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
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
Liuerey that gods seruaūtes are serued withal the Earnest and beginning of al consolation glory For they I meane gods scholers as your Lordship is I truste doe enter into gods Sanctuarie Psal 72 lest their fete slip They loke not as beasts do on things present only but on thinges to come so haue they as present to fayth the iudgement glorious cōmyng of Christ lyke as the wicked haue now their worldlye welthe wherin they wallow wil wallow til they tūble headlong into hel where are torments too terrible and endles Now they follow the Feende as the Beare doth the trayne of honie and the Sowe the swillinges till they be broughte into the slaughterhouse and then they knowe that their prosperity hath brought them to perdition Then crie they woe woe we went the wrong way we counted these men I meane such as you be the suffer for gods sake losse of goods frendes and life whō they shal see endued with rych robes of righteousnes crownes of most pure precious golde and palmes of conquest in the goodly glorious palace of the Lambe where is eternalioye felicitie c. we counted will they then say these men but fooles and madde men we toke their conditions to be but curiositie c. But then wil it be to late then the time will be turned laughing shall be turned into weeping and weeping into reioycing Read Sapien. 2. 3. 4. 5. Therfore as before I haue sayd greate cause haue I to thanke God which hath vouched you worthy of thys most bountifull blessing muche more then you haue cause my good Lorde so so bee I meane thankefull For loke vpon your vocation I praye you and tell me howe many noble men Earles sonnes Lordes Knightes and men of estimation hath God in thys Realme of Englande dealte thus with all I dare say you thinke not that you haue deserued thys Only Gods mercy in hys Christ hath wroughte thys on you as he dyd in Ieremyes tyme on Abimeleche in Achabs time on Abdias in Christes tyme on Ioseph of Arimathia in the Apostles tyme on Sergius Paulus and the Queene of Candaces chamberleyne Onely now be thankfull and continue continue continue my good Lord continue to confesse Christ Be not ashamed of hym before men for then will not he be ashamed of you Nowe will he trye you sticke faste vnto hym and he will sticke faste by you he will be with you in trouble and deliuer you But thē must you cry vnto hym for so it precedeth Psa 9◠he cryed vnto me and I heard I was with him in trouble c. Remember Lothes wyfe which loked backe Remember Fraunces Spira Remēber that none is crowned but he that striueth lawfullye Remember that all you haue is at Christes commaundement Remember he lost more for you then you can lose for him Remember you lose not that which is lost for his sake for you shall fynde much more here and els where Remember you shall dye and when where and howe you can not tell Remember the death of sinners is moste terrible Remember the death of Gods Saints is precious in his sight Remēber the multitude goeth the wideway which windeth to woe Remēber that the straite gate which leadeth to glory hath but fewe trauellers Remember Christ biddeth you striue to enter in thereat Remember he that trusteth in the lord shall receaue strength to stand agaynst al the assaultes of his enemies Be certayne al the heares of your head are numbred Be certayn your good father hath poynted boundes ouer the which the deuil dare not loke Cōmitte your self to him he is hath bene wil be your keper cast your care on him he wil care for you Let Christ be your scope marke to pricke at let hī be your patrō to worke by let hī be your ensāple to folow geue hī as your hart so your hand as your mind so your toūg as your faith so your fete let his word be your candle to go before you in al matters of religion Blessed is he that walketh not to these popysh prayers nor stādeth at thē nor sitteth at them Psa 1 2. Cor. 6. glorifye God in both soule body He that gathereth not with Christ scattereth abroade Vse prayer loke for gods helpe which is at hand to them that aske hope therafter assuredly In which prayer I hartelye desire your Lordship to remember vs who as we are going with you right gladly God therfore be praysed so we loke to goe before you hoping that you wil followe if God so wil accordinge to youre dailye prayer thy wyll bee done on earth c. The good spirite of God alwayes guide your Lordship vnto the end Amen Your Lordships own for euer Iohn Bradford An other letter to the Lord Russell THe eternal mercyes of God in his deare sōne our sauiour Iesus Christ be more and more felte and hartely perceaued of you my good Lord to your endles ioye and comfort Amē Because your Lordshippe looketh not for thankes of me for Gods benefites ministred by you and in fewe wordes I can not dulye declare that I woulde do I will omitte the same praying God our deare father in the day of his retribution to remember it in the meane season to assist counsel and comfort you as his child for euer in all thynges I doubt not but that you haue that childly opinion Yea persuasion of his goodnes in Christ towards you thē which blessing my good lord none is greater geuen to man vpon earth For assuredly he that hath it is the very childe of God elect before al time in Christ Iesu our lord therfore shal enioy euerlasting felicitie although he be here afflicted and tossed in trouble and temptation to hys trial that when he is found faythful he may receaue the crowne of glory The onely thyng that discerneth the child of God from the wicked is thys fayth trust and hope in gods goodnes through Christ the which I trust you haue God encrease it in you make you thankful Certainly such as enioye it be happy if they be happye and that happines is not where any thinge is to bee desired they can not but for euer be moste assured of perseueraunce to saluation for if they fall the lorde putteth vnder his hande that they shall not perish they are beloued of Christ which loueth them to the very ende God for his mercy sake in Christe open more more your eies to see this his swetenes in Christ to make you secure in him and awake the fleshe from her securitye to be vigilant and heedeful how you may most behaue your selfe in thankfull obedience to God and carefull helpe and seruice to his people that all your whole lyfe may tende to this how by example and otherwyse you may doe good to others and still confirme his true seruyce and religion by your constancy Wherin if you continue to the ende you shal receiue
was proude as the Pope and Prelates be or elles he woulde haue visited Paule Paule beinge in pryson in Rome dyd wryte diuerse Epistles in whiche he expresseth the names of manye whiche were in comparison of Peter but rascall personages but of Peter he speaketh neuer a woorde Surelye if Peter had beene there thys silence of hym had beene suspicious In the second Epistle to Timothye 2. Timo. 4. Paule complayneth that no man was with hym in his defence but all had left hym If Peter had beene then at Rome as they write then eyther Paule had belyed hym or Peter had played hys Peters parte Luke 23. In an other place howe doth he blame all that were with hym Phi. 2. only Timothy excepted Therfore we may well doubte whether Peter was at Rome Byshoppe as they prate for all thys tyme and longe before they saye that Peter was Byshoppe there But I will not styrre vppe coles in thys matter If Rome bee the chiefe Seate because Peter dyed there whye shoulde not Antioche bee the second Why shoulde not Iames and Iohn whiche were taken with Peter to bee as pillers Whye I saye shoulde not theyr Seates haue honour next to Peters Seate Is not thys geare prepostorous that Alexandria where Marke which was but one of the Disciples was Byshop should be preferred before Ephesus where Iohn the Euāgelist taught and was bishop and before Ierusalem where not only Iames taught and dyed bishop but also Christ Iesus our lord and high priest for euer By whom beyng Maister I hope honour shold be geuen to his chaire more then to the chayre of hys chaplaines I neede to speake nothing how that Paule telleth Peters Apostleship to concerne rather circumcision or the Iewes and therfore properly perteyneth not to vs. Neyther do I nede to bryng in Gregorius the sixt bishop of Rome which was about the yere of our Lord .600 Who plainly in his workes doth write that this title of Primacy to be head ouer al churches vnder Christ is a title mete and agreeing only to Antichrist and therfore he calleth it a prophane a myschieuous and an horrible tytle Who should we beleue now yf we wyll neyther beleue Apostle nor Pope If I should go about to tell how this name was first gotten by Phocas I should be to long I purpose god willyng to set it forth at large in a worke whiche I haue begun of Antichrist yf god for hys mercies sake geue me lyfe to finishe it For thys present therfore I shall desyre your Ladiship to take thys in good part If they will nedes haue the Bishop of Rome to bee acknowledged for the heade of the church then wyll I vrge them that they shall geue vs a bishop But they obtrude vnto vs a butcher rather or a biteshepe then a bishop They bragge of Peters succession of Christes Vycar this is alwayes in theyr mouth But alas how can we call hym Christes Vicar that resisteth Christe oppugneth hys veritye persecuteth hys people and lyke a Prelate preferreth hymselfe aboue God and man Howe or wherin dothe the Pope and Christ agree Howe supplyeth he Peters ministery that boasteth of hys succession Therfore to beginne withal which I wyl vse presently for a conclusion yf the papistes wyll haue the bishop of Rome Supreme head of the church of Christ in earthe they must afore they attaine this geue vs a bishop in dede and not in name For whosoeuer he be that wyl make this the bonde of vnitye what soeuer the bishop of Rome be surelye thys muste nedes follow that they do nothyng els but teache a moste wycked defection and departyng from Christ But of thys if God lende me lyfe I purpose to speake more at large hereafter Nowe wyll I betake your Ladyship vnto the tuition of god our father and Christ our only head pastour keper to whome see that you cleane by true fayth whiche dependeth only vpon the worde of god which if you do follow as a lanterne to your feete and a light to your steppes you shall then auoyde darkenes and the daungerous depts wherinto the Papists are fallē by the iust iudgemēt of god and seke to bryng vs into the same dungeon wyth thē that the blynde followyng the blynd they both may fal into the dysche out of the which god deliuer them accordyng to hys good wyl preserue vs for hys names sake that we beyng in his lyght may continue therin and walke in it whilest it is daye so shall the nyght neuer oppresse vs we going trō lyght to lyght from vertue to vertue from fayth to faythe from glory to glory by the gouernaunce of gods good spirite whiche God our father geue vnto vs all for euer and euer Amen From the kynges Benche Your brother in bondes for the testimonye of Iesus Christ Iohn Bradforde To myne owne good brother Mayster Iohn Phylpot prysoner in the Kynges Benche MY dere brother God our father be praysed for the good he dothe worke in you and by you Euen nowe I haue receyued your louyng letters wherein I see cause to blesse God for the wisdome loue and efficacy he hathe and doth worke in you and by you Go on for gods sake to seke vnitie in christ If any wyl go to worke dissemblingly refuse it not either shal it encrease hys dampnation or occasion hym the soner to conuersion Iudas dissembling turned to the hurt of him selfe onely If once we come into an vnitye and loue then shall we not respecte one an other neyther take thynges in to the wourse part Nothyng hyndreth them more then for that nowe they heare all that euer we speake Cum preiudicio He meaneth here certayne freewyl men Where if an vnitye bee had this preiudicium wyll bee taken away and so then shal they see the truth the soner Therfore myne owne dearest brother go on bring it to a good ende God our father be wyth thee for euer Amen Praye my good brother and desyre myne owne fellowe and beloued brother I. Careles to doe the lyke I shall praye for you bothe in my prayers wyth others and wyth my selfe alonely as for my moste deare brother vpon earth I wyll not forget by gods grace to wryte in the behalf of our brethern in necessitie Iesus Christ our swete Sauiour be wyth vs all Emanuell for euer Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To my frendes and brethren in the Lorde R. Cole and N. Sheterden I Wish to you my good bretherne the same grace of God in Christ which I wysh and pray the father of mercies to geue to me for hys holye names sake Amen Your letter though I haue not redde my self because I would not alienate my mynd from conceiued things to wryte to others yet I haue heard the summe of it that it is of gods election where in I wyll briefly write to you my faith how I thinke it good mete for a christiā man to wade in it
prayer must be ioyned almes and mercy towards the poore nedy And that our almes may be acceptable vnto god three things are chiefly requyred First 2. Cor. 9. that we geue with a cherefull ioyful hart for the lord loueth a cherefull geuer Secondly that we geue liberally putting a syde al nigardship knowing that he the soweth litle shal reap little and he that soweth plentifully shal reape plentifully Let euery mā therfore do according as he is able The porest caitife in the world may geue as great acceptable an almes in the syght of god as the rychest man in the world can do The poore wydowe that did offer but two mytes Marke 12 whiche make a farthing did hyghly please Christ in so much that he affyrmed wyth an othe that she of her penury had added more to the offrings of god then al the rych mē which of their superfluitie had cast in very much For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to the a man hath not according to that a mā hath not Thirdly we must geue wtout hypocrisie ostentatiō not seking the prayse of mē or our own glory or profite And althoughe the scriptures in some places ake mentiō of a reward to our almes other good works yet ought we not to think that we do merite or deserue any thīg but rather we ought to acknowledge that god of his meere mercy rewardeth in vs his own giftes For what hath he that geueth almes that he hath not receaued He than the geueth vnto a poore mā any maner of thing geueth not of his own but of those goods which he hath receaued of god What hast thou saith the Apostle that thou hast not receaued If thou hast receaued it ◠Cor. 4 why reioycest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it This sentence ought to be had in remēbrance of al mē for if we haue nothing but that which we haue receaued what can we deserue or what nede we to dispute reasō of oure own merites It cōmeth of the free gift of God that we liue that we loue god that we walke in his feare where is our deseruing them ▪ We must also in this our spirituall warfare arme our selues with continual prayer a very necessary strong inuincible weapon Math. 26. Heb. 4. ◠Mach. 4 after the exāple of Christ al other godly men cry hartely vnto god in fayth in all our distresses anguyshes Let vs goe boldely to the seate of grace where we shal be sure to receaue mercy and fynde grace to helpe in time of nede For now is pryde and persecution encreased now is the time of destruction and wrathfull displeasure Wherfore my dere brethren he ye feruent in the law of god ieoperd ye your liues if nede shal so require for the testament of the fathers so shall ye receaue great honour an euerlasting name Remēber Abrahā was not he foūd faythful in temptation Gene. 22. Gene. 41. Num. 25. it was reckned vnto him for ryghteousnesse Ioseph in time of his trouble kept the cōmaūdemēt was made a Lord of Egipt Phinees was so feruent for the honour of god that he obtayned the couenaunt of an euerlasting priesthod Iosua 1 Num. 14 1. Regū 24 Iosua for fulfilling the word of God was made the captayne of Israell Caleb bare recorde before the congregation and receaued an heritage Dauid also in hys merciful kindnes obtained the throne of an euerlasting kingdome 4. Regū 2 Elias being zelous and feruent in the law was takē vp into heauen Annias Azarias Dan. 3. Misaell remayned stedfast in the fayth and were deliuered out of the fyre In lyke maner Daniell being vngiltie Dan. 6. was saued frō the mouth of the Lyons And thus ye maye consyder throughout al ages synce the world began that whosoeuer put their trust in god were not ouercome Feare not ye then the words of vngodly men for their glory is but donge wormes Psal 38. To day are they set vp to morrowe are they gone for they are turned into earth their memorial cōmeth to nought Wherfore let vs take good hartes vnto vs quyte our selues like mē in the law for if we do the things that are cōmaunded vs in the law of the lord our god we shal obteyn great honour therin Beloued in Christe let vs not faynt because of affliction wherwith God tryeth al thē that are sealed vnto life euerlasting for the only way into the kyngdome of god Act. 14. 4. Esdr 7. is through much tribulation For the kingdome of heauen as god teacheth vs by his Prophet Esdras is lyke a citie builded and set vpō a broad field full of all good things but the enteraunce is narrow sodayne ful of sorow trauaile perils labours like as if there were a fyre at the right hand a depe water at the left and as it were one strayte pathe betwene thē both so small that there could but one man go there If thys citie nowe were geuen to an heyre and he neuer went through the perilous way how would he receaue his enheritance Wherfore seing we are in this narowe strayt way which leadeth vnto the most ioyful pleasant citie of euerlasting life let vs not stagger either turne back being afraid of the daūgerous perillous way but folow our Captayn Iesus Christ in the narow strayt way be affrayd of nothyng no not euen of death it selfe for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneyes end open vs the dore vnto euerlastīg lyfe Cōsider also the course of thys world how many there be which for their Maisters sake or for a litle promotions sake would aduēture their liues in worldly affayres as cōmonly in warres yet is their reward but light transitorye ours is vnspeakeable great and euerlasting They suffer paines to be made Lordes on the earth for a shorte season howe muche more oughte wee to endure lyke paynes yea peraduenture muche lesse to bee made kinges in heauen for euer more Consider also the wycked of this world which for a litle pleasures sake or to be auenged on their enemies wil fyght with sword weapons putte thē selues in daunger of imprisonment hanging So much as vertue is better then vyce god myghtyer thē the deuil so much ought we to excel thē in this our spirituall battell And seing brethrē it hath pleased God to set me that most worthy minister of Christ ▪ Iohn Bradford your countreymē in the forefront of this battel where for the time is most daunger I beseche you all in the bowels of Christ to helpe vs al others our felow souldiers stāding in like perilous place with your prayers to god for vs that we maye quite our selues like men in the Lord geue some exāple of boldnesse constancie mingled
thus Although thy Episcopall Sea now beinge ioyned in league with the seate of Sathā thus hath now both handled me the saintes of God yet I do not doubt but in that greate City there be many priuy mourners which do dayly mourne for that mischief the which neuer did nor shall consent to that wickednesse but do detest abhorre it as the wayes of Satan But these preuy mourners here I wil passe by and bid them fare well with theyr fellowes hereafter His farewel to these mourners is in the letter nexte followyng when the place and occasion shall more conueniently require Amonge the worshipfull of the City and speciallye which were in office of the Meraltye yea and in other Citizens also whome to name now it shall not be necessary in the time of my Ministerye which was from the later parte of sir Rowland hilles yeare vnto sir George Barnes yere a great part therof I do acknowledge that I found no small humanity gētlenesse as me thought but to say the truth that I do esteme aboue al other for true christiā kīdnes which is shewed in gods cause and done for his sake Wherfore O Dobbes Dobbes Alder man knight thou in thy yere diddest win my hart for euer more for that honorable act that most blessed worke of god of the erection setting vp of Christs holy hospitales truly religions houses which by thee through thee were begon For thou like a mā of God whē the matter was moued for the reliefe of Christes poore selye members to be holpen from extreame miserye hunger and famine thy harte I say was moued with pity and as Christs highe honourable officer in that cause thou calledst together thy Brethren the Aldermen of the City before whome thou brakest the matter for the poore thou diddest pleade theyr cause yea and not only in thine own person thou diddest setforth Christs cause but to further the matter thou broughtest me into the counsell Chamber of the City before the Aldermen alone whom thou haddest assembled there together to heare me speake what I could say as an aduocate by office and duetye in the pore mens cause the Lord wrought with thee and gaue thee the consent of thy brethren wherby the matter was brought to the common counsell and so to the whole bodye of the Citye by whome withe an vniforme consente it was committed to be drawne ordered and deuysed by a certayn number of the moste wittye citizens and politique endued also wyth godlines with ready hartes to setforward such a noble act as could be chosē in all the whole city they like true faythful ministers both to their city their maister Christ so ordered deuised and brought forth the matter that thousandes of sely poore mēbers of Christ which els for extreme hunger and misery should haue famished and perished shal be relieued holpen brought vp shal haue cause to blesse the Aldermen of that time the common counsell and the whole body of the city but specially thee O Dobbes and those chosen men by whom this honorable worke of god was begon and wrought and that so long through out al ages as that godly work shal endure which I pray almighty god may be euer vnto the worldes ende Amen And thou O Sir George Barnes the truth it is to be cōfessed to gods glory and to the good example of other thou wast in thy yeare not only a furtherer and contynuer of that which before thee by thy predecessor was well begon but also diddest laboure so to haue perfyted the woorke that it should haue bene an absolute thing and a perfect spectacle of true charity and godlines vnto all christendome Thyne endeuour was to haue set vp an house of occupatiōs both that al kind of pouerty beyng able to worke should not haue lacked whervpon profytablye they myght haue bene occupied to theyr own relief and to the profyte and commodity of the commen wealth of the City and also to haue retired thithers the poore babes broughte vp in the Hospitales when they hadde come to a certayne age and strengthe and also al those which in the Hospitalles aforesayd haue bene cured of theyr diseases And to haue brought this to passe thou obteinedst not without great diligence and labor both of thee and thy brethren of that godly king Edward that christian and pierles Princes hand his princely place of Bridewell and what other things to the performance of the same and vnder what condition it is not vnknown That this thine endeuor hath not had like successe the fault is not in thee but in the conditiō state of the time which the lord of his infinit mercy vouchsafe to amende when it shal be hys grations wil pleasure Farewel now al ye Citizens that be of god of what state cōdition so euer ye be vndoubtedly in London ye haue heard Gods word truely preached My harts desire and dayly prayer shal be for you as for whom for my time I know to my lord God I am countable that ye neuer swarue neyther for losse of life nor worldly goodes from Gods holy word and yeld vnto Antichrist wherupō must nedes follow the extreme displeasure of God the losse both of youre bodies soules into perpetuall dampnation for euermore Now that I haue gone through the places where I haue dwelt any space in the time of my pilgrimage here vpō earth remembringe that for the space of kinge Ewardes raygne which was for the time of mine office in the Seas of Lōdon and Rochester I was a member of the higher house of the parliament therefore seing my God hath geuen me leysure and the remembraunce therof I will byd my Lordes of the temporalty farewell They shall haue no iust cause by Gods grace to take it that I entende to say in ill parte As for the spiritul Prelacy that now is I haue nothing to say to them except I should repeat again a great part of that I haue sayd before nowe alredye to the sea of London To you therfore my Lordes of the temporaltie wil I speake and this would I haue you fyrst to vnderstande that when I wrote this I loked dayly when I should be called to the chaunge of thys lyfe and thought that thys my wrytyng should not come to your knowlege before the time of the dissolution of my body and soule shoulde bee expired and therefore knowe ye that I had before myne eyes only the feare of God and christian charity towarde you whiche moued me to wryte for of you hereafter I looke not in this worlde either for pleasure or displeasure If my talke shall do you neuer so much pleasure or profite you cānot promote me nor if I displease you ye can not hurte me or harme me for I shall be out of youre reache Now therfore if you feare God and can be contente to heare the talk of him that seeketh nothing at your
the present tyme appeareth not pleasaunt but payneful but afterward it rendreth the fruit of ryghtuousnes on them whiche are exercised in it Wherfore let vs be of good chere good brethren and let vs pluck vp our feble members that were fallen or began to fainte harte handes knees and all the rest and let vs walke vprighte and straighte that no lymping nor haultyng bryng vs out of the way Let vs looke not vpon the thinges that be presente but with the eyes of our fayth let vs stedfastlye beholde the thynges that bee euerlastyng in heauen and so choose rather in respect of that which is to come with the chosen members of Christ to beare christes crosse then for this short life time to enioy all the riches honors and pleasures of the broad world Why shoulde we christians ferre death Can death depryue vs of Christ which is all our comforte our ioye and our lyfe Nay forsothe But contrary deathe shall delyuer vs from thys mortall bodye whyche lodeth and beareth downe the Spirite 2. Cor 5. that it can not so well perceyue heauenly thinges in the whiche so long as we dwell we are absent from God Wherfore vnderstandyng oure state in that we be christians that yf our mortall bodye whiche is oure earthlye house were destroyed we haue a building 2. Cor. 5 a house not made wyth handes but euerlastyng in heauen c therefore we are of good cheare and knowe that when we are in the bodye we are absente from God for we walke by faythe and not by cleare syghte Neuerthelesse we are bolde and hadde rather be absent from the bodye and presente wyth God wherfore we stryue whether we be presente at home or absent abroad that we may always please hym And who that hath true faith in our sauiour Christ whereby he knoweth somewhat truly what Christ our Sauiour is that he is the eternal sonne of God lyfe lyght the wisdome of the father all goodnes al rightuousnesse and whatsoeuer is good that hart can desire yea infinite plēty of al these aboue that that mans hart can eyther conceyue or thynke for in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead corporally and also that he is geuen vs of the father and made of God to be our wisdome 1. Cor. 1. our rightuousnes our holines and our redemptiō who I say is he that beleueth this in dede that would not gladly be with his maister Christ Phili. 1. Paule for this knowlege coueted to haue bene losed from the body and to haue bene with Christ for that be counted it much better for himselfe had rather to be losed than to liue Therfore these wordes of Christ to the thiefe on the crosse that asked of him mercy were full of comfort and solace this daye thou shalt be with me in paradise Luke 23. To dye in the defence of Christes gospell it is oure bounded duety to Christ and also to our neyghbor To Christ Rom. 9 1. Iohn 3. for he died for vs rose again the he might be lord ouer all And seyng he dyed for vs we also saieth S. Iohn shoulde ieopard yea geue our lyfe for our bretherne And this kynd of geuyng and losyng is gettyng and wynnyng in deede for he that geueth or loseth his lyfe thus getteth and wynneth it for euermore Apo. 14. Blessed are they therfore that die in the lorde and if they die in the Lordes cause they are most happy of all Let vs not then feare death which can do vs no harme otherwise than for a momēt to make the flesh to smart but that our faith which is surely fastened and fyxed vnto the worde of god telleth vs that we shall be anone after death in peace in the handes of god in ioy in solace and that from the death we shall go straight vnto life For S. Iohn saith Iohn 11. Iohn 5 he that liueth beleueth in me shal neuer dye And in an other place he shall depart from death vnto life And therfore this death of the christian is not to be called death but rather a gate or entraunce into euerlastynge life Therfore Paule calleth it but a dissolution and resolution and both Peter and Paule 2. Pet. 1. 2. Cor. 5 a puttyng of of this Tabernacle or dwelhouse meanyng thereby the mortal body as wherin the soule or spirit doth dwell here in thys world for a smal time Yea this death may be called to the christian an ende of all miseries For so long as we liue here Actes 14. we must passe through manye tribulations before we can enter into the kyngdome of heauen And now after that death hath shot hys bolt al the christian mans enemies haue done what they can and after that they haue no more to do What coulde hurte or harme poore Lazarus that lay at the ryche mans gate hys former penury and pouerty hys miserable beggerye and horryble sores and sycknes For so soone as deathe had stricken hym with his dart so sone came the angels Luke 16. caried him straight vp into Abrahams bosome What loste he by death who frō misery payne is set by the ministery of Aungels in a place both of ioye and solace Farewell deare brethren farewel and let vs comfort our hartes in all troubles and in death with the word of God for heauen and earth shall perishe but the word of the lorde endureth for euer Farewel christes dearely beloued spouse here wandring in this worlde as in a straunge land farre from thyn own countrey and compassed about on euery hande with deadly enemies which cease not to assaulte thee euer seekyng thy destruction Farewell farewell O ye the whole and vniuersall congregation of the chosen of god here lyuyng vpon earth the true churche militant of Christ the true mysticall bodye of Christ the very household and family of god and the sacred temple of the holy ghost Farewell Farewel O thou little flocke of the hygh heauenly pastor Christ Luke 12 for to thee it hath pleased the heauēly father to geue an euerlastyng and eternall kyngdome Farewell Farewell thou spirituall house of god thou holy and roi all priesthode thou chosen generation thou holye nation thou wonne spouse Fare wel Farewell N. R. ¶ This that followeth which he further wrote concerning his cruell handlyng in the scholes at Oxford also of the condēnation of him O. Cranmer M. Latymer c we would not here omitte though in order in should before haue bene placed next after the preface to his disputation Folio 78. KNow gentle Reader that maister Prollocutour dyd promyse me in the disputations publikely that I should see myne aunswers how they were collected and gathered of the Notaries and that I should haue licence to adde or diminishe to alter or chaunge afterwarde as I should thynke best would make for me to the aunsweryng of the propositions He promised moreouer publikely that I shoulde haue both tyme and
and by rested in ioyes euerlasting and as theyr paynes ended theyr sorowes and began ease so dyd their constancie and stedfastnes animate confyrme al good people in the truth and gaue them encouragement and lust to suffer the like rather then to fal with the worlde to consente vnto wickednes and Idolatrye Wherfore my deare frendes seyng god of hys part hath illuminated you with the same gyfte knowledge of true faith wherin the Apostles the Euangelists and all martyrs suffered most cruell deathe thanke him for hys grace in knowlege and pray vnto him for strength and perseuerance that through your owne faute you be not ashamed nor afearde to confesse it Ye be in the truthe and the gates of hell shall neuer preuayle against it nor Antichrist with al his Impes proue it to be false Thei may kil and persecute but neuer ouercome be of good comfort and feare more god then man This lyfe is short miserable happy be they that can spend it to the glory of god Pray for me as I do for you and commende me to all good men and women 22. December 1554. Your brother in Christ Iohn Hoper To one that was fallen from the knowen truth of the gospell to Antichriste and his damnable religion GRace mercy and peace of conscience be multiplied in all penitent heartes Amen Deare brother in Christ Iesus it is not long since I was informed what loue and serueÌ„t zeale ye haue heretofore born to gods true religion appearing as well by youre lyfe and conuersation as by absentynge your selfe from the Idolaters temple and congregation of false worshippers But now alas through the deuilishe perswasions and wycked counsayle of worldly men ye haue declined froÌ„ your former profession buildyng agayne that which before ye destroyed so are become a trespaser Gala. 2 2. Cor. 6. bearyng a strauÌ„gers yoke with the vnbeleuers Of whiche thing euer since I was informed I haue ben meruelously moued with inward affectioÌ„s muche lamenting so greate and sodayne a chaunge as to be turned from him that called you in the grace of Christ vnto the dissimulation of wicked hypocrites Gala. 1. which as S. Paule saith is nothing els but that there be some which trouble you inteÌ„ding to make you like as they are euen louers of them selues whose hartes are wedded to the perishing treasures of this world wherin is their whole ioy and felicity contrary to S. Iohn i. Iohn 2. which saieth see that ye loue not the worlde neither those things whiche are in the worlde But they as men without eares and hauing harts without vnderstanding do neither waigh the terrible threatninges of god against such offenders and the most woful punishment dewe for the same nor yet consider the louing admonitioÌ„ and calling of god who both teacheth how to auoid his wrath and also by what meanes to attain to saluation Wherfore dere brother I humbly beseche you euen by the mercifulnes of god and as you tender your owne saluation to geue eare no longer to their pestilent perswasioÌ„s but euen now forth with to repent and haue no longer felowship with the vnfruitful works of darknes Ephe. 5 Rom. 12 Iames. 4. Eph. 4. Apo. 2. neither fashion you your selfe again gain like vnto the world delight not in the frendship therof for all suche be made the enemies of god greue not any loÌ„ger the holy spirit of god by whom ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Acknowlege your offence and from whence ye are fallen prostrate your self before god asking mercy for christs sake Mourne with Mary Magdalen lament wyth Dauid Math. 20. crye with Ionas and wepe with Peter and make no tarieng to turne to the lord whose pitiful eies attend alwais to wipe away the teares from euery troubled conscience Such is his entiere loue toward al those that turne vnto him EZechi 18 making them this swete promise confirmed by a mighty and vehement kind of speaking tell them as truely as I liue saith he I will not the death of a sinner but muche rather that he turne from his euil ways and liue Turne you turne you from your vngodlye waies O ye of the house of Israel O wherfore wil ye die Beholde ye are here forgeueÌ„ your sinne is blotted out and the most ioyful countenaunce of god turned again towards you What nowe remaineth Verely this that you from heÌ„ceforth kepe circuÌ„spect watch and become a follower of Christe sustaining for his names sake all such aduersities as shal be measured vnto you by the suffraunce of god our heauenly father who so careth for vs that not one heare of our head shal perish without his wil who also considering the tender and weake faith of his children not able as yet to stand against the force of Antichrists tyranny geueth them this louyng liberty when ye be persecuted in one citye fly to an other Math. â— O most tender compassion of Christ how careful is he ouer hys people who woulde not now rather then to offende so merciful a God flie this wicked realme as your most christian brother and many other haue done or els with boldnes of hart and patience of the spirit beare maÌ„fully the crosse eueÌ„ vnto the death as diuers of our brethreÌ„ haue don before vs as is declared at large in Paules epistle to the Heb. which I passe ouer and come to our sauior Christ whose exaÌ„ple for our singuler comfort S. Paule encourageth vs to folow sayeng let vs also Heb. 11 â–ª seing that we are coÌ„passed with so greate a multitude of witnesses lay away al that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on and let vs runne with patience vnto the battaile that is set before vs loking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioyes that was set before him abode the crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. and is set downe on the right hand of the throne of god c. From whence he shall come shortly saith S. Iohn and his rewardes with him Apo. 22. to geue euery man according as his dedes shal be Blessed are they that do his commaundements that their power may be in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates vnto the City where they sayth Esay shal haue their pleasure in the lord who wil cary them on high Esay 58. aboue the earth wil fede them with the heritage of Iacob their father for the lordes owne mouth hathe so promised Thus I haue bene bolde to write vnto you for christiaÌ„ loue sake that I beare to you whose saluation I wish as mine owne beseching god that your whole spirit soule and body may be kept fautlâ—s vnto the comming of our lord Iesus Christ Amen Your brother in Christ Iohn Hoper To the faithfull and liuely members of our sauiour Iesus Christ inhabityng the city of London grace and peace from the heauenly father through our lord Iesus Christ YOur
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
your Churche No qoth I we did condēne her as an heritike Who was of your church quoth he xxx yeares paste Such quoth I as that Romyshe Antichrist andhis rable had reputed and cōdemned as heretikes Wicliffe Thorpe old castle quoth he c. Yea quoth I with many mo as storyes do tel The byshop of Rome hath quoth he long time played aparte in your rayling sermons but now be ye sure he must playe an other manner of part More pitie quoth I and yet some comfort it is to see how that the beste learned wisest and holyest of you al haue heretofore had hym to playe a parte likewyse in your sermons and writynges thoughe nowe to please the world ye turne with the wethercocke Did you euer quoth he heare me preach agaynst the byshop of Rome No quoth I for I neuer heard you preach but I trow you haue bene no wiser then other c. Pray pray God keepe that familye and blesse it Laurence Saunders To his wife and other of his deare frendes and louers in the Lorde GRace and comforte in Christe Iesu our onely comforte in al extreme assaultes be with you Amen Fayne woulde this flesh make straūge of that which the spirite doth embrace Oh Lorde howe lothe is thys loytryng sluggard to passe forth in Gods pathe It fantasieth forsoth much feare of fraybugges were it not for the force of fayth pulling it forwarde by the bridell of Gods moste sweete promises and of hope pricking on behinde greate aduenture there were of faynting by the waye But blessed and euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly father of oures who in his Christ our sufficient Sauiour hath vouched safe so to shine in our hartes that he geueth vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Christ and hauing thys treasure in our earthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods 2. Cor. 4 and not ours we are according to his good will troubled on euery side yet are we not withoute shifte we are in pouertye but yet not withoute that is sufficiente we suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein we are caste downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not we beare in our bodye the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the life of Iesus might appeare also in oure bodyes Wherefore by the grace of our Christ we shall not be weryed nor be dismayed by this our probation through the fyre of affliction as though some straūge thing had happened vnto vs but by his power we shal reioyce in as much as we are pertakers of Christes passions that whē he doth appeare we may be mery glad knowing that our tribulation which is momentane light prepareth an exceding and eternall weyght of glorye vnto vs not looking on the things which are sene but on the things which are not sene They that sowe in teares shal reape in ioy Psa 126. he that goeth on hys way now weping scattereth hys good sede shal doutlesse come agayn with ioy and bring his sheaues with him Then then shal the Lord wipe away al teares frō our eyes Then then shal be brought to passe the saying that is written 1 Cor. 15 Death is swalowed vp in victorye Death where is thy sting hel where is thy victorye Yea thankes be to god who hath geuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Now then in the meane season it remayneth for vs to follow s Peters biddyng 1. Peter 4. Let them sayth he that are troubled accordyng to the wil of god committe their soules to him with wel doing as vnto a faythful creatour and maker He is our maker we be his handyworke creatures whō now whē he hath made he doth not so leaue forsake as the carpenter doth the shyp leauyng it at al aduentures to bee tossed in the tempest but he comforteth vs his creatures Actes 17 and in him we liue moue and haue our being Yea not only that but now that he hath in hys deare Christe repayred vs beyng before vtterly decayed and redemed vs purgyng vs vnto hymselfe as a peculier people by the bloude of hys sonne he hath put on a most tender good wyll and fatherly affectiō toward vs neuer to forget vs vnto whō by such sure promises he hath plyghted such faythe that though it were possible that the mother could forgette her infante and not be tender harted to the chyld of her wombe Esay 49. yet may it not be that his faithful beleuers should with him fal into forgetfulnes He byddeth vs to cast our care on hym telleth vs that he assuredly careth for vs. 1. Pet. 5. And what though for a season he suffereth vs to be tormoyled in the troublous tempestes of tēptation and seemeth in muche anger to haue geuen vs ouer and forgotten vs Let not vs for all that leaue of to put our trust in hym but let vs with godly Iob conclude in our selues and saye yea though he kyl me Iob. 13 yet wyll I put my trust in hym Let vs with the blessed Abraham in hope euen contrary to hope by beliefe leaue vnto that our louing Lord who though for our probatiō he suffreth vs to be afflicted proued for a seasō yet wil he not be always chiding neither kepeth he his anger for euer for he knoweth whereof we are made he remēbreth that we are but dust Psa 103. Wherfore loke how high the heauen is in cōparison of the earth so great is his mercy towardes thē which feare hym Loke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our synnes from vs. Yea lyke as a father pitieth hys owne childrē euen so is the lord mercyful vnto thē that feare hym Oh what greate cause of reioycing haue wetherfore in our most gracious god We cānot but burst out into the praysing of such a boūtifull benefactor and say with the Psalmist Prayse the lorde O my soule and al that is within me prayse his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites My deare wyfe ryches I haue none to leaue behinde me wherwyth to endow you after the worldly maner but that treasure of tastyng how swete Christ is vnto hungrye consciences whereof I thanke my Christ I doe feele part and would feele more I bequeath vnto you and to the reste of my frends to al you I say that loue me in the Lorde to retayn the same insense of hart alwayes Pray praye I am merye I I trust shall be mery in the fpyght of al the Deuils in hel I vtterly refuse my self and I resigne my self wholy vnto my christ in whom I know I shal be strong as he seeth nedeful Praye pray pray L. Saunders ¶ To hys VVyfe GRace mercy and peace in Iesus Christ our lord Entierly beloued wife euen as vnto myne owne soule and body so do I daily in my harty prayer wyshe vnto you
be lose and free Be myndefull of all duety due vnto the Lord aboue Be thankefull for his benefites the pledges of his loue Consyder with your selues I say to sanctifye the Lord In euery place continually by thought dede and by word L. Saunders ⧠Letters of that hartie and zelous man of God Maister Iohn Philpot Archdeacō of Winchester who besides the great tyrannye and tormentes whiche he suffered in Boners blynde colehouse and other hys paynfull imprisonments was also most cruelly martyred for the testimony of the Lord Iesus The .18 daye of December in the yeare of our Lorde .1557 ¶ A letter which he sent to the Christian congregation exhortyng them to refrayne themselues from the Idolatrous seruice of the papistes and to serue god wyth a pure and vndefiled conscience after hys worde IT is a lamentable thing to behold at this present in England the faithles departyng both of men and women from the true knowledge and vse of christes syncere religion whiche so plentifully they haue ben taught do know their own consciences bearyng witnes to the verity therof Hebr. 6. If that earth be cursed of god which eftsoues receiuing moysture and pleasaunt dewes from heauen doth not bryng forth fruit accordyngly how much more greuous iudgement shall such persons receiue which hauyng receiued from the father of heauen the perfitte knowledge of hys worde by the mynistery therof do not shew forth gods worshippe after the same If the lord will requyre in the daye of iudgemente a godly vsury of all manner of talentes whiche he lendeth vnto men and women Math. 25. howe much more wyll he requyre the same of hys pure religion reueled vnto vs which is of all other talentes the chiefest and most perteynyng to our exercise in thys lyfe if we hydde the same in a napkyn and set it not forth to the vsurie of gods glory and edifieng of his church by true confession God hath kindled the bryght lyght of his gospell whyche in tymes paste was suppressed and hyd vnder the vyle ashes of mans traditiōs and hath caused the bryghtnes therof to shine in our harts to th ende that the same myght shyne before men to the honour of hys name It is not only geuen vs to beleue Math 5. Rom. x Math. 12. Luke 12. Math. 7 but also to confesse and declare what we beleue in our outwarde conuersation For as S. Paule wryteth to the Romaynes the belief of the hart iustifyeth to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe It is all one before god not to beleue at al and not to shew forth the lyuely workes of our beliefe For Christ saith either make the tree good and hys fruites good or els make the tree euill and the fruites euil because a good tree bryngeth forthe good fruites so that the person which knoweth hys maisters wyll and doth it not shall be beaten wyth many strypes And not all they which say lord lord shall enter into the kyngdom of God but he that doth the wyll of the father Luke 9 And whosoeuer in the tyme of tryall is ashamed of me saith Christ and of my words of him the sonne of man will be ashamed before hys father After that we haue built our selues in to the true church of god it hath pleased hym by geuyng vs ouer into the handes of the wicked Sinagoges to proue our buildyng Math. 7. to haue it known aswell to the world as to our selues that we haue ben wise builders into the true church of god vpon the rock and not on the sande and therfore now the tempest is risen and the stormes do mightely blow agaynste vs that we might notwythstandyng stand vpryghte and bee firme in the Lorde to hys honoure and glorye and to oure eternall felicitye There is no newe thynge happened vnto vs for wyth suche tempestes and daungerous weathers the churche of GOD hathe continuallye bene exercised Nowe once agayne as the Prophete Aggey telleth vs the Lorde shaketh the earthe Aggeus 2. that those myghte abyde for euer whyche be not ouerthrowne Therfore my dearely beloued bee stable and immoueable in the worde of god and in the faithfull obseruation therof and let no man deceiue you with vayne words saying that you may kepe your faith to your selues and dissēble with Antichriste and so liue at rest quietnes in the world as moste men do yeldyng to necessitie This is the wisedome of the flesh Rom. 8 1 Cor. 6. Math. 16. but the wisedome of the flesh is death and enmitye to god as our sauiour for ensample aptely did declare in Peter who exhorted christ not to go to Ierusalem to celebrate the passeouer and there to be slayne but councelled hym to loke better to himselfe Likewise the world would not haue vs to forsake him neither to associate oure selues to the true church which is the body of Christe whereof we are liuely members and to vse the sacraments after gods word with the daunger of our lyues But we must learne to aunswer the world as Christ dyd Peter and say go behynd me Satā thou sauourest not the thyngs of god Heb. 11. Psa 116. Shal I not drynke of the cup which the father geueth me For it is better to be afflicted to be slayn in the church of god then to be counted the sonne of the king in the Sinagoge of false religiō Death for righteousnes is not to be abhorred but rather to be desired which assuredly bringeth with it the crown of euerlasting glory These bloodye executioners doe not persecute Christes Martyrs but crowne them with euerlastyng felicitye We were borne into this world to be witnesses vnto the truth both learned vnlearned Nowe since the time is come that we must shew our faithe declare whether we wil be gods seruauntes in righteousnes and holines as we haue bene taught and are bound to follow or els with hypocrisy serue vnrighteousnes let vs take good heede that we bee founde faythful in the lordes couenaunt and true members of hys church in the which through knowledge we are ingraffed from the which if we fall by transgression wyth the commē sort of people it will more straightly be required of vs thā many yet do make accompt therof We cānot serue two maisters Luke 18. 3. Reg. 18 Apoc. 3. we may not halte on both sides and thynke to please god we must be feruent in gods cause or els he wyll cast vs out from hym For by the first commaundement we are cōmaunded to loue God wyth all our harte with al our mynde with all our power and strength but they are manifest trāsgressours of this commaundement which with theyr hart mynd or bodely power doe communicate with a straunge religion contrary to the worde of god in the papistical Synagoge which calleth it self the church and is not As greatly do they offend god now whiche so doe as the Israelites dyd in tymes past by forsakyng
as an heretyke I am condemned shall be burned wherof I aske god hartely mercy that I do no more reioyce then I do hauing so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it maye please my deare lorde and Sauiour to suffer For albeit my manyfolde synnes euen sythen I came into prison haue deserued at the handes of God not onelye this temporall but also eternall fyer in hell much more then my former synful life which the lord pardō for his christs sake as I know he of his mercy hath done neuer wil lay my iniquities to my charge to condemnatiō so great is his goodnes praised therfore be his holy name although I say my manyfold greuous late sinnes haue deserued most iustly all the tyranny that man or deuil can do vnto me and therfore I cōfesse that the lord is iust that his iudgements be true deserued on my behalfe yet the bishops and prelates do not persecute them in me but Christ himself his word his truth and religion And therfore I haue great cause yea most great cause to reioyce that euer I was borne hetherto kept of the lord that by my death which is deserued for my sinnes it pleaseth the heauēly father to glorify his name to testify his truth to cōfirm his verity to oppugne his aduersaries Oh good god merciful father forgeue me my great vnthākfulnes especially herein And you my derely beloued for the lord Iesu christs sake I humbly hartely in his bowels blood do now for my last Yale farewel in this presēt life besech you euery of you that you wil cōsider this worke of the lord accordingly First by me to be admonished to beware of hypocrisie carnal security Professe not the gospel with tong lips only but in hart veritye frame and fashiō your liues accordingly Be ware gods name be not euil spokē of the gospel lesse regarded by your cōuersatiō God forgeue me that I haue not so hartely professed it as I should haue done but haue sought much my self therin The gospel is a new doctrine to the old man it is new wine therfore cannot be put in old bottels without greater hurt then good to the botlels If we will talk with the lord we must put of our shooes carnal affectiōs if we wil heare the voyce of the lord we must wash our garmēts be holy if we wil be christes disciples we must deny our selues take vp our crosse folow christ We cānot serue ij masters if we seke christes kingdō we must also seke for the righteousnes therof To the petition of let thy kingdome come we muste ioyne thy wyll be done done done on earthe as it is in heauen If we wil not be doers of the word but hearers of it we sore deceiue our selues Yf we heare the gospel loue it not we declare our selues to be but fooles builders vpō the sand The lordes spirit hateth faining disceitfulnes the lord abhorteth If we come to him we muste beware we come not with a double hart for thē it may chāce that god wil answer vs according to the blocke which is in our harte so we shal deceiue our selues and others To faithe see that we couple a good conscience lest we make a shipwracke To the Lorde we must come with feare and reuerence If we will be gospellers we must be Christes if we be Christes we must crucify our fleshe wyth the lust and concupiscences thereof If we wyl be vnder grace synne must not beare rule in vs. We may not come to the lord and draw nigh to hym wyth our lippes and leaue our hartes elsewhere lest the lords wrath waxe whotte and he take from vs the good remaynyng in no case can the kyngdome of Christe approche to them that repente not Therfore my dearely beloued let vs repente be hartely sory that we haue so carnally so hypocritically so couetously so vayne gloriously professed the gospel For al these I confesse of my selfe to the glorye of God and myne owne confusion here that he may couer myne offences in the day of iudgement Let the anger and plagues of god most iustly fallen vpō vs be applyed to euery one of our desertes that from the bottome of our harts euery of vs may say it is I Lord that haue sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisy my vayn glory my couetousnes vncleanes carnality security idlenes vnthankefulnes self loue and such lyke which haue deserued the takyng away of our good kynge of thy worde and true religion of thy good ministers by exile prisonmēt and death it is my wickednes that causeth successe and encrease of auctoritye and peace to thine enemyes Oh be mercifull be mercifull vnto vs. Turne to vs agayne oh lord of hostes and turne vs vnto thee Correcte vs but not in thy furye leaste we bee consumed In thy wrathfull displeasure reproue vs not but in the myddes of thine anger remember thy mercye for if thou wylte marke what is done amysse who shall be able to abyde it But with thee is mercifulnes that thou mightest be worshypped oh then be mercyfull vnto vs that we myghte truelye worshyppe thee Helpe vs for the glorye of thy name bee mercyfull vnto our sinnes for they are greate oh heale vs and helpe vs for thyne honoure let not the wycked people say where is theyr god c. On this sorte my right dearely beloued let vs hartely bewayle our synnes repent vs of our former euyll lyfe hartely and earnestly purpose to amende our lyues in all thynges continually watch in praier diligently and reuerently attend heare and read the holy scriptures labour after our vocation to amend our brethren Let vs reproue the workes of darkenes let vs flye from all Idolatrye let vs abhorre the Antichristian romish rotten seruice detest the popyshe masse forsake their Romish God prepare oure selues to the crosse be obediente to all that be in authoritye in all thynges that be not agaynst God and his woorde for then aunswere with the Apostles it is more meete to obeye God then man Howbeit neuer for any thing resiste or ryse agaynst the Magistrates auenge not your selues but committe your cause to the lord to whom vengeaunce pertayneth and he in his time wil reward it If ye feele in your selues an hope trust in god that he will neuer tempte you aboue that he will make you able to beare be assured the lorde wil be true to you and ye shal bee able to beare al bruntes But if ye want this hope fly get you hence rather then by your tarying gods name should be dishonoured In sūme cast your care on the Lord knowing for most certayne that he is careful for you with him are all that heares of your head numbred so that not one of thē shall perish without his good pleasure wil much more then nothing shal happen to your bodies which shal not be profitable
you can then shall you beyng assured I say of gods fauour towards you geue ouer your self wholye to helpe and care for others that be in neede then shall you contempne this life and desyre to be at home with your good and sweete father then shall you labour to mortify all thynges that woulde spot eyther soule or bodye All these thynges spryng out of thys certayne perswasion and fayth that god is our father and we are hys children by Christe Iesus All thynges should helpe our fayth herein but Sathan goeth about in all thynges to hynder vs. Therfore let vs vse earnest and harty prayer Let vs oftē remember this couenaunt I am the Lorde thy god let vs looke vpon Christe and his precious bloud shed for the obsignation and confyrmation of this couenant Let vs remember all the free promises of the gospell let vs set before vs gods benefites generallie in making this worlde in ruling it in gouernyng it in calling and keping his church c. Let vs set before vs gods benefites perticulerly how he hath made vs creatures after his image howe he hath made vs of perfecte limmes forme beautie memorye c howe he hath made vs Christians and geuen vs a right iudgement in hys religion howe he hath euer sithen we were borne blessed kept nouryshed and defended vs how he hath often beaten chastised and fatherly corrected vs how he hath spared vs and doth nowe spare vs geuing vs time space place grace Thys if you do and vse earnest prayer and so flye from all thynges whiche might wound your conscience geuing your self to diligence in your vocation you shall finde at the length that whiche god graunte to me with you a sure certaintye of saluation without all such doubt as may trouble the peace of conscience to your eternall ioy and comfort Amen Amen Yours to vse in Christ Iohn Bradford An other letter full of Godly comforte written to the same person THe good spirite of God whiche guideth hys children bee with you my good sister in the Lord for euer Amen Althoughe as I to you so you vnto me in person are vnknowen yet to hym whom we desire to please we are not onely in persons but also in harts knowē throughly sene And therfore as for his sake you wold by that you sent of me be perceaued how that in God you beare to me a good will so that I to you myght be sene in God to beare you the lyke I sende to you these fewe woordes in writinge wyshing that in all youre doinges and speache yea euen in your very thoughtes you woulde laboure to feele that they are all presente and open before the syghte of GOD be they good or badde Thys cogitation oftē had in mind and prayer made to god for the working of his spirit thereby as a meane you shall at the lēgth fele more comfort cōmodity thē any man can know but such as be exercised therin Howbeit this is to be added that in thinking your self al that you haue doe to be in the sight of god this I say is to be added that you thinke his sihht is the sight not only of a Lorde but rather of a father which tēdreth more your infirmaties thē you can tender the infirmities of any your childrē Yea whē in your self you see a motherly affection to your little one that is weake let the same be vnto you a trace to traint you to see the vnspeakeable kinde affectiō of god your father towards you And therfore vpō the cōsideratiō of your infirmities natural euils which cōtinually cleaue vnto vs take occasiō to go to god as your father through Christ before his mercifull harte lay open your infirmities euils with desire of pardō helpe after his good wil pleasure but in his time not when you wil by what meanes he wil not that way that you woulde in the meane season hāge on hope of his fatherly goodnes surely you shal neuer be ashamed For if a womā that is natural can not finally forget the child of her wōbe be sure god which is a father supernatural can not nor wil not forget you Yea if a womā could be so forgetful Esaye 4◠yet god him self saith he wil not be so This opiniō yea rather certain persuasion of god your father through christ see that you cherish by al meanes aswel by diligente consideration of his benefites as of hys louing corrections whether they be inwarde or outwarde see that you nourishe knowing for certaine that as the deuill goeth about nothing so much as to bring you in a doubt whether you be gods childe or no so whatsoeuer shal moue you to admit that dubitation be assured the same to come frō the deuill If you fele in your self not only the want of good things but also plētie of euil do not therfore doubt whether you be gods child in christ or no. For if for your goodnes or ilnesse sake which you feele or feele not you shold beleue or doubt thē should you make Christ Iesus for whose sake only god is your father eyther nothīg or els but a half Christ But rather take occasion of your wantes in good of your plenty in euil to go to god as to youre Father to pray him that in as much as he commaundeth you to beleue that he is your God and Father so he would geue you his good spiryte that you myght feele the same liue as hys child to his glorye cease not vpō such prayers to loke for cōfort in Gods good tyme stil hopyng the beste reiectyng al dubitatiō so al euil works words cogitations as the Lorde shall enable you by hys good spirit grace which I besech hym to geue vnto you my goodsister for euer And further I praye you that as he hath made you to be a helper vnto your husbād so you wold endeuour your self therin to shew the same aswel in soule as body and begge grace of god that your endeuours may be effectual to both your cōfortes in Christ Amē Iohn Bradforde To my beloued in the Lord. VV. P. GRrace and peace frō God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Deare brother god most iustly hath caste me now into a dungeon but much better then I deserue wherin I see no mā but my keper nor can see any except they come to me Somthing in the earth my lodging is which is an exāple memorial of my earthly affectiōs which god I trust wil mortifie of my sepulchre wherunto I trust my Lord God will bring me in peace in his good time In the meane season he geue me pacience liuely hope and his good spirite This disease was a Rewme with a feblenes of stomacke wherwith he was muche troubled whiles he was at libertye I praye you pray for me for the prayer of the godly if it be effectuall worketh much
eie hath not sene the eare hath not heard the hart cānot conceiue how great glorious gods reward wyl be vpō your bodies much more vpon your soules God opē our eies to see and fele this in dede Then shal we thynke the crosse which is a meane herto to be commodious Then shall we thanke god that he would chastice vs. Thē shall we saye with Dauid happy am I that thou hast punished me for before I wente astray but now I kepe thy lawes This that we may do in dede my derely beloued let vs firste knowe that our crosse cōmeth from god Secondly that it commeth from god as a father that is to our weale good Therfore let vs thirdly cal to mind our sinnes aske pardon Whereto let vs fourthly loke for help certainly at gods hand in his good time helpe I say such as shal make most to gods glory to the comfort cōmoditie of our soules bodies eternally This if we certainly conceiue thē wil there issue out of vs harty thankes geuīg which god requireth as a most precious sacrifice That we may al through Christ offer this let vs vse earnest praier to our god and dere father who blesse vs kepe vs and cōfort vs vnder hys swete crosse for euer Amen Amen My dere hartes if I could any way comfort you you should be sure therof though my lyfe laye theron but now I must do as I may because I cānot as I would Oh that it would please our deare father shortly to bring vs where we should neuer departe but enioy continually the blessed fruicion of hys heauenly presence pray pray that it may spedely come to passe pray To morow I wyll sende vnto you to knowe your estate send me worde what are the chiefest things they charge you wythall From the Counter By your brother in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To Mystres Hall prysoner in Newgate and ready to make aunswer before her aduersaries OVr most merciful god and father throughe Christ Iesus our lord and sauiour be merciful vnto vs and make perfect the good he hath begonne in vs vnto the ende Amen My deare Sister reioyce in the lord reioyce be glad I say be mery and thankful Math. 5 not only because Christ so cōmaundeth vs but also because our state wherin we are presētly requireth no lesse for we are the lords witnesses God the father hath vouched saffe to choose vs emonges many to witnes and testify that christ hys sonne is Kyng and that hys word is true Christ our sauiour for hys loues sake towards vs wil haue vs to beare recorde that he is no vsurper nor deceyuer of the people but Gods Embassadour Prophet and Messias so that of al dignities vpon earthe this is the highest Greater honoure had not hys Prophetes Apostles nor dearest frendes then to beare witnes wyth Christ as we now doe The worlde folowyng the counsell of theyr Syer Sathan would gladly condempne Christ and hys verity but loe the lord hath chosen vs to be hys champions to lette this As stoute souldiours therfore let vs stand to our maister who is wyth vs and standeth on our ryght hande that we shall not be muche moued if we hope and hange on hys mercye he is so faythful true that he wyl neuer tempt vs further then he will make vs hable to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say thys day you shall be called forth what you shal answer The lord which is true cannot lie hath promysed and wyll neuer fayle nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shall make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hange therfore on this promyse of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in hym Neuer was it hearde of or shal be that any hopyng in the lord was put to foyle Therfore as I said I say againe Deare Syster be not only not careful for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he wil confesse you and neuer be ashamed of you Thoughe losse of goodes and lyfe be lyke here to ensue yet yf Christ be true as he is most true it is otherwyse in dede for he that loseth hys life sayth he wynneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our synnes haue deserued many deathes Now if god deale so with vs that he wil make our deserued deathe a demonstration of hys grace a testimonyall of hys veritye a confirmation of hys people an ouerthrowe of his aduersaries what great cause haue we to be thankful Be thankeful therfore good Syster be thankefull reioyce and be merye in the Lord be stoute in hys cause and quarell be not faynte harted but runne out your race and set your captayne Christe before your eyes Beholde how great your rewarde is See the great glory and the eternitie of felicity prepared for you Striue and fyght lawfully that you may gette the crowne Runne to get the game you are almost at your iorneyes end I dout not but our father will with vs send to you also 4 Reg. 2. as he did to Hely a fiery charette to conuey vs into his kyngdome Let vs therefore not be dismayde to leaue our cloke behind vs that is our bodies to ashes God wyll one daye restore them to vs lyke to the body of our lord and sauiour Iesus christ whose cōming is now at hande let vs loke for it and lift vp our heads for our redēption draweth nigh Amen Amen The Lord of mercy graunt vs hys mercy Amē I pray you pray for me and so desire my bretherne whiche be wyth you Gods peace be with vs all Amen Blessed be the deade that dye in the Lorde then how much more they that dye for the Lord. Your brother in bondes Iohn Bradford ¶ An admonition to certayne professours and louers of the gospell to beware they fall not from it in consentyng to the Romyshe religion by the example of the shrinkyng haltyng and double faced Gospellers THe peace of Christ which is the true effecte of gods gospell beleued my derely beloued bee more and more plentifully perceyued of you throughe the grace of our deare father by the myghty workyng of the holy spirit our comforter Amen Though I haue many lettes presently to hynder me from writyng vnto you yet beyng desired I could not but somethyng signifye my readye good wyll in this behalfe so much as I may when I cannot so much as I woulde You heare and see how Sathan bestirreth hym ragyng as a roryng Lyon to deuoure vs. You see and feele partlye what stormes he hath raysed vppe to drowne the poore boote of Christ I meane hys church You see how terribly he trayneth his souldiours to geue a fierce onset on the voward of gods battel You see how he hath receyued power of god to molest gods children and to begyn at hys house By reason wherof consider
I beleue that man made after the image of god did fal frō that blessed state to the condēnation of himself and al his posterity I beleue that Christ for man being thus fallē did appose himself to the iustice of god a mediator paying the raunsome and price of redēption for Adā and his whole posteritie that refuse it not finally I beleue that al that beleue in Christ I speake of such as be of yeres of discressiō are pertakers of christ al his merites I beleue that faith to beleue in Christ I speake not now of faith that mē haue by reason of miracles Io. 2.12 Act. 8. or by reason of earthly cōmodity Mat. 13. custome autority of me which is commonly sene the hartes of them that so beleue beyng not right and simple before god Exod. 14 but I speake of that faith which in dede is the true faythe the iustifyeng and regeneratyng fayth I beleue I say that this fayth and beliefe in Christe is the worke and gyfte of God geuen to none other then to those whyche bee the chyldren of God that is to those whome GOD the father before the begynnynge of the worlde hath predestinate in Christ vnto eternall lyfe Thus do I wade in predestination For the certeyntie of this fayth search your hartes If you haue it prayse the Lord for you are happy and therfore cannot fynally peryshe for then happynes were not happynes yf it could be lost when you fal the Lord wil put vnder hys hande that you shall not lye still But if ye feele not thys fayth then know that predestination is to hygh a matter for you to be disputers of vntyl ye haue ben better scholers in the scholehouse of repentaunce and iustification which is the Grammer schole wherin we must be conuersant and learned before we go to the vniuersity of gods most holy predestination and prouidence in such sort as god hath pacifyed and opened it Though in god it be the first yet to vs it is last opened And therfore I beginne wyth creation from thence I come to redemption so to iustification and so to election On this sort I am sure that warelye wysely a man may walk in it easely by the light of gods spirite in and by hys worde seyng thys faith not to be geuen to al men 2. Thess 3. but to such as are borne of god predestinate before the worlde was made after the purpose and good wyll of God whiche will we may not call into disputation but in tremblyng and feare submit our selues to it as to that which can will none otherwise then that which is holy right good how farre so euer otherwyse it seme to the iudgement of reason whych must nedes bee beaten downe to bee more careful for gods glory then for mans saluation which dependeth onelye thereon as all gods chyldren full well see for they seeke not the glorye whyche commeth of men but the glory whyche commeth of GOD. Ieremye 9. Ioan. 5. They knowe God to bee a God whiche dothe on earthe not onely mercy but also iudgement which is iustyce most iustice although our folishe reason cannot see it And in this knowlege they glory and reioyce thoughe others through vayne curiosity grudch and murmure there agaynst Thus briefly I haue sent you my mynd and meanyng concernyng thys matter Hereafter you shal haue I thynke your letter particulerlye aunswered by M. Philpotte as also if I haue tyme and you so require it I will do Iohn Bradford To my good brother R. Cole MYne owne good brother our good most merciful father more and more embrace vs in the armes of hys mercy as hys louyng own natural children and geue vs one to embrace an other in the armes of loue as true bretherne that wyth one hart and mynde we may prayse hys holye name in Christe our Sauiour and throughe the grace of hys spirite may mightely euery one fyght againste sinne and all that is against the kyngdome of Christ wherunto my beloued we are called effectually to our euerlasting felicity I dout not praysed be the name of our good god therefore for euer and euer Amen Myne owne hart in the lord desire our bretherne that euery one would bend himself to bowe let vs neuer breake Loue suffreth long and seeketh not her selfe We haue al one father we are all brethern God kepe vs from dissention If we cānot agree in al pointes eyther the poyntes perchaūce bee not so necessarye or elles by loue we shall hereafter hee brought to see that which yet is hidde If loue may appeare in al our doynges and that we seeke one an other wyth a symple and a syngle eye in gods syght doubtlesse all preiudice wherby we are letted to see manifest thynges wyll bee had away and we will take thyngs spoken and done in the best part and so doutles the name of our father shal be sanctified in vs and by vs as by instruments of grace and gods kingdome shal encrease apace in vs and by vs also whiche thing he graunt for his mercies sake Amen Commend me hartely I pray you to bothe those good women Good I cal them because I am persuaded that god wil deliuer them especiall my good Mary I will not cease but euen as for my self to pray to god for them and for you my right deare brother in the Lorde If you were acquainted with M. Robert Harrington you should fynd a playne Nathanael you should see the worst at the fyrst I dare saye for hym hys onely desyre is to please God and he is afrayde to offende hym Praye for hym and for my good Syster I. H. as I knowe she doth for you The peace of God be with you myne owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ To my good Syster Mystres Elizabeth Browne GOod Sister god our father make perfecte the good he hath begunne in you vnto the ende I am afrayd to wryte vnto you because you so ouercharge your self at al times euē whēsoeuer I do but send to you cōmendatiōs I wold be more bold on you then on many others and therfore you myght suspend so great tokens till I shoulde wryte vnto you of my nede which thyng doutles I would do if it vrged me Deare Syster I see your vnfayned loue to me wardes in god and haue done of long time the which I do recompence wyth the like and wil doe by gods grace so long as I liue and therfore I hope not to forget you but in my poore praiers to haue you in remēbraunce as I hope you haue me Otherwise I can do you no seruice excepte it be now and then by my writing to let you from better exercise where yet the ende of my writing is to excite styrre vp your harte more earnestlye to go on forwardes in your well begunne enterpryse 2. Timo. 2. For you know none shal be crowned but such as striue lawfully and none receiueth the
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
lament mourne syghe sobbe wepe and haue your wyldernes to wander in your purgatory and euen hell to purge and burne vp your synnes Ye are not of them which crye let vs eate and drynke for to morowe we shal die Ye are not of that nōber which say they haue made a couenaunt with death and hel for hurting of them Esay 28 Mal. 3. Apo. 3. Ezech. 8. Psa 73. Math. 4. Dani. 3. Ye are not of thē which take it for a vaine thing to serue the lorde Ye are not of thē which are lulled and rocked a slepe in Iesabels bed a bed of securitie Ye are not of the number of thē which say tushe god is in heauen and seeth vs not nor much passeth what we doe Ye are not of the number of thē which wil fall downe for the mucke of the world to worshyppe the Feende or for displeasing of men to worshippe the golden mage Math. 8. 1 Mach. 1.2 Exod. 13 3. Reg. 22. Rom. 6.7 Coloss 3 Finallye yeare not of the number of them which set more by your pygges then by Christ which for ease and rest in this lyfe wil say and doe as Antiochus byddeth you do or say and wil follow the multitude to do euil with Zedechias and the 300. false Prophets yea Achab Iesabel and the whole courte and countrey But ye are of the number of thē which are dead alredy or at least be in dyeng daily to your selues to this world Ye are of them which haue made a couenaūt wyth god to forsake your selues in thys worlde and Sathan also Ye are of thē which say Luk. 12. Mala. 3. nay the lord hath al things written in hys memoriall booke for suche as feare hym and remember hys name Luke 12. psa 33.14.101 Ye are of thē which haue their loines girded about and their lyghtes burning in their hands like vnto men that wayte for their lordes cōming Ye are in the number of them that say the lord loketh downe from heauen and beholdeth the chyldren of men from the habitation of his dwelling he considereth al them that dwell vpon the earthe Luke 3. Dan. 3. 1. pet 2. Psal i20 i. Mac. 2 Math. 7 3. Reg. 22. Ye are of the number of them whiche will worshyp the only lord god and wyl not worshyp the workes of mans handes though the ouen burne neuer so hote Ye are in the nūber of them to whom Christ is precious deare which cry out rather because your habitation is prolonged here as Dauyd did Ye are of them whiche follow Mathathias and the godly Iewes which know the way to lyfe to be a straite way and few to go through it whiche wyll not stycke to follow poore Micheas although he be racked and cast into pryson hauing the Sunne Moone seuen Starres and all agaynste hym Thus therfore dearely beloued remember fyrste that as I sayde ye are not of thys worlde that Sathan is not your Captayne your ioye and Paradyse is not here your companions are not the multitude of worldlings and such as seke to please men and liue here at ease in the seruice of Satan phil 3. Heb. 13 But ye are of an other world Christ is your Captayne your ioy is in heauē where your cōuersation is your companions are the fathers Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Martyrs Virgins confessors and the deare sainctes of God Apo. 7 Iob. 78.14 Psalm 9. Iames. 4 whych follow the Lambe whether soeuer he goeth dippyng their garments in hys blood knowyng this lyfe and world to be full of euill a warfare a smoke a shadow a vapour and as replenished so enuironed wyth all kynde of myseries This is the fyrst thyng which I would haue you often and diligently wyth your selues to consider to muse wel vpon namely what ye be and where ye be Nowe secondlye forgette not to call to mynde that ye oughte not to thynke it anye straunge thyng if miserye trouble aduersitie persecution and displeasure come vpon you 1. pet 4 Iohn 14. 1. pet 5 For howe can it otherwyst bee but that trouble and persecution muste come vppon you Canne the world loue you which are none of hys Can worldlye men regard you which are your chiefe enemies souldiours Can Satan suffer you to be in rest Math. 7. which wyl do no homage vnto hym Can this way be chosen of any that make it so narrow and straite as they doe Wyll ye looke to trauayle and to haue no fowle way or rayne Wyll shypmen shrynke or saylers on the sea geue ouer if stormes aryse Doe they not loke for suche And dearely beloued did not we enter into gods shippe and Arke of Baptssme at the fyrst 1. pet 4 Wyll ye thē counte it straunge if perilles come or tempestes blowe Are not ye trauailing to your heauēly City of Ierusalē where is all ioye and felicitie and wsll ye now tary by the way for stormes or showers Iohn 9 Mat. 25 The Marte and faier wil then be past the night wil so come vpon you that ye cannot trauayle the dore wyll be sparde and the bryde will be at supper Therfore away wyth daintye nicenesse Wyll ye thynke the father of heauen wyll deale more gently wyth you in thys age thē he hath done wyth others hys dearest frends in other ages What way Gen. 4 6.7.8.9 c. yea what stormes and tempests what troubles and disquietnes founde Abell Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob good Ioseph Which of these had so fayre a lyfe and resteful tymes as we haue had Exod. 2.3.4.5 c Moyses Aaron Samuell Dauyd the kyng and all the good kynges Priestes Prophetes in the olde testament at one tyme or other if not through oute theyr lyfe dyd fele a thousand partes more misery then we haue felte hetherto As for the new Testament Lord god how great was the affliction of Marye of Iosephe of Zacharye of Elizabeth of Iohn Baptiste of all the Apostles and Euaungelistes Math. ii yea of Iesus Christ our Lord the deare sonne and dearlyng of God And since the time of the Apostles Euseb eccl hist Tripart hist howe many and great are the number of Martyrs Confessours and such as haue suffered the sheeding of their bloode in this life rather then they would be stayed in their iourney or lodge in anye of Sathans Innes leste the stormes or windes whiche fell in their trauailinges myght haue touched them And dearelye beloued let vs thinke what we are and howe farre vnmeete to be matched with these with whom yet we looke to be placed in heauen Psa 49 But with what face can we looke for thys that are so fearefull vnwilling and arsward to leaue that which will we nyll we we muste leaue and that so shortly as we know not the time when Where is oure abrenouncing and forsaking of the worlde and the fleshe whiche we solemnely toke vpon vs in baptisme Ah shamelesse cowardes that we bee
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
Martyne Buâ—er but the cogitation of one which was my father in the Lord and now I am assured with the Lord at home where we yet are from home by reason of thys oure corruptible habitacles wherein we abyde the Lordes leasure If you would knowe the reason that moueth me to aunsweare as I haue done to the foresayde doubtes or questions it is thys You see that the Apostle in thys place to the Romaines speaketh of the deliueraunce of euerye creature from the bondage of corruption and that to the beautifying of the glorye of Gods children Thys is so manifest that no man can well denye it It is but a simple shyfte to saye that the Apostle doth meane in thys place by euerye creature man onelye He is not wonte to speake on that fort Neyther dare I saye that the Apostle speaketh here hyperbotically or excessiuely although some thinke so But as I sayd I say agayn that the Apostle doth here simply affirme that there shall be a renouacion a deliuerance from corruption not only of man but also of al and of euery part of the whole world of euery part I say meaning partes in deede not such as be rather vices added for plagues then for partes For by reason of sinne â–ª many spottes corruptions are come into the world as is all that is hurtfull and filthy in the creatures Also al that commeth of corruption as perchaunce flees vermyne and such like Thys renouation of all things the Prophets do seme to promyse when they promise new heauens new earth For a newe earth seemeth to require no lesse renouation of earthly thinges then new heauens do of heauenly thyngs But these things the Apostle doth playnely affirme the Christ will restore euen whatsoeuer be in heauen in earth Col. 1. Therfore me thinkes it is the dutye of a Godly minde simply to acknowledge and therof to bragge in the Lord that in our resurrection al things shal be so repayred to eternitie as for our sinne they were made subiecte to corruption The auncient writers our of Peter haue as it were 2. pet 3 agreed to this sentence that the shape of this world shall passe a way through the burning of earthly fire as it was drowned wyth the flowing of earthly waters August de ciuitate dei lib. cap. 6 These be S. Augustines wordes Wherto I will adde these which he there writeth the qualities sayth he of the corruptible elementes which agreed with our corruptible bodyes shal vtterly be burned with that same worldlye conflagration and burning as I sayd but the substance it self shall haue those qualities which do agree by a meruelous chaunge to oure bodyes that the world chaunging into the better may openly be made mete to man returned euen in the flesh into the better These be hys words Wherby it is plaine that this good man did beleue that the elements should be renewed but of other things he medleth not except it be of the sea by the occasion of that which is in the Apocalips howbeit so he speaketh that he can not wel tel whether it also shal be chauÌ„ged into the better adding these wordes but we read that there shal be a new heauen and a newe earth For he dyd vnderstand the place of Esay concerning the new heauen and new earth simply of other things he expresseth nothing But Thomas Aquinas entreateth thys questioÌ„ more exactly or rather curiouslye affyrming the celestial bodies the elementes mankinde to be renewed but in no wise beasts plantes c. to bee so and this is hys principall reason The renouation of the world shal be for man therfore such shall be the renouation as shal be conformable to the renouation of man But the renouation of man shal be from corruption to incorruption froÌ„ mouing to rest the things therfore that shall be renewed with man must be broughte also to incorruption Now the celestial bodies the elementes were made to incorruptioÌ„ the one wholy in euery part the other that is the elementes though in part they are corruptible yet coÌ„cerning the whole they are incorruptible as man is incorruptible coÌ„cerning part that is the soule But beasts plaÌ„tes c. are corruptible both wholy in euery part therefore they were not made to incorruption and so are they not conformable to the renewing that is they are not receaueable of incorruption and therfore they shall not be restored This reason is true in this part that it affirmeth thyngs shal be restored with man and with him shal be brought to perpetuitie as the Apostle sayth to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption Agayne hys reason is true herein also that mans reason may soner be persuaded the things now partly incorruptible shal be restored altogether to incorruptioÌ„ But now to say that by no reason those things may be broughte to perpetuitie which now both wholy partly be teÌ„porall and momentane howe can he proue it in that the nature being of all thyngs dependeth on the omnipotencie of God which after hys own pleasure doth geue to things which he hath made their being and al is one to him to make a thing temporall and to make it eternall For he made all thynges of nothing and therefore heauen and the celestiall bodyes haue no more of them selues that they be perpetuall then haue those thinges that laste but a daye Wherfore thys reason which Thomas maketh is not fyrme in that it wholye leaueth to that which now seemeth and appeareth in thynges In deede as I said it hath some shewe or probabilitie that these things shal be renewed to eternitie for the glory of gods childreÌ„ which now somthyng are pertakers of the same But now seing that both it which they nowe haue and also shall haue dependeth vpon the becke pleasure of God whoÌ„ hath God made of counsell with hym concerning the renouation of the world of al things that he can tel what partes of things what kindes of things he wil renewe Yea euen Aristotle dyd acknowledge that Physice or natural knowlege because it bringeth his reasons froÌ„ the disposition nature of things hath not ful necessitie of his reasons For nature is nothing els theÌ„ the ordinarie woÌ„ted wil of god as a miracle porteÌ„t or monster is the rare vnwonted wil of God We say that the nature of stones al heuie things is to sinke dounward which is nothing elles but the pleasure of God so depelling them and puttinge them downe for elles of them selues nothyng is eyther heuye or lyghte all is a like to be caryed downewardes or vpwardes Who may make God subiecte to hys worke Can not he that made all things of nothyng geue hereafter to the thinges that he hath made that wherof nowe in them selues they haue no capacitie These thyngs I do therfore rehearse to the end I myghte declare that when we dispute what god wyl do concernyng hys workes how
corruption And let vs consider these thinges so that we wholy may bende our selues to put away all the oldenes of our flesh whence in dede corruption and death doth come and that we may prouoke our selues to the newnes of the spirite and the lyfe of Christe wherin is all incorruption and the true taste of the resurrection for to thys ende the holy ghost dyd wryte this by the Apostle That therfore this spirit might lead vs hereunto let vs pray then we shall vnderstand this place of Paule wyth profit If perchaunce it wyll moue you that the Apostle speaketh not of thys delyueraunce of the creature from corruption in anye other place but here neither anye other holye wryter I would you would thynke that the misery of the restauration of Israel also of Antichrist is not expounded but in the Apostels writyngs and that but in one place yea the manner of our resurrection is not written but in .ij. places We oughte to knowe that they are the wordes of the Lorde what soeuer the Apostle hathe lefte to vs written Again the simplicity of this place Rom. 8 is plaine And thus my dearely beloued I haue written to you so muche as I thynke is sufficient about thys mater and therfore nede not to tary herein any longer or to spende anye more tyme about the answeryng of that which is but curiositye God our father geue vs nowe hys holye spirite to leade vs into thys and all other necessary truth in such sort that we may haue a liuely feelyng of eternall lyfe begonne in vs that we may become first new and so loke for new heauen and earthe wherin ryghteousnes dwelleth which God impute to vs and begynne in vs for hys Christes sake Amen Amen Your owne for euer in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ⧠Certayne letters of mayster Thomas Whyttel a godlye and a faythefull Minyster and preacher of gods worde who after he had relented by the tyrannye and cruel dealyng of Bonner returned agayne wyth greate constancye and stoode to the defence of the truthe vnto the fyre The .12 of Ianuary In the yeare of our Lorde 1556. To my beloued frende and faythfull Brother in Christe Iohn Careles prysoner in the Kynges Benche THe peace of god in Christ be wyth you continually dearely beloued brother in Christe with the assistaunce of gods grace and holye spirite to the workyng and performyng of those thynges which may comforte and edifye hys churche as ye daily do to the glorye of hys name and the increase of your ioy and comforte of soule in thys lyfe and also your rewarde in heauen wyth Christ our captayn whose faythful souldiour you are in the lyfe to come Amen I haue greatly reioyced my deare hart with thankes to god for you synce I haue heard of your fayth and loue towards god and hys saintes wyth a most godly ardent zeale to the verity of Christes doctrine and religiō which I haue heard by the reporte of many but specially by the declaryng of that valiaunt captaine in Christes church that stout chāpion in gods cause that spectacle to the world I meane our good brother Philpot who now lyeth vnder the aultare swetely enioyeth the promysed rewarde And speciallye I my condemned fellowes geue thankes to God for your louyng and comfortable letter in the depenes of our trouble after the fleshe sente vnto vs to the consolation of vs al but most specially to me most sinfull myser on mine owne behalfe but happy I hope through godslouing kindnes in Christ shewed vnto me who suffred me to fainte and fayle through humayne infirmity by the workyng of the Archenemye in hys sworne souldiours the byshops and priestes In whome so liuely appeareth the verye visage and shape of Satan that a man if it wer not preiudice to gods word might wel affirme them to be Deuils incarnate as I by experiēce do speake Wherfore who so shal for consciēce matters come into their hands had nede of the wilines of the Serpent to saue hys head though it be with the woundyng of his body and to take diligent hede how he consenteth to theyr wycked writyngs or setteth hys hand to their couenaūtes Sore dyd they assault me and craftelye tempte me to theyr wycked wayes or at least to a denegation of my faythe and true opinions though it were but by colour and dissimulation and alas somethyng they dyd preuayle Not that I any thyng at all lyked their opinions and false papisticall religion or els doubted of the truth wherin I stand but only the infirmity of the flesh begyled me desiryng lyberty by an vnlawfull meanes God lay it not to my charge at that day so I desire you hartely to pray How be it vncertain I am whether more profite or disprofite came therby profit to me in that god suffred Satan to buffit me by his foresayd ministers of myschiefe shewyng me mine infirmitye that I should not boste nor reioyce in my selfe but only in the Lord. Who when he had led me to hel in my conscience through the respect of hys fearefull iudgementes agaynste me for my fearefulnes mistrust and crafty clokyng in suche spirituall and weighty matters in the whiche myne agony distresse I found thys old verse true Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus yet he left me not there but brought me from thence againe to the magnifieng of hys name suspectyng of fleshe and bloud and cōsolation of myne own soule also that I myght fele the disprofite in offending the congregatiō of god which peraduenture will rather adiudge my fal to come of doutfulnes in my doctrine religion thē of humain imbecillity Wel of the importune burdē of a troubled consciēce for denying or dissembling the knowē verity I by experience could saye very much more which perhaps I wil declare by writyng to the warnyng of other if god graunt time for now am I my fellowes redy to go hēce euen for Christes cause Gods name be praysed who hathe hetherto called vs. Pray I pray you that we may end our course wyth ioy and at your appointed tyme you shal come after But as the Lord hath kepte you so wyll he preserue your lyfe styll to the intent you should labour as you do to appease and conuince these vngodly contentions and controuersies which now do to muche raigne brauwlyng about termes to no edification GOD is dishonoured the church disquieted and occasion to speake euyll of the Gospel ministred to our aduersaries But such is the subtilty of Sathan that whom he cannot wynne with grosse idolatrye in open religion them he seketh to corrupt and deceyue in opinions in a priuate profession But here I wyl abrutply leaue least wyth my rudenes and symplicity I shuld be tedious to you desiring you my louyng brother if it shal not seme greuous vnto you to wryte vnto me and my fellowes yet once agayne if you may haue leasure and we tyme to the same and sende me worde
their rable fall and the builders them selues shall then be scatred vppon the face of the earth as accursed of God The iuste shall see thys and be gladde psalme 33. and prayse the name of the Lord that so meruelouslye hath delte with hys seruauntes as to bryng theyr enemyes vnder their feete Then shall the fearefull sede of Caine tremble and quake Gene. 4. Gene. 21. Gen. 11. phil 3 psalme 2. 1. Corin. 3. psalm 74. Iob. 5. Apoc. 12. Then shall the mockynge Ismalites be caste oute of the doore Then shal the proude Nembrothe see hys laboure loste Thou shall the beaste of Babilon bee troden vnder foote Then shall the Scribes and Pharisees for madnes fret and rage Then shal their paynted wysedome be knowen for extreme folly Then shall the bloody Dragone be voyde of hys praye Then shal the whore of BabiloÌ„ receaue double vengeance Then shall they scratch their crownes for the fall of theyr Maistres harlotte whom they nowe serue for filthye lucre when no man wyll bye theyr wares anye more then shall the popyshe priesthode crye weale a waye with care euen when the Lord shall helpe hys seruauntes Apo. 18 Psal 145. which daye is not farre of the day wherin the kyngdome of Antichrist shall haue an ende and neuer aryse anye more In the meane tyme abide in certayne and sure hope 1. Corin. 6. 1. Cor. 8. Heb. 9. cleanyng-vnto the promyses of God whiche in their owne tyme shall bee fulfylled Acquite your selues lyke men agaynste the enemies of God in all humblenesse of minde stronge in spirite to acknowledge one God one holye Sauiour Iesus Christ one onely euerlasting and sufficiente sacrifice for the remission of sinnes euen the precious bodye of the Lorde Iesus once offered for all and for euer Whiche nowe sitteth on the righte hande of God Act. 3. and from thence shall he come to iudge both the quicke and the dead at the laste day and vntill that tyme Heb. i. i pet 3. Ephesi 1. occupyeth that blessed bodye none other place to dwell in to be kepte in to be closed in but onelye in the heauens euen in the glorious maiestye of GOD personallye abyding there in the fleshe not commynge downe from thence tyll the laste houre Ephess 2. And as he neuer ceaseth to bee man so doth he neuer lose the similitude of man hys body there hath hys liniamentes he leaueth them not so hath that bodye there hys highnesse and shrinketh not and hys manlye shape he altereth not at any tyme. He is in that he tooke of the virgine Marye a naturall man in all conditions excepte sinne Rom. 1. And what he tooke of hys blessed Mother by the woorking of the holy ghoste he toke it for euer and will not exchaunge the same for anye other He tooke the shape of a man with the substance of hys manhoode in one sacred wombe There were they coupled together by the holy ghoste neuer to be deuided a sunder Ephe. 2. He retayneth the one with the other inseperablye As he wyll not alter the substance of hys fleshe into the substance of breade no more wyll he alter the shape of hys bodye into the forme of breade There can not bee a greater absurditie agaynste the truth then to thynke that he woulde leaue the shape that he tooke in the virgins wombe being an accident vnto hys manhode and ioyne vnto the same a wafer take baken in an ouen or betwene a payre of yrons â— Iohn 1 As he is in heauen very man one onely mediatour betwene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus he it is that is the propitiation for oure sinnes Be bolde therfore to confesse thys moste pure and Apostolicall doctrine Col. i. and also that all fauoure mercye and forgeuenesse commeth onely by hym He only of God the father was made for vs al wysedome ryghteousnesse 1. Cor. i. Eph. 2. sanctification and redemption All these are the giftes of God the father frely geuen vnto vs by Christe Iesus God and man through fayth in hys bloode and not by the merites of men Abacu 2. Gala. 3. Act. 10. Giftes they are I saye frelye geuen vnto vs of fauour withoute our deserte by beleuyng and not by deseruing To thys do the lawe and the Prophettes beare witnesse Thys doctrine haue all the blessed Martyrs of Christes Churche witnessed wyth their bloode to be true To thys truth haue al the consciences of al true beleuers subscribed euer synce the Ascension of Christ Thys witnesse is not of man but of God What better quarrel can ye thâ—n haue to geue your liues for Luk. 9. then the truth it selfe That man that geueth hys life for the truth taketh the redyest waye to lyfe He that hath the Popes curse for the truth is sure of Christes blessing Well then my brethren what shall nowe lette but that ye goe forwarde as ye haue begonne Naye rather runne wyth the runners that ye maye obtayne the appoynted glorye Iohn 14 Psal 15. Eph. 4. Col. 5. Math. 10 Marke 8. Holde on the ryghte waye looke not backe haue the eye of youre harte fyxed vpon god and so runne that ye may get hold of it Cast away al your worldly pelfe and worldly respectes as the fauour of frends the feare of men sensuall affection respecte of persons honoure prayse shame rebuke wealthe pouertye ryches landes possessions carnall fathers and mothers wyfe and chyldren wyth the loue of youre owne selues and in respecte of that heauenlye treasure ye looke for lette all these bee denyed and vtterlye refused of you so that in no condition they doe abate your zeale or quenche youre loue towardes GOD. In thys case make no accompte of them but rather repute them as vyle in comparison of euerlastynge lyfe Phil. 3. A waye wyth them as thornes that choke the heauenlye seede of the Gospell where they bee suffred to growe Luke 8.14 They are burdens of the fleshe whiche incomber the soule Roman 7. exchaunge them therefore for aduauntage Doth not he gayne that fyndeth heauenlye and immortall treasure for earthlye and corruptible ryches Loseth that man anye thynge whiche of hys carnall father and mother is forsaken Ephe. i. Gala 4. Phi. 3. when therefore he is receaued of God the father to bee hys childe and heyre in Christe Heauenlye for earthlye for mortall immortall for transitorye thynges permanente is great gaynes to a Christian conscience Therefore as I beganne I exhorte you in the Lorde not to be afrayde Shrynke not my brethren mistrust not God Heb. 6. 1. Cor. 2. be of good comforte reioyce in the Lorde holde faste youre fayth and continewe to the ende Denye the worlde and take vppe your crosse and followe hym whiche is youre loadesman and is gone before If you suffer wyth him you shall reigne with hym What waye can you glorifye the name of your heauenlye father better then by sufferinge
all thinges whiche the Lord hath spoken to thee shall be fulfilled So I saye to you my deare hartes in the Lorde happye are ye all yea twyse happye shall ye bee for euermore because ye haue stedfastlye beleued the moste swete promises which god the father hath made vnto you with his own mouth in that he hath promised you which are the faythful seede of the beleuing Abraham that ye shal be blessed euer world wtout end The promises of God your sweete father as ye do beleue so do ye beare record the god is true The testimony wherof ye haue full worthely borne to the world and shortly will full surely seale the same with your blood yea euen to morow I do vnderstand Oh constant Christians oh valiaunt souldiers of the high Captaine Iesus Christ who for your sake hath conquered the deuill death sinne hell and hath geuen you full victory ouer theÌ„ for euer more Oh worthy witnesses most glorious Martyrs whose inuincible fayth hath ouercome that proud sturdie bragging prince of the world and al his wicked army ouer whoÌ„ ye shall shortly triumphe for euermore Ah my swete hartes the euerlasting treasures are full surely layd vp for you in heaueÌ„ The immercessible and most glorious crowne of victory is already made and prepared for you to be shortly clapt vpon al your happy heads The holy Aungels of your heauenly father are already appointed to conduct your sweete soules into Abrahams bosome All the heauenly host reioyceth alreadye for that they shall shortlye receaue you with ioye and felicitye into their blessed fellowship Selach Reioyce with double ioy be glad my deare brethren for doubtles ye haue more cause then caÌ„ be expressed But alas I that for my sinnes am left behinde maye lie and lamente with the holye Prophet saying psalm 119. woe is me that the daies of my ioyfull rest are prolonged Ah cursed Sathan which hath caused me so sore to offende my moste deare louing father wherby my exile and banishment is so much prolonged Oh Christ my aduocate pacifie thy fathers wrath which I haue iustelye deserued that he maye take me home to him in his sweete mercy Oh that I might nowe come home vnto thee with my blessed brethren Wel thy wil Oh Lord be effectuouslye fulfilled for it is onely good turneth al things to the best for such as thou in thy mercyes haste chosen And now farewell my deare hartes moste happye in the Lord. I trust in my good God yet shortlye to see you in the celestiall Citye wherof vndoubtedly the Lord hath already made you free Citizens Though ye be yet with vs for a litle time your very home is in heauen where your treasure doth remaine with your swete lord redemer Iesus christ whose calling you haue heard with the eares of your harts therfore ye shall neuer come into iudgement but passe from death to life Your sinnes shal neuer be remeÌ„bred be they neuer so many so greuous or so great for your Sauiour hath cast theÌ„ all into the bottome of the sea he hath remoued them froÌ„ you as farre as the east is froÌ„ the west psalm 103. his mercy hath much more preuailed ouer you then is distance betwene heauen and earth and he hath geuen you for an euerlasting possession of the same al his holines righteousnes iustification yea and the holy ghost into your hartes wherwith ye are surely sealed vnto the day of redemption to certifie you of your eternal electioÌ„ and the ye are his true adopted soÌ„nes wherby ye may boldely crie vnto god Abba deare father for euer more so that nowe no creature in heaueÌ„ earth nor hel shall be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly King Gen 3. SathaÌ„ is now cast out from you he him self is iudged hath no part in you He wil once more bite you by the heele and then he hath done for at the time you shal squise his head through your own good Christ so haue finall victorie for euer more In ioyfull triumph wherof ye shall swetely ascende into the place of eternal rest whether your eldest brother Christ is gone before you to take possession for you and to prepare your place vnder the holy Alter with Cranmer Latymer Ridley Rogers Hoper Saunders Farrer Tailour Bradford Philpot with many other who will be full glad of your coÌ„ming to see vi moe of their appointed number that their blood may so much the soner be reuenged vpon them that dwel on the earth Thus I make an end committing you al to gods moste merciful defence whose quarrell ye haue defended whose cause ye haue promoted whose glory ye haue set forth and whose name ye haue constantlye confessed Farewell for a while my dere hartes in the Lord I wil make as much hast after you as I may Al our deare brethren salute you They praie for you and praise god for you continually Blessed be the dead that die in the Lord for they rest froÌ„ their labours saith the holy ghost Apo. â—1 and their workes followe them Your owne Iohn Careles a most vnprofitable seruaunt of the Lord yet of hys great mercy prysoner for his sake abiding his further good pleasure Pray praye praye To M. Greene M. VVhittell and certaine other prysoners in Newgate condemned and ready to be burnt for the testimony of the Lord Iesus THe euerlasting peace in Iesus Christ the continuall comfort of his most pure holy spirite be with you my most deare and faithful brethren and sisters of Newgate the Lordes appoynted shepe vnto the slaughter to the good performance of the great and notable worke of the lord which he hath so graciously begoÌ„ne in you all that the same may redownd to the setting forth of his glory and to the commoditie of his churche and to your owne euerlasting comfort in him So be it Ah my dere harts most faithful brethreÌ„ sisters in the lord what high laudes praise yea what humble and continuall thankes am I bouÌ„d to geue to god oure father for you on your moste happie behalfe who so mightely hath magnified himself in you thus farforth in geuiÌ„g you his holy mighty spirit to the constant confessing of christes veritye euen to the cruel condeÌ„pnation I dout not but he wil do the same to the death Oh happie blessed are you the euer you were borne that the lord wil vouch you worthie of this great dignitie to die for his sake Doubtles it is the greatest honour the god can geue you in this life Yea if they be so blessed of god that die in the Lord as the holy ghost saith they be how much more blessed happie then are you that die not only in the lord Apo. 11. but also for the lord Oh that it were the good will of god that the good houre were now come that I might go with you Ah that my sinnes made
hart in that behalf but also by the worde and commaūdement of Christ to pronounce and affirme in the name and worde of the heauenly king Iehouah and in the behalfe of hys swete sonne Iesus Christ our lorde to whome all knees shall bowe whom al creatures shall worship and also by the impulsion of the holy ghost by whose power and strengthe all the faythfull be regenerate I do I say pronounce to thee my deare brother T. V. that thou art already a citizen of heauen The lord thy God in whom thou doest put all thy trust for hys deare sonnes sake in whome thou doest also vndoubtedlye beleue hath freely forgeuen thee all thy synnes clearely released all thyne iniquities and fully pardoned all thyne offences be they neuer so many so greuous or so great and will neuer remember them any more to condemnation As trulye as he liueth he wil not haue thee die the death but hath verely determined purposed eternallye decreed that thou shalt liue with him for euer Thy sore shal be healed and thy woundes bound vp euē of him self for his own names sake He doth not nor will not loke vpon thy synnes in thee but he respecteth beholdeth thee in christ in whō thou art liuely graffed by fayth in his blood and in whom thou art most assuredly elected and chosen to be a swete vessell of his mercye and saluation and waste thereto predestinate in him before the foundation of the world was layde In testimonye and earnest whereof he hath geuen thee his good and holye spirite which worketh in thee fayth loue and vnfayned repentance with other godly vertues contrary to the corruption of thy nature Also he hath commaunded me this daye although a most vnworthy wretch to be a witnesse hereof by the ministerye of his holy woorde grounded vppon the truth of his most faythful promises the which thou beleuīg shalt liue for euer Beleuest thou this my dere hart I know well thou doest beleue The Lord encrease thy fayth geue thee a liuelye feeling of all his mercyes whereof thou arte warranted and assured by the testimonye of the holy ghoste who confirme in thy conscience to the vtter ouerthrowing of Sathan and those his most hurtful dubitations wherby he is accustomed to molest and vexe the true childrē of god all that I haue sayd and by gods grace I will as a witnes therof confirme seale the same with my blood for a most certaine truth Wherefore my good brother prayse the Lorde with a ioyfull hart and geue hym thankes for thys his exceding greate mercye casting awaye all dubita◠on and waueryng yea all sorrowe of harte and pensiuenesse of minde for this the Lord your God and moste deare and louing father commaundeth you to do by me nay rather by his own mouth and worde pronounced by me But nowe my deare brother after that I haue done my message or rather the Lordes message in deede I could fynde in my hart to write ij or .iij. sheetes of paper declaryng the ioye I beare in my hart for you myne owne bowels in the Lord yet the time being so shorte as you do wel knowe I am here constrayned to make an ende desiring you to pardon my slacknesse and to forgeue my great negligence towardes you promising you still that so long as my poore life doth last my praier shall supplye that my penne doth want as knoweth the almighty god to whose most mercifull defence I do hartely commit you all other his deare children as wel as though I had rehearsed them by name desiring them most hartely to remember me in their harty daily prayers as I know right well they do for I feele the daily comfort and commoditie therof and therfore I neither will nor can forget them nor you or any such like The blessing of God be with you all Amen Yours for euer vnfaynedlye Iohn Careles still carefull for you prisoner for the testimony of gods euerlasting truth abiding his most blessed will and pleasure Pray p.p.p. To my deare frend and faythfull Syster Mystres Marye Glouer THe same euerlasting god and most gracious good Lord that blessed Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and comforted them in al their crosses troubles manifolde afflictions yea preserued them prouided for thē in al extreme parell daunger and necessities blesse comfort preserue and kepe you with al your swete children and familye my deare frende and faythfull Sister in the Lord good Mystres Mary Glouer with and by the power of his holy and mighty spirite our eternal comforter nowe and for euermore Amen Ah my deare frende what shall I saye or howe shall I comforte you in thys great crosse that GOD hath layd vppon you in taking home to hym selfe those his blessed Sainctes whom he for a time lente you Verelye I am afrayde least I shall renewe your sorrowes in speaking of them But my deare hart let that bee farre from you rather now with them reioyce in GOD for their greate glory triumphe and victorye euer submitting with all meekenesse your will vnto his whiche onely is good and woorketh all thinges for your beste of whiche thing if you bee fullye and throughly perswaded you can by no meanes lacke spiritual ioy and comforte Wherof in fewe wordes I wil something saye althoughe I doubte not but you knowe it alreadye though perhappes now sorrow doth a litle darkē the same as at times it hath done in many good men but fayth is of such force and power if it be vnfayned that it will with Ionas forth of the Whales bellye crye vnto the Lorde and bring from him the comfortes of his spirite and promyses whiche chiefelye do consiste in that whiche is rehearsed in the fyrste commaundement Heare Israel sayth the Lorde I am thy Lord GOD and thou shall loue me c. Beholde with a stedfaste and liuely fayth this swete saying and commaundement of God He biddeth vs heare geue credence To what I pray you Forsooth that he of his goodnes hath geuen him selfe wholye vnto vs to bee oure owne peculiar and proper possession for euer Psal 16. as the Prophet Dauid doth pleasauntlye syng The Lord him selfe sayth he is my portion and enheritaunce my lotte is fallen vnto me in a happye grounde c. Oh gracious GOD what a thing is this that the greate Lorde Iehouah that omnipotente GOD whiche made heauen and earth the sea and all that is therein vppon whose prouidence all thinges doe depende at whose onelye becke both Aungell and deuill muste bee fayne to obeye Oh Lorde I saye what a thing is this that he will vouchsafe to geue him selfe wholye to be ours with all that euer he maye bee Oh what are we moste vyle dounge earth and ashes yea most wicked cattiffes and horrible sinners that he woulde vouche vs worthye of this greate benefite whiche can not bee expressed wyth the tounges of men or Aungels Thys muste we now nedes thynke and beleue
of GOD or elles we doe moste wickedly transgresse the greate and fyrste commaundemente But doe we obeye and beleue that thys is true So shall we of force by the same bee constrayned to fulfyll the seconde parte that is to saye loue hym wyth all oure harte c. For whoe seeing the goodnesse of GOD towardes hym in Iesus Christe for whose sake onelye he hath geuen hym selfe wholye to bee oures in most large ample wise that may be who I say seing thys woulde not with all his hart soule and minde loue the Lord againe and of loue not only leaue the doing of such things as might displease him but also be ready and willing to doe what so euer is acceptable in his sight yea moste gladly and ioyfullye suffer what soeuer he wil appoint vs to do for his sake knowing assuredly that nothing can come vnto vs no not the diminishing of one heare of our head wtout his good wil pleasure and merciful appointment and that he louing vs so wel that he would geue hys sonne him selfe the holye ghoste and finally all other thinges in Christe to vs will not appoynt any thing vnto vs otherwise then shall bee to the setting forth of his glory and our euerlasting commoditie This great aboundaunt bottomles loue and mercye of god did holy S. Paule depely feele when he made that bold proclamation in the latter ende of the .8 Chap. to the Rom. saying who is it or what is it that shal bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord Reade the whole Chapter often times I besech you Thus deare hart you see the eternall loue fatherly care prouidence of God towardes you In respecte whereof I trust you do not onely caste al your care vpon him but also most louingly obeye him in all his holy ordinaunces euermore meekely submitting your will vnto his in all and euery thing knowing that the same wil make all thinges turne to your beste and that without his pleasure a poore sparow shall not peryshe in the foulers nette muche lesse you or your deare husband your good Vncle M. Latymer or any of yours Let this fayth and godlye persuasion euer more be firme in your hart without doubting or wauering for â—ouâ— it al that euer you go about is in vaine yea without this faith in God you can not please him you can not commit and betake your self wholy vnto him you can not truly feare him you can not loue him in deede you can not call vpon him or hartely praye vnto him neither yet prayse him a tyght Therefore let this be your alone and continual endeuour to be confirmed more and more of this that GOD is your owne moste deare louing father throughe Christ that he hath a moste tender care ouer you and for you as alwayes he hath hadde and euer wyll haue both in soule and body for this life for eternal life how so euer things haue or shal happeÌ„ to appeare vnto you According to this your fayth and as you beleue so shal it be vnto you and as you thinke god to be vnto you so shal you feele him Thinke therfore swetely of the lord of his goodnes thaÌ„ke him most hartely that euer he would vouch you worthy to sustaine the losse of your chefest treasures in earth for his sake and that he would euer geue you any thing to bestowe for his loue And as you prayse the Lord for his great mercyes manifolde benefites so largelye geuen vnto you before many other so do you faythfully pray vnto him that he wil continue hys louing kindnes towards you and kepe you blamelesse through loue in Christ vnto the ende yea make you worthye stronge and able to suffer the losse of your owne life for the testimonye of his truth whiche as your good Vncle sayde to me once and your deare husband full often is the greatest promotion and dignitie that God can bring vs vnto in this life yea it is an honour which the highest Aungells in heauen be not permitted to haue And in this your hartye and faythfull prayer I doe moste humblye require you to remember me a moste miserable wretch I feare me not compted worthye to become one of his constante witnesses vnto the worlde in such sorte as I woulde fayne be pray for me my deare hart pray for me as I will neuer forgette you nor your blessed childreÌ„ so long as I am in this prison of the body CoÌ„mende me vnto Hewgh Glouer Marmaduke and to their younger brother and sister The Lord god comfort and blesse them and poure his good spirite vpon them wherewith their good father was plentifully endewed I praye you do my hartye commendations vnto my good brother her Augustine and his wife and I hartely thanke you for your goodnesse towardes them Desire them also to praye for me for now the needefull time doth approche I prayse God I am more harty then euer I was and so I beseche hym to make you all to bee I haue manye thinges to say more but I am here constrayned to make an end Al my doinges come to an ende with extremitie God graunt that I may enter into his glory through the straite gate though I struggle striue thrusting amonge the preasse with great violence I beseche you yet once againe all my deare frends in god to ayde strengtheÌ„ me with your praiers as I wil neuer forget any of you so long as this wrasteling life of mine doth laste as knoweth God to whose most merciful defence I do hartely coÌ„mitte you and al yours The swete blessing of god the father the sonne the holy ghoste be with you all Amen Your dayly and most bounden Oratour Iohn Careles prysoner of the Lorde pray praye for me in fayth To my good brother M. Iohn Bradford THe peace of god in Iesus Christ the eternal coÌ„fort of his swete spirite which hath surely sealed you vnto eternall saluation be with you and strengthen you in your ioyfull iourney towards the celestial HierusaleÌ„ my deare frend and most faythfull brother M. Bradforde to the setting forth of Gods glory and to your eternall ioy in Christ Amen Euer since the good M. Philpot shewed me your last letter my deare hart in the lord I haue continued in great heuynes perplexitie â–ª not for any hurt or discoÌ„moditie that I caÌ„ perceaue comming towardes you vnto whom doubtles death is made life and great felicitie but for the greate losse that gods chuch here in England shal sustaine by the taking away of so godly worthy and necessary an instrument as the lord hath made you to be Oh that my life a thousand such wretched liues moe might goe for yours Oh why doth god suffer me such other Caterpillers to liue that caÌ„ do nothing but consume the almes of the church and take away you so worthy a workmaÌ„ labourer in the Lords vineyard But woe
be to our sinnes great vnthankfulnes which is the greatest cause of the taking away of such worthy instruments of god as shold setforth his glory instruct his people If we had bene thankful vnto god for the good ministers of his worde we had not bene so sone depriued both of it and them The Lord forgeue our great ingratitude and sinnes geue vs true repentance fayth holde his hand of mercy ouer vs for hys dere sōne Christs sake Take not away al thy true preachers forth of this realme O lorde but leaue vs a sede least England be made like vnto Sodome Gomore when thy true Lothes be gone But what go I about to mīgle your mirth with my mourning your iust ioy with my deserued sorowe If I loued you in dede as I haue pretēded I should surely reioyce with you most hartely prayse god on your behalfe frō the very bottome of my hart I should prayse god day night for your excellēt electiō in through his great mercy should geue him most hūble thankes for your vocation by his gospel your true knowlege in the same I should earnestly praise him for your swete iustificatiō wherof you are most certain by gods grace spirite and should instantly pray vnto him for your glorificatiō which shal shortly ensue I shold reioyce be glad to see you so dignifyed by the crowne of martirdome and to be appointed to that honour to testifie hys truth to seale it with your blood I should highly extolle the lord who hath geuē you a glorious victory ouer al your enemies visible inuisible hath geuē you grace strēgth to finishe the tower that you haue begonne to build Finallye if I loued you I should most hartely reioyce bee glad to see you deliuered frō this body of sinne and vyle prison of the fleshe and brought into that heauenly tabernacle where you shal be safely kepte neuer offend him more This and much more should I do if I had a good hart towards god or you his deare child But alas I am an hypocrite and do seeke nothing but mine own cōmoditie I would haue gods euerlastīg prouidēce geue place to my peuish wil purpose although it were to the hinderance of his glory your swete cōmoditie God forgeue me my horrible ingratitude sinnes and offences against hym and good brother do you forgeue me my great negligence and vnthankfulnes towards you and hence forth I promise you I wil put my will to Gods will and pray that the same may be fulfilled in you so longe as you be on this earth and whē you are taken hence I wil most hartely prayse the Lord for you so long as I haue my being in this world Ah my deare harte now I muste take my leaue of you and as I thinke my vltimum Vale in this life but in the life to come I am ryght well assured we shall merely meete together and that shortly I trust And in taking of my leaue of you my deare hart in the lord I shall desyre you faythfully to remember all the sweete messages that the Lord our good God and moste deare louing father hath sent you by me his most vnworthye seruaunte whiche as they are moste true so shall they bee moste truely accomplyshed vppon you eternally and for the more assuraunce and certificate thereof to youre Godlye conscience he hath cōmaūded me to repete the same vnto you again in his own name word Therefore now geue eare faithful credence Harken O ye heauens thou earth geue eare and beare me witnes at the great day that I do here faithfully truly the lords message vnto his deare seruant his singularly beloued elect child Iohn Bradford Iohn Bradford thou man so specially beloued of god I pronounce testifie vnto thee in the word name of the lord Iehouah that al thy sinnes whatsoeuer they be be they neuer so many so greuous or so great be fully frely pardoned released forgeuen thee by the mercy of god in Iesus Christ thine only Lord and swete Sauiour in whom thou doste vndoubtedly beleue Christe hath clensed thee with hys bloode clothed thee with hys righteousnes hath made thee in the sight of god his father without spot or wrinckle So that whē the fier doth his appointed office thou shalt be receaued as a swete burnt sacrifice into heauen where thou shalt ioyfully remaine in gods presēce for euer as the true inheritour of his euerlasting kingdome vnto that which thou wast vndoutedly predestinate ordayned by the lords vnfallible purpose decree before the foundatiō of the world was layd And that this is most true that I haue said I cal the whole Trinitie the almighty eternal Maiestie of god the father the sonne the holy ghoste to my recorde at this present whom I humbly besech to confirme stablishe in thee the true and liuely feling of the same Amen Selah Now with a mery hart a ioyfull spirite something mixed with lawfull teares I take my farewell of you mine owne deare brother in the Lord who send vs shortly a mery meting in his kingdome that we may both sing prayses together vnto him with his holy Angels blessed spirites for euer euer Farewel thou blessed of the lord farewell in Christ depart vnto thy rest in the Lord pray for me for Gods sake As I had made an end of this simple letter I heard some comfort both of good Maister Philpottes seruant yours but alas I do scarcely beleue them Wel I wil hope in god and pray al night that god will sende me some comforte to morrow if the Lord geue you sparing to morrow let me heare .iiij. words of comfort frō you for gods sake The blessing of god be with you now and for euer Amen Yours for euer in the Lord Iesus Iohn Careles liuyng in hope agaynst hope To a faythfull frende of hys by whome he had receyued much comforte in hys trouble and affliction THe peace of God in Iesus Christ wyth the eternall comfort of hs swete spirite bee wyth you my deare brother now and euer Amen Ah my dere faithfull brother what hūble praise harty thākes am I boūd cōtinually to rēder vnto god for you in that he hath made you so worthy and comfortable an instrument vnto me his most vnworthy seruaunt in this tyme of my great conflict This is the cōflict whereby Sathan hath alwais sought to molest and vexe the true childrē of god to plucke them from the hope of their saluatiō in Christ ▪ Read psal 77.88.22 31.38.69 and concernyng this matter reade before fol. 152 194. 288. 325. the whole letter followyng not onely against flesh and blood but also against the spirituall power of darkenes In which wrestling though I be very weake yet haue I I thanke God most hartely therefore receiued such
GOD the feare of God the contempte of the worlde and a constant faythe in the knowledge of hys worde ioyned wyth the workes of righteousnes This is the Summe of all our christian religion which we doe professe which yf we followe happy are we that euer we were borne But if we be negligent in thys it had bene better for vs neuer to haue bene borne for cursed are they that declyne from the Lorde and hys holye commaundementes and haue their delyghtes in the vanities of thys worlde Cease not to followe the image of God and to expresse the same in your selues to the glory of god and then god wil glorify you for his image sake which he saith to liue in you We are all weake in transformyng the same in vs at the begynnyng for our fleshe is cleane contrary to it But we must not geue ouer by lawfullye striuyng tyl we maye say wyth Saint Paule now lyue I but not I but Chryste in me The Lorde graunt that Christ whiche by the gospell is planted in vs may be fashioned in our godly conuersation to the glorye of God and to the good example of oure brethren that our temporall lyfe maye be chaunged into eternall lyfe and oure frendeshyppe in God eternallye endure Amen This last farewel I send vnto you to be a tokē of my loue vntil we shal mete in the kingdom of Christ there to reioyce perfectlye of that godlye fellowshippe whiche here we haue had on the earthe God hasten that meetyng and delyuer you from the temptation whyche is nowe come vppon the Churche of England for the tryall of suche as bee faythfull in the Lordes Testamente to the crowne of theyr glorye yf they be founde faythefull to the ende Lette vs watche and praye one for another that these euyll dayes do not ouerwhelme vs in the whyche our aduersary the Deuyll goeth about lyke a roaryng Lyon sekyng whō he may deuoure The peace of GOD remayne wyth you for euer Wrytē in the kinges Bench by one of the poore captiue shepe of Christ apointed to the slaughter for the testimony of the truth where he doth ioye and wysheth you to ioy praisyng God wyth hym Amen Iohn Philpot. A letter of M. Bradforde to certayne men whiche mainteined the heresy of the Pelagians and papistes concernyng mans freewil whiche vpon occasions were then prisoners wyth hym in the Kinges Benche THe good spirite of god which is the spirite of truth and guide to gods children be with vs all and leade vs into all truth Amen Hetherto I haue oftentimes resorted vnto you my frendes as I thought and by all meanes sought to do you good euē to mine owne charges and hinderaunce But now I see it hapneth otherwise and therfore I am purposed tyll I maye knowe more then I do to absent my selfe frō you ▪ but not my help and by these letters to supply that which by mouth patiently you cannot abide to heare You report me to my face that I am a great slaunder to the church of God which maye be two wayes vnderstand that is by lyuyng doctryne But as for liuing you your selues I thanke god therfore gaue testimonye with me In doctrine therefore you meane it Now in that there be many partes of the doctrine of christ I trow you meane not generally but perticulerly for you in generalitie haue diuers tymes geuē your commendation on my behalfe both to my face and behynd my backe for the which I hūbly prayse my god through Christ In perticularitie therfore you meane that I am a slaunder which as farre as I know is onely in thys to you wardes that I beleue and affirme the saluation of gods children to be so certayne that they shall assuredly enioy the same You saye it hangeth partely vpon our perseueraunce to the ende and I say it hangeth onely and altogether vppon gods grace in Christ and not vpon our perseueraunce in any pointe for then were grace no grace Rom. 11. You will and doe in wordes denye our perseueraunce to be any cause but yet in dede you do otherwise For if perseueraunce be not a cause but onely gods grace in Christ the whole and only cause of saluation then the cause that is to say grace remaining the thing that is to say saluatiō cannot but remayne also Of which thing if wyth the scriptures you woulde make perseueraunce an effect or fruite then could you not be offended at the truth but say as it saithe that the saluation of gods chyldren is so certayne that they shall neuer finally perishe the lorde putting his hand vnder thē that if they fal yet they shal not lie stil For whom he loueth he leaueth not Iohn 13. but loueth thē vnto the ende so that perseueraunce is proper to them and dothe discerne them from hypocrites and such as seme to other to themselues also sometymes that they bee gods children Which if they once were in dede then as S. Iohn saith they shold not sinne the sinne to death 1. Iohn 3.5 1. Iohn 2. Heb. 3. neither shold they go out of gods church but as Paule sayth shoulde perseuer to the ende Now to be gods child is no lesse in al pointes aboue the power of man then to be mans child is aboue our own power but so much it passeth our habililie in all pointes to be gods child by how much thys dignity is greater Again once gods childe in deede and gods childe for euer that is finally shall not he that is so perish eternally if that god our father be both of good wyll infinite and also of power accordyngly and yf the sede of god which remaineth in hys chyldren 1. Iohn 3 Matth. 6. Rom. 6 can kepe them from synnyng I meane to deathe for otherwyse they sinne and therfore praye dailye forgeue vs our debtes c. Moreouer gods children be vnder grace and not vnder the lawe Rom. 4. and therfore sinne shall not dāpne them For where no law is there is no trāsgression transgression I say to fynall damnation for the new couenaunt of god is neuer to remember their synnes but to geue them such hartes mindes that as they naturally lust labour to do that is euil so theyr inwarde man renewed striueth to the contrary and at the length shall preuaile 1. Iohn 3 Rom. 8 Iohn 6.10 Math. 24. Heb. 13 Heb. 3. because he is stronger that is in thē then he that is in the world And S. Paule saith who shall laye any thyng to the charge of gods elect in that god absolueth them for Christes sake of whom they are kept so that it is not possible for them to perish in respect of theyr pastour who is faithfull ouer gods people This certainty and assuraunce who so feeleth in himself by the testimony of gods sprite in dede and of truth the same is happy for euer and cannot but as he hopeth he shall bee lyke to Christ in hys comming