouche me worthye of that greate dignitye wherunto he hath called you And if they shall laugh you to scorne as I know they wil saying thou arte a foole and an vnlearned asseheade and arte able to make aunswer to nothing c care not you for it but stil coÌ„mmit your cause vnto god who will make aunswer for you and tell them that they haue bene answered again again of diuers godly and learned men but al wil not helpe for you haue one solution for all maner of questions euen a faire fyre and fagots this will be the ende of your disputations Therfore I pray you to trouble me no more but do that which you are apointed wheÌ„ god shal permitte the time I am no better theÌ„ Christ his Apostels and other of my good bretherne that are gone before me This kind of answer wil cut their combes most and edify the people that stand by so that the same bee done coldly with sobrietie mekenes and patience as I heard say out swete bretherne Thomas HarlaÌ„d Iohn Osward did at Lewes in Suffex to the great reioycing of the childreÌ„ of god that were in those parties I heare say that they were dissolued from this earthly tabernacle at Leawes on Saterday last wer condeÌ„ned but the wednisday before so that we may perteine the papistes haue quicke worke in hand that they make such haste to haue vs home to our heauenly father Therfore let vs make our selues redy to ride in the fiery chariot 4. Reg. 2. leauing these sory mantels and old clokes behinde vs for a little time which god shal restore vnto vs againe in a more glorious wise My good brother Harry you shal vnderstaÌ„d the bragging Iohn T. hath begilde his kepers who trusted him to wel and is runne away from them hath broughte the poore men into great daunger by the same The one of them is cast by the Councels commaundemeÌ„t into the gate house at Westminster the other is sted forth of the countrey for feare Thus you may see the fruites of our freewil men that made so much boast of their owne strength But that house whiche is not builded surelye vppon the vnmoueable rocke wil not long stand against the boistrous windes and stormes that blow so strongly in these dais of trouble But my derely beloued brother blessed be god for you and suche as you be which haue plaied the partes of wise builders You haue dygged downe paste the sande of your owne naturall strength beneath the earth of your own worldly wisdom are nowe come to the harde stone and vnmoueable rocke Christ who is your only keper and vppon him alone you haue builded your faith most firmly without doubting mistrust or waueryng Therfore neither the stormes nor tempestes wyndes nor weathers that Sathan and all his wily workemen can bryng against you wyth the verye gates of hel to helpe theÌ„ shal euer be able once to moue your house much lesse to ouerthrowe it for the lord god himselfe and no man is the builder thereof hath promised to preserue and kepe the same safe for euer Vnto hys most merciful defence therfore I do hartely commit you and all your good comapany desiring him for his swete sonne Iesus Christes sake to confirme and strengthen you all that you maye bee constant vnto the very ende that after the finall
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 ¶ 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„
the Apostles and vndoubtedly all the aunciente Ecclesiasticall writers whiche haue written vntyll of late yeares paste Lette vs bee hartye and of good courage therefore and throughlye comforte oure selues in the Lorde Be in no wyse afrayde of youre aduersaries Phil. 1. for that which is to them an occasion of perdition is to you a sure token of saluation and that of God For vnto you it is geuen that not only ye should beleue on him but also suffer for hys sake And when ye are railed vppon for the name of Christ remember that by the voyce of Peter yea and of Christe oure Sauioure also ye are counted with the Prophetes 1. pet 4 wyth the Apostles and wyth the holye Martyrs of Christe happy and blessed therfore for the glory and spirite of god resteth vpon you On theyr parte our sauiour Christ is euell spoken of but on your parte he is glorified For what can they els do vnto you by persecuting you and workyng all crueltye and vilanye agaynste you but make your crownes more glorious yea beautify multiply the same and heape vpon themselues the horrible plagues and heauy wrath of god and therfore good brethren thoughe they rage neuer so fiercely against vs yet let vs not wyshe euill vnto them agayne knowyng that whiles for Christs caufe they vexe and persecute vs they are lyke madde men most ouragious and cruell agaynst themselues heapyng hotte burnyng coales vppon theyr owne heades but rather let vs wyshe well vnto them knowyng that we are therunto called in Christ Iesu 1. pet 3. that we should be heyers of the blessyng Let vs praye therfore vnto god that he woulde dryue out of their hartes thys darkenes of errours and make the light of his truth to shyne vnto them that they acknowledging their blyndnesse may with al huÌ„ble repentaunce be conuerted vnto the Lorde and together with vs confesse him to be the only true God which is the father of light and his only sonne Iesus Christ worshipping hym in spirite and veritye Amen The spirite of our Lord Iesus Christe comforte your hartes in the loue of God and patience of Christ Amen Your brother in the Lord whose name this beares shall signify vnto you ready alwais by the grace of god to liue and die with you Ad fratres qui Christum cum cruce amplectuntur GRatia vobis pax a Deo domino nostro Iesu Christo multiplicetur Amen Licet a vobis fratres nihil nuper accepimus neque vobis aliquid noui nunc nuÌ„tiandum habemus tamen ideo vi sum est nobis aliquid vohis scribere vt intelligatis nos memoriam vestri bonam habere perpetuam sicut vos de nobis habere mimine dubitamus Veniente nuper ad nos harum latore anuntiante nobis vestraÌ„ omnium in domino constantiaÌ„ fortitudinem patientiam multam repleti sumus consolatione gaudio gratias agentes deo patri per dominum nostrum Iesum ChristuÌ„ qui ita illuminauit vultum suum sup vos lumine intelligentiae spiritualis ita illustrauit corda vestra vt quod nuper duÌ„ essetis in muÌ„do liberi verbo doctrina passim prestare sategi stis nunc propter Christum captiui quaÌ„tum licet verbo sed multo magis opere atque vestro exemplo prestare non cessastis hoc est sermonem vitae sustinentes phil 2 lucetis tanquam luminaria in munda in medio nationis prauae tortuosae idque taÌ„to cum maiore domini nostri Iesu Christi gloria fratrumque vestrorum emolumento vtilitate quanto nunc Satan magis saeuit maioresque luci euangelicae conatur inducere tenebras De tenebris autem quas nunc ecclesiae Anglicanae Satan offundit quis potest dubitare Nuper Christus saluator Apostoli prophetae doctores ipsius in teÌ„plo loquebantur populo Anglicano anglice ita vt ab eis qÌ„ pij erant rerum coelestium studiosi in ijs que ad vitae eternae redemptionem de necessitate salutis pertinebant clare absque enigmate facile intelligi poterant nunc vero quae ab illis olim in edificationem ecclesiae scripta sunt leguntur in lingua peregrina citra interpretationeÌ„ manifeste contra preceptum Pauli Apostoli ita vt a nemine prorsus qui alienaÌ„ peregrinaÌ„ illaÌ„ linguam non didicerit intelligi possint Nuper sacro sancta illa mysteria coelestia quibus nos sibi Christus inseuit suo corpori complantauit atque nos inter nos mutuo colligauit quibus natos deo aluit auxit atque corroborauit denique quibus aut ordinem inter sanos docuit aut egrotis velaia vel corpore veluti salubria pharmaca tradidit oïa populo clare in sua lingua tradebaÌ„tur ita vt quisque quaÌ„ta quam immeÌ„sa a deo accepisset quid cuique ex dei prescripto deberet quid in sua quis que vocatione professus esset obseruare teneretur vnde languenti remedium esset petendum facile is cui deus mentem animum hec intelligendi auâ—dum dedit quaÌ„ facillime intelligere poterat nunc vero omnia hec ita traduntur vt eorum omnium populus Christi saÌ„guine redemptus cui hec maxime a Christo in stituta sunt ne tantillum quidem intelligere possit Nuper quum quid orare debemus vt oportet nescimus dominus noster Iesus christus in sua quam omnibus tradi voluit oratione atque etiam spiritus sanctus in psalmis hymnis cantionibus spiritualibus quae in sacris biblijs reperiuntur vniuersum populum Anglicanum anglice docuit vt quae petenda essent iuxta voluÌ„tateÌ„ patris petereÌ„t corda cuÌ„ labijs in oratione coÌ„iuÌ„gereÌ„t nunc vero oiÌ„a sub inuolu croliÌ„guae peregrinae iubeÌ„tur claudi vnde necessario sequi oportet populuÌ„ neque quid orat neque quid orare debeat posse intelligere quomodo potest cor voci coÌ„iungere quuÌ„ quid vox valeat magis quà m brutuÌ„ intelligere nequeat Postremo audio passim in pulpitis nunc damnari catechesim illaÌ„ editaÌ„ nuper in sermone vulgari Oh malitiam demoniacam humani generis per Christum salutâ— partae plane inuidam Omnino Satan tantam lucem vulgari ê‘ orâ— beÌ„ diu sustinere noÌ„potuit nihil equae in suo regno subuertendo effi cere posse intellexit quà m si à teneris annis sacris iuâ—buti pueri Christum didicissent vnde non tantum pueros sed senes atque aetate prouectiores qui ab infaÌ„tia christuÌ„ prius noÌ„ didicisseÌ„t vna cuÌ„ pueris christuÌ„ discere necesse erat Ergo nuÌ„c exclamat nociferae tur Sed quid faciuÌ„t aliud fratres qui satanae in hac impietate ope raÌ„ impendunt atque ministraÌ„t quaÌ„ illi quibus Christus seruator no ster in euangelio dirum illud interminatur intonat dicens
of it to the behoofe of the church or of the house And moreouer I had not only no part of his moueable goods but also as his old receiuer then min called M. StauÌ„ton caÌ„ testify I paied for him towards his seruantes coÌ„moÌ„ liuertes and wages after his deposition 53. li. or 55. pouÌ„des I canot tel whether Notwithstanding these godly and iust requestes no iustice could be had vntil that now of late some of these shameful iniuries by order of law haue bene redressed In al these matters I besech your honourable maiesty to heare the aduise of meÌ„ of conscience and especially the archbishop now of Yorke which for that he was continually in my house a yeare and more before myne imprisonment I suppose he is not altogether ignoraunt of some part of these things and also hys grace doth know my sister for whose succour and some relief now vnto your highnes I make most humble suit The .xvi. day of October Anno. 1555. N. R. ¶ An aunswer to a letter written vnto him by West sometyme hys Chaplayne I Wish you grace in god and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mighty haÌ„d of almighty god it is no more possible to stand by the truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heat of the fyre Syr know you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this world is but transitory and as sainct Iohn saith the world passeth away the lust therof i. Iohn 2 Math. 10. I am persuaded christs worâ—es to be true whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shall be saued whom the redemer and sauiour of the world shal before his father deny This the lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my harte that neither thinges present nor to come high nor low life nor death bee able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wish that you wish me depely to consider thynges pertaynyng vnto gods glorye but if you had wished also the neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain gods word and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for gods sake to remember my selfe In dede syr now it is tyme so to doe for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trowe then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare him that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fier Luk. 12. whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together oure fraile fleshe that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much suite for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in sauyng for my worldly deliueraunce empayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truthe You haue knowen me long in dede in the which tyme it hathe chaunced me as you say to mislyke some thynges It is true I graunt for sodayne chaunges wythout substantial and necessary cause and the heady setting forth of extremities I did neuer loue Canfession vnto the minister which is able to iustruct correcte comforte and enforme the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in dede I euer thought myght do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think euen at this day My doctrine and my preaching you saye you haue heard often after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament whiche thyng although it was of me reuerently handled and a greate deale better then of the rest as you say yet in the margeÌ„t you write warely and in this world wisely and yet me thoughte all sounded not well Syr but that I see so many chaunges in thys worlde and so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a lyttle maruayle I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainesse and faith fulnes as much I assure you as for your learnyng and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider mo thinges then one and will not say al that I thynke But what nede you to care what I think for any thing that I shal be able to do vnto you either good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothyng against my learning to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein lyke your counsel very wel and by Gods grace I entend to follow it vnto my liues ende To write vnto those whom you name I cannot see what it wyll auayle me For this I would haue you know that I esteme nothyng auailable for me which also wil not further the glory of God And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desyre of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly misery if I shoulde not beare you a good heart in god agayne me thynke I were to blame Sir how nighe the daye of my dissolution and departure oute of thys world is at hand I can not tel the Lords wyll be fulfilled how soone soeuer it shall come I know the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt iudge and be countable to him of al my former life And although the hope of his mercye is my shooteanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that whosoeuer wittingly neglecteth and regardeth not to cleare his conscience he caÌ„not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercye Conscience therefore moueth me consideryng you were one of my familye and one of my householde of whom then I thynke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house whiche in dede ought to haue bene an example of godlinesse to al the rest of my cure not only of good lyfe but also in promotyng of gods word to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryal doth separate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is god knoweth which the wynd doth not blowe awaye this conscience I say doth moue me to feare least the lightnes of my family shal be layd to my charge for lack of more earnest diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be god which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my heart before my departyng hence This conscience doth moue me also now to requyre both you and my frend Doctour Haruy to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth preachyng of gods word hys truth These promises although you shal not nede to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world
therof wyll be so pitifull withoute spedye repentaunce that I tremble and feare to haue it in remembraunce I woulde to God it lay vpon some earthly burden so that fredome of conscience mighte begenen vnto them I write as god knoweth not of presumption but onlye lamentinge they re state whome I thought nowe in thys daungerous time should haue geuen bothe you and me comfortable instructions But alas in stede therof we haue perswasions to follow I lament me to rehearse it superstitions idolatrye yea that worste of all is they will seeke to proue it by the scripture The Lord for his mercy turne theyr hartes Amen Yours N. R. A letter which he wrote as his last farewell to al his true and faythefull frendes in God a little before he suffred with a sharpe admoniton by by the way to the papists the enemies of the truth AT the name of Iesus let euery kne bow both of thyngs in heauen and things in earth and thinges vnder the earth and let euerye tonge confesse that Iesus Christ is the lord vnto the glory of God the father Amen As a man minding to take a farre iourney and to depart from his familiar frendes commenly and naturally hath a desire to byd his frendes farewell before hys departure so likewise now I loking dayly when I shoulde be called for to departe hence from you O al ye my dearely beloued brethren and sisters in oure Sauioure Christe that dwel here in this world hauing a like mind towardes you all also blessed be God of this such time leasure whereof I right hartely thank his heauenly goodnes do byd you all my deare brethren and sisters I say in Christ that dwel vp on the earth after such manner as I can Farewell Farewel my deare Brother George Shypside whome I haue euer found faythfull trusty and louinge in all state and condicions and now in the time of my crosse ouer all other to me most frendly and steadfast that which liked me best ouer all other thinges in Gods cause euer harty Farewell my deare sister Alice his wyfe I am gladde to beare of thee that thou doest take Christes crosse whiche is layed now blessed be God both on thy backe and mine in good parte Thanke thou GOD that hathe geuen thee a godly and a louing husband se thou honor him and obey hym according to Gods lawe Honour thy mother in lawe his mother and loue al those that perteyne vnto hym being ready to do them good as it shall lye in thy power As for thy chyldren I doubte not of thy husbande but that he whyche hathe geuen hym a hearte to loue and feare God and in God them that pertayne vnto hym shall also make hym frendely and benefyciall vnto thy children euen as yf they had bene gotten of hys owne body Farewell my welbeloued brother Iohn Rydley of the Waltowne and you my gentle and louyng Syster Elizabeth whome besydes the naturall league of amitye your tender loue whiche you were sayde euer to beare towardes me aboue the reste of youre brethren dothe bynde me to loue My mynde was to haue acknowledged this youre louyng affection and to haue acquyted it wyth dedes and not wyth woordes alone Youre daughter Elizabeth I byd farewell whom I loue for the meeke and gentle Spiryte that God hath geuen her which is a precious thyng in the syght of God Farewell my beloued Syster of Vnthancke wyth all youre chyldren my nephewes and nices Synce the departure of my Brother Hughe my mynde was to haue beene vnto them in the steade of theyr father but the Lorde god must and will be theyr father if they wil loue hym and feare him and lyue in the trade of hys law Farewell my welbeloued and worshipfull Cosyns maister Nicholas Ridley of Wyllimountswick and your wife and I thanke you for all youre kyndnesse shewed bothe to me and also to all youre owne kynsefolke and myne Good Cosyn as GOD hath sette you in that oure stocke and kyndred not for anye respecte of youre personne but of hys aboundaunte grace and goodnesse to bee as it were the Belweather to order and conducte the reaste and hathe also endued you wyth his manyfold gyftes of grace bothe heauenlye and worldlye aboue others so I praye you good Cosin as my truste and hope is in you continue and increase in the mayntenaunce of truthe honestye rightuousnesse and all true godlynesse and to the vttermost of your power to wythstande falsehode vntruthe vnryghteousnesse and all vngodlynesse whych is forbid and condempned by the word and lawes of God Farewel my yong Cosin Rafe Whitfield Oh your tyme was verye shorte wyth me my mynde was to haue done you good and yet you caughte in that little tyme a losse but I truste it shall bee recompenced as it shall please almighty god Farewell al my whole kyndred and countreymen farewell in Christ altogether The Lorde which is the searcher of secrets knoweth that accordyng to my hartes desire my hope was of late that I should haue come among you and to haue brought wyth me aboundaunce of Christes blessed Gospell accordyng to the duetye of that office and ministerye wherevnto among you I was chosen named and appoincted by the mouth of that our late piereles Prince king Edwarde and so also denounced openly in hys court by his priuye counsayle I warne you all my welbeloued kynsfolke and countreymen that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure or dissolution for I ensure you I thynke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my life and therfore I thanke my Lorde GOD hartely for it that it hath pleased hym to cal me of hys great mercye vnto this hyghe honour to suffer deathe wyllynglye for hys sake and in hys cause vnto the which honour he called the holy Prophets hys dearly beloued Apostels and hys blessed chosē martyrs For knowe ye that I doubte no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to deathe are gods causes and the causes of the truthe then I doubte that the Gospell whyche Iohn wrote is the Gospell of Christe or that Paules Epystles are the verye worde of GOD. And to haue a harte wyllyng to abyde and stande in gods cause in Christs quarell euen vnto death I ensure thee O man it is an inestimable and an honourable gyft of GOD geuen onely to the true electes and dearely beloued children of GOD and inheritoures of the kyngdome of heauen For the holye Apostle and also Martyr in Christes cause Sayncte Peter sayeth ◠Pet. 4 yf ye suffer rebuke in the name of Chryste that is in Christes cause and for hys truthes sake then are ye happye and blessed for the glorye of the Spirite of God resteth vppon you If for rebukes sake suffered in Chrystes name a man is pronounced by the mouthe of that holye Apostle blessed and happye howe muche more happye and blessed is he that hathe
the grace to suffer death also Wherfore al ye that be my true louers frends reioice and reioyce with me agayne and render wyth me hartye thankes to God oure heauenly father that for hys sonnes sake my Sauioure and redemer Christ he hathe vouchsafed to cal me beyng elles without hys gratious goodnes in my selfe but a synnefull and a vyle wretche to call me I say vnto this hygh dygnitye of hys true Prophetes of hys faythfull Apostles and of hys holye electe and chosen Martyrs that is to die and to spende thys temporall lyfe in the defence mayntenāce of hys eternal and euerlastyng truth Ye knowe that be my Countreymen dwellyng vpon the borders where alas the true man suffreth oftentimes muche wronge at the theues hande if it chaunce a man to be slaine of a theefe as it oft chaunceth there whiche wente oute with his neyghbour to helpe hym to rescue hys goods agayne that the more cruelly he be slayne and the more stedfastly he stooke by his neyghboure in the fighte agaynst the face of the theefe the more fauoure and frendeship shall all hys posteritie haue for the slayne mans sake of al them that be true as long as the memorye of his facte and his posteritye dothe endure euen so ye that be my kynsefolke and countreyemen knowe ye howe soeuer the blynde ignoraunt and wycked world hereafter shall rayle vppon my death which thyng they can not do worse then their fathers did of the death of Christ our sauiour of his holy prophets Apostles and Martyrs Knowe ye I say that both before God and all them that be godly and that truely know and followe the lawes of God ye haue and shal haue by goddes grace euer cause to reioyce and to thanke God highlye and to thinke good of it and in god to reioyce of me your flesh blood whome God of his gratious goodnes hath vouchsafed to associate vnto the blessed company of hys holy martyrs in heauē I dout not in the infinite goodnes of my lord god nor in the faithful felowship of his elect chosē people but at both theyr hands in my cause ye shal rather fynd the more fauour grace for the Lord sayeth that he wil be both to them and theyrs that loue hym the more louyng agayne in a thousande generations Deut. 7. Iohn 15. the Lorde is so full of mercye to them I saye and theyrs which doe loue hym in deede And Christe sayeth agayne that no man can shewe more loue then to geue hys lyfe for his frende Now also know ye all my true louers in god my kynsfolk and countreymen that the cause wherfore I am put to death is euen after the same sort and conditiō but touchyng more nere gods cause and in more weighty matters but in the general kynd al one for both is Gods cause both is in the mainteināce of right both for the commē welth and both for the weale also of the christiā brother although yet there is in these two no smal difference both concernyng the enemyes the goods stollen and the manner of the fighte For knowe ye all that lyke as there when the poore true man is robbed by the theefe of hys owne goodes truely gotten whereupon he and hys household should lyue he is greatly wronged and the theefe in stealyng and robbyng with violence the poore mans Goods dothe offende god doth trāsgresse hys lawe and is iniurious bothe to the poore man and to the commen wealth so I saye know ye all that euen here in the cause of my death it is with the church of englād I meane the congregatiō of the true chosen chyldren of god in this realme of england which I knowlege not only to be my neighbors but rather the congregatiō of my spirituall brethren and Sisters in Christe yea members of one body wherein by goddes grace I am and haue beene grafted in Chryste Thys Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite goodnesse and aboundaunte grace of almighty God greate substaunce greate ryches of heauenlye treasure greate plentye of gods true and syncere woorde the true and wholesome administration of Christes holye Sacramentes the whole profession of Christes religion truelye and playnelye sette forthe in Baptisme the playne declaration and vnderstandyng of the same taughte in the holye Cathechisme to haue beene learned of all true Christians This churche hadde also a true and syncere forme and manner of the Lordes Supper wherein accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce and holy institution Christes commaundements were executed and done For vpon the bread and wyne set vpon the Lords table thanks were geuen the commemoration of the Lordes death was had the bread in the remembraunce of christes bodye torne vpon the crosse was broken and the Cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shedde was distributed and both communicated vnto all that were presente and woulde receyue them and also they were exhorted of the minister so to doe All was done openlye in the vulgare toungue so that euerye thyng myghte be bothe easely heard and plainlye vnderstande of all the people to Gods hygh glory and the edification of the whole churche Thys churche had of late the whole Diuyne seruice all common and publique prayers ordeyned to be sayde heard in the cōmē congregation not onely framed and fashioned to the true vayne of holye Scripture but also all thynges so set forthe accordyng to the commaundemente of the Lorde and Sayncte Paules doctryne for the peoples edification in theyr vulgare toungue It had also holye and wholsome Homelies in commendation of the principall vertues which are commended in Scripture and lykewyse other Homelies agaynste the moste pernitious and capitall vyces that vseth alas to raygne in thys Realme of Englande Thys churche had in matters of controuersye articles so penned and framed after the holye Scripture and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods worde that in short tyme yf they hadde bene vniuersally receyued they should haue beene able to haue sette in Christes churche muche concorde and vnitye in Christes true Religion and to haue expelled manye false erroures and heresyes wherewyth thys churche alas was almoste ouergone But alas of late into thys spyrytuall possession of the heauenly treasure of these godlye ryches are entred in theues that haue robbed and spoyled all thys heauenlye treasure awaye I maye well complayne on these theues and crye oute vppon them wyth the Prophete saying Deus venerunt gentes in haereditatem tuam c. Psalme 79. O Lord GOD the Gentiles heathen nations are come into thy heritage they haue defyled thy holye Temple and made Ierusalem an heape of stones that is they haue broken and beate downe to the grounde thy holye citye This hethenyshe generation these theeues of Samaria these Sabei and Caldei these robbers haue rushed out of their dennes and haue robbed the Churche of Englande of all the foresayd holy treasure of god they haue caried it away and ouerthrowne
thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now beinge ioyned in league with the seate of Sathā 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 gētlenesse as me thought but to say the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christiā kīdnes 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 mā of God whē 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 chosē 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 mēbers 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 cōfessed 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 occupatiōs 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 conditiō 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 cōdition 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 wherupō 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 vpō earth remembringe that for the space of kinge Ewardes raygne which was for the time of mine office in the Seas of Lōdon 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 cānot 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 wōder 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 mē 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 consēted 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 Lieuetenāt by his tirāny 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 ar◠fallen frō 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 mā 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 cōgregatiō 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 religiō 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 religiō 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 chaūged 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 thē 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 religiō diuersity of doctrine frō 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 cōmitteth 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 cōtrary to christs word and the Apostles doctrine whereof in particularity I haue touched somthing before in my talk had with the Sea of Lōdon 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 iudgemēt of religion is gods word that that religiō 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
worlde he shall lyke and prayse the truthe of GOD to morowe as the worlde wyll so wyll he lyke and prayse the falshode of manne to daye wyth Chryste and to morowe wyth Antichriste Wherefore deare brethren as touchynge youre behauoure towardes God vse both youre inwarde spirytes and youre outewarde bodyes youre inwarde and youre outwarde man I saye not after the meanes of menne but after the infallible woorde of God Refrayne from euyll in bothe and glorify your heauenlye father in both For yf ye thynke ye can inwardly in the hart serue hym and yet outwardlye serue wyth the worlde in externall seruyce the thyng that is not GOD ye deceaue youre selues for bothe the bodye and the soule muste together concurre in the honoure of God as Saynte Paule playnlye teacheth 1. Cor 6. For if an honeste wife be bounde to geue both hart and body to fayth and seruice in mariage and if an honest wiues fayth in the hart cannot stande with an whorysh or defiled body outwardlye muche lesse can the true faythe of a christian in the seruice of christianitye stande with the bodely seruice of externall idolatry for the mystery of mariage is not so honorable betwene man and wyfe as it is betwene Chryste and euery Christian man as Saynte Paule sayeth Therfore deare brethren praye to the heauenlye father that as he spared not the soule nor the bodye of hys dearelye beloued sonne but applyed bothe of them with extreame payne to worke our saluation both of bodye and soule so he wyll gyue vs all grace to applye our bodies and soules to be seruantes vnto him for doubtles he requyreth aswell the one as the other and cannot be miscontented with one and well pleased with the other Eyther he hateth both or loueth both he deuideth not his loue to one and hys hatred to the other Let not vs therefore good brethren deuide our selues and saye oure soules serue hym whatsoeuer our bodies do to the contrarye for ciuile order and pollicie But alas I knowe by my self what troubleth you that is the great daunger of the world that wil reuenge ye thinke youre seruice to God wythe swoorde and fyre wythe losse of goodes and landes But deare bretherne waye of the other syde that your enemies and Gods enemies shal not do asmuch as they would but asmuch as God shal suffer them who can trappe them in their owne counsels and destroye them in the middes of theyr furies Remember ye bee the workmen of the Lord and called into his vineyard there to labour till euening tyde that ye may receyue youre peny Math. 20. which is more worth then all the kinges of the earth But he that calleth vs into hys vyneyard hath not tolde vs how sore or how feruently the sonne shall trouble vs in our labour but hath bidde vs laboure and committe the bytternesse therof vnto hym who can and will so moderate all afflictions that no man shall haue more layd vpon hym then in Christ he shal be able to beare vnto whose mercifull tuitiō and defence I commend both your soules and your bodeis 2. September 1554. Yours with my poore prayer Iohn Hooper An aunswere of a letter wherby he was aduertised of a godly company to the number of thirty taken at prayer in a house in Bowchurchyarde and caried to prison THe grace of God be with you Amen I perceaued by youre letter howe that vppon new yeares daye at nyghte there were taken a godlye companye of Christians whilest they were praying I do reioice in that men can be so well occupied in this perillous time and flye vnto God for remedy by prayer as wel for their own lackes and necessities as also charitably to pray for thē that persecute them So doth the worde of God commaunde all men to pray charitablye for those that hate them and not to reuile any maiestrate with words or to meane him euyll by force and violence They also maye reioyce that in well doynge they were taken to the prisō Wherfore I haue thought it good to send them this little wrytyng of cosolation prayng god to send them patience charity and constancye in the truth of hys most holy word Thus fare you wel and praye to God to send his true worde into this realme agayne amongst vs which the vngodly bishops haue now banished 4. Ianuary 1554. ¶ To the godly and faithfull company of prisoners in both the Counters which were taken together at prayer in a house in Bowchurchyard THe grace fauour consolation and ayde of the holy gost be with you now and euer so be it Dearely deloued in the Lord euer sythens your imprisonment I haue ben maruelously moued with great affections and passiōs as wel of mirth and gladnes as of heauines and sorow Of gladnes in this that I perceiued how ye be bent and geuen to prayer and inuocation of gods helpe in these darke and wicked procedings of men against gods glory I haue bene sory to perceiue the malice and wickednes of mē to be so cruell diuelish and tyrannical to persecute the people of god for seruyng of god for saying and hearyng of the holy psalmes and the word of eternall life These cruell doings do declare that the papists church is more bloody and tyrannical then euer was the sword of the Ethnickes gentiles When I heard of your takyng and what ye were doing wherfore and by whome ye were taken I remembred how the christians in the primitiue church were vsed by the cruelty of vnchristened heathens in the tyme of Traiane the emperour about 77 yeres after Christes ascension into heauen The christians were persecuted very sore as thoughe they had bene traitors mouers of sedition Wherupon the gentile emperour Traiane required to know the true cause of christian mens trouble A great learned man called Plinius secundus wrote vnto him and saide it was because the christians said certaine psalmes before daye vnto one called Christ whom they worshipped for god When Traiane the emperour vnderstode it was for nothyng but for conscince and religion he caused by his cōmaundements euery wher that no man should be persecuted for seruyng of god Lo a gentile and heathen man would not haue such as were of a contrary religion punished for seruing of god But the pope and his church haue cast you into prison beyng taken euen in doyng the worke of god and one of the moste excellente workes that is required of christian men that is to witte whiles ye were in prayer not in such wicked and superstitious prayer as the papistes vse but in the same prayer that Christ hath taught you to pray and in his name onely ye gaue god thankes for that ye haue receaued and for hys sake ye asked for such things as ye want O glad maye ye be that euer ye were born Math. 5 to be apprehēded whilest ye were so vertuously occupied Blessed be they that suffer for righteousnes sake For if god had
suffred them that toke your bodies then to haue takē your life also now had ye ben folowing the lābe in perpetual ioyes away from the cōpany assēble of wicked men But the lord woulde not haue you sodainly so to depart but reserueth you gloriously to speake maintain his truth to the world Be ye not careful what ye shal say for god wil go out in with you wil be presēt in your harts in your mouthes to speak his wisdō althogh it seme folishnes to the worlde He that hath begon this good work in you confirme strengthen continue you in the same vnto the end and pray vnto him that ye may fear him only that hath power to kil both body and soule to cast thē into hel fire Be of good comfort al the hears of your heads be numbred Math. 10. and there is not one of them canne perishe except youre heauenlye father suffer it to peryshe Nowe ye bee euē in the field and placed in the forefront of Christes battaile Doubtles it is a singuler fauour of God and a special loue of hym towardes you to geue you this foreward and preeminence and a signe that he trusteth you before others of hys people Wherfore deare brethrē and sisters continually fyght thys fyght of the Lorde Your cause is most iuste and godly ye stand for the true Christ who is after the flesh in heauen and for hys true religion and honour whiche is amplye fully sufficiently and aboundantly conteined in the holy Testament sealed wyth christs own blood How much be ye bound to god to put you in trust with so holy and iust a cause Remember what lokers vpon ye haue to see beholde you in your fight euen god and all hys holy aungels who be redy alway to take you vp into heuē if ye be slain in thys fight Also you haue standing at your backes al the multitude of the faithful who shall take courage strength desire to folow such noble and valiaunte christians as ye be Be not afeard of your aduersaries i. Iobn 4. for he that is in you is stronger then he that is them Shrynke not although it be payne to you Your paynes be not now so greate as hereafter your ioyes shall be Reade the comfortable chapiters to the Ro. 8.10.15 Heb. 11.12 And vppon your knees thanke god that euer ye were accoūpted worthy to suffer any thing for hys names sake Reade the second chapter of S. Lukes gospell and there ye shall see howe the shepheardes that watched vpon their shepe all night as soone as they heard that Christe was borne at Bethlem by and by they went to see hym They did not reason nor debate with themselues who should kepe the wolf from the shepe in the mean time but did as they were cōmaūded cōmitted their shepe vnto hym whose pleasure they obeyed So let vs do now whē we be called and commit all other thynges vnto hym that calleth vs. He wyll take heede that all thinges shal be wel he wyll helpe the husband he will comfort the wyfe he wil guide the seruaunts he wyll kepe the house he wil preserue the goods yea rather then it should be vndone i. Pet. 5 he wil wash the dishes and rocke the cradell Cast therfore all your care vpon god for he catech for you Besides thys ye may perceaue by your imprisōment that your aduersaries weapōs against you be nothing but flesh bloud and tyranny For if they were able they would maintaine their wycked religion by gods worde but for lacke of that they woulde violently compel such as they can not by the holy scripture perswade because the holy worde of God and all Christes doings be cleane contrary vnto them I pray you pray for me and I wyll praye for you And although we be a sunder after the world yet we are in Christe I truste for euer ioyning in the spirite and so shal meete in the palace of the heauēly ioyes after this short and trāsitory life is ended Gods peace be with you Amen .4 of Ianuary 1554. ¶ To certaine of hys beloued frendes in god exhortyng them to sticke constantlye to the professed truth of the gospell in those days of tryall and not to shrynke for any trouble THe grace of God be with you Amen I did write vnto you of late told you what extremitye the parliamente had concluded vppon concernyng religion suppressyng the true and settyng forthe the vntrue entendyng to cause all men by extremity to forsweare themselues and to take agayne for the head of the church him that is neyther heade nor member of it but a very enemy as the word of god and all auncient writers do record and for lacke of law and authority they wyll vse force and extremity which haue bene the arguments to defend the Pope and popery sith his wicked authority began fyrste in the worlde But nowe is the tyme of tryall to see whether we feare more God or man It was an easy thing to hold with Christ whiles the prince and world held with hym but now the worlde hateth hym is the true tryall who be hys Wherfore in the name and in the vertue strength and power of his holy spiryte prepare youre selues in any case to aduersitye and constancie Lette vs not runne away when it is most tyme to fyght Remember that none shal be crowned but such as fyghte manfully and he that endureth vnto the ende shal be saued Ye muste now turne all your cogitations from the peryll ye see and marke by fayth what foloweth the peryl either victorye in this worlde of your enemies or els a surrender of this life to inherite the euerlastyng kyngdome Beware of beholdyng to much the felicity or the myserye of this worlde for the consideration and earnest loue or feare of eyther of thē draweth from god Wherfore thynke wyth youre selues as touchyng the felicity of the worlde it is good but yet none otherwyse then it stādeth with the fauoure of god it is to be kept but yet so farre forthe as by kepyng of it we loose not god It is good to abyde and tary styll among our frendes here but yet so that we tary not therwithall in gods displeasure and hereafter to dwell in hell with the deuils in fyre euerlastyng There is nothyng vnder god by may be kept so that god beyng aboue all thynges we haue be not loste Of aduersity iudge the same Imprisonment is paynefull but yet liberty vpon euil conditions is more payneful The prisons stincke but yet not so much as swete houses where as the feare and true honor of god lacketh I must be alone and solitary it is better so to be and haue god with me thou to be in company with the wicked Losse of goods is great but losse of gods grace and fauour is greater I am a poore symple creature and cannot tell how to answer before such a greate sorte of noble
learned and wyse It is better to make answer before the pompe and pryde of wycked men then to stande naked in the syght of all heauen and earth before the iuste God at the latter daye I shal dye then by the handes of the cruell man he is blessed that looseth this life full of mortall miseries and fyndeth the lyfe full of eternal ioyes It is a griefe to depart from goods and frendes but yet not so much as to depart from grace and heauen it self Wherefore there is neither felicitye nor aduersitie of this world that can appeare to be greate if it be wayed with the ioyes or paynes in the worlde to come I can doe no more but praye for you doe the same for me for Gods sake For my parte I thanke the heauenly father I haue made myne accoūptes appointed my selfe vnto the wil of the heauenly father as he will so I will by his grace For gods sake as soone as ye can sende my poore wyfe and chyldren some letter from you and my letter also whiche I sente of late to Downton As it is tolde me she had neuer letter from me sith the comming of master S vnto her the more to blame the messengers for I haue written diuers times The lord comfort them and prouyde for them for I am able to do no thyng in worldly thinges She is a godly and wise womā if my meanynges had bene accomplished she should haue had necessary thinges but that I meant god can performe to whome I commend both her and you all I am a precious iewell now and deintely kepte neuer so deintely for neither mine own mā nor any of the seruaunts of the house may come at me but my keper alone a simple rude mā god knoweth But I am nothing careful thereof 21. Ianu. 1554. Yours bounden Iohn Hooper An other letter to certaine godly parsons wrytten to the same effecte THe grace of god be with you Amen I doe geue our heauenly father thankes that moueth you to remēber your afflicted brethern and I do as I am bound pray for you that wyth your remembraunce of me ye prouide helpe succour me with such goods as god doth endue you withall Doubtlesse yf euer wretch vyle synner was bounde vnto God I am most specially bound for these tenne monethes almost euer synce my imprisonmente I haue had no lyuyng nor goods to sustayne my self wythall yet such hath bene the fauoure of our heauenly father that I haue had sufficient to eate and drynke and the same payed for Seyng he is so mercifull and carefull for my synful body I doubt not but he hath more care of my wretched soule so that in bothe I may serue his maiesty and be a liuely and profitalbe mēber of hys poore afflicted church I do not care what extremity this world shal worke or deuise praying you in the bowels of hym that shedde his precious bloode for you to remember and folow the knowlege ye haue learned of his truthe Be not ashamed nor afrayde to follow hym beware of this sentence that it take no place in you Luke 9 no man sayeth Christ that putteth hys hand to the ploughe and looketh backewarde is meete for the kyngdome of God Remember that Chryste wylled hym that would builde a Tower to sytte downe fyrst and loke whether he were able to performe it leaste he should begin and leaue of in the myddest and so be mocked of hys neyghbors and lose therwythall asmuche as he bestowed Luke 14 Christe tolde suche as woulde builde in hym eternall lyfe what the price thereof was euen at the begynnyng of hys doctryne and sayde they shoulde be persecuted Math. 10. Also they shoulde sometyme paye and bestowe both goodes and landes before the Tower of saluation woulde be builded Seyng the pryce of truthe in religion hathe bene alwayes the displeasure and persecution of the worlde let vs beare it and Christ wil recompence the charges aboundantly Yt is no losse to lacke the loue of the worlde and to fynde the loue of God nor no harme to suffer the losse of worldly thinges and fynde eternall lyfe Yf man hate and god loue man kyll the body and god bryng both body and soule to eternall lyfe the exchange is good and profitable For the loue of God vse synglenes towardes hym beware of this folyshe and disceytfull collusion to thynke a man may serue god in spirite secretly to his conscience althoughe outwardly with his bodye and bodelye presence he cleaue for ciuyl order to such rytes and ceremonies as nowe be vsed contrarye to god and hys worde Be assured that whatsoeuer he be that geueth thys counsayle shal be before God hable to doe you no more profytte then the fygge leaues dyd vnto Adam 1. Cor. 6. Glorifye GOD bothe in your bodyes and in your spirites which are gods Take heede of that commaundement no man is able to dispense wyth it Such as be yet cleare and haue not bene presente at the wicked masse and idolatrous seruice let thē pray to god to stande fast such as for weakenes and feare haue bene at it repente and desyre god of forgeuenes and doubtles he wyll haue mercy vppon you It is a feareful thynge that many doe not a lonelye thus dissemble wyth God but also excuse and defende the dissimulation beware of that dere brethern for it is a sore matter to delite in euil things Prouer. 2 Let vs acknowledge and bewayle oure euyl then god shal sende grace to amend vs and strength better to beare his crosse I doubt not but ye wyll iudge of my wrytyng as I meane towardes you in my hearte which is doubtles your eternall saluation in Christe Iesus to whome I hartelye commende you 14. Iune 1554. To a merchaunte of London by whose meanes he had receyued much comfort in his greate necessity in the Fleete where how cruelly he was handled you shall see in the letter nexte followyng THe grace of god be with you Amen I thanke god and you for the great helpe and consolation I haue receiued in that tyme of aduersity by your charitable meanes but most reioice that you be not altered from truth although falshod truelly seketh to distayne her Iudge not my brother truth by outward appearance for truthe now worse appeareth more vily is reiected thē falshod Leaue the outward shew see by the word of god what truth is accept truth dislike her not though man call her falshode As it is now so hath it ben heretofore the truth reiected falshod receiued Suche as haue professed truthe for truthe haue smarted and the frendes of falsehode laughed them to scorne The tryall of both hath ben by contrary successe the one hauyng the cōmendation of truth by mā but the cōdemnatiō of falshode by god florishing for a time with endles destruction the other afflicted a litle season with immortal ioyes Wherfore dere brother aske demaūd of your
boke the testamēt of Iesus Christ in these woful wretched dais what you shold thinke and what you should stay vpon for a certayne truth and whatsoeuer you heare taught trie it by your boke whether it be true or false The dayes be daungerous and ful of perill not only for the world and worldly thinges but for heauen and heauenly thinges It is a trouble to loose the treasures of this life but yet a verye paine if they be kepte with the offence of god Cry call praye and in Christ daily requyre helpe succour mercy wisdome grace and defence that the wickednes of this world preuaile not againste vs. We began well god preserue vs vntill the ende I woulde wryte more often vnto you but I do perceyue you be at so much charges with me that I feare you would thinke whē I write I craue Send me nothyng tyll I send to you for it and so tell the good men your partners and whē I nede I will be bold of you .3 Decem. 1554. Yours with my prayer I. Hoper A report of hys miserable imprisonment and most cruell handlyng by Babington that enemye of god and of hys truthe then Warden of the Fleete THe fyrst of Semptember 1553. I was committed vnto the Flete from Richmont to haue the liberty of the prison and within vi dais after I payed for my liberty fyue poundes sterling to the Warden for fees who immediatly vpon the paymente therof complained vnto Steven Gardiner bishop of Winchester and so was I committed to close pryson one quarter of a yeare in the Tower chāber of the Fleete vsed very extremely Then by the meanes of a good gentlewoman I had libertye to come downe to dinner and supper and not to speake wyth any of my frendes but as soone as dinner and supper was done to repayre to my chamber againe Notwithstanding whiles I came downe thus to dinner and supper the Warden and hys wyfe pyked quarels with me and complained vntruly of me to their great frend the bishop of winchester After one quarter of a yeare and somewhat more the Warden and hys wyfe fell out with me for the wicked masse and thereupon the warden resorted to the byshop of Winchester obteined to put me into the wardes where I haue continued a long time hauing nothing appoynted to me for my bedde but a little pad of straw a rotten couerynge with a tike and a few fethers therin the chamber beyng vile and stynckynge vntill by Gods meanes good people sente me bedding to lye in of the one side of which prison is the synke filth of all the house on the other syde the towne ditch so that the stinche of the house hath infected me wythe sundrye diseases During which tyme I haue bene sicke the dores barres haspes and chaynes beinge all closed and made faste vpon me I haue mourned called and cryed for helpe But the warden when he hath knowen me many tymes redy to dye and when the poore men of the wardes haue called to helpe me hath commaunded the doores to be kepte fast and charged that none of hys men should come at me sayenge lette hym alone it were a good riddaunce of hym And amonge manye other tymes he did thus the 18. of October 1553. as many can witnes I payd alwayes like a Baron to the sayd warden aswell in fees as for my boord whych was xx shyllinges a weke besides my mans table vntil I was wrongfullye depriued of my bishoprycke And sithens that time I haue payde hym as the beste gentleman doth in hys house yet hath he vsed me worse and more vylye then the veriest slaue that euer came to the hall commons The sayde warden hath also emprisoned my man Wylliam Downton and strypped him out of his clothes to search for letters and could finde none but onelye a little remembraunce of good people names that gaue me theyr almes to relieue me in prisonne And to vndoe them also the Warden deliuered the same bill vnto the sayd Steuen Gardiner Gods enemy and myne I haue suffred emprisonmente almost eighten monethes my goods lyuyng frendes and comfort taken from me the Quene owyng me by iuste accompte foure score poundes or more She hath putte me in pryson and geueth nothynge to fynde me neyther is there suffred any to come at me wherby I myght haue relief I am with a wicked man and woman so that I see no remedy sauyng Gods help but I shal be cast away in prison before I can come to iudgement But I commit my iuste cause to God whose will be doone whether it be by life or death Iohn Hoper ¶ A letter concerning the vayne and false reportes whiche were spreade abrode of him that he had recanted and abiured that doctrine whiche he before had preached THe grace and peace of God be wyth al them that vnfeinedly loke for the coming of our sauiour Christ Amē Deare brethren and sisters in our lord and my fellow prisoners for the cause of Gods gospell I do reioyce and geue thankes vnto God for your constancy and perseuerance in affliction wyshing and praying vnto him for your continuance therin to the end And as I do reioyce in your faythfull and constant affliction that be in prisō euen so do I mourne and lament to heare of our deare brethren abroade that yet haue not suffred nor felt such daūgers for Gods truth as we haue and do fele are like dayly to suffer more yea the very extreme death of the fier Yet suche is the reporte abroade as I am crediblye informed that I Iohn Hoper a condemned man for the cause of Christ now after sentence of death being in Newgate prisonner lokinge daylye for execution shoulde recante and abiure that heretofore I haue preached And thys talke riseth of this that the byshoppe of London and his chapleines resort vnto me Doubtles if our brethren were as godly as I could wish them to be thei would think that in case I did refuse to talke wyth them they might haue iust occasiō to say that I were vnlerned disdained to speak with them Therfore to auoyd iust suspition of both I haue and doe daylye speake wythe them when they come not doubtinge but they will reporte that I am neyther proude nor vnlearned And I would wysh all men to do as I doe in thys poynte for I feare not theyr argumentes neyther is death terrible vnto me wherfore I pray you to make true export of the same as occasiō shal serue also that I am more confyrmed in the truthe that heretofore I haue preached by theyr cōmunication and ye that may send to the weake bretherne abroad prayinge thē that they trouble me not with such reports of recātation as they do For I haue hetherto left all thinges of this world suffred great paynes long imprisonment I thanke God I am ready euen as gladly to suffer deathe for the truthe I haue preached as a
a like be very lettes impedimēts to your purpose You shal meete with slaūder contēpt of the world and be accōpted vngracious vngodlye you shal heare mete with cruell tyranny to doe you al extremities you shal now thē see the troubles of your own consciēce fele your own weaknes you shal heare that you be cursed by the sentence of the catholike church wit suche like terrours but praye to God followe the starre of hys word you shall ariue at the port of eternall saluaciō by the merites only of Iesus Christ to whome I commende you and all yours most hartely Yours in Christ Iohn Hoper To mayster Ferrar byshop of S. Dauids D. Taylor maister Bradford and mayster Philpot prisoners in the kinges Bench in South warke THe grace of God be wyth you Amen I am aduertised by diuerse aswell suche as loue the truth as also by such as yet be not come vnto it that ye I shall be caried shortlye to Cambrige there to dispute in the faith for the religion of Christe which is moste true that we haue do professe I am as I doubt not ye be in Christe redy not only to goe to Cambridge but also to suffer by gods helpe death it selfe in the mayntenance thereof Weston and hys complices haue opteined forth the commission already and spedely most lyke he wyl put it in execution Wherfore deare brethren I do aduertyse you of the thing before for diuerse causes The one to comfort you in the Lorde that the tyme draweth nygh and is at hand that we shall testifye before gods enemies gods truth The next that ye shuld prepare your selues the better for it The thirde to showe you what wayes I thinke were beste to vse our selues in thys mater also to hear of euery one of you your better aduise if mine be not good Ye know suche as shal be Censours and Iudges ouer vs breath thurst our blood whether we by gods help ouercome after the word of god or by force subtilty of our aduersaryes be ouercome this wil be the conclusyon our aduersaryes will saye they ouercome as you perceaue how they report of those great learned men and godly personages at Oxford Wherfore I mynd neuer to aunswere them except I haue the bookes present because they vse not only false allegation of the doctors but also a pece of the D. against the whole course of the doctors mind The next that we may haue sworne notaries to take thinges spoken indifferētly which will be very hard to haue for the aduersaries wyll haue the ouersyght of al thynges and then make theirs better then it was and ours worse then it was Then if we see that two or three or more will speake together or with scoffes and tauntes illude and mocke vs I suppose it were beste to appeale to be heard before the Quene and the whole Coūsel that would much setforth the glory of god For many of them know already the truth manye of them erre rather of zeale then malice and the others that be iudurate should be aunsweared fully to theyr shame I doubt not although to our smarte and bloodsheedyng For of thys I am assured that the commissioners appointed to hear vs iudge vs meane nothyng lesse then to heare the cause indifferentlye for they be enemies vnto vs vnto our cause and be at a poynt alredy to geue sentence agaynst vs so that if it were possible wyth Saynte Stephen to speake so that they could not resyst vs or to vse such sylence pacience as Christ did they wil procede to reuenging Wherfore my deare brethren in the mercye of Iesus Chryste I would be gladde to know your aduyse thys daye or to morrowe for shortlye we shall be gone and I verelye suppose that we shall not companye together but be kepte abroade one from the other They wyll denye oure appeale yet let vs challenge the appeale and take wytnesse therof of such as be present and require for indiffencye of hearynge and iudgemente to be hearde eyther before the Quene and the Counsell or els before all the parleamēt as they were vsed in kyng Edwards dayes Further for my parte I will requyre both bookes and tyme to aunsweare We haue bene prisoners now three quarters of a yeare and haue lacked oure bokes and oure memories by close keepynge and ingratitude of they re partes be not as present and quicke as theyrs be I trust God wil be with vs yea I doubte not but he wyll and teache vs to doe all things in hys cause godly and constātly If our aduersaries that shal be our iudges may haue theyr purpose we shal dispute one day be condēned the next day suffer the third day And yet is ther no law to cōdēne vs as far as I know so one of the cōuocatiō house sayd thys weke to D. Westō To whome Weston made thys aunswere it forceth not quoth he for a law wee haue commission to proceede wyth them when they be dispatched let theyr frendes sue the law Now how sone a man may haue such a comission at my Lord chaūcellours hād you knowe it is as hard to be opteined as an inditement for Christe at Cayphas hande Besides that the byshops hauinge the Quene so vpon theyr sydes may do all thinges both without the aduise and also the knowledge of the reast of the Lords of the temporalty who at this present haue founde out the marke that the byshops shoote at and doubtles be not pleased with theyr doings I pray you helpe that our brother Saūders the rest in the Marshalsey may vnderstād these things send me your aunswere be tyme. Iudas non dormit nec scimus diem neque horam Dominus Iesus Christus suo sancto numine nos omnes consoletur adiuuet Amen 6. Maii. 1554. Yours and with you vnto death in Chryste Iohn Hoper To my deare frendes in God mayster Iohn Hall and hys wyfe THe grace of God bee withe you Amen I thanke you for your louing and gentle frendship at all tymes praing god to shew vnto you such fauour that whatsoeuer trouble aduersity happen ye go not backe from hym These dayes be daungerous and full of peril but yet let vs comforte our selues in callinge to remembrance the dayes of our forefathers vpon whome the Lord sente such troubles that many hundrethes yea many thousandes died for the testimony of Iesus Christ both men women suffring with pacience constācy asmuch cruelty as Tyrannes could deuise so departed out of thys miserable world to the blisse euerlasting where as now they remayn for euer loking alwayes for the end of this sinful world whē they shal receiue their bodies again in immortality and see the number of the elects associated with them in ful and consummate ioyes Heb. 11 And as vertuous men suffring martyrdom and tarieng a litle while in this worlde with paines by
and by rested in ioyes euerlasting and as theyr paynes ended theyr sorowes and began ease so dyd their constancie and stedfastnes animate confyrme al good people in the truth and gaue them encouragement and lust to suffer the like rather then to fal with the worlde to consente vnto wickednes and Idolatrye Wherfore my deare frendes seyng god of hys part hath illuminated you with the same gyfte knowledge of true faith wherin the Apostles the Euangelists and all martyrs suffered most cruell deathe thanke him for hys grace in knowlege and pray vnto him for strength and perseuerance that through your owne faute you be not ashamed nor afearde to confesse it Ye be in the truthe and the gates of hell shall neuer preuayle against it nor Antichrist with al his Impes proue it to be false Thei may kil and persecute but neuer ouercome be of good comfort and feare more god then man This lyfe is short miserable happy be they that can spend it to the glory of god Pray for me as I do for you and commende me to all good men and women 22. December 1554. Your brother in Christ Iohn Hoper To one that was fallen from the knowen truth of the gospell to Antichriste and his damnable religion GRace mercy and peace of conscience be multiplied in all penitent heartes Amen Deare brother in Christ Iesus it is not long since I was informed what loue and serueÌ„t zeale ye haue heretofore born to gods true religion appearing as well by youre lyfe and conuersation as by absentynge your selfe from the Idolaters temple and congregation of false worshippers But now alas through the deuilishe perswasions and wycked counsayle of worldly men ye haue declined froÌ„ your former profession buildyng agayne that which before ye destroyed so are become a trespaser Gala. 2 2. Cor. 6. bearyng a strauÌ„gers yoke with the vnbeleuers Of whiche thing euer since I was informed I haue ben meruelously moued with inward affectioÌ„s muche lamenting so greate and sodayne a chaunge as to be turned from him that called you in the grace of Christ vnto the dissimulation of wicked hypocrites Gala. 1. which as S. Paule saith is nothing els but that there be some which trouble you inteÌ„ding to make you like as they are euen louers of them selues whose hartes are wedded to the perishing treasures of this world wherin is their whole ioy and felicity contrary to S. Iohn i. Iohn 2. which saieth see that ye loue not the worlde neither those things whiche are in the worlde But they as men without eares and hauing harts without vnderstanding do neither waigh the terrible threatninges of god against such offenders and the most woful punishment dewe for the same nor yet consider the louing admonitioÌ„ and calling of god who both teacheth how to auoid his wrath and also by what meanes to attain to saluation Wherfore dere brother I humbly beseche you euen by the mercifulnes of god and as you tender your owne saluation to geue eare no longer to their pestilent perswasioÌ„s but euen now forth with to repent and haue no longer felowship with the vnfruitful works of darknes Ephe. 5 Rom. 12 Iames. 4. Eph. 4. Apo. 2. neither fashion you your selfe again gain like vnto the world delight not in the frendship therof for all suche be made the enemies of god greue not any loÌ„ger the holy spirit of god by whom ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Acknowlege your offence and from whence ye are fallen prostrate your self before god asking mercy for christs sake Mourne with Mary Magdalen lament wyth Dauid Math. 20. crye with Ionas and wepe with Peter and make no tarieng to turne to the lord whose pitiful eies attend alwais to wipe away the teares from euery troubled conscience Such is his entiere loue toward al those that turne vnto him EZechi 18 making them this swete promise confirmed by a mighty and vehement kind of speaking tell them as truely as I liue saith he I will not the death of a sinner but muche rather that he turne from his euil ways and liue Turne you turne you from your vngodlye waies O ye of the house of Israel O wherfore wil ye die Beholde ye are here forgeueÌ„ your sinne is blotted out and the most ioyful countenaunce of god turned again towards you What nowe remaineth Verely this that you from heÌ„ceforth kepe circuÌ„spect watch and become a follower of Christe sustaining for his names sake all such aduersities as shal be measured vnto you by the suffraunce of god our heauenly father who so careth for vs that not one heare of our head shal perish without his wil who also considering the tender and weake faith of his children not able as yet to stand against the force of Antichrists tyranny geueth them this louyng liberty when ye be persecuted in one citye fly to an other Math. â— O most tender compassion of Christ how careful is he ouer hys people who woulde not now rather then to offende so merciful a God flie this wicked realme as your most christian brother and many other haue done or els with boldnes of hart and patience of the spirit beare maÌ„fully the crosse eueÌ„ vnto the death as diuers of our brethreÌ„ haue don before vs as is declared at large in Paules epistle to the Heb. which I passe ouer and come to our sauior Christ whose exaÌ„ple for our singuler comfort S. Paule encourageth vs to folow sayeng let vs also Heb. 11 â–ª seing that we are coÌ„passed with so greate a multitude of witnesses lay away al that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on and let vs runne with patience vnto the battaile that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioyes that was set before him abode the crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. and is set downe on the right hand of the throne of god c. From whence he shall come shortly saith S. Iohn and his rewardes with him Apo. 22. to geue euery man according as his dedes shal be Blessed are they that do his commaundements that their power may be in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates vnto the City where they sayth Esay shal haue their pleasure in the lord who wil cary them on high Esay 58. aboue the earth wil fede them with the heritage of Iacob their father for the lordes owne mouth hathe so promised Thus I haue bene bolde to write vnto you for christiaÌ„ loue sake that I beare to you whose saluation I wish as mine owne beseching god that your whole spirit soule and body may be kept fautlâ—s vnto the comming of our lord Iesus Christ Amen Your brother in Christ Iohn Hoper To the faithfull and liuely members of our sauiour Iesus Christ inhabityng the city of London grace and peace from the heauenly father through our lord Iesus Christ YOur
remember the counsell of S. Paule 1. Cor. 7. where he speaketh to suche as be coupled in matrimoy and be of two sundry and diuers religions If the vnbeleuinge man will dwell with the faythfull woman the wife cannot forsake him Or in case the vnbeleuing woman wil dwell with her beleuing husband the husband cannot forsake her But if the vnbeleuing party whether it be husband or wife will departe the beleuing partye is at libertye Now in this time to beleue that the priest can make God or to beleue that which was not God yesterday can be both God and man to daye so to honor that which was but very bread yesterdaye for the true God that made both heauen and earth and al that be in them and for the body and soule of Christe that suffred for oure redemption and toke from vs our sinnes vpon the crosse is very idolatry to be committed of no christian man for the payne of it with out repentance is euerlasting dampnation In matrimonie it is mete therefore that which partye so euer be perswaded knoweth the truth be it the husband or the wife the truth be spoken taught and opend vnto the party that is not perswaded For as Saint Paule sayeth howe knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue thy wife or how knowest thou O woman whether thou shalt saue thy husband Therefore let the best and more godly partye be diligent in sauinge by his or her laboures the party that is not instructed nor perswaded in the truth If it preuayle then is the worse part amended and the best part hath done his or her duty and office as it is commaunded Ephesi 4. Colloss 3. 1. Pet. 3. In case the worse part will not be amended but tary still in errour and so offend the almighty God the author of mariage let the beste parte that is perswaded and knoweth the truth as in this case the woman labour with her cōpaniō to be free and at liberty and not to be compelled to honour any false God or to serue God otherwise then shee knoweth she maye do with a good conscience as she is taughte by the word of God And if she may thus obteyne to be at libertye and be not compelled to do thinges agaynst her conscience she may not in any wyse depart from him that she is maried vnto If this woman cannot wyn her husband to the truth nor obtayne to liue freelye and at libertye in the faythe of Christe her selfe lette her cause some godlye and graue men or women to perswade with her husbande as well for hys owne better knowledge as for the freedome and libertye of her selfe and let her and whosoeuer entreateth of the mater vse modesty sobernes and charitye and pray vnto God that their doinges maye take vertuous and godlye successe In case which God forbidde the husband will not reforme himself of his error nor suffer his wife to refrain the company and fellowship of such as be present at the masse whereas an idoll is honored for God this wyfe muste make aunswere soberly and christianly that she is forbidden by gods lawes to cōmit Idolatrye Actes 5. Exod. 20. and that gods is more to be obeyed then man and so in any case beware she offēd not against the firste commaundemente whiche is thou shalte haue no other Gods but me It maye come to passe that when the husbande shall perceaue the wifes loue and reuerence towardes him and also her constancye and strengthe in the truthe and true religion of GOD althoughe he be not conuerted vnto the truthe by her yet he will be contented to suffer her to vse the libertye of her conscience without compulsion to any religion that she doth by Gods worde detest and abhorre But if there bee no remedye but either the wife muste followe in idolatry her husbandes commaundement or elles suffer the extremitye of the law here must the wife remember and learne whether there bee anye lawe or not that can compell her ordinarilye to come to the masse whereas idolatrye is committed If there be no lawe or other meanes to compel her then her husbands foule words which be nothing els but threatninges to put her in feare she muste if she can wyth wisedome and womanhode amende the same if she cannot then must she christianly and pacientlye beare them as a woman of God that for his sake muste suffer as muche as hys pleasure is to lay vpon her In case there be a lawe to compel her and al other if otherwyse she will not obey to come to the masse firste she muste wisely and discretly way her husbandes nature whether he is wont to be in deede workes and offers cruell as he is in wordes If she can fynd that his nature is as the most part of mens be more churlish cruel in words then in workes then howsoeuer he threatneth by daungerous woordes he will not accuse his wife to harme her but rather excuse her In case eyther for lacke of loue or for feare of losing of hys goodes she perceaue verely that he mindeth to bring her in daunger by a law then must she pray to God and vse one of these two extreme remedies First if she finde by prayer her selfe strong to abyde the extremity of the lawe yea though she should dye let her in no case depart frō her husband In case she find her self to weake to suffer suche extremitye then rather then to breake company and mariage betwene God and her conioyned by the precious blood of Christ she must conuey her self into some such place as idolatry may be auoided For if the husbād loue the wife or the wife the husband more thā Christ he nor she be not mete for christ Math. 10.16 Luke 14.9 Yea if a man loue his owne life more then Christ he is not mete for Christ And what doth it auaile a mā to win all the world to lose his soule But here the womā must take heede that incase for the keping of the mariage betwene god and her she depart from her husband that she be alwayes in honest vertuous godly company that she may at al times haue record for her godly behauiour if any thinge shoulde be layde to her charge and let her liue a sole sober and modest life with prayer and sobernes to god that it may please him to banishe suche wicked lawes and wicked religion as make debate betwene God and man husbande and wife then God shall from tyme to tyme geue counsell to euery good man woman what is best to be done in such pitifull cases to his honoure to the saluation of our wofull troubled cōsciences Out of the Flete by the prisoner of the lord Iohn Hoper To my beloued in the Lord. W. P. THe grace of God be with you I haue sent you letters for my wife who is at Franckford in high Almayne I pray you conuey them trustely and spedelye and seale
them close after the marchaūts fashion that they be not opened William Dounton my seruant hath the fyrst copy of that I wrote concerning mayster Hales hurt I woulde mayster Bradforde did se it and then the copy to be well kept least anye man of malice should adde any thing to the matter more and worse then I haue made it I passe not of that maye come of it I thanke God and my conscience beareth me recorde that I did it of zeale to the word of God which the byshop of Winchester called the doctryn of desperation Not only my hart but also my mouth my penne and all my power shall be agaynste him euen till death by Gods helpe in this case let god do with the matter as it pleaseth his highe maiestye to whom I commend you 29. April 1554. Yours Iohn Hoper To my dearely beloued frende in Christe mayster Iohn Hal. THe grace of God be with you Amē It was much to my comfort I assure you when I vnderstoode by thys bearer my faithful seruant William Doūton that you and your wife were in health Many times I had occasion to enquire for you before the departure of my poore wife to haue holpē her out of the land from the hands of the cruel but I coulde heare nothing wher you were It was told me you abode in the coūtrey with your wife to whom make my harty commendations and to the rest of al your house that feare God and my trust is you do not forget your duty towardes God in this troublesome worlde See that you tarye with him in one howre of trouble and doubtles he will kepe you for euer with him in the ioyes euerlasting I would write more but this bearer can tel what nede I haue to make hast Fare you well as my self be stronge in Christ for I thanke him for my part I am not ashamed of his gospel neither afeard of the Pope the deuill nor the gates of hel The lordes will be done Written the .4 day of August Anno. 1554. Your poore frend Iohn Hoper ☞ An exhortation to patience sent to his godlye wife Anne Hoper wherby all the true members of Christe may take comforte and courage to suffer trouble and affliction for the profession of his holy Gospell OVr sauiour Iesus Christ derely beloued my godlye wife in S. Mathewes gospell said to his disciples Math. 18. that it was necessary slaūders should come and that thei could not be auoyded he perceiued as well by the condition of those that should perish and be lost for euer in the worlde to come as also by theyr affliction that should be saued For he saw the greatest part of the people would contempne and neglect what soeuer true doctrine or godlye wayes shoulde be shewed vnto them or els receaue it vse it as they thought good to serue theyr pleasures without any profit to their soules at all not caringe whether they liued as they were commaunded by Gods word or not but would thinke it sufficient to be coūted to haue the name of a Christian man with such workes and frutes of his professiō and christianity as his fathers elders after their custome and maner esteme and take to be good frutes faythfull workes will not trye them by the word of God at all These men by the iuste iudgemente of God be deliuered vnto the craft and subteltye of the deuill that they may be kept by one slaunderous stumblinge block or other that they neuer come vnto Christ Math. 2 4 who came to saue those that were lost as ye may see how god deliuereth wicked men vp vnto theyr owne lustes to do one mischief after an other careles vntil they come into a reprobate mind Rom i 1. Thes 2. that forgetteh it selfe and cannot knowe what is expediente to be done or to be left vndone because they close theyr eyes wyl not see the lighte of Gods word offered vnto them and being thus blinded they preferre theyr owne vanities before the truth of Gods word Whereas such corrupt mindes be there is also corrupt election and choise of Gods honour so that the mind of manne taketh falshode for truth supersticion for true religion death for life dampnation for saluatiō hell for heauen and persecution of Christes members for Gods seruice and honoure And as these menne wilfullly and voluntarily reiecte the woorde of God euen so God most iustly deliuereth them into the blyndnes of mynd Iohn 8.9 and hardnes of hart that they cannot vnderstand nor yet consēt to any thing that God would haue preached and setforth to his glory after his owne wil and word wherfore they hate it mortally and of all thinges most derest gods holy worde And as the diuel hath entred into their hartes that they thē selues cannot nor will not come to Christe to be instructed by his holy word euen so can they not abyde any other man to be a christian man and to leade his life after the worde of God but hate him persecute him robbe him imprison him yea kil him whether he be man or woman if God suffre it And so much are those wicked mē blinded that they passe of no lawe whether it be gods or mans but persecute suche as neuer offended yea do euell to those that dayly haue prayed for them and wish thē Gods grace In their Pharaonicall and blinde fury they haue no respecte to nature for the brother persecuteth the brother the father the sonne moste deare frendes in deuelishe slaunder and offence are become most mortall enemyes And no maruayle for whē they haue chosen sundrye maysters the one the deuill the other God th one shall agree with the other as god and the diuell agre betwene thēselues For thys cause that the more parte of the world doth choose to serue the deuil vnder cloked hipocrisy of Gods title Christ sayd it is expedient and necessary that slaunders should come and many means be deuised to kepe the little babes of Christ frō the heauenly father Math. 18. But Christ sayeth wo be vnto him by whome the offence commeth yet is there no remedy man being of such corruption and hatred towardes God but that the euell shal be deceaued and persecute the good and the good shall vnderstande the truthe and suffre persecution for it Gene. 4 Gala. 4 vntill the worldes ende For as he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted in tymes paste hym that was borne after the spiryte euen so it is now Seyng therefore we liue for this life emonges so many greate perils and daūgers we must be well assured by gods word how to beare them and how pacientlye to take them as they be sent to vs from God We must also assure our selues that ther is no other remedy for christians in the time of trouble Luke ij then Christ him self hath appointed vs. In S. Luke he geueth vs this commaundemente ye shall
and at Couentrie by gods prouidence no doubt to confirme that he had in that countrey also fruitfully taught suffred with most valiant and chereful courage as ye may read in the boke of marters Fol. 1048. The .8 day of Febr. In the yere of our Lord. 1555. ¶ To my most deare and reuerend fathers in Christ D. Cranmer D. Rydley and D. Latimer prisoners in Oxforde IN my most humble wyse I salute you moste reuerend Fathers in Christ Iesus our Lord. Immortall thankes euerlasting prayses be geuē vnto that our father of mercies Collo 1. which hath made vs mete to be pertakers of the inheritaunce of saintes in light which hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued sonne by whom we haue redemption through his bloud c. Oh most happie estate Collo 3. that in an vnspeakeable wise our life is hid with Christ in God but whensoeuer Christ which is our life shall shewe hymselfe then shall we also appeare with him in glory 1. Cor. i3 2. Cor. 5. In the meane seasō as our sight is but in a glasse euē in a darke speaking so we walke in fayth not after outwarde appearaunce The which fayth although for want of outward appearaunce reason reputeth but as vaine yet the chosen of God do know the effect therof to bring a more substantiall cast liuely fruition of very felicitie and perfect blessednes then reasō can reache or senses conceaue By this fayth we haue in our professiō all good things yea euen those which the eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard 1. Cor. 2. neyther haue entred into the hart of man c. Then if hereby we do enioy al good things it followeth that we must nedes possesse haue and inioy you most reuerend fathers who be no small part of our ioy good things geuen vs of God We heretofore haue had the fruitiō of you by bodily presence to our inexplicable benefite praysed be that our gracious God therfore and now in spirit we haue the experience of vnspeakeable cōfort by your reuerend fatherhodes Math. 5. for that in this so glorious sort ye become a towne set vpon a hill a candle vpon a Candlesticke 1. Cor. 4. Phi. 1. a spectacle vnto the world to the Angels and vnto men So that as we to our great comfort do fele ye also maye assuredly say with S. Paule that the thyngs which happē vnto vs do chaūce vnto the great furtherance of the Gospel so that our bondes in Christ are manifest not only throughout al the iudgement hal but in all whole Europa in so much that many of the brethren in the Lord being encouraged through our bondes dare more boldlye speake the woord without feare And herein as you haue with S. Paule greatly to reioyce so we do reioyce with you we do in dede with you geue thankes for this excellent worthy fauour of our God towards you that Christ is thus magnifyed in you yea and hereafter shal be magnifyed in your bodyes whether it be through life or death Of whiche thing truely we are assured in our prayers for you and ministring of the spirite And although for your owne partes Christ is vnto you life and death aduantage and that your desire is as in dede it were better for you to be loosed Phil. 1. and to be with Christ yet for the church of Christ were it muche more necessary that ye should abide in the flesh Yea that merciful god euen for his Christs sake graūt that ye may abide continue for the furtheraunce of the churche reioysyng of fayth that the reioycing thereof may be the more aboundaūt through Iesus Christ by your restoring again Amen Amen But if it seme better otherwise vnto the diuine wisedome that by spedy death he hath appoynted you to gloryfye him the Lordes wil be done Yea euen as we do reioyce both on your behalfes also on our own that god is magnifyed by lyfe should be more aboundauntlye glad for the continuaunce therof so we shall no lesse reioyce to haue the same wrought by death We shall geue thankes for thys honour geuē vnto you phi 1. reioycing that ye are accompted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ that it is geuen to you of god not only that ye should beleue in him but also that ye should suffer for his sake And herein we shal haue to reioyce in the be halfe of the church of Christ whose fayth may be the faster fixed vpō gods veritie being cōfyrmed with three such worthy witnesses Oh thanks be to god for thys hys vnspeakeable gift And now moste reuerend fathers that ye may vnderstande the truth of vs and oure estate how we stand in the Lorde I doe assure your reuerences partlye by that I perceaue by suche of oure brethren as bee here in bondes with me partly by that I heare of them which be in other places and partly by that inward experience which I most vnworthy wretch haue of Gods good comfort more abundaunce wherof I know there is in others ye may be assured I say by gods grace that ye shall not bee frustrate of your hope of our cōstant continuaunce in the chereful confession of Gods euerlasting veritie Ephe. i. For euen as we haue receaued the word of truth euen the Gospell of our saluation wherin we beleuing are sealed with the holy spirite of promyse which is the earnest of our enheritaunce Rom. 8 the whiche spirite certifyeth our spirit that we are the children of God and therefore God hath sent the spirite of his Sonne into oure heartes crying Abba father Gal. 4. so after suche portion as God measureth vnto vs we with the whole churche of Christ and with you reuerend Fathers receauing the same spirit of fayth according as it is written I beleued therefore I haue spoken we also beleue and therfore speake 2. Cor. 4. Psa 116. For the which we in this daungerous bondage and other afflictions hauing euen such a fyght as we haue sene in you and haue heard of you phil 1. we are in no wyse affrayde of our aduersaryes And forasmuch as we haue such an offyce euen as God hath had mercy on vs we go not out of kinde but euē with you after our litle power we labour to mainteyne the faith of the gospel knowing most certainly 2. Cor. 4. that though we haue this treasure in earthē vessels that the excellency of the power might be gods not ours yet shal we not be dashed in peeces for the lord wil put his hād vnder vs. When we are troubled on euery side yet are we not wtout shift when we are in pouerty we are not vtterly without somthing when we suffer persecution we are not forsaken therin when we are cast down yet we shal not perish but to communicate with
imbecillitye in our selues 1. Pet. 5. beyng suche as is not hable to withstande the leaste of hys assaultes but on the contrarye beynge ouerwhelmed wyth the waues whiche be styrred vp by these tempestes of hys temptations Math. 8. we are compelled to crye wyth these Dysciples who in theyr extremitye cryed saue vs Lorde or elles we peryshe The tymes be perylous we muste therfore be circumspect not solace our selues in carnall security but beyng coÌ„tent to enter into the sheepe of Christes crosse and obiecting our selues to al ieoperdous passages in the adueÌ„turous iorneying to our heauenly countrey let vs for thys present vsage accompte it comfort enough to haue the fellowship of suche a fellow venterer He once beyng in the Shyppe wyth hys Disciples dyd wyth hys worde aswage the swellyng of the Sea so daungerous He hath not lefte vs alone in the Ship of thys frayle fleshe but ioyneth wyth vs in thys daungerous iorney aswel by hys once beyng subiecte vnto all bodely infirmities as we be synne only except as also by his assuryng vs of his gratious assistaÌ„ce now that he is becom before hys heauenly father our Prynce our Priest and our Prophet alwayes prest and ready to helpe by hys power propitiation and inspiration of hys holy spirite And what though he for a season do slepe and do so suffer vs vnto our seemynges to synke He wyll bee awaked beyng pulled by prayer and therfore doth he delay our spedy deliueraunce euen to fortifye our faithe by importune prayer Lette vs then wyth instance apply this busines and the rather in respect of the dangerous doâ—ing of this old age of the world For it is with the men of this latter age of the worlde as it is with a very aged man who for impotency of the powers both of the mind the body is brought to much imbecillitye Then do the wittes by weakenes wander out of the waye The bodye by feablenes and defaulte of the former strength doth stagger full weakely doth any lymme or part of that wretched body execute the function vnto it belongyng In lyke maner is it with the churche of Christe in this doâ—yng old age of the world There is nothyng such fulnes in gods graces as heretofore hath bene in the primatiue church and the tymes immediatly ensuyng There is lesse perfection in the fayth feare and loue towardes god charity towardes the brethren There is lesse zeale to confesse god and lesse constancy to continue in gods truth then was heretofore And this is not straunge vnto them which do obserue the fore-speakings of the scriptures aswel of the prophets of our sauior Christe as also of his apostles by whome it hath ben signified before hand what daungerous dayes should come in the latter times as Math. 24 2. Thess 2. 1. Timoth. 2. Timo. 3.2 Peter 2. Wherfore let vs which are come into these latter daungerous tymes first consider how that the holy ghost hath geuen vs warnyng therof and also that we by proofe haue experience of the verifying of the same let vs now I say the more earnestly apply our humble petition vnto that mercyful father and hys sonne our swete sauiour who is the head of hys churche euen this his body weake though it be that he wyll vouchsafe not so muche to obserue the backeslidyng and shrinkyng of thys hys feble body as to respect the forspeakynges of these perilous tymes and let vs wyth and in the name of the whole church remember often the prayer of Dauid Psal 71. Lord cast me not away in the tyme of mine olde age when my strength doth decay That tyme of the church is euen now presente and truly if we be instance in prayer we be not without warrantise of gods promises to obtayne that we pray for Psal 40. Math. 24. 1. Cor. 10 Yea call vpon me sayth he in the day of thy trouble and I wyll delyuer thee For the electes sake it is sayd the daungerous dayes shal be shortned Yea faythfull is he that wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we be able to abyde We may be bold to put our gracious god in remembraunce of hys olde mercies Psal 44. with Deuid say oh god we haue hearde wyth our eares and our fathers haue declared vnto vs the noble workes that thou dyddest in theyr dayes and in the olde tyme before theÌ„ The testimonies of hys word do teach vs how he hath from the begynnyng alway gathered vnto himself a congregation church vnto the which hys choseÌ„ church he hath bound him selfe by his couenaunt of mercy to be their god and sauiour and besydes that hath powred vppon them his sundry blessinges and benefits But agayne it is to be sene in the scriptures how that euen these peculier gods people did at sundry tymes fall from that theyr heauenly profession aswell to Idolatrye and false Gods seruice as also vnto dissolute liuyng therby prouokyng gods wrathfull plagues and punishmentes the which in dede ofteÌ„times as they were ofteÌ„ deserued so they fel vpoÌ„ them But euen as the god of Israel did visite the offences of hys people wyth his rodde of chastisement so did he not at any tyme take away hys mercies from them Psal 89. and that for that couenaunt of mercy made vnto them in Abraham Isaac and Iacob their forefathers And therfore when at any tyme throughe hys grace they dyd by repentaunce turne vnto hym he most fatherly embraced theÌ„ with the armes of his mercy These thyngs be written for vs that we in semblable wyse should consider fyrst the dignitye whereunto we haue bene called that is euen to be hys church and people Yea in comparyng our profession with either the heathenish Turkes infidels or vnto the people which are professed vnto this hypotriticall papistrye we haue to aduaunce our selues as the true childreÌ„ of Christ for that we beare the ryght badges of gods true people and that is the earnest desyre towards the propagation of gods most holy word and the right vse of the sacraments agreable to the same hauyng ioyned ther with a readines of hart and mynde to suffer affliction persecution for the confession of our fayth or at the least rather then we wyll deny or put away faith and a good conscience And besydes these outward notes and tokens declaryng the we be the true church there is a nearer token in gods elect which is the inward testimony of gods spirite whiche beareth wytnesse vnto our spirit that we be gods children Rom. 8 causyng vs to crye Abba father and beyng in dede the earneste peny of our saluation But notwithstandyng that we be thus promoted by our god and dignifyed by his graces yet must we consider how vnworthely we haue vsed in sundry wise these gods graces blessyngs yea so vnthankfully we haue receyued theÌ„ that no lesse plagues by gods iust iudgemente belong vnto vs then was at that tyme
and that with whole purpose of harte to cleaue vnto the Lord to fynde such ryches in hys heauenly worde through hys spirite obtayned by prayer My deare frendes and brethren Maister Harrington and Maister Hurlande Praye pray Math. 26. Spiritus quidem promptus est caro autem infirma When I loke vpon my self quid ego stupidus attonitus habeo quod dicam Luke 5. Psa 119. nisi illud Petri exi a me domine quia homo peccator sum But then fele I that swete comfort lucerna pedibus meis verbum domini lumen semitis meis hec mea est consolatio in humilitate mea Iohn 6. Then waxe I bolde with the same Peter to say domine ad quem ibimus verba vitae eternae habes Thys comfort haue I when the geuer therof doth geue it But I loke for battailes which the rote of vnfaithfulnes the which I feele in me will moste egerlye geue vnto my conscience when we come once to the combate We be I weene within the sounde of the trompe of oure enemyes playe ye that be abroade the part of Moyses orantes in omni loco sustollentes puras manus Gods people shal preuayle yea oure bloode shal be their perdition who doth most triumphantly spil it and we thē being in the handes of our god Sapien. 5. shal shine in his kingdome shal stand in greate stedfastnes agaynste them which haue dealt extremely with vs. And whē these our enemyes shal thus see vs they shal be vexed with horrible feare shal wonder at the hastines of the sodayne health and shal say with thēselues hauing inwarde sorrow mourning for very anguish of mind these are they whō we sometime had in derisiō iested vpon we fooles thought their liues to be very madnesse and theyr end to be without honour but loe how they are accompted among the children of God The blessyng of God be with you al. Salute I pray you my sister B. S. with other our frendes in the same house gods grace keepe thē with al the reast of our godly acquaintance louers of the truth furtherers of the true confession of the same whō al I bid most hartely to be mery in the lord reioycing in hope preparing them selues to be pacient in tribulation with cōtinuaunce in prayer Let some bodye bye for me a pensill of lead to write with al for I shal hardly haue pen and Inke here sith al libertye of writyng is taken away from vs. L. S. An other letter to hys wyfe and to Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland GRace and comfort c. Wyfe you shal do best not to come oftē vnto the grate where the porter may see you Put not your self in daunger where it nedes not you shal I thinke shortly come farre enough into daunger by keping fayth and a good conscience which deare wife I trust you do not slacke to make rekoning accompt vpon by exercising your inward man in meditation of Gods most holy woorde being the sustenaunce of the soule and also by geuing your selfe to humble prayer for these two things be the very meanes how to bee made mēbers of our Christ mete to inherite his kyngdome Do thys deare wife in earnest not leauing of and so we two shal with our Christ and all his chosen children enioy the mery world in the euerlasting immortalitie where as here wil nothing els be found but extreme misery euē of thē which most greedely seke thys worldly wealth and so if we two continue Gods children graffed in our Christ the same Gods blessing which we receaue shal also settle vpon our Samuell Though we do shortly depart hence and leaue the poore Infant to our seeming at al aduentures yet shal he haue our gracious God to be hys God for so hath he sayd and he can not lye I will be thy God sayeth he and the God of thy sede Yea if you leaue him in the wild wildernes destitute of all helpe being called of God to do hys wyll eyther to dye for the confession of Christ eyther any worke of obedyence that God whiche heard the crye of the litle poore infante of Agar Saraes handmaiden and dyd succour it wil doe the like to the chylde of you or any other fearyng hym and putting your truste in hym And if we lacke fayth as we doe indeede many tymes let vs call for it and we shall haue the encrease both of it and also of any other good grace nedefull for vs and bee merye in GOD in whom also I am very merye and ioyfull O Lorde what greate cause of reioysyng haue we to thynke vppon that Kingdome which he voucheth safe for hys Christes sake frelye to geue vs forsakyng oure selues and following hym Deare wyfe thys is truely to followe hym euen to take vp our crosse and follow hym and then as we suffer with hym so shall we reygne with hym euerlastingly Amen Shortly shortly Amen My deare frendes Maister Harrington and Maister Hurland Praye praye and bee merye in God and I beseche you as you maye let the good brethren abroade be put in mynde of oure deare tryed brethren and sisters who haue the Lorde be praysed made knowen theyr constancye in confessyng the truth to the glorye of GOD and comforte I doubt not of hys Churche abroade Thus haue they sowen spirituall thynges confessing Christ I trust they wil not be forgetfull that they may reape of them whiche are of habilitie and at libertye theyr carnall thynges Hereof I speake now bycause of my tender desyre towardes these deare brethren here now in bondes and in other places and also for that I doubte whether I maye haue wherewith to write hereafter The keper sayeth he muste needes see that we write not at al. The deuil roreth but be of good cheare he will shortly be troden vnder foote and the rather by the bloude of Martyrs Salute in my most hartye manner good Maisters Harrington and my good Ladye F. I am theyrs as longe as I lyue and praye for them desyre them to do likewyse for me and for al vs shepe appointed to the slaughter A prisoner in the Lorde Laurence Saunders An aunsweare to a frende of hys who sent to knowe what Doctor VVeston dyd at the Marshalse MAister Weston came to conferre with M. Grymbold what he hath with hym concluded I know not pray that it maye bee to Gods glory Amen Maister Weston of his gentlenes visited me offred me frendship in hys worldlye wilye sort c. I had not so much maner to take it at his hāds saying that I was well enough and ready chearefully to abide the extremitie to kepe therby a good consciēce You be a slepe in synne sayd he I would awake qoth I do not forget vigilate orate what church was there qoth he .xxx yeres past What church was there in Helias time quoth I c. Ioane of Rente quoth he was of
Ierusalem the true church of God 3. Reg 13. and by goyng to Bethell to serue God in a congregation of their owne settyng vp and after theyr owne imaginations and traditions for the whych doyng god vtterly destroide all Israell as all the prophets almost doe testifye This happened vnto thē for our ensāple that we might beware to haue any felowship with any lyke congregation to our destruction God hath one catholike church dispersed throughout the world and therfore we are taughte in our crede to beleue one catholike church and to haue communion therwith which catholike church is grounded vpon the foundation of the prophets and of the apostles and vppon none other as S. Paule witnesseth to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. Therfore where so euer we perceiue anye people to worship god truly after that word there we may be certain the church of christ to be vnto the which we oughte to associate our selues and to desyre wyth the Prophet Dauyd Psal 2. to prayse god in the middest of this church But if we behold through the iniquity of tyme segregations to be made wyth coūterfayt religion otherwyse then the word of god doth teach we ought than yf we be requyred to be companions therof Psal 26 Apoc. 2 to say agayne wyth Dauyd I haue hated the Sinagoge of the malignant and wyll not sitte with the wicked In the Apocalips the church of Ephesus is hyghly commended bycause she tried such as saide they were apostles and were not in dede and therfore would not abyde the company of them Further god commaunded his people that they should not seke Bethell neyther enter into Balgala where idolatry was vsed by the mouth of his prophet Amos. Also we muste conside Amos. 5 1. Cor. 3. that our bodies be the temple of god and whosoeuer as S. Paule teacheth doth prophane the temple of God hym the Lorde will destroy may we than take the temple of Christ and make it the member of an herlotte Al straunge religion and idolatry is counted whoredome with the prophets and that more detestable in the syght of God thē the aduoutrous abuse of the body Therfore the prynces of the earthe in the reuelation of sainct Iohn Apo. 17 be sayd to goe a whorynge when they are in lone with false religion follow the same How then by any meanes may a christian man thinke it tolerable to be present at the popyshe priuate masse whiche is the very prophanation of the sacrament of the body blood of Christ and at other Idolatrous worshiypynges rites which be not after the worde of god but rather the derogation therof in settyng mannes traditions aboue gods preceptes synce god by his worde iudgeth all straunge religiō whiche is not accordyng to hys institution for whoredome and aduoutry Some fondely thynke that the presence of the bodye is not materiall so that the hearte doe not consente to their wycked doyngs But such persons little consider what S. Paule writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6. commaundyng them to glorify God as well in body as in soule Moreouer we can do no greater iniurye to the true churche of Christe then to seeme to haue forsaken her or disalowe her by cleaning to her aduersarye whereby it appeareth to others whiche be weake that we allow the same and so cōtrary to the word do geue a greet offence to the churche of God and doe outwardly slaunder as much as men may the truth of Christ But wo be vnto him by whom any such offence commeth Better it were for hym to haue a mylstone tyed aboute hys neck and to be cast into the bottome of the sea Such be traitours to the truthe lyke vnto Iudas who with a kysse betrayed Christ Our God is a gelous god and cannot be content that we should be of any other bodye then of that vnspotted church whereof he is the head onely and wherin he hath planted vs by baptisme This gelousy which god hath towardes vs wil cry for vengeaūce in the day of vengeāce against al such as now haue so large consciences to doe that which is cōtrary to gods glory the syncerity of his word except they do in time repent and cleaue vnseparably to the gospel of Christ Mar. 8. how much soeuer at this present both men and women otherwyse in their owne corrupte iudgement do flatter themselues God wylleth vs to iudge vprightly to allow and follow that which is holye and acceptoble in hys sight and to abstayne from all maner of euyl and therfore Christ cōmaundeth vs in the gospel to beware of the leauen of the Phariseis which is hypocrisy Heb. 10 S. Paule to the Hebrewes saithe that if any person withdrawe hymselfe from fayth he shall not be approued in hys iudgement and therfore he sayth also that we are none such as do withdraw our selues vnto perdition but we belong vnto fayth for the attaynemēt of lyfe Apoc. 13 S. Iohn in the Apocalips telleth vs plainly that none of those who are writen in the booke of lyfe do receyue the marke of the beast Ephe. 5. phil 2 which is of the papystical Synagoge either in their foreheades or els in their hands that is apparauntly or obediently S. Paule to the Philippians affyrmeth that we may not haue any fellowship with the workes of darkenes but in the myddest of this wycked and froward generation 2. Cor. 6. we ought to shyne lyke lightes vp holdyng the worde of truth Further he sayth that we may not touch any vncleane thyng which sygnifyeth that oure outwarde conuersation in forreyne thynges oughte to bee pure vndefiled as well as the inward that wyth a cleane spirite and rectifyed body we myght serue god iustly in holynes and rightuousnes all the dayes of our lyfe Apoc. 18 Finallye in the 18. of the Apocalips god byddeth vs plainly to depart from this Babilonical Synagoge Thess 3 and not to be pertakers of her trespasse S. Paule to the Thessaloniās commaūdeth vs in the name of the Lorde Iesus Christe to wythdrawe ourselues frō euery brother that walketh inordinatelye not accordyng to the institution which he hath receyued of him Ponder therefore wel good brethern and systers these Scriptures which be written for your erudition and reformation wherof one iote is not written in vayne whych be vtterlye againste all counterfaite collusion to be vsed of vs wyth the papistes in theyr phantasticall religion and be aduersaries to al them that haue so light consciences in so doyng and if they do not agree wyth thys aduersary I meane the worde of God whiche is contrary to theyr attemptes Math. 5 he wyll as it is signified in the gospell delyuer them to the iudge which is Christe and the iudge wyll delyuer them to the executioner that is the deuil and the deuil shall commit thē to the horrible prison of hel fyre Math. 24. where is the porcion of all hypocrites
be geueÌ„ vnto god our father for hys excedynge greate mercye towardes me through Iesus Christ our lord But perchaunce ye wil say vnto me what is the cause for the which you are coÌ„demned we heare say that you deny al prefeÌ„ce of Christ in his holy supper so make it a bare signe common bread nothing els My derely beloued what is said of me wil be I cannot tel It is told me that M. Pendleton is gone down to preach with you not as he hath recaÌ„ted for ye al know how he hath preached contrary to that he was wont to preach afore I came amongs you but to recaÌ„t that which he hath recaÌ„ted How he wil speake of me report before I come wheÌ„ I am come when I am burned I much passe not for he the is so vncertain wil speake so ofteÌ„ against him selfe I cannot thinke he wil speake wel of me except it make for his purpose profit But of this enough In dede the chiefe thing which I am condemned for as an heretyke is because I deny the sacrament of the altar whiche is not christes supper but a plaine peruertyng of it beyng vsed as the papists now vse it to be a real natural corporall presence of christes body blood vnder the formes accidents of bread and wine that is because I deny transubstantiatioÌ„ which is the derling of the deuil and doughter and heyre to Antichrists religion wherby the Masse is mainteyned christes supper peruerted his sacrifice crosse imperfected hys priesthode destroyed the ministery taken away repentance repelled and al true godlines abandoned In the supper of our lord or sacrament of christes body and blood I confesse beleue that there is a true very presence of whole Christe god man to the faith of the receauer but not of the staÌ„der by or loker on as there is a very true presence of breade and wine to the senses of him that is pertaker therof This faith this doctrine which coÌ„fenteth with the word of god with the true testimony of christes Churche whiche the popyshe church doth persecute will I not forsake and therefore am I coÌ„demned as an heretike shal be burned But my derely beloutd this truth which I haue taught ye haue receyued I beleued do beleue and therin geue my life I hope in god shall neuer be burned bound nor ouercome but shal tryumphe haue victory and be at liberty manger the heade of all gods aduersaries For there is no counsell against the lord nor no deuise of man can be hable to defeate the verity in any other then in such as be children of vnbeliefe which haue no loue to the truth and therefore are geuen vp to beleue lies From which plague the lorde of mercies delyuer you and all this realme my deare hartes in the Lorde I humblye beeseche hys mercye Amen And to the ende ye myght be delyuered from thys plague ryght deare to me in the Lorde I shall for my farewell wyth you for euer in thys presente lyfe hartely desyre you all in the bowels and bloode of oure moste mercifull Sauioure Iesus Christ to attende vnto these thynges whiche nowe I shall shortlye wryte vnto you out of the Holy scriptures of the Lorde Ye know an he â—aye plague or rather plagues of God is fallen vpon vs in takyng away our good kyng gods true religion Gods true prophetes and ministers c. and setting ouer vs suche as seeke not the Lorde after knowledge whose endeuoures GOD prospereth wonderfullyâ— to the triall of manye that hys people maye bothe better knowe themselues and be knowen Nowe the cause hereof is oure iniquities and greuous synnes We did not know the tyme of our visitation we were vnthankefull vnto god we contemned the gospell and carnally abused it to serue our hypocrisie our vayne glory our viciousnes auarice ydlenes security c. Longe did the lord lynger tary to haue shewed mercye vppon vs but we were euer the longer the worse Therfore most iustly hathe God dealt with vs and dealeth with vs. Yea yet we may see that his iustice is tempered with much mercy wherto let vs attribute that we are not vtterly consumed for if the lord should deale with vs after oure deserts alas how could we abide it In his anger therfore seyng he doth remember hys mercy vndeserued yea vndesyred on our behalfe let vs take occasion the more spedelye to go out to mete him not with force and armes for we are not so able to withstand hym much lesse to preuaile against hym but to beseche hym to be mercifull vnto vs and according to his waÌ„ted mercy to deale with vs. Let vs arise with Dauyd and say Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. Enter not into iudgement oh Lorde with thy seruant for in thy sight no flesh liuyng shall be iustifyed Let vs send ambassadors wyth the Centurion and say Lord we are not worthy to come our selues vnto thee speake the worde and we shal haue peace Let vs peniteÌ„tly with the Publicane loke down on the earth knocke our hard hartes to burst them and cry out oh god be merciful vnto vs wretched synners Let vs with the lost sonne returne and say O father we haue synned against heauen and earth before thee we are vnworthy to be called thy children Let vs I say do on this sort that is hartely repente vs of our former euill lyfe and vnthankefull gospelling past conuert turne to god with our whole hartes hopyng in hys great mercy through Christ and hartelye calling vppon his holye name and then vndoubtedly we shall fynde and feele otherwyse then yet we fele both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly we shal fele peace of conscience betwene god and vs which peace passeth al vnderstaÌ„dyng outwardly we shall feele much mitigation of these miseries yf not an outward taking of theÌ„ away Therfore my derely beloued in the lorde I your poorest brother now departyng to the Lord for my vale in aeternum for this present lyfe pray you beseche you and euen from the very bottome of my hart for al the mercies of god in Christ shewed vnto you most earnestly begge and craue of you out of prison as often out of your pulpittes I haue done that ye will repente you leaue your wycked and euil lyfe be sory for your offences and turne to the lorde whose armes are wyde open to receiue and embrace you whose stretched out hande to strike to death stayeth that he might shewe mercy vpon you for he is the lord of mercy and god of all comfort he wyll not the death of a synner but rather that he should returne conuert and amend he hath no pleasure in the destruction of men hys long suffryng draweth to repentaunce before the tyme of vengeaunce and the daye of wrathe which is at hande doth come Now is the axe layed to the roote of the tree vtterlye to
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 vpō 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 remēber 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 oftē heard before they came specially whē I entreated of Noes flood and whē I preached of the 23. chap. of S. Math. gospel on S. Steuēs 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 drōkennes flye frō fornication flattery frō 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 confessiō of his truth c. Be spiritual by the spirit mortify carnal affectiōs 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 cuntreymē take this coūsel of the lord by me now sent vnto you take it as the lords coūsel I say not as mine that in the day of iudgemēt 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 vēgeance 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 brethrē 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 offēces for our sauiour Iesus Christes sake Amen ¶ Out of prison readye to come to you The .11 of Februarye Anno. 1555. Iohn Bradford ¶ 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 prouidēce and grace of god I haue bene a man by whō it hath pleased hym through my ministery to call you to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe somethyng effectually as it seemed to so we emōgs you his true doctrine religiō 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 cōfesse 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
whitenes if God strike wyth hys batteldore Rom. 8 Because ye are gods shepe prepare your selues to the slaughter alwayes knowyng that in the syghte of the lord our death shall be precious The soules vnder the aultar looke for vs to fyll vp their number happye are we if god haue so apointed vs. 1. pet 5 Math. 10. How soeuer it be derely beloued cast your selues wholye vppon the Lorde with whome all the heares of your heades are numbred so that not one of them shall perishe Will we nyll we we must drynke gods cuppe if he haue appointed it for vs. Drynke it wyllyngly then at the fyrst when it is full lest peraduenture if we linger we shal drynke at the leÌ„gth of the dregges wyth the wycked Psal 75 1. pet 4 if at the beginning we drinke not with hys childreÌ„ for with them his iudgemeÌ„t beginneth wheÌ„ he hath wrought hys wil on mount Syon then wil he visit the nations round about Submit your selues therfore vnder the mighty hand of the Lorde 1. pet 7 Rom. 8 No manne shall touche you wythoute hys knowledge When they touche you therefore knowe it is to your weale GOD thereby will worke to make you like vnto Christe here that ye maye bee also lyke vnto hym elsewhere Acknowledge your vnthankefulnes and sinne and blesse god that correcteth you in the world 1. Cor. 11. because ye shal not be daÌ„ned with the world Otherwyse might he correct vs then in makyng vs to suffer for ryghteousnes sake but this he doth bicause we are not of the world Cal vpoÌ„ his name through Christ for his help as he commaundeth vs. Beleue that he is merciful to you heareth you helpeth you Psa 50. Psal 92 I am wyth hym in trouble wil deliuer him sayth he Know that god hath appoynted boundes ouer the which the deuill and all the worlde shal not passe If all thinges seeme to be against you yet say with Iob. If he kil me I wil hope in him Read the 91. psalm and praye for me your poore brother fellow suffâ—er for gods gospels sake his name therfore be praised of of his mercy he make me you worthy to suffer with good conscieÌ„ce for his names sake Die once we must when we know not happy are they whoÌ„ god geueth to pay natures det I meane to dye for his sake Here is not our home therfore let vs accordingly coÌ„sider things alwais hauyng before our eyes heaueÌ„ly IerusaleÌ„ Heb. 12. Apo. 21.22 the way thether to be by persecutions the deare frendes of God howe they haue gone it after the exaÌ„ple of our sauior Iesus christ whose footesteps let vs follow eueÌ„ to the very Gallowes yf god so wyll not doubtyng but that as he wythin three dayes rose agayne immortal euen so we shal doe in our time that is when the trumpe shall blow and the aungel shal shoots and the sonne of man shal apeare in the cloudes with innumerable sainctes and aungels in maiesty and greate glory then shall the dead arise and we shall be caught vp into the cloudes to mete the lord and so be always wyth him Comfort your selues with these wordes and pray for me for gods sake Ecarcere 19. Nouemb. 1553. Iohn Bradford ¶ To Syr Iames Hales knyght then prisoner in the Counter in Bredestrete THe god of mercy and father of all coÌ„fort plentifully powre out vpon you and in you hys mercy and with his consolations comforte strengthen you to the ende for hys and oure Christes sake Amen Although ryght worshhpfull Syr many causes myght moue me to be contente wyth cryeng for you to your god and my god that he would geue you grace to perseuer well as he hathe righte notably begonne to the great glory of hys name comfort of all such as feare him as lacke of learning of familiarity yea acquaintaunce for I thinke I am vnknowen to you both by face name other such like thinges yet I cannot content my self but presume somethyng to scrible vnto you not that I thinke my scriblyng can do you good but that I might hereby declare my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and compassion loue and affection I beare towardes your mastership which is contented yea desirous wyth vs poore mysers to confesse Christes gospell in these perilous tymes and dayes of trial Oh Lord god how good art thou which doest thus gleane out grapes I meane children for thy selfe and bretherne for Christ Looke good M. Hales on your vocatioÌ„ not many iudges not many knights not many landed men not many rich meÌ„ welthy to liue as you are hath god choseÌ„ to suffer for his sake as he hath now done you Certainly I dare saye you thinke not so of your selfe as thoughe God were bounde to preferre you or had nede of you but rather attribute this as all good thynges vnto hys free mercy in Christe Agayne I dare say you beyng a wise man iudge of things wisely that is concernyng thys your crosse you iudge of it not after the worlde people which is magnus erroris magister nor after the iudgemeÌ„t of reason and worldlye wisedome whiche is folyshnes to fayth nor after the presente sense to that whiche non videtur gaudij sed molestioe as Paule writeth Heb. 1â— but after the woorde of god which teacheth your crosse to be in respect of your selfe betwene god and you gods chastising and your fathers correction nurtour schole trial pathway to heauen glory and felicitie and the furnace to consume the drosse and mortifye the reliques of olde Adam which yet remaine yea euen the frame house to fashion you like to the dearest Saints of god here yea to Christ the sonne of God that elles whece you myght be like vnto him Nowe concerning your crosse in respect of the world betwene the world you gods word teacheth it to be a testimoniall of Gods truth of his prouidence of his power of his iustice of his wisdome of his anger against sinne of his goodnes of hys iudgement of your fayth and religion so that by it you are to the worlde a witnes of God one of his testes that he is true he ruleth all thinges he is iuste wise and at the length wil iudge the world and caste the wicked into perdition but the godlye he will take and receaue into his eternall habitation I knowe you iudge of things after faythes fetch and the effectes or endes of things and so you see aeternum pondus gloriae 2. Cor. 4. which thys crosse shall bring vnto you dum non spectas ea quae videntur sed ea quae non videntur Let the worldlings waye thinges and loke vpon the affaires of men with their worldly and corporall eyes as did many in subscription of the kinges laste wil and therfore they dyd that for the which they beshrewd theÌ„selues but let vs loke on thinges with other manner of eyes