am bounde and so my not comminge vnto you shall greeue me the lesse Nowe touchinge your owne case I knowe you are wyse to see that the Lord giueth you newe instructions to be wise in him and to giue ouer your selfe vnto him For as God hath blessed you many wayes and giuen you a good callinge in the worlde So he visiteth you euery day and humbleth you with many chastisementes before him God hath giuen you husbande children famelie and other blessings but you enioye none of them without a crosse sometime one thing sometime another and commonly your owne weake and sicklie body makes you that you can not haue your ioye as you would Yea J doubt not but it is so abridged vnto you that sometime it grieueth you that you cannot eyther haue care ouer your house as you wishe or attende on your children as you desire or reioyce with your husbande as otherwise you might But this griefe God recompenceth with great benefite for our Sauiour Christ is our good warrant that this is the lot of Gods saintes to enioye his blessinges with afflictions so that the more that you bee sorrowsull the more you be sure that the liuing God hath giuen you your portion And so your sorrowe is ioye vnto you Besides this the mingling of your ioye with sorrowe and wealth with woe is a happie tempringe vnto you of heauen with earth that you should neither loue nor rest in this aboue that which is meete but acknowledge all is but vanitie so loue it as transitorie things and haue your great delight with the Lord alone who is vnto you health prosperitie ioye and eternall life This good Maistres K. you knowe but yet this I also put you in minde of for though God haue blessed you yet you are but a weake woman and haue neede in the common frayeltie of mans nature to be stirred vp with exhortatioÌ„ Remember therefore euer that which is the ende of all Feare God and keepe his commandements For this is the whole scope of our life which when we haue brought to his appointed ende wee shall see the hope which we haue long looked for and when immortalitie hath brought happines into light and scattered away our feare we shall saye then Blessed be the daye in whiche firste wee learned to feare the Lorde And the Lorde blesse you with his holy spirit that you may in the middest of other care haue pleasure in this and in other sorrowe reioyce in the Lord and alwayes reioyce CoÌ„mende me J pray you to your litle ones Nan Besse and Marie And the Lord make you and maister K. gladde parentes of good children Amen From Tobie the last of Februarie 1575. Yours in the Lord Iesus Ed. Dering To Maistres K. THe grace of our Lord Iesu Christ bee with you euer Amen I thanke you good Maistres K. for your letter and for your medicine and for your good will to him to whom you before did owe so little Touching my disease I did soddainlie cogh and spit much bloud so that when with much forcing my selfe I refrained it ratteled in my throte as if I had bene a dying next day in the like sorte J did and once since the taking of these medicines for the staying of it it is nowe stayed but J feele a great stopping of my winde and much prouocation to coughe whiche if I did J should spit bloud as before I pray you aske your Phisicion what he thinketh good to bee done And good Maistres K. against all diseases and sicknesses of the body doe as you doe and increase it with an vnfayned testimonie of your owne heart Committ your health your sickenes your body your soule your life and your death to him that died for vs and is risen againe A sicke body with such an ayde hath greater treasure then the Queenes Iewell-house Praye still and pray for me J see the goodnes of God such towardes me as I thanke God except sinne I waighe not all the worlde a fâ—ather and with as a gladde a minde I spitt bloud I trust as cleare spitle To those that loue God all thinges are for the best hee hath a harde heart that beleeueth not this For the Church I commit it to the Lorde the Lorde graunt with that affection that I owe vnto it and for all my labour in it I thanke God I am guiltie neither of couetousnes nor ambitioÌ„ but as God hath giuen me grace J sought onely his glorie J write this vnto you good Maistres K. because you knowe it and that you may the more effectuallie remember him that will knowe you when the worlde your health your corruptihle bodie death and sinne it self haue done their worste CoÌ„mende me to Maister K. your little ones to Maister R. The Lorde blesse vs all that we make our bodies shake not our bodies vs. Vale in Christo Iesu 25. Iul. 1575. Tuus in Christo Ed. Dering To Maistres K. TTe Lord God who sheweth mercie to whom hee will shewe mercie and haue compassion on whom he will haue compassion accordinge to his loue with which he loued vs before the worlde was made looke vpon vs and leade vs in our wayes that in righteousnes and holines peace and ioye of the holy Ghost wee may finishe our compas and come vnto him Amen If I could good Maistres K. doe as J should then my wayes were perfect among men but it is with mee as with manie other small hinderances to an vnwillinge minde are occasions great enough to keepe vs from doing well This hath made me to pretermitt manie dueties which had bene better done And J dare not make anie other excuse why J haue not written vnto you oftener for though I haue in a wearie bodie many thinges to doe and could make excuses whiche you would easilie beleeue yet sure I am if slought and negligence were vtterlie gone a fewe lines were so soone written that J could not want time for so little labour this is true sit erranti medicina confessio Touching my sicknes hee that sent it he doeth rule it and as he will so farre let it goe J feele yet difficultie of breath and coughinge and I see palenes and leanes abyding still yet I thanke God I am so well as wee supposed all to haue seene you at Henden this next Monday but God hath changed our waye and by occasion we haue differred it trusting yet to see you verie shortlie if the Lord will to whom we commit both your wayes and ours And nowe good Maistres K. further J neede not write vnto you for whiche cause yet especiallie you craue my letters I knowe whom you haue beleeued vpon what grounde you stande who hath sealed your perswasion in you he is able to keepe that you haue committed vnto him euen vntill that day that the things of the worlde are changed before vs all Affliction may be great and make vs murmur prosperitie may abounde and make vs proude the
worlde may fill our eyes and our eares that sometime we may be blinde and not see our hope our owne concupiscence may peraduenture stinge vs that wee forgett the good workes wherein wee had delight but the councell of the Highest standeth fast for euer the Lord knoweth all that are his Jn this tower of defence our dwelling is made for vs and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs. When wee sinne wee must needes be sorrowfull and to offende such a Sauiour it will greeue vs more then death it selfe but to remember againe so assured hope we can not but reioyce in the Lorde and alwayes reioyce Thus I leaue you to your owne hearte where is your strong safetie and to your secrete thoughtes which comfort you in the night And committing my selfe vnto your prayers I beseeche God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe to keepe you and yours Commende me to your little ones pardon me for writing in such piece of paper J could hardlie gett this Maister H. and my wife wishe to see you The Lord keepe vs vnblameable in his sight From Tobye the xiiij of August 1575. Your bounden in the Lord Ed. Deringe To Maistres K. THe Lord God direct vs in all our wayes that they may bee vnblameable in his sight and our faith may be strenghtened in the blessed hope of his elect so that nothing be able to shake it from henceforth from the boldnes and assurance of eternall life Many and iust causes good Maistres K. haue kept mee so that these holy dayes I could not see you but I knowe no excuse why I could not write vnto you and therfore for the one as I am sure you doe willinglie pardon me so the other I beseeche you to except both as a testimonie of my minde that I forget you not and as a discharge of that duetie J owe vnto you for if I should not faithfullie remember you though you had otherwise done nothing for me yet I were vnworthie of so much good will And if I should not as in bounden duetie be most carefull to strenghten and comfort that good purpose whiche your selfe haue chosen for the curse of your life I were not worthie of the acquaintance of the saintes of God Therefore departing from London againe as J could not chuse I haue yet written vnto you as I must needes And I hartelie praye that God may increase his goodnes in you and earnestlie beseech you as you haue receyued that so you would abounde more and more a short request and soone hearde but exceeding difficult to some to practize yet not difficult vnto you but easie and light as you can desire for he that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And the anointing as Iohn saieth which you haue receyued of God dwelleth in you and you neede not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all thinges and it is true and not lyinge and as it is taught you you shall abyde in it Maruell not that J write this vnto you nor be vnwillinglie affected to heare of your owne happinesse Jt is as Salomon sayeth an other mans mouth that prayseth you and not your owne and what neede you feare And I speake not deceitfullie which J thanke God J hate nor giue I titles as Iob sayeth which the Lorde doeth abhorre But seeing as I am perswaded that in you which Saint Iohn could see in the people to whom hee wrote and to whom he gaue so honorable prayse why should not J be bolde vpon so good warrant to say also vnto you You are the Lordes and God who iustified then his Apostles wordes he will iustifie them nowe and euer for he is mercifull without ende Lett vs not then good Maistres K. bee hencefoorth sorrowfull or faint hearted Paule and Peter and all tht Apostles and Prophetes haue spoken glorious thinges vnto vs and we will beleeue them And yet not they but the spirit of God hath giuen vs this testimonie and it is true For what were the Romaynes Corinthians Galathians and all other whome the Spirite nameth Saintes and Holy ones were they not as wee Fraile and weake as wee and our faith as theirs But wee feele a great deale of infirmitie in our selues did not they so and did not the spirit of God see more in them then them selues could feele yet it calleth thē saintes yea and so it calleth vs that wee should not feare and therefore as I saide I saye agayne you are anoynted of the Lorde and you shall not fall if your heart beare you witnesse that the profession which you make is vnfained in you as I am sure it beareth you witnesse One care onelie wee haue which also wee will haue vnto the ende and that is that we may glorifie him who hath glorified vs. Jn this doing as I accuse my selfe most aboue all other men so J prayse not you a white For J knowe good Maistres K. herein you are too too faultie and so is all fleshe our fleshe the world and the Deuill they are to stronge for vs but blessed bee the Lorde God who hath giuen vs victorie in Jesus Christ and wee will doe if God giue vs grace as his Apostles did wee will chastise our bodyes and bringe them in subiection that all that knowe our religion shall not blame our workes And I thanke God for all that you haue obteyned And I beseeche you increase and abounde more that as hee will giue vs a full rewarde so wee may offer vp our bodyes a holy sacrifice to prayse his name who hath had mercie vppon vs. And pray for me that my handes tonge may ioyne in the workes of Gods Saintes and let vs all growe togither vnto that blessed hope till wee haue founde that happie strēght by which the world is crucified vnto vs and wee vnto the worlde But the Lord that teacheth you to him I leaue you whom I beseech to open your eies into so large wyde a spiritual sight that you may yet more clearlie see and feele the glorie of God immortalitie Fare well good Maistres K. Commende mee to Nan Besse Marie The Lorde blesse you with them euer Amen Tuus in Christo Edwardus Deringe A Letter of M. Ed. De. to the Ladie G. ¶ The grace of our Lorde Iesu Christ bee with you euer Amen JF either I might doe the duetie wherevnto your well deseruing hath bound me or might requite with thanks that with all your good wil you haue deserued I knowe and confesse it good Madame longe since I should haue come to see you but such is my case as I cannot doe either what is most meete or what I most desire for sometimes by busines sometime by sicknes sometime by opportunity of others I am holdē here that J could neuer yet haue opportunitie to ryde fare or to see my natiue Countrie nighest friendes Once in Sōmer J would haue gone to M. B. besides Windsore and
but the heauens also you haue destroyed death you shall feele thē all within you the fellowship of Saints Angels the forgiuenes of sinns the resurrection of the body the life euerlasting and the God of glorie your eyes lightened with a pure faith shall see these things in so perfect beautie that you shall cast out death the feare of it yea you should thinke your time wearines if your dayes should be prolonged and you should bee yet many yeares a soiorner in this bodie in which you are a straunger from the presence of the Lorde And the nearer your time approcheth the gladder you shal be of the ende of your iourney when your harte shall feele it And when the earthlie house of this tabernacle shal be destroyed you haue a building giuen of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens In this faith you shall not onely not feare death but you shall sigh and moane as Paule saith till you see your glorie and the lot of the saints that is in light where there is no more sorrow nor care nor feare nor death but the God of all mercie and father of our lord Jesus Christ shal be before vs for euer Thus Madame as my duetie is J haue written vnto you and God will blesse it as his promise is that it shall be for the best in the wisdome of his word we shal be strengthned in his grace that death sicknesse shal be forgotten all the desirs of our heart shal be with him And the Lord God for his Sonnes sake so haue mercie vpon vs that all euill taken from vs we may reioyce in him and see his blessed age that is in immortality is sealed in our heartes with his blessed spirit To whom be glorie for euermore Amen From Saint Ellens the tenth of Ianuarie Anno Domini 1576. Yours bounden in the Lord Iesu the onely forgiuenes of all our sinnes Ed. Deringe A Letter written by M. Edward Deringe to his Lord Maister the Duke of Northfolke Gratia et pax a Deo patre et domino nostro Iesu Christo THE longe good will that I haue borne vnto you as to one that earnestlie professed the Gospell and the great duetie I owe vnto you as to my Lord Master make that nowe I should write vnto you not knowing whether opportunitie shal be such that hereafter J may doe you any seruice God the author of all life he hath shutte both you and me vp in his handes that there is great likelihood our liues in this worlde they are but short The Prince that executeth the iudgement of the Lord she hath found you out in your great sinnes and sickenes that raigneth ouer all fleshe it hath taken now longe holde vpon me So that as I saide we are both in the handes of the Lord we are summoned paremtorilie death hath giuen an assault and the weake holdes of our life they are violentlie shaken Nowe therefore my good Lord let it vs take counsell togither and as a wise Maister learne of a faithfull seruaunt what is best to be done the worst that our sinnes can doe vnto vs is to lay vpon vs the iust rewarde of death my disease which thus afflicteth me for many thousand sinns it can but take away my life which J haue so abused And all your deepe dissimulation and hypocrisie your great ambitions your faithlesse religion which haue so bewitched you what can they doe more then this The remedie nowe is to make of necessitie a vertue that is to beare it wisely which you must needes abide J haue I thanke God founde that grace that I can loue this saying Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo the Lord also open your hearte and guide your vnderstandinge that with all saintes you may doe likewise and praye Veni Domine Iesu And now for asmuch as this is the last duetie that J am like to doe vnto you as God shall giue grace I will so aduice you as I may testifie myne owne faith and make you strong against the daye of triall trusting that our God shall so remember vs both in mercie that after a little while we shall see better dayes and raigne with him that abideth King for euer There is now but one thing necessarie for you to learne in this life that is how you may willinglie desire to die a hard lesson for a natural mā for death is our last enimie his assault most violent to the triall of our faith but Christ who hath ouercome death and hell hee hath broken the strength of this battell and set vp the songes of triumph vnto all that beleeue that we may haue the fulnesse of ioy and say with gladnes ô death where is thy sting Nowe that this ioye may be yours and this gladnes your inheritāce prepare your selfe not in your own wisdō for that hath alredie deceiued you but in the wisdome of god that your hope may be sure Jf you will now haue the hart that shal cōdemne the force of death cōsider wherfore you are called to die It is laid to your charg that you haue delt traytrously with your Prince with your coūtry with the religiō of God and vpon these crimes you are cōdemned to die If you be guiltles ô my Lord blessed are you blessed is your portion he hath spokē it that neuer will change Jf whē you do well you suffer wrōgfully take it patiētly for this is acceptable to god but if you be guilty you haue not your hope in death for that you haue deserued but your hope is this that you die so as it becōmeth you which if god shal grāt vnto you then blessed is the howre that God shall bring vpon you you shal make that change which god for his Christes sake lay speedily vpon all his children you shal die once that you may liue euer Now that you may know how you ought to die learne this of the lord which he hath so plainly taught you The first part of your true repētāce must be an hūble cōfessiō what soeuer your own conscience can vtter more thē is reuealed O my Lorde speake opēly the trueth sathan is enimie vnto vs his slightes are many if you will treade the malicious serpent vnder your feete triumph with Christ who hath spoiled hell tell the trueth my Lord conceale nothing so shall you shunne the diuel If my words seeme but light to perswade you heare the wisest counsellour that euer raigned in Israel He that hideth his sinne saieth Salomon shall neuer prosper but he that cōfesseth forsaketh them shall finde mercie Whē Acan had transgressed in Israel deserued death when he was brought into iudgemēt Ioshua said vnto him My Son J beseech thee giue glory to the lord God of Israel make cōfession vnto him shew me now what thou hast done Loe my Lord this is to giue glorie vnto God to cōfesse your sin
not able so much as to thinke a good thought but it is of him whose seede abideth in you And although because you haue that treasure in a brittle vessell you see sometime the fruite of olde Adam and the prickes of his transgression within your bowelles yet feare not his malice that hath wrought this woe You are bought with a dearer price then that sinne may raigne againe within you he that hath purchased you hee will not suffer his inheritance to be spoyled Jt is necessarie you should know your sinne or you could not vnderstande howe great were your redemption But your sinnes can not separate you away from him who hath buried them in the earth and will not see them any more When you shall ascende to come into his sight the earth will holde her owne and keepe your sinnes behinde you The pearcing serpent shall not clime to accuse you nor the crooked serpent shall not hyde your redemption from you Your care is cast vpon him that careth for you you knowe him who hath spoken All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Ye knowe him who hath a name aboue all names that in the name of Jesus all knees shall bowe Euen hee that bought you with a price and you are not your owne If it bee possible for you to perishe then is it possible againe that Christe should suffer iniurie This boldnes you haue through him who hath made manifest his grace vnto you that you denying impietie worldly concupiscence should liue soberly purely and godly in this present life and looke for the blessed hope that shall be reuealed when all secretes shall be opened To which issue and happy ende of life the Lord bring both you and yours in the fellowship of his saints to prayse his holy name when he shall make knowen vnto you his glorie vnspeakeable and crowne it with immortalitie Amen Farewell in Christ Iesu and pray for me The 26. of December 1572. Yours in the Lord to commaund Ed. Deringe A letter of M. Ed. Deringe to his brother Maister R. D. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you euer Amen For Maister S. whether he be angrie or no J knowe not if he be God is witnesse betweene him and me howe litle I haue deserued it true it is hee seemed not very wel pleased but if God be pleased mans goodwil either it shal be recōciled or shal not doe much hurt if I haue the losse in worldlie thinges I am content to beare it and God will supply my want where I am able to doe nothing J had leuer be your Brother not worth a grote but hauing a good conscience to praye for you then haue as I might great liuing encomber my cōscience with much sinne And good Brother Dering here followe me you shal be a great deale richer then you are studie the scripture reade bookes bee able to reason in your faith especiallie and aboue all haue a liuely feeling of God that you thinke more vile of all the glorie of the world then of the dust of the earth you knowe we must all perishe and you must walke the way of all fleshe Our good Parents both Father Mother they are gone before you doe but waite the time and you must goe after your goods and landes must abide behinde and the riches of your minde they are onely your owne You are my eldest brother you knowe not howe glad I would be to see you goe before me in Religion God hath giuen you neither a light heade nor little vnderstanding if you would applie your selfe vnto knowledge you should then reape the fruit of your labour in more gladnes of heart then yet you can imagine begin once but a little and taste how sweet the Lord is and you shall feele the riches of his glorie and say Happie be the time that euer I knewe it Let not good Brother let not the worlde deceiue you it is faithlesse and deceiptfull when you shall loue it best it will soonest deceyue you And of me thinke thus that in the world I can not doe you so great a pleasure as continually to prouoke you to know God and this I shal be able to performe though otherwise I shal be able to pleasure you nothing and therefore I beseeche you praye for me and I will pray for you so the Lord God shall helpe vs both that I may be faithfull which way J am called and you may bee such as I desire And for Maister S. or any other of such high calling I loue them in the Lorde euen as I loue myne owne soule and will pray for them while they and I shall liue Though I beare the losse of worldly things yet by the grace of Christ J will neuer lose a good conscience and though they be angrie with me yet I will not leaue to pray for them and commit my cause vnto God he will one day multiplie his graces where hee hath so well begun and they shall I trust be throughlie taught whom God hath alreadie so farre instructed For my L. of C. J haue bene once with him but J meane not yet to goe the seconde time God will worke his will his name be praysed for euer My L. of L. is a good man I am often with him I haue sene in him so good tokens of a good spirit that I reuerence him in my heart will serue him in Christ all wayes that J may And for my doeing with any man I praie you tell me wher you see me faultie but if you know not of any sin doe not diswade me from going vpright in the Gospell But for my comfort if you see me greeued let me see in you how you professe the gospell perswade your self of this that a liuely zeale holy knowledg in you and in my Sister shal make me gladder then any bishoprike in England The Lorde God for his mercies sake that hath called you out of the kingdome of darkenesse and placed you in the fellowshippe of his saintes in light make you to feele the depth of his graces that you may be renewed confirmed strengthened and made perfite vnto the ende Amen Fare you well in Christ Iesu and doe my hartie commendations to my sister From London the xix of Nouember Your louing brother Ed. Deringe To his brother Maister R. D. THe grace of our Lord Jesu Christ bee with you euer Amen Good brother I would gladlie write oftener vnto you but otherwise I haue so much to doe that some time I forget many dueties Another cause is J haue nothing to write as I would so I haue no pleasure to doe that I would not So it is that I am forbidden to preach which grieueth me most then slaunderous reportes doe hurt me much where J would fainest please so farre as I may in the feare of God But how so euer things are it is a blessed sentence whiche he hath spoken who
are for euer In all suffrings I am like to Christ they are the marks of mine adoption that J am his childe Doe wee not heare the Lorde Himselfe doeth speake If wee bee without correction then are we bastardes and not sonnes and to shewe what our correction shal bee hee sayeth in an other place If we bee planted with him into the similitude of his death then shall wee also be partakers of his resurrection Who hath heard so great saluation as this Euery weapon wherewith the enemie striketh the same armeth vs to greater saluation And euery wounde that we doe receyue the same confirmeth vs to a surer life Then as before I saide care not for sinne for that is abolished so here I maye adde care not for hell for the nearer wee feele it the further we are from it Let them feare sinne that feele it not and let them be afraide of condemnation that knowe not what it is vppon whom destruction shall come sodenlie as an armed man Our eyes haue bene kept waking and we haue seene our sinnes our harts haue fainted before the anger of the Lorde And wee haue not despised his heauenlie callinge therfore in the day of trouble we shall haue rest In this perswasion we will liue and die and if our soules should melte for feare within vs although the Lorde should kill vs yet would we trust in him Abraham beleeued in the Lorde and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes against hope hee beleeued vnder hope and if our hope seemed to be taken from vs yet would wee patientlie wayte the Lords leasure vntill hee saue our hope agayne that at the least our faith might haue againe the glorie and trueth of full assurance Another thing we must labour in and in another thinge wee shall haue temptation and that is that wee may see what is the glorie of God and immortall life herein lett vs meditate in our beddes and thinke on this in our secret places in the middest of our companies let these cogitations be often in our hartes and in all places let these be our muses When we shal apprehende with all the seruauntes of God what is the height the bredth the length the depth wee shall knowe that the glorie is great of immortalitie and he is onely to bee beleued who shall shine in honour when this vanitie is ouerpast His strength is great that layde the foundations of the world and his brightnes exceeding that made the Sunne and the Moone His treasure and ritches are aboue measure who hath giuen Princes their golde and siluer and other pretious stones for the honour of man he in deede is of excellent maiestie who is King of Kings and Lord of Lordes and his power is aboue all who maketh sicknesse his messengers and death his minister till he shall abolishe them both For his mercies are vnspeakable that forgiueth vs all our sinnes and his goodnes is great who hath had regarde to the children of men From nothing hee brought vs into life he kept vs from the graue he will restore vs and make vs see his glorie When I would thinke on this my soule is compassed with dulnes of fleshe that J cannot see the fulnes of his fauour When I would consider in my heart what is his grace Darkenesse ouershadoweth myne vnderstāding all my thoughts doe vanishe in his immortalitie When J would speake of his louing kindnes my tonge cleaueth to the roote of my mouthe and my wordes sticke faste within my lippes But this one thinge in all myne infirmities J can perceyue that his glorie is exceeding great whose glorie I can not comprehende and the life is longe appointed vnto man where his heart and minde can see no ende If all the worlde were a flowing water and euery yeare one droppe should be diminished the Sea should be all made drye and the bottomes of the deepe should appeare before he shall cease to lyue whom God hath raysed from the dead and this breadth widenesse betweene heauen and earth if it should bee filled vp and euery yeare but one handfull of earth added to the worke yet sooner should the great distance bee closed vp and the emptie places made full then hee shall cease from ioye and gladnes who shall stande in the resurrection of the iust This is the glorie that hath neither spot nor blemishe before which me thinketh not only Princes and the glorie of the world but the Sunn and Moone all the hostes of heauen are nothing els but meere vanitie for death shadoweth the glorie of man though hee spred his braunches neuer so farre yet the graue closseth vp in little roome the ambitious heart which before was enlarged from East to West And the Heauens that are high and free from death yet are holden vnder the tyrannie of enuious and consuming tyme in which they shal be chaunged Only the Lord is in honor and maiestie who hath set eternitie rounde about him and cast out tyme vnto confusion Oh Lorde where are their eyes that see not this or their hearts that see and regarde it not Who hath bewitched them in the countenances of men to carrie the heartes of beastes and to forget the latter ende The Lorde turne them that runne astray that they may knowe and see where is their glorie but the temptations haue ouertaken them Which are against our honour when the Lorde shall deliuer them from euill they shall giue thankes and reioyce with vs that they also haue eyes to see And blessed are you good Mistres H. and God hath visited you in an acceptable time whose heart he hath touched with feare whose afflictions he hath filled with hunger and thirst that you should mourne for the redemption that is in Christ and be pleased with nothing but with the grace of his countenance This is a Schoolemistres to bringe you vnto him and a bond to tye you faste that you shall not be seperated and accomplishe J beseeche you this good worke of his grace till you loue the Lord withall your heart and till you can say with the blessed Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ For this purpose wee are chastised of the Lorde and whē our faith is tryed at the last it shal be made strong that with it we may quench all the fierie dartes of Sathan and in righteousnes and peace and ioye of the holy Ghoste runne the course that is set before vs till in a blessed issue of happie dayes with a good spirite we may say boldlie Lorde nowe lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace Which I beseeche God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the God of mercie and Father of all consolation graunt vnto you Amen Pray pray pray praye this is your best seruice wheresoeuer your duetie is most bounde Letters of Ed. Der. to Maistres B. GRace mercie and peace from God our Father c. J had much leuer good Maistres B. come my self then write
the seconde night of my trauell J could not sleape but taried a seuen night in the same place then came backe againe ill at ease thus it pleaseth God to deale with me and such a body he hath giuen me to the ende I am sure J should not loue this present vanitie but remember him that liueth euer desire to bee dissolued to see his glorie And this I beseeche you thinke to be the only cause that I haue not of longe time seene you and others with whom otherwise I would wishe to dwell and if it bee the good will of God to prosper my iourneys in time conuenient J trust to see you oftener hereafter but his will bee done who appoynteth our wayes and numbreth our steppes and doeth all things for the best to those that loue him and to him if J can commit you in my daily prayers that so my spirit bee present with you how longe soeuer J be absent in body yet my duetie I owe you shall not bee altogither vnperformed and that piece of it which yet is wantinge that in daily exhortation J might by the grace of God stirre vp your minde that in the meane time let me supplie with these letters In which most hartily I beseech you good Madame goe on forwarde and faint not in the course of godlines increase stil in faith in loue in hope til with a wise hart you haue such a feeling of the glory of God of eternall life that you haue made your account vp with the world are at a point with all that is vnder the Sun While God shall prolong your dayes reioyce in him that hath giuen you life and vse all his gifts to his glory and whē his appointed time shal come and bring death into your doores let this be the preparation of your heart you desire to be loosed to bee with Christ and let this be the answere of your tongue Lord nowe lettest thou thy seruant departe in peace Surelie then it shall come vnto you that a happie life shal haue a blessed end Your former times haue found their wished issue the entrance of your graue shal be the beginninge of your glorie Hee hath spoken it that can not deceyue vs That euerie one that beleeueth in him shall not taste of death but shall passe from death to life This good Madame is the crowne garlande of all our pleasures reioyce in feeling it and be glad in louing it knit it faste to all the thoughtes of your hart neuer forget it it shal giue you more pleasure in one day of your life thē without it you can find in a thousande yeares and all the men of the worlde which feele their pleasure in this life know nothing better then to followe their owne concupiscence they shall perish when you shall abyde they shall mourne when you shall reioyce because they haue forgotten the liuinge God whom you haue loued Manie tentations shal be continuallie against you but God is able to set you free from them cast your care on him you haue wonne the victorie And to the ende you may knowe him how to trust in him as the Prophet Dauid did so let vs doe that is Let vs make his testimonies to be our delight excercise our selues in thē day night for they onely can make vs wise and renue in vs the image of God that we may be perfect as our heauenlie father is perfect This hope J thanke God hath bine before me that J haue not feared in any trouble and in a good conscience of this doing I had rather haue the displeasure of the worlde then with losse of this desire or any hurt of it to winne the fauour of all mortall men And so I am sure it shall be with you that day in which you shall so feele Gods glorie eternall life that you will consecrate your life for euer vnto him loue hi◠feare him longe after him Jt shal be more ioyfull vnto your thē the daie of your birth your heart shal be see as Saint Paule saith to vse the world as though you vsed it not not to forsake the world or worldly things for they are the gifts of god for the cōforte of our life but as though wee forsaked it so let our loue bee taken from it and be euer with him who is the giuer of all hath all immortalitie There is not a day that passeth ouer our heades but it afflicteth the body maketh it a day shorter liuing then it was Let there not be a day but shall strenghthen our faith that we may be glad we are one daie neerer the presence of our God then wee were before And I beseech god who only can do what he will worke his good will with you in all spirituall blessings that you may abounde and in the cōdition of this life that you may reioice till your accounted times bee all fulfilled Amen Yours in the Lord Iesu Ed. Deringe A Letter of M. Ed. De. to the Ladie M. THE Lorde God who hath onely power to worke his will and hath shewed mercy vnto vs in an eternall couenant make vs perfect in all our ways to abound in righteousnes and loue his glorie that in life and death we may be happie and haue ioy in his presence who liueth euer Amen Good Madame tbe dutie that J haue long owed vnto you doth much binde me the experience of your good inclination sufficientlie doth emboulden me to write at this time vnto you and J trust the Lord God who hath giuen you his grace and called me to this worke will blesse the labour that it may bee profitable to his glorie your cōfort For if his worde haue so great strength in his Saintes when they are yet vnbeleeuing and ignorant that it reuealeth euen the secretes of their hartes that it maketh them fall down to worship him and to acknowledge his mightie power in it J am sure it can not be but the same worde shall haue strength in you wholy altogither to consecrate your selfe vnto the Lord till all your delight be in him alone So that I am nowe more to praye for my selfe then for you that I may rather speake the trueth then you heare it for of this I am sure your heart is prepared as the Prophete sayth to a good purpose the Lord make my hande as the penne of a good writer And nowe good Madame this is the summe of all Feare God loue him your goods your credit your thoghts your desires your body your life giue it all vnto him that he only may please you nothing but he only delight you his worde instruct you his wil perswade you that whether you liue or whether you die you may be wholy his A short lesson soone learned harde J confesse of the worlde to practise but not harde to you whom God hath loued for what is it can call away your
tell what you haue done The good king Dauid wheÌ„ he had deserued death feared greatly the sentence of the Prophet he coÌ„fessed gladly made it knowen vnto the world what his sin was wherin he had offended WheÌ„ God gaue his lawes vnto Israel in the bloud of goates calues sheweth theÌ„ the redemptioÌ„ that was in Christ Jesus He so ordeined that before their forgiuenes was preached the high priest should proclaime openlie what were the sins of the people so lay their sins vpon the beastes So standeth it nowe with vs if we will finde forgiuenes of our sins let vs cast off the cloaks of shame coÌ„fesse before heaueÌ„ earth what we haue sinned what we haue done What greater perswasions can you yet require or how can you thinke to please God if you wil hide your sins That was the practise of old Adam but you are borne anew that was the sin of Cain but you my good Lord are of a better kinred Speak the truth shrinke not God will once reueale the secrets of harts theÌ„ you shal reioice that ther is nothing of yours hid fie vpoÌ„ that sin that you should turn away for one houre receiue hereafter euerlasting coÌ„fusioÌ„ better a thousaÌ„d times to receiue the reproch of flesh after receiue your glory of the Lord. WheÌ„ John Baptist preached first the Gospell he bpatized no more theÌ„ such as confessed their sins The lost Son wheÌ„ he ran away he found no hope of pardoÌ„ til he called heaueÌ„ earth to witnesse his great iniquitie Paul who preached the gospell to vs Gentils how ofteÌ„ doth he confesse that he was a persecutor The happy thief that was haÌ„ged entred not into paradise til he first in the hearing of all Israell said we are rightly punished receiue things worthy of that we haue done What should J say more J trust you feare God and J haue seene in you many signes of grace I doubt not but you will make it knowen whatsoeuer is in your hart It is the word of God that I haue spoken it is the onely trueth vpoÌ„ which you may build your faith This thing toucheth so neare the glory of God the safetie of his gospell that you must now needs forsake your friends kinsmeÌ„ yea forget the loue of your selfe and if you haue bin partaker of any counsell disclose the coÌ„spiracies of the wicked you haue stood in iudgement not before meÌ„ for they are but ministers but before the Lord who sitteth in the middst of iudgement Surely if you seeke to hide your sins you seeke to hide them froÌ„ him that knoweth the secrets of the hart raynes and to dissemble with him that will not be mocked and therefore with all humblenes of dutie I beseech you in the name of God J craue this at your hands vnburtheÌ„ your own coscience make your hart glad cast of the burtheÌ„ of your secret sinns purge the eyes of your minde that you may see Christ let true repeÌ„tance breake forth in holy confession shame the Lords enimies make the church of God reioyce and loe in the name of Christ J tell it you Blessed is the day in which it was said of you a man-child is borne and blessed shal be the houre in which it shal be said of you you are dead in the Lord the closing vp of your eyes shal be the beginning of your sight and death your entrance into life And now my Lord I beseech you pray for me humbly vpoÌ„ my knees I aske you hartie forgiuenes wherein I haue not done as it became me touching you You knowe howe in my time I haue persuaded you froÌ„ your wicked seruants froÌ„ your popish frieÌ„ds froÌ„ your adulterous woman But alas my Lord your high calling hath bridled my words I could not speak as I shold my words wer to soft to heale so old a disease why should I haue taried in your lordships house except these things had bin ameÌ„ded this bearing with your euill was the greatest euill I could haue done you And I beseech you forgiue me God for his mercies sake shall make me strong that herafter J shall not feare to reproue the sinner God shall forgiue you your dulnes of spirit that could not be moued with a litle couÌ„sel Now my Lord be strong in the Lord feare not if you must dye remeÌ„ber that Christ bath ouercome him that hath the power of death hath set vs free froÌ„ the power of the graue Though you doe for a very litle time turne again vnto dust yet again you shal heare the voyce of the trumpet corruptioÌ„ shall die because he was no better theÌ„ his fathers you wheÌ„ you go you shall go to your fathers the long race of Nobilitie of which God hath raised you euery one in his time is gone before you so many as haue died in the faith they shal be againe of your fellowship kindred and you shall prayse God with theÌ„ not feare the secoÌ„d death The lord opeÌ„ your eyes that you may see your hope you shall loue that coÌ„pany aboue Kings Princes You shall see AbrahaÌ„ of whoÌ„ you haue heard so much Jsaac Iacob Iob Samuell Daniell whose names you loued you shall see Paule Peter whose society you wish for all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles that are gone before you Be bold therfore be bold to dye with Elias you shall see Christ clothed with your flesh who hath immortaâ—â—â—â—e in his hande shal make you raigne for euer yo◠〈◊〉 shall not be tedious and your glory shall 〈…〉 change he that made the heauens so high aboâ—â— earth the Sun the moone the starres so ful of excelleÌ„t beauty he shal be your portioÌ„ in his endles glory wold God you cold see him now with opeÌ„ couÌ„tenance that you might knowe his louing kindnes how much it is better theÌ„ life J wold you cold withal his saints perceue what wer the height the â—reath the lenght the depth of his vnsearchable riches â—â—apy 〈◊〉 that shal neuer end ô blesed inheritaÌ„ce that shal neuer wast O holy citty new IerusaleÌ„ the perfectioÌ„ of beauty where the inhabitaÌ„ts are princes O'pretious buildng that is not made with hands ioyfull tabernacles which God himselfe hath pitched my voice faileth my tonge cleaueh to my mouth wheÌ„ I wold declare the euerlasting gladnesse wheÌ„ God shal wipe away al teares froÌ„ our eies ther shal be no more death nether sorow nor crying nor yet any paine for the first things past Who remeÌ„breth this saith not all flesh is grasse and the glory of man is as the flower of the fielde We haue nothing here but feare of our enimie griefe in pouertie paine in labour care in ritches vnstedfastnes in frindship enuy in authoritie emulation in honor change in nobilitie feare in a kingdome as the greatest of al princes hath wisely pronounced vexatioÌ„ of spirit in al things that is vnder the Suâ— so true it is vanity of vanities al is but vanity You need no example O my Lord Maister behold your selfe see what you were reioice in the lord loue better things cease to eate of this corruptioÌ„ desire MaÌ„na drink not of these puddels but goe to the pure water of life which is cleare as christal procedeth out of the throne of god of the laÌ„be you are but one step froÌ„ this glorious blessing that is to die willingly well speak forth the secrets of your hart giuâ— God glorie The Lord blesse kepe you the Lord make his face to shine vpon you and be mercifull vnto you the Lord â—â—ft vp his countenance vpon you and sende you peace FINIS MAISTER DERINGS WORKES LO heere the Pearle of precious price From Deringe dead that liues againe To preache in print and giue aduice Of that he taught in life with payne Lo nowe he liues both heere and there Whose life his foes could hardly beare Reade then to learne and putte in vre And taste the sweetenesse of his vayne So shall you see an heauenlie lure That drawes you vp from th' earth amaine And shewes the way that leads to life And eke the rest that endes all strife Studie to be approued to the Lord for if hee alowe not our doinges though all the world be with vs it shall bringe vs no comfort and this is our reioycinge the testimonie of a good conscience