flaming fyre quicke and aliue whosoeuer will goe aboute to bewray their falshed The kind of fight against these church robbers is also of an other sorte and kinde then is that whiche is agaynste the theues of the borders For there the true men go forth against theÌ„ with speare launce with bow and byl and al such kind of bodelye weapons as the true men haue but here as the enemyes be of an other nature so the watchmen of Christs flocke the warriours that fight in the Lordes warre muste be armed and fight with an other kinde of weapons and armour For here the enemies of God the souldiors of Anti-Christ although the battel is set forth against the churche by mortall men being flesh and bloud and neuerthelesse members of theyr father the deuil yet for that theyr graund maister is the power of darknesse theyr members are spirituall wickednes wicked spirites spirites of erroures of heresies of all deceate and vngodlines spirites of idolatry Ephe 6 superstition and hipocrisye which are called of S. Paule Principates powers Lordes of the world rulers of the darknesse of this world and spiritual subtilties concerning heaueÌ„ly things therfore our weapons must be fit and mete to fyght agaynst such not carnall nor bodely weapons as speare and launce but spiritual and heauenly we must fight agaynst such with the armor of God not entendinge to kill they re bodyes but their errours theyr false craft and heresies theyr idolatry superstitioÌ„ and hipocrisy Eph 6. and to saue as much as lieth in vs both theyr bodies and soules And therfore as S. Paule teacheth vs we fighte not against fleshe and bloude that is we fyght not with bodely weapon to kyll the man but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errours vice and to saue both body and soule Our weapons therfore are faythe hope charitye righteousnesse truthe pacience prayer vnto God and our sword wherwyth we smite our enemies we beate and batter and beare down all falshed is the word of God With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fyght euer hauinge our eye vpon our graunde Maister Duke and captayne Christe and then we recken our selues to triumphe and to winne the crown of euerlastinge blesse when enduringe in this battaile withoute anye shrinking or yelding to the enemies after the example of our graund Capitaine Christ our Mayster after the exaÌ„ple of his holy Prophetes Apostles and Martyrs when I say we are slayne in oure mortall bodyes of our enemies are most cruelly and without all mercy murdered down like a me any of shepe And the more cruel the more payneful the more vyle and spitefull is the kind of the death whereunto we be put the more glorious in God the more blessed and happye wee recken withoute all doubtes oure Martyrdome to be And thus much dere loeuers frends in god my country men kinsfolk I haue spoken for your comfort least of my deathe of whose life you loked peraduenture sometimes to haue had honestye pleasures and commodities ye myghte be abashed or thinke any euill whereas ye haue rather cause to reioyse if ye loue me indeede for that it hathe pleased God to call me to a greater honoure and dignitye than euer I did enioye before eyther in Rochester or in the Sea of London or euer shoulde haue had in the Sea of Durham whereunto I was last of all elected and named yea I count it greater honoure before God in deede to die in his cause whereof I nothynge doubte then is any earthlye or temporall promocion or honoure that canne be geuen to a man in thys worlde And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Goddes to be Chrystes quarell and of hys Gospell to bee the common weale of all the elect and chosen children of God of all the inheritoures of the kingdome of Heauen who is he I saye that knoweth this assuredlye by Goddes woorde and the testimonye of hys owne conscience as I through the infinite goodnes of god not of my self but by hys grace acknowledge my self to do who is he I say that knoweth this both loueth fereth god in dede in truth loueth beleueth hys maister Christ and hys blessed gospel loueth his brotherhode the chosen children of god and also lusteth and longeth for euerlastinge life whoe is he I say againe that woulde not or can not fynde in his harte in thys cause to be content to dye The Lord forbid that any such shoulde be that shoulde forsake this grace of God I truste in my Lord God the God of mercies and the father of all comfort throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde that he whiche hathe put thys mynde will and affection by hys holye spirite in my harte to stande agaynste the face of the enemie in hys cause to chose rather the losse of all my worldly substaunce yea and of my life to then to denye hys knowne truthe that he well comfort me ayd me and strengthen me euermore euen vnto the ende and to the yelding vp of my spirite and soule into hys holye handes wherof I most hartely besech hys moste holye sacred Maiestye of hys infinyte goodnes and mercye throughe Iesus Christe our Lord. Amen Now that I haue taken my leaue of my countrey menne and kinsfolke and the Lorde doth lende me life and geueth me leysure I wyll bydde my other good friendes in God of other places also farewell And whome fyrste or before other then the Vniuersytye of Cambridge whereas I haue dwelte longer founde more faythfull and hartye frendes receyued more benefites the benefytes of my naturall parentes onlye excepted then euer I did euen in mine owne natyue countrey wherein I was borne Farewel therfore Cambrydge my louyng mother and tender nurse If I shoulde not acknowlege thy manyfold benefits yea if I shold not for thy benifits at the lest loue the agayn truly I were to be counted vngrate vnkind What benyfytes hadst thou euer that thou vsest to geue bestow vpon thy best beloued childreÌ„ that thou thoughtest to good for me Thou diddest bestowe on me all thy Schole degrees of thy common offyces the Chaplaynshyppe of the vniuersity the office of the Pâ—ortorship of a coÌ„mon reader and of thy priuate coÌ„modyties emolumeÌ„tes in colledges what was it that thou madest me not partner of Fyrst to be Scholer then Fellow and after my departure froÌ„ thee thou calledst me agayne to a Mastership of a right worshipful colledge I thanck thee my louing mother for all this thy kindnes and I pray God that his lawes the syncere Gospel of Christ may euer be truly taught faythfully learned in thee Farewell Pembroke hall of late mine own Colledge my cure my charge what case thou artin now God knoweth I know not well Thou wast euer named sithens I knewe thee which is nowe a .xxx. yeares agoe to be studious well learned and a greate
the hart of any creature can conceaue to your eternall ioye Amē Amen Amē The good spirite of god alwayes kepe vs as hys deare children he comfort you as I desyre to be comforted my derely beloued for euermore Amen I breake vp thus abruptly because our common prayer tyme calleth me The peace of Christe dwell in both our hartes for euer Amen ⧠As for the report of W. P. if it be as you heare you must prepare to beare it It is written on heauens dore do wel and heare euill Be content therfore to heare whatsoeuer the ennemye shall imagine to blotte you withal Gods holye spirite alwayes comfort and kepe you Amen Amen This 8. of August by hym that in the Lorde desireth to you as well and as much felicity as to his owne harte Iohn Bradford ¶ To my louyng brethren B. and C. wyth their wyues and whole families I Besech the euerliuing god to geue to you al my good bretherne and systers the comfort of his holy spirite and the continuall feelyng of his mercye in Christe oure Lord nowe and for euer Amen The world my brethern at this presente seemeth to haue the vpperhande iniquity ouerfloweth the truth and veritie seemeth to be suppressed and they whiche take part therwith are vniustly entreated The cause of all this is gods anger and mercy his anger because we haue greuously sinned against him his mercy because he here punisheth vs as a father nurtereth vs. We haue ben vnthākful for his word we haue contemned his kindnes we haue ben negligent in praier we haue ben to carnal couetous licētious c. we haue not hastened to heauēward but rather to helward we were fallen almost into an open cōtempt of god and all his good ordinaunces so that of hys iustice he could not long forbeare but make vs to feele hys anger as now he hath done in taking his word and true seruice from vs and permittyng Sathan to serue vs with Antichristian religion and that in such sorte that if we wil not yelde to it and seme to allow it in dede and outwarde fact our bodies are like to be laide in prison and our goodes geuen we cannot tell to whome This should we looke vppon as a sygne of gods anger procured by our synnes which my good brethern euery one of vs should now cal to our memories often tymes so perticulerly as we can that we might hartely lament them repent them hare them aske earnestly mercye for them and submitte our selues to beare in this lyfe anye kind of punishment which god wil lay vppon vs for them Thus should we do in consideration of gods anger in thys time Now his mercy in this time of wrath is sene should be sene of vs my derely beloued in this the god doth vouchsafe to punish vs in this present life If he should not haue punished vs do not ye thinke that we would haue continuin the euils we were in Yea verely we would haue ben worse and haue gone forwards in hardning our harts by impenitency negligence towardes God true godlines then yf death had come should not we haue perished bothe soule and bodye into eternall fyre and perdition Alas what misery should we haue fallen into if god shoulde haue suffered vs to haue gone forward in our euils No greater a signe of damnation there is then to lye in euill synne vnpunished of god as nowe the papists my derely beloued are cast into Iezabels bed of security Apoc. 3 Hebr. 12 which of all plagues is the most greuous plague that can be They are bastardes and not sonnes for they are not vnder Gods rodde of correction A great mercy it is therfore that god dothe punishe vs for yf he loued vs not he wuld not punish vs. Now doth he chastice vs that we shuld not be damned with the world 1. Cor. 2 Now doth he nurture vs because he fauoureth vs. Now may we thynke our selues to be Gods householde and children 1. pet 4 because he beginneth his chastising at vs. Nowe calleth he vs to remēber our synnes past Wherfore That we myght repent and and aske mercy And why That he might forgeue vs pardon vs iustify vs and make vs his chyldren and so begin to make vs here lyke vnto Christ Rom. 8 that we myght bee like vnto hym elsewhere euen in heauen where already we are set by faith with Christe and at hys commyng in verye dede shall enioye his presence when our synfull and vile bodies shal be made lyke to christes glorious body phil 3. accordyng to the power whereby he is able to make al thynges subiect to hymselfe Therfore my brethren let vs in respect hereof not lament but laude god not be sory but be mercy not wepe but reioyce and be glad that god doth vouchsafe to offer vs hys crosse Rom. 8 2. Timo. 3. Math. 10. therby to come to him to endles ioyes and comforts For if we suffer we shall raigne If we confesse hym before men he wil confesse vs before hys father in heauen If we be not ashamed of his Gospell nowe he wyll not bee ashamed of vs in the last day Math. 5. 1. pet 4 1. pet 5 but wyl be glorifyed in vs crownyng vs with crownes of glory and endeles felicity For blessed are they that suffer persecutiō for rightuousnes sake for their is the kingdom of heauē Be glad sayth Peter for the spirit of God resteth vpō you After that ye are a litle while afflicted god will comfort strengthen confyrme you And therfore my good bretherne be not discouraged for crosse for prison or losse of goodes for the confession of Christes gospell and truth whiche ye haue beleued and lyuely was taught emongs you in the days of our late good most holy prince Kyng Edwarde This is most certayne if ye lose any thyng for Christes sake Math. 19 and for contemnyng the Antichristian seruice set vp agayne amonge vs as ye for youre partes euen in prison shall find gods greate and riche mercies farre passing all worldly wealth so shall your wyues children in thys present lyfe fynd and feele gods prouidēce more plentifully then tounge can tell for he wyl shew merciful kindnes on thousāds of them that loue him The good mans sede shal not go a begging his bread Ye are good mē so many as suffer for christes sake Psalm 27 I trust ye all my dearely beloued wil cōsider this geare with your selues and in the crosse see gods mercy which is more swete and more to bee set by then life it self much more thē then any mucke or pelfe of thys world Rom. 8. This mercy of god should make you merye and chearefull for the afflictions of this lyfe are not to bee cōpared to the ioyes of the lyfe prepared for you Ye know the way to heauen is not the wyde way of the world which wyndeth to the deuil but it is a strayt
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
19 Say wyth the poore man I beleue Lord helpe my vnbelief Say with the Apostels Lord encrease oure fayth This myne owne hartes in the Lorde I wryte not that you shoulde lyue more securely and carnally doing as the Spiders doe whiche gather poyson where bees gather honye but that as the electe of god you mighte liue in all puritie godlines and peace which god encrease in vs all for his Christes sake Amen I pray you hartelie pray for vs that to the verie ende we may as I hope we shall goe lustelie and cherefullie whether soeuer our heauenly father shal bring and lead vs. His will whiche is alwaies good bee done in earthe as it is in heauen Amen Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Iohn Bradforde To my good Syster M. H. THe peace of God wyth encrease of fayth and feeling of his mercy to your cōfort in Christ the holy ghost worke in your hart now and for euer Amen As it is much to my comfort that God hath geuen you such a loue and zeale to hys truth so I exhort you my good Syster diligētly to labour as by cōtinual readyng and meditation of gods holy word so by earnest prayer and other godly exercises to maintayne and encrease the same that by the feelyng of gods gratious spirite workyng in you suche good fruites as wytnesses of your fayth you may growe in strength therof and certayntie of gods fauour and good wyl towardes you For aboue all thyngs of thys I woulde haue you to be moste assured that you are beloued of god that you are hys dere chylde and shall bee for euermore throughe Christe in whome you are by fayth and he in you Out of thys certeintie the cause wherof is gods owne goodnes grace and truth spryngeth true loue and louyng feare and obedience to god continually and in all thynges Where it is I meane thys fayth certaintie and persuasion of gods eternall goodnes to you in Christe there no synnes are imputed to you or layd to your charge to condēnation nor shal be though for correctiō sake now thē your heauenly father visit them fatherly or rather you for them Where it is not there is nothyng be it neuer so well done that pleaseth God Labour therfore for this certainty of faith through Christ Whēsoeuer you dout you heape sinne vpō sinne If Satan your cōsciēce or gods law do accuse you confesse your fault hide it not before the lord But whē they woulde inferre that because of your synne you are condemned you are cast away then aunswer them that it is but their office to accuse and witnes not to geue sentence iudge it onely apperteyneth to god to geue iudgement Paule sayth it is god that absolueth who then shall condemne vs God hymselfe promiseth before he demaund any thyng of vs that he is our Lord and our god and are not they happy which haue the lord for their god Is he god to any whose sinnes he remitteth not Through Christ he is our father and therfore we are commaunded so to call him and can there want any fatherly kyndnes in hym towardes vs which be hys children No verely Therfore be sure and wauer not of gods loue fauour towardes you in Christ The cause of hys loue is his owne goodnes and mercy this lasting for euer hys loue loseth for euer How can you then but be quiete happy Vse this geare to comforte the weake conscience and not to vnbridle the mighty affections of the fleshe or olde Adam which must haue other meate Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ An exhortation to the patient sufferyng of trouble and afflictions for Christes cause wrytten to all the vnfayned professours of the gospell thoroughout the realme of England at the beginning of hys imprisonmente and here placed as it came to our handes THe holy spirite of God whiche is the earnest and pledge of God geuen to hys people for theyr comfort and consolation be powred into our hartes by the mighty power merites of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ now and for euer Amen Because I perceiue plainly that to the euils fallen vpō vs which professe Christes gospell greater are most like to ensue and after them greater Gene. 15. Luke 9. Genes 19 tyl the measure of iniquity be vp heaped except we shrynke hauyng put our handes to the plough do loke back and so wyth Lothes wyfe and the Israelits desiryng to returne into Egipt fal into gods heauy displeasure vncurably al which god forbidde and because I am persuaded of you my derely beloued brethern and Systers throughe out the realme of Englande which haue professed vnfainedly the gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for vnto such do I wryte this epistle that as ye haue begonne to take parte wyth gods gospell and truth so throughe his grace ye will perseuer and goe on forwardes notwithstandyng the stormes risen and to arise I cannot but wryte something vnto you lustely to goe on forwardes in the way of the Lord and not to become faynte harted or fearefull Apoca. 25. whose place S. Iohn appointeth with the vnbeleuers murtherers and Idolaters in eternall perdicion but cherefully to take the Lordes cuppe and drynke of it afore it drawe towardes the dregges and bottom Psal 75 wherof at the length they shall drynke with the wycked to eternal destruction 1. pet 4 which wil not receiue it at the first with gods children with whome god beginneth hys iudgemente that as the wicked world reioyceth when they lament Iohn 16. so they may reioyce when the wycked world shall mourne and without ende fynde woe intollerable First therfore my dearely beloued in the Lord I besech you to consider Iohn 14 Psal 17 2. Cor. 4. Apoc. 12 Heb. 11 1. pet 2 Heb. 13 Psalm 119 Heb. 12 Mat. 28 Rom. 9 1. Ioh. 5 Apo. 13 Luke 6. EZech. 9. Math. 5. Esay 22 1. Cor. 15 that thoughe ye be in the worlde yet ye are not of the world Ye are not of them whiche looke for their porciō in this lyfe whose Captain is the god of this world euen Sathan who now ruffleth it apace as he were woode because his tyme on earthe is not long But ye are of them that loke for a Citye of gods owne blessing Ye are of them that know your selues to be here but pylgrimes and straūgers for here ye haue no dwellyng place Ye are of them whose porcion is the lorde and whiche haue their hope in heauen whose captayn is Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and gouernour of heauen and earth Vnto him is geuen all power yea he is god almighty with the father and the holy ghost prayse worthy for euer Ye are not of them which receyue the beastes marke which here reioyce laugh and haue their hartes ease ioye paradise and pleasure but ye are of them whiche haue receyued the Aungels marke yea Gods marke which here
my good and most deare Mother geue thankes for me to god that he hath made the fruite of your wōbe to be a wytnes of hys glory and attend to the truth whiche I thank god for it I haue truly taught out of the pulpit of Manchester Vse often and continual prayer to God the father through Christ Harken as you may to the scriptures serue God after hys worde and not after custome beware of the Romyshe religion in Englande defyle not your selfe wyth it cary Christes crosse as he shall saye it vppon your backe forgeue them that kyll me pray for thē for they know not what they do committe my cause to god our father bee myndeful of both your daughters to help them as you can I send all my writinges to you by my brother Roger doe wyth them as you will because I cannot as I woulde he can tel you more of my mynd I haue nothyng to geue you or to leaue behind me for you onely I pray God my father for hys christes sake to blesse you and kepe you from euyll He geue your patience he make you thankeful as for me so so for your selfe that wyll take the fruite of your wombe to witnesse hys verity wherin I confesse to the whole worlde I dye and departe thys lyfe in hope of a much better which I loke for at the hands of god my father through the merytes of hys deare sonne Iesus Christ Thus my deare Mother I take my laste farewell of you in this life besechyng the almighty and eternall father by Christ to graunte vs to mete in the lyfe to come where we shall geue hym continuall thankes and prayse for euer and euer Amen ¶ Out of pryson the .24 of Iune 1555. Your sonne in the Lord Iohn Bradforde To one by whom he had receiued much comfort and reliefe in hys trouble and imprisonment THe mercy of god in Christ peculier to hys children be euer more felt of you my derely beloued in the lord Amē When I consider with my selfe the benefites which God hath shewed vnto me by your meanes if I had so good and thankfull a hart as I would I had I could not wyth drye eyes geue him thākes for certainly they are very many and great And nowe beyng yet still the lordes prisoner I perceiue from him moe benefits by you For the which I thinke my self so much bounde to you my good brother althoughe you were but the instrumēt by whō god wrought and blessed me that I loke not to come out of your dette by anye pleasure or seruice that I shal euer be able to do you in this life I shal hartely pray vnto god therfore to requite you the good you haue done to me for his sake for I knowe that which you haue done you haue done it simply in respect of god his word He therfore geue you dailye more more to be tonfirmed in his truth word so plētifully poure vpō you the riches of his holy spirit and heauēly treasures laid vp in store for you that your corporal earthly riches may be vsed of you as sacraments significations thereof the more to desire the one that is the heauēly and the lesse to esteme the other that is the earthly For Satans sollitation is so to set before you the earthly that therin and thereby you should not haue accesse to the consideration of the heauenly but as one bewitched should vtterly forgette them and altogether become a louer worshipper of the erthly Māmon so to fal to couetousnes a desire to be rich by the meanes to bring you into many noisom and hurtful lustes as now adais I heare of many which haue vtterly forsakē god al his heauēly riches for Antichrists pleasure the preseruing of their worldly pelf which they imagine to leaue to their posterity wherof they are vncertain as they may be most certain they leaue to thē gods wrath vēgeaūce in his time to be sent by visitation if they in time hartely repēt not preuēt not the same by earnest praier Wherin my good brother if you be diligēt harty perseuer I am sure god wil preserue you frō euyll frō yelding your self to do as the world now doth by allowing in bodely fact in the Romish seruice that which the inward cogitatiō mind doth disalowe But if you be cold in prayer come into cōsideration of earthly present thinges simply thā shal you fal into faithles folies woundyng of your conscsēce from which god euermore preserue you with your good wife your babe Leonard al your family to that which I wish the blessing of God now and for euer through Christ our Lord Amen I pray you geue thankes for me to your old bedfellow for his greate frendship for your sake shewed to me when I was in the Tower Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued Syster Mystres A. VV. THe euerlasting peace of Christ be more more liuely felt in our hartes by the operatiō of the holy ghost now and for euer Amen Although I know it to be more then nedeth to write any thing vnto you good Syster beīg as I dont not you be diligētly exercised in reading of the scriptures meditating the same harty praier to god for the helpe of his holy spirit to haue the sense feelyng especially of the comfortes you reade in gods swete boke yet hauing such opportunitie knowing not whether hereafter I shall haue the like as this bringer can declare I thought good in few wordes to take my farewel in writing because otherwise I can not And now me thinkes I haue done it For what els can I or should I say vnto you my derely beloued in the lord but farewel Farewel dere Sister farewell How be it in the lord our lord I say farewel In him shal you farewel so much the better by how much in your self you fare euil shal fare euil Whē I speake of your self I meane also this world this life al things properly perteining to this life In thē as you loke not for your welfare so be not dismaide when accordinglye you shall not feele it To the lord our god to the Lambe our Christ which hath borne our sinnes on his back and is our mediator for euer do I send you In him loke for welfare that wtout all wauering because of his owne goodnes and truth whiche our euilnes and vntruth cannot take awaye Not that therefore I woulde haue you to flatter your selfe in any euill or vnbeliefe but that I would comfort you that they should not dismay you Yours is our Christe wholye Yours I say he is wyth all that euer he hath Is not thys welfare trow you Mountaynes shall moue and the earthe shall fall before you fynde it otherwyse say the lyer Sathan what he lyste Therfore good Sister farewel and be merye in the Lord be mery I say for you
not perfectly know You haue had the pure worde of God plentifully preached amōgest you yea and the same sealed praysed be god therfore wyth good store of bloode You haue also the blessed Bible and al other good bokes of godly mens doings among you so that I thynke you are ignoraunt of nothyng that perteineth to the life of a perfect christian Therfore I wyl not here take vpon me to teache you any thing syth I know that the most part of you perceiueth of the mind of God as much or more then I do But I wil now most hūbly pray you hartely besech you that by the mercifulnes of god in Iesus Christ and as we shal al assemble shortly before him that you will in no wise do contrary to your knowlege least your owne conscience become also a swifte witnes at the great day against you I wyl not meddle with secret maters but speak of those things which be to much apparant and yet not of all but namely of one the which as it semeth to be least regarded amongest you so am I sure the same is yet most horrible odious in the sight of god that is to say the beyng present wyth the papistes at any of their Antichristian and idolatrous seruice whiche is not only a wicked dissemblyng of your fayth and a verye outward deniall of the gospell of God but also a manifest committyng of idolatry wyth the wycked and doth depely deserue gods heuy wrath and displeasure which is not farre of vnlesse you hartelye repente in tyme and turne to the Lord comming cleane away from the filthines aforesaid as he doth louingly call you Ah my dere hartes what shal I say to you or how shall I temper my pen to persuade you Al the godly preachers that in tymes past haue taken paines amongest you haue fully agreed and wholy concluded yea and by the holy scriptures plainly proued that it is not lawful for any of you to be personally present with the papistes at any part of their Antichristiā seruice This haue they truly taught you this haue they largely and learnedly written vnto you and this haue they most godly confirmed with their blood before you What wold you haue more Yea many a faithful hart hath folowed them and to their power done the lyke and yet alas all wil not now serue Howe happeneth this my dere frendes of Londō that neither the louing admonitiōs of al gods good Prophets nor the earnest warnings of hys deare witnesses and worthy Martyrs wil take no place amongest you Do you thynke that they haue not told you the truthe but some dreame or vayne tale that shal not so come to passe Do you thinke that they did but dallye with you to delude you and to make you afraid of a flea bityng or vayne shadow wher no nede of fear is Certainly you shal find it otherwise shortly if you so thinke as you maye see if you wil by experience of that which is already come to passe euen as they did truly tel you in their preachyng or rather prophesye for youre for warning Be you sure the Lorde is no lesse myghtye to-performe his word pronounced by these his fore runners before his latter comming then he was true to poure forth his plagues vpō the Iewes prophecied both by Iohn Baptist other hys forerūners before hys first comming Latymer Rydley Hoper Rogers Bradforde Saunders wyth the rest of their blessed bretherne that are fled or burned are as well to be beleued in this pointe as Helias Esay Ieremy or Iohn Baptist in those thinges that they warned the world of It is al one word which they al haue preached in the power of one spirit that they haue ministred And as verely as they were the lordes messengers to Israel for that age so surely were these later sort the lordes ministers to warne England for this age I feare the last that euer shal be sent vnto it But I aske againe how hapneth it that you pretending to be of the flocke of Christ do not now harken to the voyce of your head pastour Christ pronounced by hys seruauntes to obey follow it Verely I feare me because you be but wilde goates none of christes true elect shepe For if you were Christes shepe in dede you woulde surelye geue more regard to the voice of your shepeharde speakyng in his godly preachers and not presume to follow straungers as I here say you do which entise you to lewdnes and backeloking from the plough on which you had once layd hand Luke 17 but Christ byddeth you remember Lottes wife I here saye that there is amongest you nowe adaies a sort of worldly wise men whose doinges will proue folishnes before god one day wtout doubt which haue so diligently sought the scripture that they haue found out that whiche none of our good preachers euer coulde doe thoughe their whole studye was only therin day and nighte And what is that Forsoth as some say they haue found there that it is permitted lawful for christian men that know the truth to be presente with the papistes at their Anitchristian and idolatrous seruice and that they maye cloke their knoweledge and dissemble their faythe seeke what shiftes they can to saue their life lādes goodes so that they do not vtterly deny the truth in their hartes or by expresse wordes in the way of recanting Ah sirrha haue they so Yea Syr I warrant you they haue not had the Bible in their houses al this while for naught They haue found one tricke to serue their turne whē the time of trial cōmeth that al our folish preachers coulde not perceaue for had they knowē that knacke they would not fo hedlong haue runne into the fire as they haue done But with your leue I wil now a while talke with these worldly wise Diuines which haue found out this hyd mystery I myght say of iniquitie wel inough I praye you my Maisters Massemongrel gospellers where do you find that any faythful christiā may dissemble the profession of his Maisters religion to frame and fashion hym self lyke vnto the wicked world where out the Lord hath chosen hym to serue hym in spirit truth You finde it be like in the bottome of your bagges of gold siluer for in gods Bible boke I am sure you finde it not but altogether the contrary You here there how god doth byd you not to beare a straūge yoke with the vnbeleuers but to come out frō amongest them to seperate your selues frō thē but many mens hearing wil not serue them on that syde You here there also that God wyll spue out suche luke warme gentlemē as be neither hote nor colde forth of his mouthe Apo. 3. but I weene you doe not beleue it well I saye no more but marke the ende of thys geare I will not denye but that you maye wryng and wrest some places of the holy scripture
their pigges of worldlye pelfe c. Could the wicked papistes euer haue wroughte their cursed feates as they haue nowe done for the aduauncing of their paultrye and brynging the reaste of their tyrannye and cruell purpose to passe had not these dissembling gospellers bene so aplyable to their myndes at the fyrste dashe and with theyr subtill persuasions bewitched the hartes of others to come to their wickednesse No surely they shoulde sooner for shame dispaire and distresse of minde haue hanged themselues as their predecessour Iudas dyd and therefore I dare accuse them all before God excepte they repent as accessaryes to the wilfull murther of all the Godlye Christian Preachers that haue of late bene putte to death wythin this Realme and also of the soules of such as perish for lacke of true preaching Ah now do I perceaue that it was not for noughte that the Prophet so sore threatneth them with eternall damnation Esay 30 when he cryeth woe be vnto those shrincking children that secke succour vnder the shadow of wicked Pharao Oh woe is my harte for them that euer they shoulde so slyde frō the Lord their Instructour and cause other to do the same Yea the most mercifull Lorde hym selfe doth in his woorde bewayle them and as it were mourne for them saying alas for these disobediente shrinckyng children that they will take counsell withoute me alas that they will take a secrete aduyse and not oute of my spirite Esay 30. and therefore heape they synne vppon sinne c. Nowe tell me O you vayne and carnall gospellers that bee not onely content to playe the disobediente shrincking children your selues but also as muche as in you lyeth doe assure all other to doe the lyke to the greate dishonour of GOD and destruction of your brethrens soules tell me I saye where you haue that counsell and wicked aduyse Verely oute of the spirite of errour and lyes for oute of the Lordes spirite of truth you haue it not for the spirite of God is alwayes consonante and agreable to hys woorde Yea in his word he commaundeth the true seruauntes of God to set themselues at libertye 2. Cor. 6 and not anye longer to beare the straunge yoke with the vnbeleuers But you contraryewyse counsell them to become agayne the bondslaues of Sathan and his sonne Antichriste seruyng their Idolatrye and superstition with their bodelye presence You byd them beare still the straunge-yoke of mens traditions and deuilyshe inuentions with the vnbeleuers tellyng them that there is honest fellowship betwene ryghteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse and good companye betwene lyghte and darkenesse and frendlye concorde betwene Christ and Beliall and that the beleuer and the infidell may parte stakes well enough that their bodye which is or ought to be the tēple of the holy ghost may agree with Images wel enough whiche be forbidden by the word of God yea and teaching them to worshippe the greatest Idoll that euer was vnder heauen and therefore whereas the Lorde by hys holye Prophet doth commaunde hys people to come oute from amongest them and to seperate thē selues from thē and to touch no vncleane thinge you like tempting Serpents do will them to thruste in them selues amonge the thickest of them to ioyne thē selues which ought to be the mēbers of Christes mysticall bodye to the wicked members of Sathā And not only to touch vncleane thinges but also to behold and outwardly worship them yea to receaue into their bodies which ought to be the temple of the liuyng god the most filthy Idoll the straunge god Mauzim the papistes God of defence yea and there to retain him vntil the Iakes receaue hym which is a more meter place for hym then the sanctifyed body of a Christian Alas and weale away that euer anye man that beareth the name of a Christian yea of a Gospeller and fauourer of Gods word should become such a vyle slaue to Sathan and to do hym such notable seruice in these perilous dayes by the meanes wherof he hath preuailed more then he euer dyd in so shorte tyme since the beginnynge of the worlde Oh what deuyll hath bewitched you you runnagates frō God that you shoulde now doe hym such diligente seruice whom you haue not only pretended to hate but also promised at your baptisme vtterlye to forsake Yea and that you shoulde nowe become suche pernitious enemyes to Christ whose woorde you haue so long pretended to loue some of you nygh these .20 yeares Haue you cleane forgotten what you professed and promysed vnto hym at your baptysme Hath not the deuill seruauntes enough of the papistes and infidells to sette a woorke to suppresse Christes syncere religion but he muste sende forth you to helpe hym whiche of all other oughte to hynder his cruell enterpryse Where bee your wittes become oh you madde men the which for a little mucke of thys molde wyl lose the precious parte of euerlasting lyfe Well if you wyll needes playe the traytours agaynst God and dissembling deuils and runne hedlong into hell your selues yet I praye you take not suche paines to draw others wyth you which by their wil would not come there Goe not aboute to persuade them that euil is good Esay 5. that darkenes is light and that soure is swete least your woe and damnation be the greater If he shal be sore punyshed that hydeth hys talente in the grounde and doth none other man good therewyth howe muche more shall he be punished that occupyeth his talent to euill vses and imployeth the same to the destruction of hys weake brethren Math. 18. for whom Christe dyed If it were better for one to haue a mylstone hanged aboute his necke and to be caste into the middest of the sea then to offend one of Christes little ones yea though it were but by example what then shall become of them that leade them forth of the waye to commit most strong and detestable Idolatry If euill may not be done although good should come therof then that euil may not be done wherof cōmeth nothing but innumerable euils both to bodye soule yea so many as a greate volume were not able to contayn thē if they should be ryghtly descrbed I could make a great many of strong argumentes forth of the scriptures to proue the doings of these dissēblers both with god man to be deuilish detestable but these be sufficient to warne such as haue not their harts hardned but as for the rest I will say wyth S. Iohn Apoc. 22. he that is filthy let hym be filthy stil and vpon their own heades be the peril of their perishyng And now againe to you my deare hartes which by such haue bene deceaued or are by feare or fragilitie fallen to you I speake and of loue I warne you my deare and faithfull frendes of London whom I loue in the Lorde as I am no lesse bounde I woulde bee full lothe to be a witnesse agaynste anye of you all at
veritate adorent Amen Vester in Domino frater quem tabellarius vobis denunciabit per Dei gratiam ad conuiuendum commoriendum The same in English ☞ To the Brethren remaynyng in Captiuitie of the flesh and dispersed abroade in sundry prisons but knit together in vnity of spirite and holy religion in the bowels of the Lord Iesus GRace peace and mercy be multiplied among you What worthy thāks can we render vnto the Lord for you my brethrē namely for the great consolation which throughe you we haue receaued in the lorde who notwithstandyng the rage of Satan that goeth about by all maner of subtil meanes to begyle the world and also busilye laboureth to restore and sette vp his kingdome agayne that of late beganne to decaye and fall to ruyne ye remayne yet still vnmoueable as men surely grounded vpō a strōg rocke And now albeit that Satan by hys souldiours and wycked ministers daily as we heare draweth numbers vnto him so that it is said of him that he plucketh euen the very starres out of heauen whiles he dryueth into some men the feare of death and losse of all theyr goods and sheweth and offereth to other some the pleasaunte baites of the world namely riches wealth and all kynd of delights and pleasures fayre houses great reuenewes fatte benefices and what not all to the intent they should fall down and worship Apoc. xii not in the lord but in the dragon the old Serpent which is the diuell that great beast and his image and should be enticed to commit fornication wyth the strompet of Babilon together wyth the kynges of the earth wyth the lesser beast Apo. xvii◠and with the false prophets and so to reioice and be pleasaunt with her and to be dronkē with the wine of her fornication yet blessed be god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath geuen vnto you a manly courage hath so strengthned you in the inward man by the power of his spirite that you can contemne aswell all the terrors as also the vayne flatteryng allurements of the world estemyng them as vanities mere trifles thinges of nought who hath also wroughte planted and surely stablished in in your hearts so stedfast a faith and loue of our lord Iesus Christ ioyned with suche constancie that by no engines of Antichrist be they neuer so terrible or plausible ye will suffer any other Iesus or any other Christ to be forced vppon you besydes hym whome the Prophets haue spoken of before the Apostels haue preached and the holye Martyrs of God haue confessed and testified with the effusion of theyr bloode In this faith stand ye fast my brethren Gal. 5 and suffer not your selues to be brought vnder the yoke of bondage and superstition any more For ye knowe bretherne howe that oure Sauioure warned hys before hande that suche shoulde come as would poynt vnto the worlde an other Christ and would set hym out with so many false myracles and with such deceaueable and subtyle practises that euen the very electe if it were possible should be thereby disceaued suche strong delusion to come dyd our Sauiour geue warnyng of before But continue ye faithfull and constante and be of good comfort and remember that our graūd captayn hath ouercome the worlde 1. Iohn 4. for he that is in vs is strōger then he that is in the worlde and the Lorde promiseth vnto vs that for the electes sake the dayes of wickednesse shall be shortned In the meane season abide ye and endure with patience as ye haue begun endure I say Virgil eneid 1. Phil. 1. Heb. 10. and reserue youre selues vnto better times as one of the Heathen Poetes said Cease not to shewe your selues valiaunt Souldiors of the lord and healpe to maintayne the trauelyng faith of the gospell Ye haue nede of patience that after ye haue done the will of god ye may receaue the promises For yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and wil not tary and the iust shal lyue by faith but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him saieth the Lord. But we are not they which do withdraw our selues vnto damnatiō but beleue vnto the saluation of the soule Let vs not suffer these wordes of Christ to fall oute of oure heartes by anye manner of terrors or threatnynges of the world feare not them which kil the body the rest ye know 1. Iohn 2 For I write not vnto you as to men which are ignoraunt of the truth but which knowe the truthe and to this ende only that we agreeyng together in one faith may take comfort one of an other and be the more confirmed and strengchened therby We neuer had a better or more iuste cause either to contēne our life or shed our blood we can not take in hand the defence of a more certayne cleare and manifest truth For it is not any ceremony for the which we contend but it toucheth the very substāce of our whole religion yea euen Christe him selfe Shall we either can we receaue and acknowledge any other Christ in stead of him who is alone the euerlastyng sonne of the euerlasting father and is the brightnes of the glory and liuely image of the substaunce of the father in whom only dwelleth corporally the fulnes of the godhed who is the onely waye the truthe and the lyfe Let such wickednes my brethren let such horrible wickednes be farre from vs. For although there bee that are called gods 1. Corin. 8. whether in heauen either in earth as there be manye gods and many Lordes yet vnto vs there is but one God which is the father of whom are all thinges and we in him and one Lorde Iesus Christ by whom are all thynges and we by him but euery mā hath not knowledge This is life eternal saith s Iohn the they know thee to be the only true god whom thou hast sent Iesus Christe Iohn 17. Yf any therfore would force vpon vs any other God besydes hym whome Paule and the Apostles haue taught let vs not heare hym but let vs flye from hym hold hym accursed Brethren ye are not ignoraunte of the deepe and profound subtilties of Sathan for he wyll not cease to raunge about you seeking by all meanes possible whome he maye deuoure but playe ye the men and be of good comforte in the Lorde And albeit your ennemies and the aduersaries of the truthe armed with al worldly force and power that may be do set vppon you yet be not ye fainte harted nor shrink not therfore but truste vnto your captayne Christe trust vnto the Spirite of truthe and trust to the truth of your cause which as it may by the malice of Sathan bee darkened so canne it neuer be cleane put oute For we haue hygh prayse be geuen to God therfore moste playnly euidently and clearly on oure side all the Prophetes all
agayne The last Lent saue one it chaunced by reason of the tumult stirred vp in Kente there was so manye prisoners in the Tower that my L. of Canterb. M. Lacimer M. Bradforde and I were put altogether in one prison where we remained still almost to the next easter and then we three Caunterb Latymer and I were sodainly sent a little before Gato Oxford and were suffred to haue nothyng with vs but that we caried vpon vs. About the Whitsontide folowyng was our disputations at Oxford after the which was al taken from vs as penne and ynke c. our owne seruauntes were taken from vs before and euery one had put to him a straunge man and we eche one appointed to be kept in seuerall places as we are vnto this day Blessed be god we three at the writyng hereof were in good health and in god of good cheare We haue loked long ago to haue bene dispatched for we were all three on one daye within a day or two of our disputations of D. Weston beyng the head commissioner condemned for heretykes and synce that tyme we remayne as we were of hym leaft The Lordes will bee fulfilled in vs as I doe not doubte but by his grace it shall be to hys glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise the Lord hitherto hath preserued aboue al our expectation our deare brother and in Christes cause a strōg Champion I Bradford He is likewise condemned and is already deliuered vnto the seculer power writtes as we haue heard say geuen oute for hys execution and called in again Thus the lord so long as hys blessed pleasure is preserueth whom he lysteth notwithstandyng the wonderfull ragyng of the world ▪ Many as we heare say haue suffred valiauntly confessyng Christes truth and nothyng yelding to the aduersary yea not for the feare or paynes of death The names of them which I knew haue now suffered are these Farrer the B. of S. Dauids Hoper the B. of Worceter Rogers tuus olim comprebendarius D. Taylor of Hadley M. Saunders and one Tomkyns a weauer and now this last day M. Cardmaker with an other were burnte in Smithfield at Londō many other in Essex kent whose names are writtē in the boke of life whō yet I do not know West your old companion sometime mine officer alas hath relented as I haue heard but the lord hath shortned hys daies This West whē he had relented sayd masse against his conscience shortly after pined away and died for sorow for anone he died and is gone Grimbolde was caught by the heele and cast into the marshalsee but now is at liberty agayne but I feare me he escaped not withoute some beckyng and bowyng alas of hys knee vnto Baal My deare frende Thomas Ridley of the Bulheade in cheape which was to me the most faithful frend that I had in my trouble is departed also vnto god My brother Ship syde that hath maryed my syster hathe bene almoste halfe a yere in pryson for deliueryng as he was accused of certain thynges I weene from me but now thankes be to god he is at liberty agayne but so that the bishop hath taken from hym hys parke Of al vs three cōcaptiues at Oxford I am kept most strait and with least libertie vel quia viro in cuius edibus ego custodior vxordominatur licet modo sit prefectus ciuitatis mulier vetula morosa superstitiosiss quae etiā hoc sibi laudi ducit quod me dicatur arctissime cautissime custodire vir autem ipse Irischius nomine mitis satis est omnibus vxori vero plusquam obsequentiss Licet vxorem vti nosti nunquam habuerim tamen ex hac quotidiana consuetudine quam cum istis coniugibus habeo videor mihi non nihil posse intelligere quà m graue malum intollerabile iugum sit cum mala mulierein coniugio colligari Recte ergo sapiens dixit vxor bona donum Dei iterum mulieris bonae beatus vir Vel haec inquam causa est vel quia a magnis magistratibus nescio quas ob causas illud est vt ita fieret ipsis mādatum id quod illi si quando de meanimia seruitute apud eos conqueror sedulo soepe rursus mihi inculcant At Cambridge as I heare say Omnes studiorū statutorū reformationes nuper factae nunc sunt denuo deformatae deletae omnia sunt in pristinum chaos in antiquum papismum reducta omnes collegiorum prefecti qui synceritati euāgelij fauebāt vel qui coniugati erāt loco moti sunt alij papisticae factionis in eorum loca surrogati quod de socijs collegiorum qui noluerunt flectere genu Baall factū esse audio Nec mirū nā istud passim factū est in vniuerso regno angliae in omnibus Archiepiscopis Episcopis Decanis prebēdarijs Sacerdotibus ecclesiarum in toto clero and to tel you much naughty matter in a few wordes Papismus apud nos vbique in pleno fuo antiquo robore regnat The Lord be merciful and for Christes sake pardon vs our olde vnkindnesse and vnthankefulnesse for when he powred vppon vs the giftes of hys manifolde graces and fauour alas we dyd not serue him nor rendered vnto hym thankes according to the same We pastors many of vs wer to cold and bare to much alas with the wycked world our magistrates did abuse to theyr owne worldlye gayne bothe gods Gospell and the ministers of the same the people in many places was waywarde and vnkynd Thus of euerye syde and of euery sort we haue prouoked Gods anger and wrathe to fall vppon vs but blessed might he be that hathe not suffred hys to continue in those wayes which so wholy haue displeased hys secrate maiesty but hath awaked them by the fatherly correctiō of his own sons crosse vnto his glory and our endles saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord. My daily prayer is as god doth knowe and by gods grace shal be so lōg as I liue in this world for you my deare brethren that are fled out of your own countrey bicause ye wil rather forsake al worldly things thē the truth of gods word It is euen the same that I vse to make to God for all those churches abroad through the world which haue forsakē the kingdō of Antichrist professed opēly the purity of the gospel of Iesus Christ that is that god our eternall father for our sauior christs sake wil daily encrease in you the gratious gift of his heauenly spirit to the true setting forth of his glory of his gospel make you to agre brotherly in the truth of the same that there ryse no rote of bitternes amōg you that may infect that good sede that god hath sowē in your hartes already and finally that your life may be so pure and so honest accordyng to the rule of
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
to Daniels Prophecy and finally with all falshed deceyte hypocrysy and all kind of vngodlines are as cleane contrarye to Gods word as darknesse is vnto lyghte or lighte to darkenesse white to blacke or blacke to white or as beliall vnto Christ or Christe vnto Antichrist him selfe I know my Lords foresaw whē I wrote this that so manye of you as shoulde see this my writing not beinge before indued with the spirite of grace and the lighte of Gods word so many I say would at these my wordes Lorde like stampe and spurne and spit thereat But sober your selues with pacience and be still and knowe ye that in my writing of this my mind was none other but in God as the liuing God doth beare me witnes both to do you profite and pleasure And otherwise as for your displesure by that time this shal come to your knowledge I trust by gods grace to be in the hands and protection of the almighty my heauēly father and the liuing Lorde which is as S. Iohn sayth the greatest of all and then I shall not nede I trow to feare what any Lord no nor what king or prince can do vnto me My Lordes if in times past ye haue bene cōtented to hear me sometimes in matters of relygion before the Prynce in the pulpit and in the Parliament house and haue not semed to haue dispised what I haue sayd when as els if ye had perceaued iust occasion ye might thē haue suspected in my talk thoughe it had bene reasonable either desire of worldly gain or feare of displeasure howe hath then youre Lordeshyppes more cause to harkē to my word to hear me paciētly seing now ye cannot iustly thinke of me being in this case appointed to dye and loking daylye when I shall be called to come before the eternall iudge otherwise but that I only study to serue my Lord God and to say that thinge which I am perswaded assuredly by Gods worde shal and doth please him and profite all them to whome God shal geue grace to heare and beleue what I do saye and I doe saye euen that I haue sayd heretofore both of the sea of Rome and of the bishoppe therof I meane after this theyr presente state at this daye Wherin if ye will not beleue the ministers of God and true preachers of hys woorde verelye I denounce vnto you in Verbo domini except ye do repēt betime it shal turne to your confusion and to youre smarte on the latter day Forget not what I saye my Lordes for Goddes fake forgette not Psal 4. but remember it vpon youre bedde For I tell you moreouer as I know I must be countable of thys my talke and of my speakinge thus to the eternall iudge who will iudge nothing amisse so shall you be countable of your duety in hearing and you shal be charged if ye wil harkē to gods word for not obeing to the truth Alas my Lordes how chaunceth this that this matter is now a new agayne to be perswaded vnto you who would haue thought of late but your Lordshyps had bene perswaded in deede sufficientlye or els that ye coulde euer haue agreed so vniformelye with one consent to the abolishmēt of the vsurpatiō of the bishop of Rome If that mater were then but a matter of policy wherein the prince must be obeied how is it now made a mater wherin as your clergy sayeth now and so sayth the popes lawes in deede standeth the vnity of the catholike church and a matter of necessitye of oure saluation Hathe the time being so shorte since the deathe of the two last kinges Henry the .viij and Edward his sonne altered the nature of the matter If it haue not but was of the same nature and daunger before God then as it is now be now as it is sayd by the popes lawes and the instructiōs set forth in english to the curates of the dioces of Yorke in deede a matter of necessitye to saluation howe then chaunced it that ye were all O my Lords so lighte and so little passed vpon the catholick faith and the vnity therof without the which no mā can be saued as for your princes pleasures which were but mortal men to forsake the vnitye of youre catholike faith that is to foresake Christ and his holy gospell And furthermore if it were both then and now so necessary to saluation how chaunced it also that ye all the whole body of the Parliamēt agreing with you dyd not only abolish and expel the byshop of Rome but also did abiure him in your own parsons and did decree in your actes great othes to be taken of both the spiritualty tēporalty whosoeuer shold entre into any waighty charge able offyce in the common wealth But on thother syde if that law and decree which maketh the supremacye of the sea and Bishop of Rome ouer the vniuersal church of Christ a thing of necessity required vnto saluation be an Antichristian law as it is in deede and such instructions as are geuen to the dioces of Yorke be in deede a settinge forth of the power of that beast of Babilon by the craft and falshod of hys false prophets as of truth compared vnto Gods word truly iudged by the same it shal playnly appere that they be then my Lordes neuer thinke other but the daye shall come when ye shal be charged with this your vndoing of that that once ye had well done with this your periury breach of your oth which oth was done in iudgement iustice truth agreable to Gods law The whore of Babilō may wel for a time dally with you make you so dronkē with the wine of her filthy stewes whoredom as with her dispensations promises of pardon A pena culpa that for dronkennes blinnes ye may thinke yourselues safe But be ye assured when the liuing Lorde shall trye the matter by the fyre and iudge it according to his word when all her abhominations shall appeare what they be then ye my Lords I geue your Lordships warning in time repent if ye be happy and loue your owne soules health repent I say or els without all doubte ye shall neuer escape the handes of the liuinge Lorde for the gilt of your periury the breach of your oth As ye haue bāketed and layne by the whore in the fornication of her whorysh dispensations pardons idolatry such like abhominations so shall ye drinke with her excepte ye repent betime of the cuppe of the Lords indignation euerlasting wrath which is prepared for the beast his false prophetes al their partakers For he that is partner with thē in they re whoredome abhominatiōs must also be partner with thē of theyr plagues on the latter daye shal be throwne with them into the lake burning with brimstone and vnquenchable fyre Thus fare ye well my Lordes all I praye God geue you vnderstanding of hys blessed
place for me to bryng in franlkely all that I could for the confyrmation of mine answers Now when he had promised all these thynges openly in the hearyng of other Commissioners and of the whole vniuersity of Oxforde yet good reader marke thys that in very deede he perfourmed nothyng of all that he promysed what faythe then shall a man looke to fynde at such iudges handes in the secrete mysteries of God which in theyrs promises so openly made and so duely det I will not speake of the witnesses of the matter are found to be so faithlesse both to God and man well I will leaue it to the iudgemente of the wyse And now for that is leste for vs to do let vs pray that God would haue mercy on his churche of Englande that yet once when it shall be hys good pleasure it may clearely see and gredely embrace in the face of Iesus Christ the wyl of the heauenly father and that of hys infinite mercye he would eyther turne to hym the ragyng and rauening wolues and most subtyll seducers of his people whiche are by them altogether spoyled and bewitched eyther that of hys most rightuous iudgement he would dryue these faythlesse feeders from hys flocke that they may no more bee able to trouble and scatter abroad Christes shepe from their shepeherd and that spedely Amen Amen And let euery one that hath the spirite as S. Iohn sayeth say Amen Yet further know thou that when Maister Prolocutour did put forth three propositions he dyd commaund vs to answer particularly to them all After our answers neyther he nor hys fellowes did euer enter into any disputation of any one of thē sauyng only of the fyrst Yea when that he had asked vs after disputations of the fyrst as ye haue heard for my part whether we would subscribe to the whole in such sort forme and words as there are set forth withoute further disputation whych thynge we denied by and by he gaue sentēce against vs all that is against me Doctour Cranmer Doctour Latimer my most dere fathers brethrē in christ cōdemning vs for hainous heretikes cōcerning euery of these propositiōs and so separated vs one from another sending vs seuerally into sundry and diuerse houses to be kept moste secretlye to the day of our burning and as before so still commaunded that all and euerye one of our seruauntes shoulde be kepte from vs wherto he added that at his departure thence pen inke and paper should depart from vs also He meaneth here that godlye and fruitefull report of his disputation in Oxford whiche he penned with his own hand But thanks be to God that gaue me to write thys before the vse of suche thinges were vtterly taken awaye Almyghty God whyche beholdeth the causes of the afflicted is wonted to lose loke mercifully on the bonds gronings of the captiues he vouch safe now to looke vpō the causes of hys pore church in Englād of his great wisdome vnspeakable mercy wyth speede to make an end of our misery Amen Amen Amen ⧠Letters of mayster Iohn Hoper late Byshoppe of Glocester wher after his long and cruel imprisonmente in the flete he was burnte wyth most terrible kindes of tormentes as you may reade in the boke of martyrs fol. 1062. for the defēce of the syncere truth of the gospell the 9. day of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord. 1555. ¶ A letter which he wrote to certayn godly persons professours and louers of the truth instructing them howe they shoulde behaue them selues at the beginnynge of the chaunge of religion THe grace mercy and peace of God the father throughe our Lorde Iesus Chryste be wyth you my deare brethren and wyth al those that vnfaynedly loue and embrace his holye gospell Amen It is tolde me that the wycked Idole the masse is stablyshed agayne by a law passed in the Parleament house Lerne the truth of it I pray you what penalty is appointed in the act to such as speake agaynst it Also whether there be any cōpulsion to constraine men to be at it The statute throughlye knowne such as be abroade at liberty maye prouide for them selues and auoyd the daunger the better Doubtles there hath not bene sene before our tyme such a parleament as thys is that as many as were suspected to be fauourers of gods worde shoulde be banyshed out of both houses But we must geue god thankes for that truth he hathe opened in the time of hys blessed seruaunte kynge Edwarde the syxte and praye vnto hym that we denye it not nor dyshoner it with idolatrye but that we maye haue strength and patience rather to dye tenne tymes then to deny him once Blessed shall we be if euer god make vs worthye of that honoure to shede oure bloode for hys names sake And blessed then shall we thinke the parentes whiche broughte vs into thys worlde that we shoulde from thys mortalitye be caried into immortalitye If we followe the commaundemente of Saynte Paule that sayth if ye be risen agayne wyth Chryste Col. 3. seeke the thynges that be aboue where Chryste sytteth at the righte hande of God we shall neyther departe from the vayne transitorye goodes of thys worlde nor from thys wretched and mortall lyfe wyth so greate paynes as other doe Let vs praye to our heauenlye father that we maye knowe and loue hys blessed wyll and the gloryous ioye prepared for vs in time to come and that we maye knowe and hate all thynges contrarye to hys blessed wyll and also the payne prepared for the wicked men in the world to come There is no better waye to be vsed in thys troublesome tyme for your consolation then many tymes to haue assemblies to gether of suche menne and women as be of your religion in Chryste and there to talke and renewe amonge your selues the truth of youre religion to see what ye be by the woord of God and to remembre what yee were before yee came to the knowledge thereof to waygh and conferre the dreames and false lyes of the preachers that nowe preache wyth the woorde of God that retayneth all truth and by suche talke and familiar resortinge together ye shall the better fynde out all their lyes that nowe goe aboute to deceyue you and also both knowe and loue the truth that God hath opened to vs. It is muche requisite that the members of Chryste comforte one an other make prayers together conferre one with another so shall ye be the stronger and Gods spirite shall not be absent from you but in the myds of you to teach you to comfort you to make you wise in al godly thyngs patiente in aduersity and strong in persecution Ye se how the congregatiō of the wicked by helping one an other make their wicked religion themselues strong against Gods truth hys peple It ye may haue some lerned mā that can out of the scriptures speak vnto you of faith
faythe and firme hope of eternall life dearely beloued whiche of long tyme ye haue learned and throughlye perswaded your selues in by the truth vnfallible veritye of the heauenlye worde sealed with christes most precious blood is verye sore and daungerouslye assaulted and by all meanes possible attempted to be taken from you that ye should haue no longer credit to gods truth but beleue mās lies nor haue you saluation by Christe that once died and offred himself for sinne once for al but that ye should beleue now your saluation in Christ to be manye times offered by wicked men euery day in the abhominable masse to the vtter conculcation and defacing of christes death as the wicked pope and his adherents would perswade you not as Christ your sauiour hath taught you But this sodaine and miserable chaunge from the truth vnto falshode from god Christ to the deuil and Antichrist doubtles cōmeth of god for our manifold synnes towardes the heauenly father our shephard that taught vs a long time with his blessed word and we were neither thankefull for it nor yet put our trust in hym as in one that onely could saue and defend his own word but we thought in our folishnes that the world was so much and so many wayes with the word of God that euen by mannes strength it myght haue ben defended wheras the truth of gods word is permanent and neuer fayleth saying Ieremy 17 Psal 30 cursed be they that make flesh their defence shield For as king Dauid when god had broughte him to possesse hys kyngdome peaceably sayde like a foole as he was I shall neuer be more vnquieted but yet the Lord turned his face from hym and he found straight way such an alteration as he neuer founde before with increase of newe daungers more troublous then euer he had before euen likewise whē god had geuen vs a blessed and holy king and such maiestrates although they were synners as wished the glorye of god onely to be preferred by true doctrine we lyke carnall men thought our selues so sure and so stablished that it had not bene possible to haue sene such a pitious and myserable chaunge and the truth of gods word so oppressed as we see at this present daye But we be most worthely punished euen the same wayes that we haue offended We dyd put our trust in fleshe and where as Gods spirite in fleshe dwelled as in our holy blessed kyng Edward the sixte he is now dead in the flesh and his holy soule resteth with the heauenly father in ioyes for euer he is nowe I saye taken from vs and cannot helpe vs such as in his tyme seemed much to fauour the glory of god are become gods enemies can both hear other to proced against the glory of god also set fort the same thēselues as much as thei may so that such spirituall and godly persons as sought in the flesh gods glory are taken from vs or els in such case as they can doe vs no good And such fleshe as folowed and loued God in the sighte of the worlde and had great vauntage by hys word are become his very enemies and not only his but also enemies to hys members But yet as kyng Dauyd knew his folish foly and with repentaunce repented and found grace so it may please god to geue vs of his grace holy spirit to amend our faultes in the lyke offence and helpe vs as he did him But doubtles great is our iniquity For there was neuer so great abhomination redde of and so quickly to preuaile as this abhomination of the wicked masse hathe preuailed in Englande And all Christen men knowe that the Turkes and heathen neither haue nor yet had euer any so sensibly knowen and manifest an Idoll Wherfore Vpon this psalme as vpon dyuers other he wrote a godly most comfortable treatise whe◠unto he annexed this letter as a preface that almighty god of his mercye may preserue his people in this noble City of London I haue write vpon the 23. psal of king Dauid to aduertise men howe they shal beware of heresies and false doctrine and so to lyue to his honour and glorye Albeit I knowe dearely beloued that all those whiche seeke Godes honour and the furtheraunce of his gospel bee accompted the Quenes enemies although we daily pray for her grace and neuer thynke her harme but we must content to suffer slaunder patiētly to beare al such iniuries Neuertheles this is out of doubt that the Quenes highnes hathe no aucthoritye to compell any man to beleue any thyng contrary to gods worde neyther may the subiecte geue her grace that obedience in case he do his soule is lost for euer Our bodies goods and liues be at her highnes commaundement and she shall haue thē as of true subiects but the soule of man for religiō is bound to none but vnto god and hys holy word To a certayne godly woman instructing her how she should behaue her selfe in the time of her widowhode THe grace of god and the comfort of his holy spirit be with you and with all them that vnfainedly loue his holy gospell Amen I thanke you deare sister for yor most louing remembraunce and althoughe I can not recompence the same yet doe I wishe with all my hart that god would doe it requiring you not to forget your duty towardes god in these perilous days in the which the Lorde wyll trye vs. I truste you doe increase by readyng of the Scriptures the knowledge you haue of God and that you diligently applye your selfe to folowe the same for the knowledge helpeth not excepte the lyfe be accordyng there vnto Further I do hartely praye you to consider the state of your widowhode and if God shall put in your mynde to chaunge it remember the sayeng of Saint Paule 1. Corinthians 7 it is lawfull for the widow or mayden to mary to whom they list so it be in the lord that is to say to such a one as is of Christes religion Dearely beloued in Christ remember these wordes for you shal fynd therby great ioy and comfort if you chaunge your state Whereof I will when I haue better leysure as now I haue none at all further aduertise you In the meane time I commende you to God and the guidyng of hys good spirite who stablyshe and confirme you in all well doyng and keepe you blameles to the daye of the Lorde Watche and praye for this day is at hand Yours assured in Christ Ioh Hoper An aunswer to a frende of his for a woman that was troubled with her husband in matters of religion how she should behaue her selfe towardes him THe grace and peace of God our deare father throughe Iesus Christe oure Lord Amen As concerning the party whom you wrote vnto me of I haue here sent you mine aduise and what I thynke is beste in this case to be done Fyrste she shall
and transitorye Happye are we if we departe in the Lorde who graunte vnto you and to all your fellowe prysoners fayth and constancy Commend me to the moste reuerend fathers and holy confessors of Christe D. Cranmer Bishoppe of Caunterburye D. Rydley bishop of London and the good olde father D. Latymer Them and al the rest of the prisoners wyth you for the Lords cause salute in my name and in the name of all my fellowe Ministers the whiche do wyshe vnto you the grace of god and constancye in the truth Concernyng the state of our church it remayneth euen as it was when you departed from vs into your countrey God graunt we may be thankefull to hym and that we doe not onely professe the fayth wyth wordes but also expresse the same effectually wyth good workes to the prayse of our Lord. The worde of god increaseth daily in that part of Italye that is nere vnto vs and in Fraunce In the meane whyle the godly susteyne greuous persecutions and wyth great constancy and glory through torments they go vnto the Lord. I and all my household wyth my sonnes in lawe and kynsmen are in good health in the Lorde They doe all salute you and praye for your constancye beyng sorowfull for you and the rest of the prisoners There came vnto vs Englyshe men studentes both godlye and learned they be receaued of oure Magistrate Tenne of them dwell together the reast remaine here and there with good men Emonges the rest M. Thomas Leuer is deare vnto me and familiar If there be any thing wherin I may do any pleasure to your wife children they shall haue me wholy at cōmaundement Wherof I wil write also to your wife for I vnderstand she abideth at Franckford Be strong and mery in Christ waytyng for hys deliueraunce when and in what sorte it shall seme good vnto hym The Lorde Iesus shew pity vpon the realme of England and illuminate the same wyth his holy spirit to the glory of his name and the saluation of soules The Lorde Iesus preserue you and delyuer you from all euill with all them that call vpon his name Farewell and farewell eternally The 10. of October 1554. From Zurich You know the hand H. B. ⧠Certayne letters of Doctor Taylor parson of Hadley in Suffolke who by his death martyrdom there witnessed and confyrmed that doctrine which he had before most painfully and faithfullye taughte The 9. of February in the yere of our Lord. 1555. ¶ To my deare fathers and brethren D. Cranmer D. Rydley and D. Latymer prisoners in Oxforde for the faythfull testimonye of gods holye Gospell RYght reuerend fathers in the lord I wysh you to enioye continually gods grace and peace throughe Iesus Christ and God bee praysed agayne and agayne for thys your most excellēt promotiō which ye are called vnto at this presēt that is that ye are coūted worthy to be allowed amongest the nūber of Christs recordes and witnesses Many professe god ad ignem exclusiue that is in words outwarde profession but few stick to him ad ignem inclusiue that is in dede and in suffring for his sake England hath had but a few learned bishoppes that would sticke to Christ ad ignem inclusiue Once agayne I thanke God hartely in Christ for your most happy onset most valiant proceding most cōstant suffryng of al such infamyes hyssynges clappyngs taūtes open rebukes losse of lyuyng and liberty for the defence of gods cause truth and glorye I can not vtter wyth penne how I reioyce in my harte for you iij. such captaynes in the foreward vnder Christes crosse banner or standerd in such a cause and skyrmishe when not onely one or ij of our deare redemers strong holdes are besieged but all hys chiefe castels ordeyned for our safegard are trayterously impugned Thys your enterprise in the sight of all that he in heauen of all gods people in earth is most pleasant to behold This is an other manner of nobilitie then to be in the forefronte in worldly warrefares For gods sake praye for vs for we faile not daily to praye for you We are stronger and stronger in the lord hys name be praysed and we doubt not but ye be so in Christe owne sweete schole Heauen is all and wholy of our syde therefore Gaudete in domino semper et iterum gaudete et exultate Your assured in Christ Rowland Taylor ¶ To a frende of his whiche was desyrous to know the talke that was betwixt him and the Quenes commissioners at the tyme of hys examination WHeras you would haue me to wryte the talk betwene the king and Quenes most honourable councel and me on Tuesday the xxij of Ianuar. this so farre as I remēber was the effect therof Fyrst my lord Chaūcellor said you amōg other are at this tyme sent for to enioy the Kynges and Quenes maiesties fauour and mercy if you wyll now ryse agayne with vs from the fall which we generally haue receiued in this Realme from the which god be praysed we are now clearely deliuered miraculously If you will not ryse wyth vs now and receyue mercy now offered you shall haue iudgement accordyng to youre demerites To this I aunswered that so to rise shoulde be the greatest fall that euer I coulde receiue for I shoulde so fall from my deare sauiour Christ to Antichriste For I doe beleue that the Religion set forth in Kyng Edwardes dayes was accordyng to the veyne of the holy Scripture whiche conteineth fully all the rules of our christian religion from the which I do not intende to decline so long as I liue by gods grace Then maister Secretary Bourne sayd whiche of the religions meane you of in kyng Edwardes dais for you know there were dyuers bokes of religion set forth in hys dayes There was a religion set forth in a Cathechisme by my Lord of Caunterburye do you meane that you will sticke to that I aunswered my lord of Caunterbury made a Catechisme to be translated into Englishe whiche booke was not of his owne makyng yet he set it forth in his own name and truely that booke for the tyme dyd much good but there was after that set forth by the most innocent king Edwarde for whō god be praysed euerlastingly the whole churche Seruice set forthe wyth greate deliberation and the aduise of the best learned men of the realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receiued and published gladly by the whole realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfited accordyng to the rules of our religion in euerye behalfe that no christian conscience coulde be offended with any thyng therin conteyned I meane of that booke refourmed Then my lord Chauncellour saide diddest thou neuer read the booke that I set forthe of the Sacrament I aunaunswered that I had redde it Then he sayde howe likest thou that boke With that one of the Councel whose name I
know not sayde my Lorde that is a good question for I am sure that booke stoppeth all their mouthes Then said I my Lorde I thynke manye thinges be farre wyde from the truth of Gods word in that booke Then my lord sayd thou art a very varlet To that I aunswered that is as yll as Racha or Fatue Then my Lord sayd thou art an ignoraunt betyll browe To that I aunswered I haue redde ouer and ouer agayne the holye Scriptures and Saint Austines workes throughe and Saynct Cyprian Eusebius Origene Gregory Nazianzen with dyuers other bookes through oute therfore I thanke God I am not vtterly ignorauÌ„t Besides these my lord I professed the Ciuil lawe as your Lordship dyd and I haue redde ouer the Cannon law also Then my lorde sayd with a corrupte iudgemente thou readest all things Touchyng my profession it is Diuinitie in whiche I haue written diuers bookes Then I saide my Lorde ye dyd wryte one booke De vera obedientia I would you had bene constant in that for in deede you neuer did declare a good conscieÌ„ce that I heard of but in that one booke Then my Lord said tut tut tut I wrote against Bucer in priestes mariages but such bookes please not such wretches as thou art which hast bene maried many yeres To that I answered I am maried in dede I haue had .ix chidreÌ„ in holy matrimony I thanke god this I am sure of that your procedings now at this present in this realme against priestes mariages is the mainteinauÌ„ce of the doctryne of deuils against natural law Ciuil law CanoÌ„ law generall CouÌ„cels CanoÌ„s of the apostles auÌ„cieÌ„t doctors gods lawes TheÌ„ spake my lord of Duresme saying you professed the Ciuil lawe as you saye then you knowe that Iustinian writeth that priestes at their takyng of Orders shoulde sweare that they were neuer maried and he bryngeth in to proue that Canones Apostolorum To that I aunswered that I dyd not remember any suche lawe of Iustinian but I am sure that Iustinian writeth in Titulo de indicta viduitate in cod that if one would bequeath to his wife in his testament alâ—egacie vnder a condition that she should neuer marye agayne and take an othe of her for the accomplyshyng of the same yet she shall marye againe if he dye notwithstandyng the aforesayd condition and othe taken and made agaynst mariage and an othe is an other manner of obligation to God then is a papisticall vowe Moreouer in the Pandectes it is contayned that if a man doe manumit his handmayd vnder a condition that she shall neuer marye yet she maye mary her Patrone shal loose ius patronatus for his adding of the vnnatural vnlawful conditioÌ„ against matrimony Then my Lorde Chauncelour saide thou sayest that priestes maye be maryed by gods lawe howe prouest thou that I aunswered by the playne wordes and sentences of S. Paule bothe to Timothy and to Titus where S. Paule doth speake most euidently of the mariage of priestes Deacons and bishops And S. Chrysostome writing vpon the Epistle to Timothy saithe it is an heresy to say that a Bishop may not be maried Then my lorde Chauncellour said thou lyest of Chrisostome but thou doest as all thy companions do belye euer without al shame both the scriptures the doctors Diddest thou not also saye that by the Cannon law priestes may be maried which is most vntrue and the contrary is most true I answered we reade in the decrees that the fower generall counsels Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesme and Calcedon haue the same autoritye that the foure Euangelistes haue And we reade in the same decrees which is one of the chiefe bookes of the Canon lawe that the Councell of Nice by the meanes of one Paphnutius dyd allowe Priestes and bishops mariages therefore by the best part of the Canon law priestes may be maryed Then my Lorde Chauncellor said thou falsifiest the generall councel for there is expresse mention in the said decree that priests should be diuorced from their wyues which be maried TheÌ„ sayd I if those words be there as you say theÌ„ am I content to lose thys great head of myne let the booke be fetched Then sayd my lord of Duresme thoughe they bee not there yet they may be in Ecclesiastica historia which Eusebius wrote out of which boke the decree was takeÌ„ Then sayd I it is not like that the pope would leaue out any such sentence hauing such authoritie making so much for hys purpose Then my lord Chauncelor sayd Gracian was but a patcher and thou art glad to snatch vp such a patch as maketh for thy purpose I aunswered my Lord I can not but maruaile that you do cal one of the chiefe papistes that euer was but a patcher Then my lord Chauncelor sayd Nay I call thee a snatcher a patcher To make an end wilte thou not returne againe with vs to the Catholike church and with that he rose And I said By gods grace I wil neuer depart froÌ„ Christes church Then I required that I might haue some of my frendes to come to me in prison And my lord ChauÌ„celor sayd thou shalt haue iudgemeÌ„t within this weke My lord of Durreme would that I should beleue as my father and my mother I alledged S. Augustine that we oughte to preferre gods word before al men And so I was deliuered againe vnto my keper R. T. The copy of a writing that D. Taylour sent to a frende of hys concerning the causes vvherfore he vvas condemned IT is heresie to defend any doctrine against the holy scripture therfore the Lord Chauncelor and byshops consenting to his sentence against me be heretikes for they haue geueÌ„ sentence against the mariage of priests knowing that S. Paule to Timothe and Titus writeth playnly that Byshops priestes and Deacons may be maried knowing also that by S. Paules doctrine it is the doctrine of deuilles to inhibite matrimony and S. Paule willeth euery faythfull minister to teach the people so least they be deceaued by the marked marchauntes 1. Tim. 4. These bishops are not ignorant that it is not only S. Paules counsel and lawful but gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„t also to marry for such as can not other wise liue chast neither auoyde fornicatioÌ„ 1. Cor. 7 Gene. 2. They know that such as do marry do not sinne They know that god before sinne was ordained matrimony and the in paradise betwene two of his principal creatures MaÌ„ Woman They know what spirite they haue whiche say it is euil to marrye seing God sayd Gene. 2. it is not good for maÌ„ to be alone without a wife hauing no speciall gift contrary to the generall coÌ„maundement and ordinaunce diuerse times repeted in the booke of Genesis Gene. 1. which is to encrease multiply They know that Abraham caried into the land of Chanaan his old yet barraine wife the vertuous womaÌ„ Sara with him Gene. 12. leauing father mother
their pastour who though he be vnworthy of suche a ministery yet Christ theyr high pastour is to be regarded whose truth hath bene taught them by me is witnessed by my chaines and by hys power shal be by my death also Be not carefull good wyfe cast your care on the Lord and commend me vnto hym in repentaunt prayer as I do you and oure Samuell whom euen at the stake I wyl offer as my selfe vnto God Fare ye well all in Christ in hope to be ioyned wyth you in ioy euerlastyng This hope is layed vp in my bosome Amen Amen pray pray Out of the Counter in Breadstreate L. Saunders To hys VVyfe and other of hys frendes GRace and comforte in Christ Amen Deare wyfe be mery in the mercies of our Christe ye also my deare frendes Pray pray for vs euery body We be shortly to bee dispatched hence vnto oure good Christ Amen Amen Wyfe I would you sent me my shirte which you know wherunto it is consecrated Let it be sowed downe on both the sydes and not open Oh my heauenly father looke vpon me in the face of thy Christ or els I shal not be hable to abide thy countenance such is my fylthines He wyll doe so and therefore I wyll not be afrayde what sinne death hel and damnation can do agaynst me O wife alwayes remember the Lorde God blesse you yea he wyll blesse thee good wyfe and thy poore boy also onelye cleaue thou vnto hym and he wyll geue thee all thinges Praye praye praye ¶ To mayster Robert Glouer and Iohn Glouer two worthy brethren as in the fleshe so in the Lorde the one afterward a Martyr the other a faythfull confessour MY dearly beloued and mine own hartes in the lord M. Glouers with al yours and the rest which with you vnfaynedly feare god comfort your selues in his swere Christ I besech you be thankeful vnto that merciful Lorde alwaies for his vnspeakeable goodnes among other for me hys most vnworthy minister I thanke my God Christ I was neuer better acquainted with him in al my life and I perceaue he is no lesse louing then his woorde warranteth him to bee Be thankefull I say and pray pray multum valet deprecatio iusti I was at this presente muche occupied elles I would haue enlarged in some matter needefull c. The deuill roreth bicause he can not haue hys foule will he must bee at lengthe I weene eased by the bloode of Gods Saints and yet that shall bee his bane bee he sure and that shortely by gods goodnes Be mery feare not litle flocke saieth our swete comforter Luki 12. for it pleaseth your father to prouyde a kingdome for you Etiam Amen Veni domine Iesu veni cito The heauenly blessing of god be with you all In the Marshalse 28. Octob. 1553. A prisoner of the Lorde the Lordes name be blessed foreuer Laurence Saunders An other letter to M. Glouers written the same morning that he was burnte GRace and consolation in our swete sauiour Christ Oh my deare brethren whom I loue in the Lord being loued of you also in the Lorde be merye and reioyce for me nowe ready to goe vp to that myne inheritaunce which I my self in dede am most vnworthy of but my deare Christ is worthy who hath purchased the same for me with so deare a price Make haste my deare brethren to come vnto me that we may be mery eo gaudio quod nemo tollet a nobis Oh wretched sinner that I am not thankful vnto thys my Father who hath vouched me worthye to bee a vessell vnto hys honoure But O Lorde nowe accepte my thankes though they proceede out of a not enough circumcised hart Salute my good sisters your wiues and good sisters feare the Lorde Salute all other that loue vs in the truth Gods blessing be with you alwaies Amen Euē now towardes the offeryng of a burnte sacrifice Oh my Christe helpe or elles I peryshe Laurence Saunders A letter written to a certayne backeslyder from the truth of Gods woorde whiche he had both professed and taught the whiche bicause it is thought of some albeit not certaynly knowen to be written by M. Saunders we haue here annexed vnto hys letters IN mine own name and in the name of manye other your old familiars and acquaintance I do write vnto you in heuines of hart for that we haue heard of your fal Oh how much better had it beene for you neuer to haue set your hand to the plough then negligently to looke backe yea and folishly to follow that plough that tilleth not gods fielde but turneth vp the rootes of that seede which in times past you your self haue sowē Alas how folish a builder were you that woulde enterpryse to builde vppon the rocke Christ seing in your selfe not onely the lacke of those thinges which be requyred to the finishyng of that worke but also the lacke of a will to haue them as appeareth by that that you goe aboute to ouerthrowe that little whiche you seemed to haue myghtely builded vppon that rocke Howe folyshe a virgine haue you declared your selfe to bee which haue gone forth to meete the bridegrome and taryed so long for hys comming not hauing oyle in stoore Math. 25. but are nowe driuen when you heare the voyce of the forerunner to seke at them that sell You bancketed with the children of the bridegrome so long as he was with vs but now he is gone you leaue vs alone to faste You were contented to be fedde at Christes hand with fyue thousand but whē he willeth you not to seeke the meate that perysheth you depart The children of Israell were muche to be blamed for that they desired to be in Egipt agayne and yet was their lacke and laboure then more in deserte then yours in London Alas wretched man what hath caused thee thus to caste awaye thy selfe once knowing the truth and to take in hande to be a minister in Antichristes Church Arte thou so sone wery of the heauenly Manna and so readye to returne to thy olde vomite agayne we thought thou haddest beene so cleane escaped through the woorde of grace that thou haddest bene a worthy man to be a comforte to them that stand a succour to the weake and an helpe to them that fall and art thou now roled in thy filthye pudle agayn and art become an helper to put other into the same Oh more then damnable doings the forgeuenes wherof farre passeth the hope of man And were it not that things impossible to man are possible with God we shoulde vtterly despayre of thy returne But knowing that with God there is no impossibilitie we wil not only aduertyse thee to remember frō whence thou arte fallen that thou mayest seeke to ryse agayne but we will also praye that he to whom thy returne is possible will vouchsafe of hys infinite mercyes to worke it in thee Thou haste with Iudas solde thy moste
how soeuer for a tyme it seme otherwise to your senses Hang on the prouidence of god not only whē you haue meanes to helpe you but also whē you haue no meanes yea whē al meanes be againste you Geue hym thys honour which of all other thynges he most chieflye requireth at your handes namely beleue that ye are his childrē through Christ that he is your father God through him that he loueth you pardoneth you al your offences that he is with you in trouble wil be with you for euer When ye fal he wil put vnder his hand ye shall not lie stil Before ye cal vppon him he heareth you out of euill he wil finally bring you and deliuer you to his eternal kingdome Doubte not my dearely beloued hereof doubte not I say this wil god your father doe for you in respecte not of your selues but in respect of Christ your captaine your pastour your keper out of whose handes none shal be able to catch you In him be quiet and often consider your dignity namely how that ye bee gods children the saintes of God citizens of heauen temples of the holy ghost the thrones of God members of Christ and Lords ouer all Therfore be ashamed to thinke speake or doe any thyng that should be vnsemely for Gods children Gods saintes Christes member c. Marueil not though the deuil and the world hate you though ye be persecuted here for the seruaunt is not aboue his maister Couet not earthly riches feare not the power of man loue not this world nor things that be in this worlde but long for the Lorde Iesus his comming at which time your bodies shall be made like vnto his glorious body Whē he appeareth ye shal be like vnto him when your life thus shal be reuealed then shal ye appeare with hym in glory in the meane season liue in hope hereof Let the lyfe you lead be in the fayth of the sonne of god for that iuste doth liue by fayth which faith flyeth frō all euill followeth the word of god as a lanterne to her feete a light to her steps her eyes be aboue where Christ is shee beholdeth not the thinges present but rather thinges to come she glorieth in afflictions she knoweth that the afflictions of this life are not to be compared to the glory which god wil reueale to vs and in vs. Of this glory god graunt vs here a liuely tast thē shall we runne after the sent it sendeth forth It will make vs valiant mē to take to vs the kingdome of god whether the lord of mercy bring vs in his good time through Christ our lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one God be al honour and glory world without end Amen My dearly beloued I would gladly haue geuen here my body to haue beene burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I haue taught here vnto you but that my countrey must haue therefore I pray you take in good part this signification of my good wil towards euery of you Impute the want herein to time and trouble Pardon me mine offēsiue and negligent behauiour when I was amonges you With me repent and labour to amend continue in the truth which I haue truly taught vnto you by preaching in al places where I haue come Gods name therefore bee praysed confesse Christe when ye are called what soeuer commeth thereof and the God of peace be with vs al. Amen Your brother in bondes for the Lordes sake Iohn Bradford To al that loue the lord Iesus and his true doctrine being in rhe vniuersity and towne of Cambridge Iohn Bradforde a most vnworthy seruaunt of the lord novve not onely prisoned but also condemned for the same true doctrine vvysheth grace peace and mercye vvith encrease of all godlines from god the father of al mercy through the bloody passion of our alonely Sauiour Iesus Christ by the liuely workyng of the holy spirite for euer Amen ALthoughe I looke hourely when I should bee hadde to the stake my righte dearelye beloued in the Lorde and althoughe the charge ouer me is greate and straite yet hauyng by the prouidence of GOD secretlye penne and inke I coulde not but something signifye vnto you my solicitude which I haue for you and euery of you in the Lord though not as I would yet as I maye Ye haue often and openly heard the truth especially in this matter wherin I am cōdemned disputed and preached that it is nedeles to do any more but only to put you in remembraunce of the same but hetherto ye haue not heard it confirmed as it were sealed vp as now ye do shal do here by me that is by my death and burning For Albeit I haue deserued through my vncleannes hipocrisie auarice vayneglory idlenes vnthankfulnes and carnalitye whereof I accuse my self to my confusion before the world that before God through Christ I mighte as my assured hope is I shal finde mercy eternal death hel fire much more then this affliction fire prepared for me yet my dearelye beloued it is not these or any of these thynges wherefore the Prelates do persecute me but gods veretye and truthe yea euen Christe hym selfe is the onely cause and thynge wherefore I nowe am condemned and shall bee burned as an heretyque because I wyll not graunt the Anttchrist of Rome to be Christs Vicar generall supreame head of his church here and euery where vpon earth by gods ordinance bicause I will not graunt such corporall real and carnall presence of Christes body blood in the sacrament as doth transubstantiate the substance of bread wine and is receaued of the wicked yea of dogs and mice Also I am excommunicated and coūted as a dead member of Christes church as a rotten braunch therfore shal be cast into the fire Therfore ye ought hartely to reioyce with me to geue thankes for me that god the eternall father hath vouched safe our mother to bring vp any childe in whom it would please him to magnifye his holy name as he doth I hope for his mercy and truthes sake wil do in me by me Oh what such benefite vpō earth cā there be as that that which deserued death by reasō of my sinnes should be diuerted to a demonstration a testification and confirmation of gods verity and truth Thou my mother the Vniuersitye haste not only had the truth of gods woorde playnly manifested vnto thee by reading disputing preaching publikely priuately but now to make thee altogether excuseles and as it wer almost to sinne against the holy ghost if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romyshe route to suppresse the verity set out the cōtrary thou hast my life and blood as a seale to confyrme thee if thou wilt be confirmed or els to confound thee beare witnes agaynst thee if thou wilt take parte with the prelates and clergye which
ye repente not if ye leaue not your Idolatry if ye tourne not spedely to the Lord if ye stil be ashamed of Christes truth whiche ye knowe Oh Perne repent Oh Thomson repente Oh ye Doctors Bachelors and Maisters repent Oh Maior Aldermen towne dwellers repente repente repente that ye maye escape the nere vengeaunce of the Lord. Rent your harts and come apace calling on the Lord. Let vs al say Peccauimus we haue synned we haue done wickedlye we haue not harkened to thy voyce O Lord. Deale not with vs after our deserts but be merciful to our iniquities for they are great Oh pardon vs our offences In thyne anger remember thy mercy Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde God of hostes for the glorye of thy names sake spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Let not the wicked people say wher is now their god Oh for thine own sake for thy names sake deale mercifully with vs. Turne thy self vnto vs and vs vnto thee and we shall prayse thy name for euer If in thys sort my dearly beloued in hart and mouth we come vnto oure father and prostrate oure selues before the throne of his grace then surely surely we shal find mercye then shal the Lord loke merely vpon vs for his mercye sake in Christ then shal we heare him speake peace vnto his people for he is gracious and mercifull of greate pitye and compassion he cā not be chiding for euer his anger can not last long to the penitent Though we wepe in the morning yet at night we shal haue our sorow to cease for he is exorable hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner he rather wold our conuersion and turning Oh turne you nowe and conuert yet once againe I humbly besech you then the kingdome of heauen shall draw nygh The eye hath not sene the eare hath not heard nor the harte of mā is able to conceaue the ioyes prepared for vs if we repente amende oure liues and hartely turne to the Lord. But if ye repente not but be as ye were and goe on forwardes with the wicked following the fashion of the world the Lord will lead you on with wicked doers ye shall peryshe in your wickednes youre blood will be vppon your owne heades your part shall be with hipocrites where shall be wepyng and gnashyng of teeth ye shall be caste from the face of the Lorde for euer and euer eternall shame sorrow woe and misery shall be both in body and soule to you worlde without end Oh therfore ryght deare to me in the Lord turne you turne you repent you repent you amend amend your liues departe from euill do good follow peace and pursue it Come out frō Babilon caste of the woorkes of darkenes put on Christ confesse hys truth be not ashamed of hys Gospel prepare your selues to the crosse drinke of Gods cuppe before it come to the dregges and then shall I with you and for you reioyce in the daye of iudgemente whiche is at hand and therfore prepare your selues therto I hartely besech you And thus I take my Vale in aeternum with you in thys presente lyfe myne owne deare hartes in the Lorde The Lorde of mercy bee with vs all and geue vs a ioyfull and sure meetyng in his kingdome Amen Amen Out of prison the .11 of February Anno. 1555. Your owne in the Lord for euer Iohn Bradford ¶ To all those that professe the name and true religion of our Sauioure Iesus Christe in Lankeshyre and Chesshire and specially abyding in Manchester and theraboutes Iohn Bradford a moste vnworthy seruant of the Lord now not only in bondes but also cōdemned for the same true religion wisheth mercye and grace peace and encrease of all godlines frō god the father of all pietie throughe the desertes of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the workyng of the most mighty and liuely spirite the comforter for euer Amen I Heare it reported credibly my derely beloued in the lord that my heauēly father hath thought it good to prouyde that The enemies had apointed to burne hym at Māchester but the lord altered their purpose as I haue preached his true gospel and doctrine amonges you by worde so I shal testify and confyrme the same by deede that is I shall with you leaue my life which by his prouidence I firste receaued there for in Manchester was I borne for a seale to the doctrine I haue taught with you emonges you so that if from henceforth you wauer in the same you haue none excuse at all I know the enemies of Christ which exercise this crueltye vpon me I speake it in respect of mine offence which is none to thē wardes thinke by killyng of me amongs you to affray you and others lest they should attempt to teach Christ truly or beleeue hys doctryne hereafter but I doubte not but that heauenly father will by my death more confyrme you in his truth for euer And therfore I greatly reioyce to see Sathā and his souldiours supplanted in their own sapience which is playne folishnes emonges the wise in deede that is emonges such as haue heard gods worde and do followe it for they onely are accompted wyse of the wisedome of God our sauiour In dede if I shoulde simplye consider my lyfe wyth that which it ought to haue bene and as God in hys lawe requireth then could I not but crye as I do Iustus es domine omnia iudicia tua vera Righteous art thou O lord and all thy iudgements are true For I haue muche greued thee and transgressed thy holy precepts not onely before my professing the gospel but sythen also yea euen sithē my commyng into prison I do not excuse but accuse my selfe before god and all his church that I haue greuouslye offended my Lorde god I haue not lyued hys gospell as I shoulde haue done I haue sought my selfe not symply onely his glory and my brethernes commodity I haue ben to vnthākful secure carnal hypocritical vayn glorious c. Al which my euils the lorde of mercy pardon me for his christes sake as I hope certainly beleue he hath done for hys great mercy in Christ our redemer But whē I consider the cause of my cōdemnation I can not but lamēt the I do no more reioyce thē I do for it is gods verity and truth so that the condēnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply but rather a condemnation of Christ and his truth Bradford is nothing els but an instrument in whom Christ and his doctrine is condemned And therfore my dearely beloued reioyce reioyce and geue thākes with me for me that euer god did vouchsafe so great a benefit to our countrey as to choose the most vnworthy I meane my selfe to be one in whom it woulde please him to suffer any kynde of affliction much more thys violent kynd of death which I perceiue is prepared for me emongs you for his sake Al glory praise
two thynges one the cause on our behalfe the other what wil be the sequel on straungers For the first yf we be not blynd we cannot but well see that our sinnes are the cause of all this misery our synnes I saye whiche I woulde that euerye one of vs woulde applye to our selues after the example of Ionas and Dauid turnyng ouer the wallet that other mens offences myghte lye behynde and our own before Not that I would excuse other men which exteriorly haue walked much more grossely then manye of you haue done but that I woulde prouoke you all as my selfe to more harty repentaunce and prayer Let vs more more encrease to know and lament our doubtyng of God of hys presence power anger mercy c. Let vs better feele and hate our selfe loue securitie negligence vnthankefulnes vnbeliefe impatience c. and then doubteles the crosse shall be lesse carefull yea it shall be comfortable and Christ most deare and pleasaunt death then shall be desired as the dispatcher of vs out of all misery and entraunce into eternall felicity ioy vnspeakable the which is so much the more longed for by howe muche we feele in dede the Serpentes byttes wherwyth he woundeth our heeles that is our outward Adam and senses If we had I say a liuely and true feelyng of his poyson we could not but as reioyce ouer our Captayn that hath brused hys head so be desirous to follow hys example that is to geue oure lyues wyth hym and for hym Coloss 1 and so to fyll vp hys passions that he myght conquere and ouercome in vs and by vs to his glory and comfort of hys chyldren Now the second I meane the sequell or that whyche wil follow on the straungers my derely beloued let vs wel loke vpon For if so be that god iustly do thus geue to Sathan and hys sede to vexe and molest Christe and hys penitente people oh what and how iustly maye he and wyll he geue to Sathan to intreate the rechlesse and impenitent synners If iudgement beginne thus at gods house what wil follow on them that be wythout if they repent not Certainly for them is reserued the dregges of gods cuppe that is Brymstone fyre and tempest intollerable Nowe are they vnwilling to drynke of gods cuppe of afflictions which he offreth common with hys sonne Christ our Lord lest they shoulde lose theyr pygges wyth the Gergesites Math. 8. They are vnwillyng to come into the waye that bryngeth to heauen euen afflictions they in their hartes crye let vs caste his yoke from vs they walke two wayes that is they seeke to serue god and Mammon which is vnpossible They wil not come nighe the straite waye that bryngeth to lyfe they open their eyes to beholde presente thynges onelye they iudge of religion after reasō and not after gods word they follow the more part and not the better they professe God wyth their mouthes but in their hartes they deny hym or elles they woulde sanctifye hym by seruing him more then men they part stake wyth GGD whych woulde haue al geuing part to the world to the Romishe route and Antichristian Idolatry now set abroad emongest vs publikely they will haue Christ but none of his crosse which will not be they wil be counted to lyue godly in Christe but yet they wil suffer no persecutiō they loue thys world wher through the loue of god is driuen forth of them they sauer those things that be of men and not that be of god Summa they loue god in their lippes ▪ but in their harts yea and in their dedes deny him aswel by not repenting their euils past as by continuing in euil stil by doyng as the world the flesh and the deuil willeth yet stil perchaunce they wil praye or rather prate thy wyll be done in earth which is generally that euery one shuld take vp his crosse and follow christ But this is a hard sermō who is able to abide it Therfore Christ must be praied to depart lest al their pigges be drowned The deuil shal haue his dwelling again in thēselues rather thē in their pigges therfore to the deuil shal they go dwel with him in eternal perdiciō dānation euē in hel fier a torment endles aboue al cogitations incomprehensible if they repent not Wherfore by thē my derely beloued be admonished to remēber your professiō how that in Baptisme you made a solēpne vow to renoūce the deuil the world c. You promised to fight vnder christes stāderd You learned christs crosse afore you begun with A. B. C. Go to thē pay your vow to the lord fyght lyke men and valiant men vnder Christes standerde take vp your crosse and follow your maister as your brethern M. Hoper Rogers Tailor and Saūders haue done and as now your bretherne M. Cranmer Latymer Rydley Farror Bradforde Hawkes c. be redy to do The Ise is broken before you therfore be not afraide but be content to dye for the lord You haue no cause to wauer or doubte of the doctryne thus declared by the bloud of the pastours Remember that Chryste sayeth he that wyll saue hys lyfe shall lose it And what shoulde it profite you to wynne the whole worlde much lesse a little quietnes your goodes c. and to lose your owne soules Render to the Lorde that he hath lent you by such meanes as he would haue you render it and not as you woulde Forgette not Christes disciples must denye themselues as well concernyng their wyl as concernyng their wisedome Haue in mynde that as it is no small mercy to beleue in the Lord so it is no smal kindnes of God towardes you to suffer any thyng muche more death for the Lord. If they be blessed that dye in the Lorde howe shall they be that dye for the Lorde Oh what a blessyng is it to haue death due for our synnes diuerted into a demonstration and testification of the lordes truth Oh that we had a little of Moses faith to loke vpon the ende of the crosse to loke vpon the rewarde to see continuallye wyth Christe and hys people greater ryches then the ryches of Egipt Oh let vs pray that god would open our eyes to see hys hyd Manna heauenlye Ierusalem the congregation of the first borne the melodye of the sainctes the tabernacle of God dwellyng wyth men then should we runne and become violent men and so take the kyngdome of heauen as it were by force God oure father geue vs for hys Christes sake to see a little what and howe great ioye he hath prepared for vs he hathe called vs vnto and most assuredlye geueth vs for hys owne goodnes and truthes sake Amen My derely beloued repent bee sober watch in prayer be obediēt after your vocations shewe your obedience to the hygher powers in all thyngs that are not agaynst gods worde therein acknowledge the soueraigne power of the Lorde howbeit so
shall be able by the worde of God euer to impugne it muche lesse to confute it In the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians Ephesi 1. the Apostle sayeth thus Blessed be god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs wyth all maner of blessynges in heauenly thinges by Christ accordyng as he hath elect or chosen vs in hym before the foundation of the world was layed that we should be holy and without blame before hym through loue and hath predestinate vs or ordeyned vs thorough Iesus Christ to bee heyres vnto hymselfe accordyng to the good pleasure of hys wyll to the prayse of the glory of hys grace wherwyth he hath made vs accepted in the beloued by whom we haue receyued redēption thorough hys bloud and the forgeuenes of our sinnes accordyng to the riches of hys grace which grace he hath shed on vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and vnderstandyng and hath opened vnto vs the mysterye of hys wyll accordyng to hys good pleasure which he purposed in hymselfe to haue it declared when the tyme was full come that he myght gather together all thynges by or in Christe as well the thynges that be in heauen as the thynges that be in earth euen in or by hym by or in whome we are made heyres beyng thereto predestinate accordyng to the purpose of hym whiche worketh all thynges accordynge to the decree or counsayle of hys owne wyll that we which hoped before you in Christe shoulde bee vnto the prayse of hys glory in whome ye also hoped after that ye heard the word of truth the gospell of your saluation wherein ye also beleuyng were sealed wyth the holy spirite of promyse whyche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vntyll the redēption or full fruition of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of hys glory These be the wordes of Paule which I haue faithfullye translated accordyng to the very texte in the Greeke as by the iudgement of all that be learned I desyre herein to bee tried Out of the which wordes of Paule we may wel perceiue euerye thing affirmed in my propositiō as I wil geue occasion plainly to them that wil to see it The cause of gods election is his grace good will First that the cause of gods election is of hys good wyll the Apostle sheweth in saying that it is throughe hys loue wherby we are holy and wythout blame also accordyng to the good pleasure of his will according to his good pleasure purposed in hymselfe accordyng to hys purpose which worketh all thynges after the counsel of his owne wyll The tyme of gods election was from the beginning Secondly that election was before the beginnyng of the world the apostle plainely sheweth in sayeng that we were chosen before the foundation of the world was laid and afterwardes in callyng it the mysterye of hys wyll purposed wyth hymselfe in tyme to be declared Election is in Christ Thirdly that election is in Christ the Apostle doth so flatly and plainly set it forth that I nede not here to repete it We sayeth he are chosen in him we are heyres by hym wt are accepted by him we are gathered together in him c. Electionis not of all men Fourthly that election is of some of Adams posteritye and not of al we may plainly see it if we cōsider that he maketh the true demonstration of it beleuing hoping and hauing the earnest of the spirite In whom yea hoped saith he after ye heard the word c. In whom ye beleued wer sealed vp c. Agayne in attributyng to the electe forgeuenes of synnes holynes blameles liuyng being in Christ c. That we shold be holy saieth he c. we haue receyued forgeuenes of sinnes c. Who seeth not that these are not common to al men 2. Thess 3 Act. 13. 1 Iohn 1 Math. 13 Al men haue not faithe saieth Paule elsewhere None beleued saith Luke but suche as were ordained to eternall life None beleue but such as be borne of god None beleue truly but such as haue good hartes and kepe gods seede to bring forth frute by patience Fayth is a demonstratiō of election to such as be of yeres of discretion Psal 125. So that it is plain faith being a demonstration of gods election to them that be of yeres of discretion that all men are not elect because all men beleue not For he that beleueth in the lord shal be as mount Sion that is he shal neuer be remoued for if he bee remoued that is finally perish surely he neuer truely beleued But what go I about to lighten a cādell in the cleare sonne light whē our sauiour plainly saith that all be not chosen but few Many be called saith he but few be chosen Mat. 20. And in the 2. chap. to the Ephes the Apostle plainly saith that the greate riches of gods mercy through hys exceding great loue hath saued thē before their parentes many other Gentiles whiche were excluded from Christ and straūgers from the promise hopeles godles c. Rom. 11. Psal 144. Wherthrough we may be occasioned to cry oh the depth of the iudgements of god which is iuste in all hys doynges and holy in al hys workes extendyng his mercy after hys good pleasure wyll aboue al his workes Fyftly that god hath predestinate these Election is to eternal life thus elect vnto euerlastyng lyfe in Christe the apostle dothe also in the wordes before writen declare in saying and hath predestinate vs through Iesus Christe to be heyres vnto hymselfe Agayne by hym sayth he yeare made heyres and predestinate to the prayse of hys glorye Rom. 8 So sayeth the Apostle elsewhere whom he hathe predestinate them hath he predestinate to be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of hys sonne Luke 10 And therfore Christ sayeth reioyce in thys that your names are writen in heauen Syxtlye The ende of election is to the prayse and glory of god that the ende of election is to the prayse of gods glory and grace the Apostle sheweth here in saying we are predestinate to be holye without blame before god c. In saying we are predestinate to the glory of hys grace And in saying also vnto the prayse of hys glory so that nothing can be more manifest Seuenthly Election is not without vocation and iustificatiō in time that predestination is not without vocation in gods tyme and iustification the Apostle here dothe teach in bringyng vs to the consideration of hearing the word of truthe beleuing receiuing the holye spirite remission of synnes c. In whom saith he ye haue hoped after that ye heard the word of truth c. Againe by whome ye haue redemption that is remission of synnes thorough the sheding of hys blood c. Also he hath in hys full tyme declared the mystery of hys wyl c. Vnto the Rom. the apostle sheweth it moste
Rom. 8 The Angels are ministers vnto them Their names are writtē in the boke of lyfe therfore Christ bad them reioyce as Paul doth the Philippians for nothing shall seperate them from the loue wherwith god loueth them in Christ Iesu who sayeth that it is impossible for them to erre finally to damnation Mat. 24 Psalm 18. Iohn 6.10 Heb. 3. Iohn 5.6 Iohn 17 Heb. 5. Rom. 8 Ioh. 10. 1. Cor. 6 1. Cor. 1. 1. Ioh 4 Psalm 67. Ose 6. for he is their lyght to illumine their darkenes They are geuē to hym to kepe he is faythful ouer al gods children He saith he wil kepe them so that they shal neuer peryshe After they beleue they are entred already into euerlasting life Christe hath set thē there already he hath cōmitted them into his fathers hands by prayer which we know is sure therefore death hel deuils nor all power sinnes nor mischiefe shall neuer pull vs out of oure heades hands whose mēbers we are therfore receauing of hys spirite as we do we cannot but bring forth the fruites therof though now then the flesh fayle vs. But the Lord euen our Lord be praysed whiche is more strong in vs then he which is in the world He alwaies putteth vnder his hand that we lye not styll nor shal do as the reprobate whose pietie is as the mornyng dewe sone come sone gone and therfore they can not continue to the ende Cānot No they wil not if they could because they hate god hys glory and therfore al thē that seeke it or set it forth wheras the elect loue all men and seke to do al men good in God suspending their iudgements of others Rom. 14 that they may stand or fall to the Lord and not to them Hetherto out of this one place of Paule to the Ephesiās if the matter of election predestination be so fully set forth to gods glory and to the cōfort of hys church how may we suppose is this matter set forth in the whole body bookes of the canonicall scripture Whereto I had rather send you with this cādell lighte which I haue now geuē you then in a matter so manifest to make more a do then nedeth Iohn Bradforde To a woman that desyred to know hys mynde whether she refrayning from the Masse myght be present at the popyshe Mattyns or no. I Besech almightye God our heauenly father to bee merciful vnto vs to encrease in you my good sister the knowledge loue of his truth and at thys present geue me grace so to write to you somthyng of the same as may make to hys glory and our own comforte and confyrmation in hym through Christ our Lord Amen Whether you may come with safe cōscience to the church now that is to the seruice vsed comonly in part as at Mattins or at Euēsong or noe is your desire to haue me to write somthing for your further stay My derely beloued although your benefites towards me might perchaunce make you to thinke that in respect therof I would beare with that which els were not to be borne withal yet by gods grace I am purposed simply without al such respect in this matter to speak to you the truth accordinge to my conscience as I maye be able to stand vnto when I shall come before the Lorde Fyrste therefore goe aboute to learne perfectly the fyrst lesson to bee learned of all that professe Christe that is to denye your selfe and in nothing to seke your selfe Secondly learne after thys to begynne at the next lesson to it which is to seeke God in all thynges you doe and leaue vndone Thirdly know that then you seke God whē in hys seruice you followe his worde and not mans fantasies custome multitude c. and when with your brother you follow the rule of charitie that is to do as you would be done by In these is a sūme of al the counsell I can geue you if that hereto I admonyshe you of the seruice now vsed which is not accordyng to gods word but rather against gods word directly and in maner wholy So that you going to the seruice is a declaration that you haue not learned the fyrst lesson nor neuer can learne it so long as you go thether therfore the second lessō you shal vtterly lose if you cease not the seeking your self that is if for cōpanye custome father or frend life or goods you seme to allow that which god disalloweth And this that you the better maye perceaue I purpose by gods grace brieflye to shewe First the Mattens Euensong is in a toūg forbiddē publikely to be vsed in the cōgregatiō that perceaueth not the toung Read how Paul affirmeth it 1. Cor. 14. to pray in an vnknowē toung to be against gods cōmaūdement This one I trow were enough if nothīg els were For how cā gods glory be sought where his word cōmaūdemente is wilfullye brokē How cā charitie to mā stande when charitie to god which is obedience to his word is ouerthrowē Againe both in Mattins in Euensong is idolatrye maintained for gods seruice for there is inuocation and prayer made to Sainctes departed this life which robbeth god of that glory which he wil geue to none other Esay 5. Moreouer thys seruice the setters forth of it condempneth the Englysh seruice as heresie therby falling into Gods curse which is threatned to al such as cal good euil and euil good wherof they shal be pertakers that do cōmunicate with thē Besides this this latten seruice is a plaine marke of Antichrists catholike Sinagoge so that the Cōmunicātes approuers of it thereby declare thē selues to be mēbers of the same Sinagoge so cut of frō christ his church whose exteriour marke is the true administratiō of gods worde sacraments Furthermore the exāple of your going thither to allow the religiō of Antichrist as doubtles you do in dede howsoeuer in hart you thinke occasioneth the obstinate to be vtterly intractable the weake papistes to be more obstinate the stronge Gospellers to be sore weakened and the weake gospellers to be vtterly ouerthrowen whiche thinges howe greate offences they bee no penne is able to vtter by letters All these euilles you shall hee giltye of that companye wyth these in religion exteriourly from whom you are admonyshed to fly If Christ be Christ followe hym gather with hym least you scatter abroade Serue God not only in spirite but also in body Make not your body now a mēber of Christ a mēber of Antichrist Come out from amongest thē sayth the Lord touch no vncleane thing Confesse Christe and hys truth not onely in hart but also in toung yea in very deede which fewe gospellers do In dede they denye him therefore had nede to tremble least that Christ wil denie thē in the last day the which day if it were set before our eyes often then would the
10. Heb. 6.10 Mar. 8. Luke i1 that they returne not to their vomyte stumblyng on those synnes from the which there is no recouery causing thee to deny theÌ„ before thy father making their later end worse theÌ„ the beginning as it chauÌ„ced to Lothes wife Iudas Iscariot FrauÌ„ces Spira and to many others But rather strengthen them and vs all in thy grace and in those thynges which thy worde teacheth that we may here hazarde our lyfe for thy sake and so shal we be sure to saue it as yf we seke to saue it Math. 6 we cannot but loose it and that beyng lost what profyte can we haue yf we wynne the whole worlde Oh set thou alwayes before our eyes not as reason doth thys lyfe the pleasure of the same death of the body and prysonment c but euerlastyng lyfe and those vnspeakable ioyes which vndoubtedlye they shall haue which take vp the crosse and follow thee and eternal hell fire and destruction of soule and bodye for euermore which they must nedes at leÌ„gth fal into the which are afrayde for the hoare froste of aduersitye that man or the Deuil styrreth vppe to stoppe or hynder vs for goyng forward our iourney to heauens blisse to the which do thou bryng vs for thy names sake Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ To my deare frende and brother in the Lorde Maister George Eaton ALmightye God our deare father geue to you dailye more and more the knowledge of hys truth and a loue and lyfe to the same for euer in all thynges throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde Amen I shoulde begynne with thankes geuyng to god and to you as hys steward for the great benefites I haue oftentymes receyued from you and speciallye in this tyme of of my most nede farre aboue my expectatioÌ„ but because thankfulnes lyeth not in wordes or letters and because you loke not to heare of your wel doyng of man I am purposed to passe it ouer wyth sylence and to geue my selfe presentlye to that whiche is more profitable vnto you that is as god shall lend me hys grace briefly to labour or at least to shew my good wyl to helpe you in gods gifte to me as you by your doyng the lyke in gods gyfte vnto you haue as alreadye done so occasioned me greatly hereto I woulde gladlye haue done it heretofore but I haue bene discouraged to write vnto you leaste hurte thereby mighte come vnto you which is the only cause I haue not hetherto writted nor now would not haue done but that I stand in adout whether euer herafter I shal haue liberty to write vnto you And therfore whilest I somthing may I thought good to doe thus much to declare vnto you howe that as I thynke my selfe muche bounde to God for you so I desyre to gratifye the same as God should enable me The dayes are come and more and more do approch in the whych tryal wyl be of such as haue vnfainedly redde and hearde the gospel for all others wyll abyde no tryall but as the worlde wyll But of you because I haue better hope I cannot but as pray to god in hym to confyrme you so to beseche you of the same I knowe it will be a daungerous thinge in deede to declare that whiche in woorde you haue confessed and in harte haue beleued speciallye concernyng the papisticall Masse but notwithstandyng we must not for daungers departe from the truth excepte we wyll depart from God For in as muche as GOD is the truth and the truth is God he that departeth from the one departeth from the other Nowe what a thyng it is to departe from God I nede not to tell you because you know it is no lesse then a departyng from all that good is and not onely so but also a coupling of your selfe to all that euill is for there is no meane eyther we departe from god and sticke to the deuill or departe from the deuyll and sticke to God Some men there be whiche for feare of daunger and loâ—le of that they must leaue when where and to whom they knowe not doe deceaue them selues after the iuste iudgement of God to beleue the deuill because they haue no luste to beleue God in harkenyng to Sathans counsaile of partynge stake with God as to be persuaded that it is not euyll or elles no great euill inwardlye in harte to conceale the truth and outwardly in facte to betraye it And therefore thoughe they know the Masse to be abhomination yet they make it but a strawe in going to it as the world doth in whiche thynge the Lorde knoweth they deceaue them selues to dampnation dreame they as they luste For surely the bodye departyng from the veritye and so from god wil drawe and drowne in dampnation the soule also For we shall receaue accordyng to that we doe in the body good or badde And therefore the matter is more to bee considered then men make of it the more it is to bee lamented But I trust my ryghte dearely beloued you wyll consider thys with your self and call your conscience to accompt as gods word maketh the charge Beware of false Auditours which makyng a false charge can get no quietnesse of the conscience after gods woorde Therefore caste your charge and there shall you see that no beliefe of the harte iustifyeth whiche hath not confession of the mouth to declare the same No man can serue .ii. Maisters He that gathereth not with Christ as no masse seer vnreprouyng it doth scattereth abroade Gods chosen are such as not only haue good hartes but also kisse not their hands nor bowe their knee to Baal Christes Disciples are none but such as deny theÌ„selues take vp their crosse folow him He that is ashamed of Christ his truth in thys generation must loke that Christ wil be ashamed of him in the day of iudgement He that denyeth Christ before men shal be denyed before God Now two kindes of denial there be yea three kindes one in hart an other in worde the thirde in deede In the which kindes al masse gospellers be so bitten that all the Surgeons in the world can laye no healing playster therto till repentaunce appeare and drawe out the matteâ— of vsing the euill and resorting to the Masse For pure should we be froÌ„ all spottes not onely of the flesh but also of the spirite And our dutye is to departe not only from euill that is from the Masse But also from the appearaunce of euil that is from coÌ„ming at it Woe vnto theÌ„ that geue offence to the children of God that is which occasion by any meanes any to tarye in the church at Masse time much more then they which occasioÌ„ any to come therto most of all they which enforce any therto Assuredly a most heuie vengeaunce of goâ— hangeth vpon such Suche as decline to their crokednes God wil lead on with wicked workers whose portion shal be snares Psa 11. fyre
not kepe away the foules from picking it vp would he so bestow his sede in you as he hath if that he would not hedge in your hartes his field froÌ„ commoÌ„ pathes froÌ„ breaking in of beastes to destroy it Wil he be more careles theÌ„ a good husbandmaÌ„ to wede out the wedes which are in vs lest they should ouergrow the corne of hys word Wil not he bestow mucke marle vpon vs that we may bring forth more fruite Yf in a good husbandman this be not lacking alas how should we thinke then but that the lord god a good husbandman nothing but good only good how I say should it be but that he is moste careful to kepe his sede alredy soweÌ„ in your hartes by the ministery of vs other his preachers that to the bringing forth of iust and ful frutes He that hath begoÌ„ne with you doute not my derely beloued but that he wil happely make an end with you He hath begon to sow his sede in you as I dare say ye feele it be sure theÌ„ that al this wil follow First he wil haue Skarecrowes in your hartes I meane such sparkcles of his feare wil he droppe yea already he hath dropped into you that the birdes of the aire vain euil cogitatioÌ„s shal not be cherished of you but expelled by crieng to the lord for his help SecoÌ„dly he wil make such hedges as shal kepe you aswell from by pathes of al euil customes vsages as also preserue you froÌ„ the power of euil dominioÌ„ of sinne which would haue the vpper haÌ„d on you Thirdly he wil doutles poure such showres vpoÌ„ you to supple you so â—ede you so mucke marle you by teÌ„ptation other exercises that the Sunshine of persecutioÌ„ shall make more to the ripenyng of hys seede in you then to the witheryng of it away These thynges my dearely beloued the Lord god which hath begonne them in you and for you wyll continue with you that in the ende you maye be broughte into hys barne there to reste wyth hym in eternall felicitie For Gods sake therfore wayte and looke for no lesse then I haue told you at hys handes a greater seruice can you not geue him Yf god kepe not the order I haue told you but perchauÌ„ce beginne to mucke and marle you to poure hys showers vpoÌ„ you to nippe you with his weeding tonges c reioice be glad that God wyll doe that in you and wyth you at once which a long tyme he hath bene a workyng in for others Now vndoubtedly great showers are fallen to supple our hartes that gods word might enter therin and take roote Now the Lord goeth a weedyng to weede out of vs oure carnality securirye couetousnes selfe loue forgetfulnes of God loue of this world Now the lord doth mucke marâ—e vs loading vs wyth heapes and burdens of crosses that our hartes myghte be made good grounde to bryng forthe fruite to gods glory by patience as well in suffryng inward temptations and griefes wherof we must complayn to the Lord for hys Skarecrowes to dryue them forth of vs â—s also in sufferyng outward assaultes for the which we must cry to our Maister for hys hedges and defence Which hathe ij partes the one concernyng vs to helpe and deliuer vs and the other concernyng our or rather hys obstinate aduersaries to take vengeaunce vpon them which he will do in hys tyme. Therfore let vs by patience possesse our soules knowing that they which perseuer to the ende shal be saued Let vs not be werye of well doyng for in our tyme we shall reape the fruites therof But rather whiles we haue tyme let vs redeme it in doyng well to al men but specially to the houshold of fayth which thyng hether to you haue done the lord therfore be praysed and in the day of hys comming he recoÌ„pence you and in the rest I hope well I meane that you haue declared no lesse in coÌ„fessyng the truth planted in your hartes by your wordes and workes after your uocation to the glory of God I hope you haue godly behaued your selues not being as too many be now a daies euen mungrels geuing halfe to God halfe to the worlde halting on both knees going two waies I meane it of the Masse gospellers which are worse theÌ„ any papistes In this point I hope wel of you my dearly beloued that you haue not contaminated your selues that you haue both confessed the truth as ofte as nede hath requyred and also haue refrayned from comming to church now where is nothing but idolatrous seruice â— hope you haue glorifyed god both in soule and body I hope you haue gathered with Christ not scattered abroad I hope you haue drawen no yoke with vnbeleuers nor communicated with other mens synnes but haue abstayned from all appearaunce of euill confessing in harte confessing in tong confessing in dede acte the true knowledge of God which he hath of hys great mercye geuen vnto you not to bee as a candle vnder a bushell but vppon the candlesticke to geue light that men may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen All thys I hope of you my beloued and also of al puritie of life and godly conuersation not doubting but in this behalf also you haue declared gods veritye in your harte and for the Lordes sake do so still in all poyntes that is in your vocations be diligent and ryghteous towards your selues be sober and pure towards your neyghbours be charitable and iuste towardes god be faythfull and thankefull louing and obedient Vse earnest and often hartye prayer Meditate much vpon and often hearken to the word of god If you be called geue with modestye an accompt of the hope whiche is in you Be not ashamed of Gods true seruice allow not that with your presence which is contrary to Gods wil. Make not the meÌ„bers of Christes Church that is your selues meÌ„bers of Antichristes church Be not ashamed of the gospel or of such as be bound therfore but rather be partakers therof first inwardly by coÌ„passion prayer c then outwardlye by geuing according to that the Lord hath lent you to that ende and laste of all by suffering wyth vs if God so will and if it be nedeful for you For my dearly beloued be certayne that no maÌ„ can touch you or lay handes vpon you but by the will of God which is all good towards you euen as the wil of a most deare father which an not alwayes be angrye or otherwyse vse his rodde then only to chastice and correct not to destroy hys children Agayne be certayne that no crosse shall come vnto you before you nede it For God is oure Phisicion and when he seeth oure soules in perill he preuenteth the peryll by purgation and ministring Phisicke which is the crosse As therfore for the body we follow the aduice of the Phisicions for the health
professours and through the grace of GOD the constaunte confessoures of the same are as it were the out swepynges of the worlde yet I say the veritye it selfe is a thyng not vnworthye for your eares to heare for your eies to see and for your hands to handle helpe and succour accordyng to that the Lord hathe made you able and placed you where you are for the same purpose Your hyghnes and honours ought to know that there is no innocency in wordes or dedes where it is enoughe and suffiseth onely to accuse It behoueth kynges Quenes and all that be in authoritye to knowe that in the administration of their kyngdomes they are gods Ministers It behoueth them to know that they are no Kinges but playne tyrannes whiche raigne not to thys ende that they maye serue and set forth gods glorye after true knowledge And therefore it is required of thē that they woulde be wyse and suffer themselueh to be taught to submit them selues to the lordes discipline and to kisse their Soueraign lest they perishe as al those Potentates wyth theyr pryncipalities and dominions cannot long prosper but peryshe in dede yf they and their kyngdomes be not ruled wyth the scepter of God that is wyth hys worde which who so honoureth not honoureth not GOD and they that honour not the Lord the Lord wyll not honour them but brynge them into contempte and at the length take hys own cause whiche he hathe most chieflye committed vnto them to care for into hys owne hands and so ouerthrow them and set vp hys truth gloriously the people also perishing with the Prynces where the worde of prophecy is wantyng muche more is suppressed as it is nowe in thys Realme of Englande ouer whyche the eyes of the Lorde are set to destroye it your hyghnes and all your honours yf in tyme you loke not better to your office and duties herein and not suffer your selues to bee slaues and hangemen to Antichriste and hys prelates which haue brought your highnes honours alreadye to lette Barrabas lose and to hange vppe Christe As by the grace and helpe of God I shall make apparante yf first it would please your excellent maiestye and all your honoures to take to harte gods doctryne whiche rather through the malice of the Pharisees I meane the Bishops and prelates then your consciences is oppressed and not for oure contemptible and execrable state in the syghte of the worlde to passe the lesse of it For it the doctryne I meane is hygher and of more honour maiestye then al the whole worlde It standeth inuincible aboue all power beyng not our doctryne but the doctryne of the euerlyuynge GOD and of hys Christe whome the father hath ordeyned Kyng psal 72 to haue dominion from sea to sea and from the ryuer vnto the endes of the worlde And truely so dothe he and wyll the raigne that he wyll shake all the whole earth wyth hys yron brasen power wyth hys golden siluery brightnes only by the rodde of hys mouth to shyuers in such sorte as though they were pottes of clay accordyng to that whiche the Prophetes doe wryte of the magnificence of hys kyngdome And thus much for the thyng I meane the doctryne and your dueties to harkē to propagate defend the same But now wyll our aduersaries mainly cry out against vs bicause no man may be admitted once to whist agaynste them that we pretend falsely the doctryne and word of god calling vs the most wycked contemners of it and heretikes schysmatikes traytors c. Al which their sayings how malicious and false they are though I myght make reporte to that which is writē by those men whose workes they haue condemned and all that reteyne any of them publikelye by proclamation yet here wil I occasion your maiesty and honours by this my writyng to see that it is farre otherwyse thē they reporte of vs. God our father for his holy names sake directe my penne to be hys instrumēt to put into your eies eares and hartes that which most may make to hys glorye to the sauegard of your soules and bodies and preseruatiō of the whole realme Amen Iohn Bradford To a faythefull and deare frende of hys entreatyng of this place of S. Paule to the Romaynes The feruente desyre of the creature wayteth when the children of God shal be delyuered GRace and peace wyth encrease of all godlynes in Christe I wyshe vnto you my dearely beloued Because thys morning I had some knowledge more then before I had howe that my lyfe stoode in greate danger that euen thys weke so farre as men myght both by the doynges and sayinges of such as be in authoritie attempted and spoken concernyng me iudge and perceiue I thought good my ryght dearely beloued in the Lord to go about somthyng whyche might be on my behalf as it were Cygnea cantio That is which myght be a speciall comfort to hym beīg thē ready to be burnt as the Swannes soung is swetest a little before his death a Swānes song and towardes you both a monumente of the kynde of my loue and also a helpe or at the leaste an occasion for you to profyte in that whiche I beare you recorde you moste desire I meane euerlastyng life and the state therof And thys will I attempt vpon the laste talke we had betwixt vs when you were here with me I know you haue not forgotten that we talked together of the place of S. Paule to the Rom. cap. 8. concerning the groninges of the Creature and hys desyre of the reuelation of the childrē of god You demaūd whether thys word Creature was to be vnderstand of man or no and I tolde you that though some dyd take Creature there for man because there is no kinde of creature whiche may not be acknowledged in man yet sayde I the texte it self considered with that which the Apostle writeth of Christ Eph. 1. Col. 1. the restorer and reformer of all thynges that be both in heauen in earth and with the argument which S Paule presentlye hath in hand there doth enforce a Godlye mynde to take euery creature there as also S. Chrisostome and. S. Ambrose do for the whole worlde and euerye creature both heauenly and earthly All thyngs I told you were made for man according to mans state so are they When man was without sinne in gods fauour there was no malediction curse or corruption But when mā by synne was caste out of fauour then was the earth curse For the wickednes of the inhabitauntes fruitfull landes are tourned into salte grounde as for their pietie barreine countreyes are made fruitfull Psae 107. The Angels them selues doe reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth thereby geuing vs notice that in their kinde they lament ouer the impenitent In readyng the Prophets you may see how that all thyngs do depende of man When they Prophecye any great blessing or plague to come to gods
loueth me vnto the ende and wyll not lose me but wyll rayse me vnto lyfe at the last day psalm 27. The lord is my lyght and my defence of whom then should I be afrayde The lorde is the preseruer of my lyfe what can man then do vnto me I am one of the lordes elect who shal lay ought thē to my charge The lord hymselfe doth iustifye me Rom. 8. who shall then condempne me Sith Christ is myne and I am hys what shal make me carefull or who shal separate me from his swete loue which as Salomon saith in his sweete songes is mightier then the deathe No no let the Tyrannes come when they wyll I trust they shall fynd me ready and wyllyng to goe home to my heauenly father whether my good brethern be gone before me wyth ioy tryumphe and victorye ouer the bloodye Beast and her Babilonicall broode blessed be god therfore Your swete examples of Helias Daniel and the Israelites doe muche confirme my faith in Christ although I be farre inferiour to any of them But as you say full well god himself is my father doth loue me his prodigal sonne wyth an euerlastyng loue sure I am therfore he wil not see me lacke eyther for body or soule for he fedeth the birdes brute beastes yea and men that he much worse then they as you ful wel haue sayd And further my deare hart where as you say that your heauines and sorowe is when you call to remēbrance my crosse and double crosse c ah my good louing sister let not my crosses make your good tender harte heuie but rather be glad reioyce with me that God of hys great mercye will repute me worthye to beare them for his sake Sing psalmes with me of prayse thankesgeuing for God hath made me able to beare them paciently if they wer a thousande times so many moe as they bee as in deede my sinnes haue iustly deserued Wel is me the euer I was born that he woulde vouch me worthy to suffer at al hands or al sorts of men for hys sake or rather that it would please his goodnes to choose me poore caitiffe in whom him self would suffer For the enemies doe not punishe me for my sinnes as they might iustely doe but they do persecute swete Christe in me whose truth I do professe And now as concerning the most comfortable doctrine of our eternall election in him before the foundation of the world was laid I do protest before God man that if euery heare of my head were a mans lyfe I would willingly geue them all in the defence therof Full litle wotteth our free wil men what they do whē they go about so rashely to condēne that doctrine The Lord illuminate their mindes with the light of his holy spirit that they may once see the truth therof and leaue their kicking against the pricke In dede deare frend in the respect of thē and the peril which they be in you and I both haue good cause to mourne lament and be sory to pray for them day night that the Lord if it be his wil would conuert them And whether their blindnes be of simplicitye as I hope it is or of wilful obstinacie which thing is greatly to be feared yet haue I no cause to be angry with them for it is their own harme where as mine should haue bene the like if god had left me to my self as he myght most iustly haue done and for that I am as I am his name only haue the prayse and for hys sake I will alwayes seeke to do them good as much as lyeth in me And what soeuer they haue sayd or shall saye or do againste me I doe and will as hartely forgeue them al as I would be forgeuen of god my great sinnes trespasses For sure I am that what soeuer he be that hath any true tast or liuely felyng of the great mercye loue and kyndnesse of God towardes hym in Christe he can not beare hate or displeasure agaynste anye thynge but synne Sathā the only author therof Therfore in that they doe talke so muche of loue and let so little appeare in their dedes it doth euidently appeare how litle taste and liuelye feelyng of the free mercye of God in Christe they haue A weake fayth hath euer a colde charitie annexed vnto it which is quenched with euery vnkinde worde Yours vnfaynedly Iohn Careles To my deare Sister M. C. THe euerlasting peace of god in Iesus Christ the cōtinuall ayde strength comfort of hys most pure holy and mightye spirite with the increase of faith and liuely feling of hys eternall mercyes be moste effectuouslye wrought in your hart my deare and faithfull Syster to the full accomplishing of that good worke which the Lorde hath so graciously begonne in you that it may be to the setting forth of his glory the comfort of hys poore afflicted church and to your owne eternall consolation in hym Amen I thanke God most hartely for you my deare hart in the Lord with all remēbrance of you in my prayers as of duty I am bound not douting but you do the same for me to my great ioy comfort in the middest of my crosses which daily do increase yea and that in such sort that if the faythful god by your hartye prayer and others gods deare children dyd not put to hys helpyng hand I should surely syncke downe vnder thē Ah good sister begge hard of our deare father for me that he would shortly tread Sathan vnder my feete and that I may play the man in the Lordes battel as you bydde me be ioyfull in my Christ what payne or peril soeuer I suffer And reioyce wyth me good sister in the Lord and let vs be mery in him not only to chere the good harts of al our faythfull frends but also to anger the cankered hart of Sathā that croked Serpent our ancient enemy For I know that there is nothyng that can greue his malicious mind more thē the myrth gladnes and hartye reioysyng of the childrē of God in their good Christ Ah my faythfull frend if your good hart be heuye who cā make mine light If you be sory who cā make me glad But if you be mery and reioyce in the Lord there shal no trouble make me sad or sorowful Be of good cheare therfore my good sister comfort my swete brother V. Oh that I mighte once heare that he and his bridegrome were in bedde both together and that he had taken a swete slepe in hys louers armes as Iohn dyd vpon hys lappe on the Maundie night Iohn 13 Commend me vnto him most hartelye and desyre hym for the Lords sake to fulfyl my ioye increase my crowne Bid hym be mindefull of me in hys harty prayers as I neyther wyll nor can forget hym in myne Full deare is he vnto my soule So are you my good sister the Lord he knoweth
mercy and not sacrifice Reade the 25. chap. of Math. The third is wheÌ„ we make our body a quick sacrfice holy acceptable vnto God that is when we mortify and kil our fleshly concupisâ—nces and carnall lustes so bring our flesh through the helpe of the spirite vnder the obedience of Gods holy law This is a sacrifice to god most acceptable which the apostle calleth our reasonable seruing of God And let vs be sure that vnlesse we doe nowe at thys present take better hede to our selues and vse thankefullye the grace of God offred to vs by the gospell preaching these yeares past wherby we are induced brought to the knowlege of the truth Ephes 3 vnlesse I say we kepe Christ and his holy word dwellyng by faith in the house and teÌ„ple of our harts the same thyng that Christ threatneth vnto the Iewes shal happen vnto vs Math. 14 that is to wytte the vncleane spirite of ignoraunce superstition idolatry and infidelitie or vnbeliefe the mother and head of all vices which by the grace of god was cast out of vs bringyng with him seuen other spirites worse then hymself shal to our vtter destruction returne again into vs so shal we be in a worse case then euer we wer before 1. Pet. 2 For if we after we haue escaped from the fylthines of the world through the knowlege of the lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be yet tangled therin agayne ouercome then is the latter ende worse then the beginning it had bene better for vs not to haue knoweÌ„ the way of ryghteousnes then after we haue knowen it to turne from the holy coÌ„maundemeÌ„t geueÌ„ vnto vs Prouer. 26 for it happeneth theÌ„ vnto vs according to the true prouerbe the dogge is turned to his vomite agayne and the sow that was washed to wallowyng in the myre And thus to continue and perseuer in infidelitie to kicke against the manifest and knowen truth and so to dye without repentaunce and with a dispayre of the mercye of god in Iesu Christ is to sinne agaynst the holy ghost which shal not be forgeuen neither in thys worlde neyther in the world to come Math. 23 Heb. 6 For it is not possible saieth S. Paule that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gyft and were become partakes of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of god of the power of the world to come if they fal away should be renued again â–ª by repentaÌ„ce for asmuch as they haue as concernyng themselues crucified the sonne of god againe makynge a mockynge of hym Sainct Paules meaning in this place is that they that beleue truly vnfainedly gods word do continue abide sted fast in the knoweÌ„ truth If any therfore fal away froÌ„ Christ and his word it is a plaine tokeÌ„ that they were but dissembling hypocrites Math. 26 for al their faire faces outwardly neuer beleued truely as Iudas Simon Magus Demas Hymeneus Philetus others wer which al fel away froÌ„ the knowen verity made a mocke af Christ which S. Paule dothe cal here to crucify Christ a newe because that they turning to their old vomit again did most blaspemously tread the benefites of christes death passion vnder their fete They that are such caÌ„ in no wise be cenued by repeÌ„tance for their repeÌ„tance is fleshly as the repeÌ„tance of Caine Saule and Iudas was which being without godly coÌ„fort breedeth desperatioÌ„ vnto death These are not of the nuÌ„ber of thelect as S Iohn doth say they went out froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs 1 Iohn 2. for if they had bene of vs they woulde haue remained with vs vnto the ende Also the apostle saith in an other place Heb. 10 yf we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowlege of the truth ther remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearful loking for iudgemeÌ„t violent fyre which shal deuoure the aduersaries They sinne willingly which of a set malyce and purpose do wthold the truth in vnrighteousnes lying Rom. 1. kyâ—kyng against the manifest open knowen truthe which although they do perfectly know that in all the worlde there is none other sacrifice for sinne but only that omnisufficieÌ„t sacrifice of christes death yet notwithstanding they wyll not commit theÌ„selues wholy vnto it but rather despise it allowyng other sacrifices for synne â—inueÌ„ted by the imaginatioÌ„ of man as we see by daily experience vnto whoÌ„ yf they abide stil in their wickednes and sinne remaineth a most horrible and dreadful iudgement This is that synne vnto death for whych S. Iohn would not that a man should pray Wherfore my derely beloued in Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. Cor. 10 Apoc. 12 Math. 24. Rom. 1 let vs on whoÌ„ the endes of the worlde are come take diligeÌ„t hede vnto our selues that now in these last perilous tymes in the which the Deuil is come doune hath great wrath because he knoweth his time is but short wherof the prophets Christ the apostles haue so much spokeÌ„ geueÌ„ vs so earnest forewarning we wthold not the truth in vnrighteousnes beleuing doing or speaking any thing against out knowlege coÌ„scieÌ„ce or wtout faith For if we do so for what cause soeuer it be Iohn 8. phi .. 2. Math. 3 it is a wilful obstinate infidelity a sinne vnto deathe as our Sauiour Christ saieth if ye beleue not ye shall die in your sinnes For vnlesse we hold fast the word of life both beleuing it also bring forth fruit worthy of repeÌ„tance we shal with that vnprofitable figge tree which did but cuÌ„ber the ground Luke 13 bee cut doune our talent taken froÌ„ vs geuen vnto an other that shal put it to a better vse we through our own vnthaÌ„kfulnes put froÌ„ the mercy of god Matth. 18. shal neuer be able to pay our debts that is to say we shall altogether bee lost and vndone Heb. 6. For the earth that drinketh in the rayne that commeth ofte vppon it and bryngeth foorth herbes meete for them that dresse it receyueth blessing of God But that grounde that beareth thornes and brears is reproued and is nygh vnto cursyng whose ende is to be burned Neuertheles dere frendes we trust to see better of you and such things as accompany saluation and that ye being that ground watered with moistnes of gods word plenteously preached amongs you Luke 8 Iames. 1. wil with a good hart heare the worde of god kepe it bringing forthe fruite with patience and bee none of those forgetfull and hypocritishe hearers whiche althoughe they heare the worde Math. 13 yet the Deuil commeth and catcheth away that which was sowen in the hart eyther hauyng no roote in themselues endure but a season and as sone as tribulation or persecution aryseth because of the worde by and by they are
to God alone Moreouer themperial lawes customes of this realme the king in his CoronatioÌ„ The oth of the king Iustices the duty of subiectes al Iustices wheÌ„ they receaue theyr offices be sworne and all the whole realme is bound to defend and maintayn But contrary hereunto the Pope by his authority maketh voyde and commaundeth to blot out of our bokes all lawes and customes beyng repugnaÌ„t to hys lawes and declareth accursed all rulers and gouernours all the makers wryters and executors of such lawes or customes as it appeareth by many of the Popes lawes wherof one or two I shall rehearse In the decrees distin .x. is written thus CoÌ„stitutione contra canones decreta praesuluÌ„ Romanorum vel bonos mores nullius sunt momenti That is The constitutions or statutes enacted against the Canons and decrees of the bishops of Rome or their good customes are of none effect Also Extra de sententia excommunicationis nouerit Excommunicamus omnes haereticos vtriusque sexus quocuÌ„que nomine censeantur fautores receptatores defensores eorum nec non qui de caetero seruari fecerint statuta edita consuetudines contra ecclesiae libertatem nisi ea de capitularibus suis intra duos menses post huiusmodi publicationem sententiae fecerint amoueri Item excommunicamus statutarios scriptores statutorum ipsorum nec non potestates consules rectores consiliarios locorum vbi de caetero huiusmodi statuta consuetudines editae fuerint vel seruatae nec non illos qui secunduÌ„ ea praesumpserint iudicare vel in publicam formaÌ„ scribere iudicata That is to say we excoÌ„municate al heretikes of both sexes what name soeuer they be called by and their fauourers receptours and defendours and also them that shall hereafter cause to be obserued statutes and customes made against the liberty of the church except thei cause the same to be put out of their bokes or records within two monethes after the publication of thys senteÌ„ce Also we excommunicate the statute makers and writers of those statutes also the potestates consuls gouernours counsailours of places where suche statutes and customes shall bee made or kepte and also those that shall presume to geue iudgement according to them or put in to publyke forme of writing the matters so iudged Now by these lawes if the bishop of Romes authority which he claimeth by God be lawfull al your graces lawes and customes of your Realme being contrarye to the popes lawes be naught and aswell your maiesty as your iudges iustices and all other executours of the same stand accursed among heretickes which God forbid And yet this curse can neuer be anoyded if the Pope haue such power as he claimeth vntill such times as the lawes and customes of this realm The Popes lawes the lawes of England are contrary being contrary to his lawes be taken away and blotted out of the law bokes And although ther be many lawes of this Realme contrary to the lawes of Rome yet I named but a few as to conuict a clarke before any temporall iudge of this Realme for debte felony murther or for any other crime which clarks by the Pops lawes be so exempte froÌ„ the kings lawes that they can be no where sued but before theyr Ordinary Also the pope by his lawes may geue al bishoprikes benefices spirituall which by the lawes of this realme can be geueÌ„ but only by the kings other patrones of the same except they fal into the lapse By the popes lawes ius patronatus shal be sued onlye before the ecclesiastical iudge but by the lawes of this realme it shal be sued before the temporal Iudge and to be shorte the lawes of this Realme do agre with the Popes lawes like fire and water And yet the kings of this Realme haue prouided for theyr lawes by the premunire so that if anye man haue let the excecution of the lawes of this Realme by any authority from the sea of Rome he falleth into the premunire But to mete with this the popes haue prouided for theyr lawes by cursinge For who so euer letteth the Popes lawes to haue full course within this realme by the Popes power standeth accursed So that the Popes power treadeth all the lawes and customes of this Realme vnder his fete cursing al that execute them vntil such time as they geue place vnto his lawes But it may be said that notwithstanding all the popes decrees yet we do execute still the lawes and customes of this Realme Nay not all quietlye without interuption of the pope And where wee do execute them yet we do it vniustly if the popes power be of force and for the same we stande excommunicate and shal do vntill we leaue the execution of our owne lawes customes Thuâ—â—o â—e be well reconciled to Rome allowing such authority 〈◊〉 â—hy the Realme standeth accursed before God if the p◠〈◊〉 â—ue any such autority These things 〈◊〉 â—uppose were not fully opened in the parliament house wheÌ„ the popes authority was receiued agayn within this Realme for if they had I doe not beleue that either the king or Quenes maiestye or the nobles of this Realme or the commons of the same woulde euer haue consented to receaue againe suche a forraine autoritye so iniurious hurtefull and preiudiciall aswell to the crowne as to the lawes and customes and state of this realme as wherby they muste needes acknowledge themselues to be accursed But none could open this matter wel but the clergy and that such of them as had red the popes lawes whereby the pope hath made himself as it were a God These seeke to maintain the pope whome they desired to haue their chief head to the intent they might haue as it were a kingdom lawes wythin theÌ„selues distinct from the lawes of the crowne and wherwyth the crowne maye not meddle and so beinge exempted from the lawes of the crowne mighte liue in thys realme lyke Lordes and kinges wythout dammage or fear of any man The papists to set vp a kingdom of theyr own disseÌ„ble the knowne truth and are false to the crowne so that they please theyr hyghe and supreame heade at Rome For thys consyderation I weene some that knewe the truthe helde theyr peace at the Parliamente where as if they had done theyr duetyes to the crown and whole realme they should haue opened theyr mouthes declared the truth shewed the perils dangers that myght ensue to the crowne realme And if I should agre to allow suche autoritye within thys realme wherby I must needes confesse that your most gratious hyghenes and also youre Realme shoulde euer continue accursed vntyl you shall cease from the execution of youre owne Lawes and customes of youre realme I coulde not thyncke my selfe true eyther to youre highnes or to thys my naturall countrye knowyng that I do know Ignoraunce I know may excuse
breade and wine and saide of the cuppe drinke ye all of this the Pope geueth a cleane contrarye commaundemente that no laye man shall drynke of the cup of their saluation as thoughe the cuppe of Saluation by the bloud of Christ pertained not to lay men And wheras Theophilus Alexandrinus whose workes Saincte Hierom did trāslate about eleauen hundred yeres passed saith that if Christ had bene crucified for the Deuils his cup shoulde not be denied them yet the Pope denieth the cup of Christ to christen people for whome Christ was crucified so that if I should obey the Pope in these thinges I muste nedes disobey my sauior Christ But I was answered hereto as commonly the papists do answer that vnder the forme of bread is whole christes flesh and bloude so that whosoeuer receaueth the forme of bread receiueth aswel christes bloud as his fleshe Let it be so yet in the forme of breade onely Christes bloude is not dronken but eaten nor receaued in the cuppe vnder forme of wyne as Christ commaunded but eaten with the flesh vnder the forme of breade moreouer the bread is not the sacrament of his bloud but of his fleshe only nor the cup is not the sacrament of his flesh but of his bloud only and so the Pope kepeth from al lay persons the Sacrament of their redemption by Christes bloud which Christ commaunded to geue vnto them And furthermore Christ ordayned the sacrament in two kindes the one separated from the other to be a representation of his deathe where his bloud was separated from hys fleshe whiche is not represented in one kynde alone so that the lay people receiue not the whole sacrament wherby Christes death is represented as he commaunded Moreouer as the Pope taketh vpon him to geue the temporal sword or royal imperial power to kinges prynces so doth he likewise take vpō him to depose them from theyr imperial states if they be disobedient to hym and commaundeth the subiectes to disobey their prynces assoyling the subiectes aswel of their obedience as of their lawfull othes made vnto theyr true kinges and Prynces directly contrary to gods commaundeniente who commaundeth all subiectes to obey theyr kinges or other rulers vnder them One Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople in the time of S. Gregory claimed superioritie aboue all other bishops to whom sainct Gregorye writeth that therin he did iniurie to hys iij. brethren which were equall with hym that is to say the bishop of Rome of Alexandria of Antiochia which iij. were patriarchal seas aswell as Constantinople and were brethren one to an other But sayeth Saincte Gregorye if anye one shall exalte him selfe aboue all the rest to be the vniuersal bishoppe the same passeth in pryde but now the bishop of Rome exalteth himselfe not only aboue all bishops but also aboue all kynges and Emperours and aboue the whole world taking vpon hym to geue and take away to set vp and put downe as he shall thinke good And as the deuill hauyng no such authoritie The deuil◠the Pope are like yet toke vpon hym to geue vnto Christ all the kyngdomes of the world if he would fall downe and worshippe him in lyke manner the Pope taketh vppon hym to geue Empyres and kingdomes beyng none of hys to suche as wil fal downe worship him and kysse his feete And moreouer his lawyers and glosers so flatter him that they say he may commaund Emperours and kynges to hold hys stirroppe when he lighteth vppon hys horse and to bee hys footemen and that if any Emperour or kyng geue hym any thyng they geue hym nothyng but that is hys owne and that he may dispense agaynst Gods word agaynste the old and new Testament against S. Paules epistles and against the Gospel And furthermore whatsoeuer he doth although he draw innumerable people by heapes wyth himselfe into hell yet may no mortal man reproue hym bicause he beyng iudge of al men may be iudged of no man thus he sytteth in the tēple of god The Pope is Antichrist that is Christs enemy Wherfore the Pope is Antichrist as he were a god nameth him self Gods Vicar yet he dispenseth agaynst God If this be not to play Antichrists part I cānot tel what is Antichrist which is no more to say but Christs enemy and aduersary who shall syt in the temple of God aduauncyng hymselfe aboue all other yet by hipocrisy and fayned religion shall subuert the true religion of Christ and vnder pretense and colour of Christian religion shall worke agaynst Christ therfore hath the name of Antichrist Now yf any man lyfte hymselfe hygher then the Pope hath done who lifteth him selfe aboue all the world or can be more aduersary to Christ thē to dispense agaynst Gods lawes where Christ hath geuen any cōmaundement to commaund dyrectly the cōtrary the mā must nedes be takē for Antichrist But vntyl the tyme that such a person may be found men may easly coniecture where to find Antichrist Wherfore seyng the Pope thus to ouerthrow both gods lawes and mans lawes taketh vpon hym to make Emperours and kinges to be vassals Subiects vnto hym specially the crowne of thys realme with the lawes customes of the same I see no mean how I may cōsent to admit this vsurped power within this realme cōtrary to myne othe mine obedience to gods law mine allegeaunce and duety to your maiesty and my loue and affectiō to thys realme This that I haue spoken against the power and authority of the Pope I haue not spoken I take God to record and iudge for any malice I owe to the Popes person whom I know not but I shal pray to god to geue him grace that he may seke aboue al things to promote gods honour and glory and not to follow the trade of hys predecessors in these latter dayes nor I haue not spoken it for feare of punishment and to auoyde the same thynkyng it rather an occasion to aggrauate then to diminish my trouble but I haue spoken it for my most bounden duty to the crowne liberties lawes and customes of thys realme but most especially to discharge my conscience in vtteryng the truthe to gods glory castyng away all feare Luke 12 by the comfort which I haue in Christes wordes who sayeth Feare not them that kill the body and cannot kill the Soule but feare hym that can caste both body and soule into hell He that for feare to lose this life will forsake the truth shall lose the euerlasting lyfe and he that for the truthes sake wyll spend hys lyfe shall fynde euerlasting life And Christ promiseth to stād fast with them before hys father which wil stand fast with him here Mathe. x. which comforte is so great that whosoeuer hath his eyes fixed vpon Christ cannot greatly passe of thys life knowyng that he may be sure to haue Christ stand by him in the presence of his father in heauen As touchyng
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
yet loke for none other I exhort you as my frēdes but to be charged with them at gods hand This conscience and the loue that I beare vnto you biddeth me now say vnto you both in gods name feare god and loue not the world for god is able to cast both body and soule into hel fire Psa 2. When hys wrath shal sodenly be kindled blessed are al they that put their trust in him And the saieng of S. Iohn is true Iohn 2. al that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pryde of life is not of the father but of the world the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the wyl of god abideth for euer If this gift of grace which vndoubtedly is necessarily required vnto eternall saluation were truely and vnfainedly graffed and firmely stablished in mens harts they would not be so light so sodainly to shrinke from the mainteynaunce and confession of the truth as is now alas sene so manifestly of so many in these days But here peraduēture you would know of me what is the truth Syr gods word is the truth as s Iohn saith Iohn 17. Eccl. 27 and that euen the same that was heretofore For albeit man doth vary and chaunge as the moone yet Gods word is stable abideth one for euermore and of Christ it is truly said Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer Heb. 13 When I was in office all that were estemed learned in gods word agreed this to be a truth in gods word written that the common praier of the Church should be had in the common tongue You know I haue conferred with manye I ensure you I neuer found man so far as I do remember neyther olde nor newe Gospeller nor Papist of what iudgement so euer he was in this thyng to be of a contrary opinion If then it were a truth of gods worde thinke you that the alteration of the world canne make it an vntruthe ▪ If it cannot why then doe so manye men shrinke from the confession and maintenaunce of thys truthe receyued once of vs all For what is it I pray you els to confesse or deny Christ in this world but to maintayne the truth taught in gods word or for any worldly respecte to shrynke from the same This one thyng haue I brought for an ensample other thynges be in like case which now particularly I nede not to rehearse For he that wil forsake wittingly either for feare or gayne of the world any one open truthe of gods word if he be constrained he wil assuredly forsake god and all his truth rather then he will endaunger himselfe to lose or to leaue that he loueth better in deede then he dothe God and the truth of his word I like very wel your playn speaking wherin you saye I must either agree or dye and I thynke that you meane of the bodily deathe whiche is commō both to good bad Syr I know I must dye whether I agree or no. But what folly were it then to make such an agreement by the which I could neuer escape thys deathe which is so common to al and also incurre the gilte of death and eternall damnation Lord graunt that I maye vtterly abhorre and detest this damnable agreement so long as I liue And bycause I dare say you wrote of frendship vnto me this shorte earnest aduertisement and I thinke verelye wishyng me to lyue and not to die therfore bearing you in my hearte no lesse loue in god than you do me in the world Apostata was he which fled from hys captaine to the enemy He was also so called that departed from the chrystyans to the Iewes Gentiles I say vnto you in the worde of the lorde and that I say to you I say to all my frendes and louers in god that yf you doe not confesse and maintayne to your power and knowledge that which is grounded vpon gods word but will either for feare or gayne of the world shrinke and play the Apostata in dede you shall dye the deathe you know what I meane And I beseche you al my true frendes and louers in God remember what I saye for this maye be the laste tyme peraduentute that euer I shall write vnto you From Bocardo in Oxford the 18. day of Aprill 1554. N.R. Chariss fratri venerabili in Christo compresbytero Ioanni Hopero gratiam pacem DIlecte frater venerabilis in Christo compresbyter cōdonet mihi precor tua dilectio quod hactenus a tua captiuitate tua simul mea tuam dilectionem meis literis non salutauerim quando ingenue fateor mihi abs te quae tua erat humanitas binae literae datae fuerūt diuersis quidem temporibus sed eis sēper profecto in quibus aut mihi per iniquitatem temporis rescribere bene non licuit aut si rescripsissem de literis ad te tuto perferendis multum dubitaui Iam vero charissime frater quum ex illis tuis lucuhrationibus quas mihi non nisi obiter videre contigit facile intelligo nos in ijs quae sunt nostrae religionis fundamenta bases omium aduersus quas mundus hodie tantopere insanit probe conuenire in vnū conspirare vtcūque in rebus minoribus religionis appēdicibus olim tua prudentia mea simplicitas in alîquibus fateor vterque suum sēsum habebat iam inquam cognoscat tua dilectio quod ex animo deus mihi testis est in viscerihus Christi te diligam frater in veritate propter veritatem quae permanet in nobis vt mihi per suasum habeo per gratiam dei per manebit nobiscum in aeternū Quoniam autem vti video frater mundus causam suam igere nō cessat cōtra Christum seruatorē quantū potest maximis munitionibus cōspirat 1. Corin. 10 sūmas conatur erigere altitudines a duersus cognitionē Dei iungamus frater dextras in Christo pro nostra viriliquantumque in nobis situm erit non armis carnalibus sed spiritualibus si non possumus demoliri saltem pulsemus illas altitudines simul nos iam Frater praeparemus ad diem dissolutionis nostrae per quam cum Christo post momentaneam carnis iftius nostrae afflictionem in aeternum gratia Domini Iesu Christi simul cum illo triumphabimns in gloria sempeterna Ohsecro frater saluta meo nomine venerandum illum tuum concaptiuum mihi vere venerahilem patrem D. Cromerum de quo mihi crede ex primo die quo de eius sanctissima grauiss constantia in confessione veritatis euangelicoe audiui semper maximā consolationem maximumque gaudium concepi in domino integritatem enim eius viri grauitatem innocentiā iāpridē vniuersa pene credo nouit Anglia Benedictus
igitur deus qui nobis in tanta abundantia iniquitatis in tanta ruina pietatis talem nobis dedit in isthac veneranda canitie testeÌ„ sui Euangelij veritati Infoelix quem tanti viri tam grauis innocentis pietas constans confessio nihil permouere possuÌ„t ad cognoscendam veritatem dei Non peto iam frater vt mihi quicquam rescribas multum enim vereor ne literae intercipiantur quanquaÌ„ scias mihi de tua constantia fortitudine in Domini caussa audire semper fore gratissimum Et vt tuae fraternitati hactenus non rescripserim bis tameÌ„ vt potui tibi significandum curaui quod a me in tuis literis cognoscere voluisti Nec adhuc profecto frater possum animum meum mutare tot enim mihi videre videor pericula quae me impellunt vt consulam ne tuarum lucubrationum editionem festinare velis saltem sub titulo nominis tui Multum enim vereor ne hac occasione tibi os obstruatur in posterum alijs quoque captiuis omnia anferantur quihus alioqui multis deo ita volente poterunt ê“ desse Bene vale in Domino Chaaiss frater si qui alij in vestris aedibus suÌ„t vobiscum in causa Christi concaptiu ï precor illis meo nomine salutem vti possis velis impartiri et omnium uestruÌ„ precibus apud dominum me atque meos concaptiuos in domino etiaÌ„ atque etiam humillime commendo rursus atque in aeternum in Christo bene vale frater Chariss The same in english ¶ To my most deare brother and reuerend fellow Elder in Christe Iohn Hoper grace and peace MY dearely beloued brother and fellow Elder whoÌ„ I reuerence in the lord pardon me I besech you that hitherto since your captiuitie and myne I haue not saluted you by my letters wheras I do in deede confesse I haue receiued from you suche was your gentlenes two letters at suÌ„dry tymes but yet at such times as I could not be suffred to write vnto you againe or yf I might haue writeÌ„ yet was I greatly in dout lest my letters shuld not safely come vnto your haÌ„ds But now my dere brother for as much as I vnderstaÌ„d by your workes which I haue yet but superficially sene that we throughly agree wholy consent together in those thynges which are the groundes substaÌ„tial points of our religioÌ„ against the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dais howsoeuer in time past in smaller matters circuÌ„staÌ„ces of religion your wisdom my simplicity I coÌ„fesse I haue in som points varied Now I say be you assured that euen with my whole heart God is my witnes in the bowels of Christ I loue you in truth for the truthes sake which abideth in vs and as I am perswaded shall by the grace of God abyde with vs for euermore And because the world as I perceiue brother ceaseth not to play his pageant 1. Cor x. busely conspireth against Christ our sauior with all possible force and power exaltyng high thinges against the knowledge of god let vs ioyne handes together in Christ and if we cannot ouerthrowe yet to our power and as much as in vs lieth let vs shake those hyghe thinges not with carnal but with spiritual weapoÌ„s withall brother let vs prepare our selues to the day of our dissolution wherby after the shorte time of this bodely affliction by the grace of our lord Iesus Christ we shall triumphe together with him in eternall glory I pray you brother salute in my name that reuerend father Of this good fathers godly ende and constant coÌ„fession of the truth you shall read in the next editioÌ„ of the boke of martyrs your fellow prisoner Doctor Crome by whom since the first day that I heard of his most godly fatherly constancy in confessing the truth of the gospel I haue conceiued great consolation and ioy in the lord For the integritie and vprightnes the grauitie innoceÌ„cy of that maÌ„ al EnglaÌ„d I think hath knowen long ago Blessed be God therfore whiche in such abundance of iniquity decay of all godlinesse hath geuen vnto vs in this reuerend old age such a witnes for the truth of his gospel Miserable hard harted is he whoÌ„ the godlines constant confession of so worthy so graue innocent a maÌ„ wil not moue to acknowledge coÌ„fesse the truth of god I doe not nowe brother require you to write anye thing to me againe for I staÌ„d much in feare lest your letters should be intercepted before they can come to my hands Neuertheles know you that it shal be to me great ioy to heare of your constancie and fortitude in the lords quarel And albeit I haue not hitherto writen vnto you yet haue I twise as I could seÌ„t vnto you my mind touching the matter which in your letters you required to know neither can I yet brother be otherwise persuaded I see me thinkes so many perils wherby I am earnestly moued to couÌ„sel you not to hasteÌ„ the publishyng of your workes especially vnder the title of your own name For I feare greatly least by this occasion both your mouth should be stopped hereafter al things taken awaye from the reste of the prisoners whereby otherwise if it so please god they may bee able to doe good to many Farewell in the lord my most deare brother and if there be any more in prison with you for Christes cause I besech you as you may salute them in my name to whose praiers I do most humbly and hartely commeÌ„d my selfe and my fellow prisoners concaptiues in the lord and yet oâ—ce againe and for euer in Christ my most deare brother Farewell ☞ A letter of M. Edmunde Grindal then being in exile for the testimony of the truth and now bishop of London to D. Ridley prisoner in Oxforde whiche we thoughte good here to place for that the letter followyng is an aunswer therof GRatiam consolationem a Domino seruatore nostro Iesu christo Syr I haue often bene desirous to haue written to you and to haue heard from you but the iniquity of the tymes haue hitherto always put me forth of all hope and comfort Now at thys present god semeth to offer some likelyhode that these might come to your handes which I thought to vse referring the rest to Gods dispositioÌ„ Your present state not I only who of all other am most bouÌ„d but also all other our brethreÌ„ here do most hartely lament as ioyned with the most miserable