familiaris est D. Thomas Leuerus Si quid est quod in gratiam vxoris tuae liberorum potuero me totum libenter illis impendam qua de re ad vxorem tuam scribo audio enim illam as gere Francofordiae Sis fortis laetus in Christo expectans eius liberationem vt quando ipsi fuerit visum Dominus Iesus misereatur Angliae illuminet illam spiritu suo ad gloriam nominis sui animarum salutem Dominus Iesus seruet te liberet ab omni malo cum omnibus qui inuocant nomen eius Vale Vale aeternum 10. Octobris 1554. Tiguri Nosti manum H. B. The same in English ☞ To the most reuerende father M. Iohn Hoper bishop of Worceter and Gloucester and now prisoner for the Gospell of Iesus Christe my fellowe Elder and most deare brother in England THe heauenly father graunt vnto you and to all those which are in bandes captiuitie for his names sake grace and peace through Iesus Christ our lord with wisdome patience fortitude of the holy ghoste I haue receyued from you two letters my most deare brother the former in the month of Septemb. of the yere past the later in the moneth of May of this present yere both written out of prison But I doubtyng leaste I should make aunswer to you in vayn whilest I feared that my letters should neuer come vnto your hands or elles increase double your sorow did refrain frō the duety of writing In the which thing I doubt not but you wyl haue me excused especially seyng you did not vouchsafe no not once in a whole yeare to asunwere to my whole libelles rather then letters whereas I continued still notwithstandyng in writyng vnto you as also at thys presente after I heard that you were caste in pryson I dyd not refrayne from continuall prayer besechyng oure heauenlye father throughe our onelye mediatour Iesus Christe to graunte vnto you and to your fellow prisoners fayth and constancie vnto the ende Nowe is that thyng happened vnto you my brother the which we dyd often tymes prophecie vnto our selues at your beyng wyth vs shoulde come to passe especially when we dyd talke of the power of Antichrist and of hys felicity and victories Daniel 8. For you knowe the sayenge of Daniel his power shal be mighty but not in hys strength and he shall wonderfully destroye and make hauocke of all thynges and shall prosper and practise and he shall destroy the mightye and the holy people after his owne wyll You knowe what the Lorde warned vs of before hande by Mathew in the tenth chapter by Iohn in the 15. chapiter and the 16. and also what that chosen vessell Saint Paule hath written in the second to Timothy and the thyrde Chapter Wherefore I doe nothyng doubte by Gods grace of your faythe and patience whilest you knowe that those thynges which you suffer are not vnloked for or come by chaūce but that you suffer them in the best truest and most holy quarel for what can be more true and holy then our doctrine which the papistes those worshippers of Antichrist do persecute All things touching saluatiō we attribute vnto christ alone to his holy institutions as we haue ben taught of hym of his disciples but they would haue euen the same thyngs to be communicated as wel to their Antichrist and to his institutions Such we ought no lesse to withstande then we reade that Helias withstoode the Baalites For if Iesus be Christ then let them know that he is the fulnes of his churche and that perfectly but if Antichrist be Kyng and Priest Ephe. 1. thē let them exhibite vnto him that honour How long do they halte on both sydes Can they geue vnto vs any one that is better then Christ or who shal be equall with Christe that may be compared with him except it be he whom the Apostle calleth the Aduersary 2. Thess 2. But if Christ be sufficient for his churche what needeth thys patchyng and peecyng But I know well enoughe I neede not to vse these disputations with you which are syncerely taught and haue taken roote in Christ being persuaded that you haue all things in hym that we in hym are made perfecte Goe forwardes therefore constantly to confesse Christe and to defye Antichrist beyng myndfull of this most holy and most true saying of our lord Iesus Christ Apo. 21 he that ouercommeth shal possesse all things and I wyll be hys God and he shall bee my sonne but the feareful and the vnbeleuyng and the abhominable and the murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their parte in the lake whiche burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death The fyrst death is soone ouercome althoughe a man muste burne for the Lordes sake for they saye well that doe affyrme this our fyre to be scarcely a shadowe of that which is prepared for the vnbeleuers and them that fall from the truth Moreouer the lorde graunteth vnto vs that we maye easily ouercome by his power the fyrst death the whiche he hymselfe dyd taste and ouercome promisyng wythal suche ioyes as neuer shall haue ende vnspeakable and passyng all vnderstandyng the whiche we shall possesse so soone as euer we depart hence Apoc. i4 For so agayne sayth the Aungell of the lord if any man worship the beast his image receiue his marke in hys forehead or on hys hand the same shal drinke of the wrathe of god yea of the wyne whych is powred into the cuppe of hys wrathe and he shall be tormented in fyre and brymstone before the holye Aungelles and before the Lambe and the smoke of theyr tormentes shall ascende euermore and they shall haue no reste day nor nyght which worship the beast and hys image and whosoeuer receyueth the printe of hys name Here is the patience of saincts here are they that keepe the commaundementes of God and the fayth of Iesus In this tyme of Antichrist is the patiēce and faith of gods childrē 〈◊〉 tried wherby they shal ouercome all is tiranny reade Math. 24. To this he addeth by by I heard a voice saying to me write blessed be the dead that dye in the lorde from henceforth or spedely they be blessed Io. 5 euen so sayeth the spirit for they rest from theyr labours but their workes followe them for oure laboure shall not bee frustrate or in vayne Therfore seyng you haue such a large promyse bee strong in the lorde fyght a good fyghte be faythfull to the Lorde vnto the ende consider that Christ the sonne of god is your capitayn and fyghteth for you and that all the prophets Apostles and Martyrs are your fellow souldiours They that persecute and trouble vs are men synfull and mortall whose fauour a wyse man would not bye wyth the value of a farthyng and besydes that our lyfe is shorte frayle
write Fyrst wil my man William to make all thinges readye for me for I am persuaded I shall into Lankeshire there to be burnt howbeit first they say I must to the Fleete Then will him to harken earelye in the morning whether I be not conueyed away before men beware Also I pray you will Robert Harrington who I hope wil go with me to looke for that iourney Visit often my deare sister and although I can not nowe write vnto her as I would for al things are more straunge here cases more more perelous yet tell her that I am carefull for her desire her to be of good comforte God shall geue vs to meete in hys kingdome In the meane season I will praye for her as my dearest sister Of truth I neuer did loue her halfe so well as I now do and yet I loue her not halfe so well as I woulde doe shee is the very daughter of Abraham I pray thee hartelye bee merye my good brother and desire all my frendes so to be for I thanke god I feele a greater benefite then all the Byshops in England can take from me Praise God and praye for me mine owne deare harte in the Lord whom I hope I shall neuer forget Your poore brother in the Lorde Iohn Bradford To certaine men not ryghtly persuaded in the most true comfortable and necessarye doctrine of Gods holy election and predestination GRace mercye and peace wyth encreace of all godly knowlege and liuing from god the eternal father of al consolation through the bloudy death of our alone and full redemer Iesus Christ by the mighty and liuely workyng and power of the holy spirit the comforter I wish vnto you now and for euer Amen Although I loke hourely for officers to come and haue me to execution yet can I not but attēpt to write somthing vnto you my dearely beloued as alwayes you haue bene how soeuer you haue taken me to occasion you the more to wey the things wherin some controuersy hath bene emongest vs especially the article and doctrine of predestination Wherof I haue writē a little treatise therin as briefly shewing my faith so answering the enormities gathered of some to slaūder the same necessary comfortable doctryne That litle piece of worke I commend vnto you as a thing wherof I doute not to answer to my comfort before the trubual seat of Iesus Christ and therfore I hartely pray you and euery of you for the tender mercies of God in Christe that you woulde not be rashe to condemne thinges vnknowen lest gods woe should fall vpon you for callyng good euyll and euyll good For the greate loue of god in Christe cauil not at things that be wel spoken nor construe not things to the euil part when ye haue occasion otherwise Do not suppose that any man by affirmyng predestination as in that boke I haue truly set it forth accordyng to gods worde and the consent of christes church either to seke carnalitie or to set forth matter of desperation Only by the doctrine of it I haue taught as to my selfe so to others a certaintie of saluation a setting vp of Christ only an exaltatiō of gods grace mercye righteousnes truth wisdom power and glory and a casting downe of man and al hys power that he that glorieth may glory onelye and altogether and continuallye in the Lorde Man consisteth on .ij. partes the soule and the body euery man of god hath as a man wold say ij men an outward or old man and an inward or new man The Deuils drifte is to bryng the one into a carnalitie and the other into a doubt and so to dispayre and hatred of god but god for remedy hereof hath ordeined hys word which is deuided into ij partes the one is a doctrine which demaundeth of vs our duety but geueth no power thereto the other is a doctrine which not so much demaundeth as geueth The former is called the law which hath hys promises cōditionals and comminations or threates accordinglye The other is called the gospel or rather the free promises hanging not on conditiōs on our behalfe but simply on gods verity mercy although they requyre conditions but not as hangyng theron of which promyses the gospell may well be called a puplication The former that is the law wyth her promyses and comminations tell man what he is and shew hym what he can do The later that is the gospell and free promises tell and set forth Christ and what mercy at Gods hand throughe Christ we haue offred and geuen vnto vs. The former parte serueth to keepe the olde man from carnalitie and security and to stirre hym vp to diligence and sollicitude The later parte serueth howe to kepe the newe and inwarde man from doubtyng and dispayre to bryng vs in to an assured certayntye and quietenes wyth God through Chryste The olde man and the fielde he resteth in maye not be sowen with any other seede then is agreable to the former doctrine The newe man and the fielde he resteth in maye not be sowen wyth anye other then is agreeynge to the later doctryne By thys meanes man shall be kepte from carnalitie and from desperation also and broughte into diligence and godlye peace of conscience It is forbydden in the olde law Deut. 22. to sowe .ij. kyndes of seedes in one fielde to weare lynsey wolsey perticotes or to eate beastes that dyd not cleaue the hofes Deut. 14. God graunte vs to be wyse husbandmen to sowe accordyng as I haue sayd God graunte vs to bee wyse tayloures to cutte oure coates for two men of one whole clothe as is declared GOD graunt vs to be cleane beasts to cleaue the hofes accordinglye that is to geue the olde man meate meete for the mowers that is the lawe wyth hys appurtenaunces conditionals promises and comminations and to geue to the newe man the gospel and sweete free promises as appertayneth and then doutles we shall walke in the ryghte hyghe waye vnto eternal lyfe that is in Chryste Iesu the ende of the lawe and the fulfyllyng of the promises in whome they be yea and Amen If thys my poore aduise bee obserued my deare bretherne in the Lorde I doubte not but all controuersies for predestination originall synne freewyll c shall so cease that there shall be no breache of loue nor suspicion emonges vs which GOD graunte for hys mercies sake I am persuaded of you that you feare the Lord and therfore I loue you and haue loued you in hym my deare hartes thoughe otherwyse you haue taken it wythout cause on my parte geuen so farre as I know For hetherto I haue not suffred any copye of the treatise aboue specified to goe abroade because I woulde suppresse all occasions so farre as myghte bee Nowe am I goyng before you to my God and your God to my father and your father to my Christ and your Christe to my home and your home I goe
is a good confession of Christ and his verity before the wycked world Oh that you would follow the good example of a great nuÌ„ber of your godly neighbours which are graciously escaped the snares of SataÌ„ are nowe where they serue the Lord with a safe conscience and enioy the right and free vse of hys worde and sacramentes followe them for the lordes sake get you hastely out of Sodom for surely the lorde is vtterlye minded to destroy it Lynger not as Lothe did if you loue your owne liues lest you find not altogether so much mercy at the lordes hands as he did for verely you haue tempted him to farre alredy haue to much despised his long sufferyng leuitie and gentlenes whiche ought to leade you to earnest and hartye repentaunce He hath mercifully forborne you these ij yeres past and more if he fynd no fruite in you shortly make reckening to be pulled vp by the rotes euery mothers sonne of you for the axe is alredy laid at the rote of EnglaÌ„d as it was by the Romains at the roote of the Iewes when Iohn Baptiste began hys preachyng I pray god that we fele not the sharpe stroke of it as they did Pray pray pray and repent in time conuerte to the lord that he may heale your backslidings before your woundes be vncurable I could here say much more but time wil not suffer me I trust this shal be sufficient to al such as haue any sparke of faythe loue or true feare of God As for the rest they are as a point with themselues whatsoeuer any man either write or say thei wil surely disseÌ„ble one way or other to saue their pigges yea thoughe they doe but put their names in the Popes bookes Wel yet saye not an other daye but that ye were warned and though it were but by a poore symple man yet it was by him that wisheth wealthe to all youre soules one that in this pointe hath told you the truth and he trusteth shortly you shal see him seale the same wyth his blood through the helpe of the good prayers of all you that truly repeÌ„t and mind vnfainedly to turne the lord in time As for the rest I wil pray for them but let them kepe their owne praiers to themselues in goddes name for I wil bee no pertaker wyth them sith I know the same is turned vnto sinne Thus with most harty thankes for all your benefites and manifolde kindnes shewed vnto me my poore brethren beseching god to recompence the same seuen folde into all your bosomes as I doubt not but he wil according to his vnfallible promises I do hartely coÌ„mit you al vnto gods most merciful defeÌ„ce who euer haue you al in his blessed kepyng Amen The blessyng of God be with you al Amen Your poore daily and most bounden Oratour Iohn Careles prisoner of the Lorde in the kinges Bench at all tymes abiding gods moste mercifull will and pleasure Pray for me for gods sake as I will neuer forget you by gods grace To hys VVyfe AS by the great mercye of God at the tyme of hys good wyl and prouidence appointed my dearely beloued wife you and I were ioyned together in the holy and christian state of godly matrimony as well to our great ioye and comfort in Christe as also to the encrease of his blessed churche and faithfull congregation by hauyng lawful children by and in the same with the which God of his mercy hath blessed vs praised be his name therfore euen so now by his merciful wil and deuine ordinaunce the tyme is come so farre as I can perceiue wherin he wyl for his glory and our eternal comfort dissolue the same and separate vs asunder agayne for a tyme. Wherfore I thought it good yea and my bounden duetye by this simple letter to prouoke stirre and admonish you to behaue your self in all your doinges sayinges and thoughtes most thankfully vnto our good God for the same And therefore my deare wyfe as you haue hartely reioyced in the lord ofteÌ„times geuen god thankes for his goodnes in bringing vs together in his holy ordinaunce euen so now I desire you wheÌ„ thys tyme of our separation shal come to reioyce with me in the lord and to geue him most harty thanks that he hath to his glory and our endles commoditie separated vs agayne for a little time and hathe mercifullye taken me vnto him selfe forth of this miserable world into his celestial kingdom beleuing and hoping also assuredly that God of his goodnes for his sonne Christes sake will shortly bryng you youre dere childâ—rne thether to me that we may most ioyfully together sing praises vnto his glorious name for euer And yet once again I desire you for the loue of god as euer you loued me to reioyce with me and to geue GOD continuall thankes for doing his most mercifull wil vpon me I heare saye that you doe oftentimes vse to repete this godlye sayinge the Lordes will be fulfilled Doubtles it reioiceth my pore hart to heare that report of you and for the Lordes sake vse that godly praier continually teach your children and family to say the same day and nighte and not onely to say it wyth your tonges but also with your hart mind ioyfully to submit your wil to gods wil in very dede knowing and beleuing assuredly that nothing shal come to you or any of yours otherwise then it shall be his almyghty fatherly good will pleasure for your eternall comfort and commodity Which thing to be moste true and certaine Christ testifieth in his holy gospell saying are not .ij. Math. 10. little sparrowes sold for a farthing and yet not one of them shal perish without the wil of your heauenly father And he concludeth saying feare not ye therfore for ye are better theÌ„ many sparowes As though he should haue said if god haue such a respecte and care for a poore sparrow whiche is not worth one farthing that it shal not be takeÌ„ in the lime twig nette or pitfall vntil it be his good wyll and pleasure you may be wel assured that not one of you whom he so derely loueth that he hath geuen his only dere sonne for you shal perish or depart forth of this miserable life without his almighty good will and pleasure Therfore deare wyfe put your truste and confidence wholy and only in him and euer pray that his wyll be fulfilled and not yours excepte it be agreeing to his wil the which I praye GOD it may euer bee Amen And as for worldly things take you no care but bee you well assured the Lorde your deare God and father wyll not see you nor yours lacke if you continue in his loue and childly feare and kepe a cleare conscience from al kind of idolatry superstition and wickednes as my trust is that you will doe althoughe it bee with the losse and daunger of this temporall life And good
the said wyll and both he and his priuy counsell also enformed me that the Iudges his learned counsell sayde that the acte of entayling the crowne made by his Father coulde not be preiudiciall to him but that he being in possessiō of the crowne might make his wil therof this semed very straung vnto me but being the sentence of the Iudges and other his learned counsell in the lawes of this realme as both he and his Counsel informed me me thoughte it became not me beyng vnlearned in the law to stād against my prince therin so at lēgth I was required by the kinges maiesty him self to set to my hād to his wil saying that he trusted that I alone would not be more repugnāt to his wil thā the rest of the coūsel were which words surely greued my harte very sore and so I graunted him to subscribe his will and to follow the same whiche when I had set my hande vnto I did it vnfainedly and withoute dissimulation For the which I submit my selfe most humbly vnto your maiesty acknowledging mine offence wyth most greuous and sorowfull hart and beseching your mercy and pardon which my hart geueth me shall not be denied vnto me being graūted before to so many which trauailed not so much to disswade both the King and his counsell as I did And where as it is contayned in two acts of parliament as I vnderstand that I wyth the Duke of Northumberland should deuise and compasse the depriuation of your Maiesty from your royal crowne surely it is vntrue for the Duke neuer opened his mouth to me to moue me anye suche matter nor I hym nor his heart was not suche towardes me seekyng long tyme my destruction that he woulde eyther truste me in suche a matter or thinke that I would bee perswaded by him It was other of the Counsel that moued me and the Kynge hymselfe the Duke of Northumberlād not beyng present Neither before neyther after had I euer any priuy communication wyth the duke of that matter sauyng that openly at the coūsel table the duke said vnto me that it became not me to say to the king as I dyd when I went about to disswade hym frō the sayd will Nowe as concernyng the estate of religion as it is vsed in thys Realme of England at this presente if it please youre highnesse to licence me I woulde gladly write my minde vnto your maiestye I will neuer God willyng be author of sedition to moue subiectes from the obedience of their heades and rulers whiche is an offence moste detestable If I haue vttered my mind to your Maiestye beyng a Christian Queene and Gouernour of this realme of whom I am most assuredly perswaded that your gratious intent is aboue al other thinges to prefer gods true word his honour and glory if I haue vttered I say my mynd vnto your Maiestye then I shall thynke my selfe discharged for it lyeth not in me but in your grace onelye to see the reformation of thynges that be amysse To priuate subiectes it appertaineth not to reforme thinges but quietly to suffer that they cannot amēd yet neuerthelesse to shew your maiesty my mind in thinges appertaining vnto god me think it my duety knowyng that I do and considering the place which in tymes past I haue occupied yet will I not presume therunto wythout your graces pleasure first known your licēce obtayned wherof I most humbly prostrate to the ground do beseche your Maiestye and I shall not cease daily to pray to almighty God for the good preseruation of your maiesty from all enemies bodily and ghostly and for the encrease of all goodnes heauenly and earthly duryng my life as I do and will do whatsoeuer come of me ¶ An other letter to Quene Mary IT may please your Maiesty to pardon my presūption that I dare be so bold to wryte to your highnes but very necessity constraineth me that your maiesty may know my mind rather by mine owne writing than by other mēs reportes So it is that vpō Saturday being the .7 day of this moneth I was cited to appeare at Rome the .lxxx. day after there to make answer to such matters as shoulde be obiected against me vppon the behalfe of the Kyng and youre moste excellente Maiestye whiche matters the Thursday followyng were obiected against me by Doctor Martin and doctour Story your maiesties Proctours before the byshop of Gloucester sittyng in iudgemēnt by commission from Rome But alas it can not but greue the hart of any natural subiect to be accused of the kyng and Queene of hys owne Realme The kinge and Quene make them selues no better than subiectes in complaning of their own subiecte to an outward iudge as though thei had no power to punishe hym and specially before an outward iudge or by auctority commyng from any person out of thys Realme where the king and Quene as if they were subiects within their owne Realme shal cōplayne and require iustice at a straungers handes agaynst theyr owne subiecte beyng already condemned to death by theyr owne lawes as though the kyng and Queene could not do or haue iustice within theyr owne Realme againste theyr owne subiectes but they must seke it at a straungers hands in a straunge lād the like wherof I thinke was neuer sene I would haue wished to haue had som meaner aduersaries and I thynke that death shal not greue me much more than to haue my most dread and most gratious soueraigne Lord and lady to whom vnder god I do owe all obedience to be myne accusers in iudgement wythin theyr owne realme before anye straunger and outwarde power But forasmuch as in the tyme of the prynce of most famous memory King Henry the .8 your graces father The first cause why he woulde not make answer to the Popes cōmissarye is to auoyd periurye The secōd cause is for that the popes laws ar cōtrari to the crown and lawes of Englande I was sworn neuer to consent that the byshop of Rome shoulde haue or exercise any autoritie or iurisdiction in this realme of England therfore least I should allowe his authority contrary to myne othe I refused to make aunswer to the byshop of Gloucester sytting here in iudgement by the Popes authority leaste I should runne into periury An other cause why I refused the Popes auctority is this that hys auctority as he claymeth it repugneth to the crowne imperial of this realme to the lawes of the same whych euery true subiect is boūd to defēd Fyrst for that the Pope sayeth that all manner of power aswel temporal as spyrytual is geuen fyrst to him of God and that the temporal power he geueth vnto emperours kinges to vse it vnder hym but so as it be alwayes at hys cōmaundement and becke But contrary to thys clayme the emperial crowne iurisdiction temporall of thys realme is taken immediatly from God to be vsed vnder hym only and is subiecte vnto none but
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
countrey being otherwise at gods cōmaundement For though father and mother and other frendes are deare and nere yet none are so derely and nerely ioyned together Ephe. 5. Heb. 13. as mā and wife in matrimony which must nedes be holy for that it is a fygure and similitude of Christ hys church They know that S. Paule geueth a great prayse to matrimony calling it honourable and that not to among many but to and among al men without exception whosoeuer haue nede of that Gods remedy for mans and womās infirmitie They know that if there were any sinne in matrimony it were chiefly to be thought to be in the bedcompanye but S. Paule sayth that the bed company is vndefyled Gene. 18. Exod. 18. Genes 25. Gene. 31. 2. Reg. 7. Math 1. They know that the hauing of a wife was not an impediment for Abraham Moyses Isaac Iacob Dauid c. to talke with God neither to the Leuites bishops priestes office in the tyme of the olde Testamente or the newe They know that Christ would not be conceaued or borne of the blessed mother the Virgine Mary before she was espoused in mariage his own ordinance They know by S. Ciprian and S. Austine that a vowe is not an impediment sufficient to let matrimony or to diuorce the same They knowe that S. Chrisostome sayth it is heresie to affyrme that a Byshop may not haue a wife They know that S. Ambrose wil haue no cōmaundement but counsell only to be geuen touchyng the obseruing of virginitie They know that Christ with his blessed mother and Apostles were at a mariage Iohn 2. beautifyed honoured the same with his presence and fyrst miracle To be short they know that al that I haue here written touching the mariage of priestes is true and they know that the papistes thēselues do not obserue touching that matter theyr own lawes canons and yet they continue marked in consciēce with an hote iron as detestable heretikes in this behalf The lord geue thē grace to repēt if it be his good wil Amē My second cause why I was cōdemned as an heretike is that I denied the transubstantiation concomitation two iugling words of the papistes by the which they do beleue and wil cōpel al other to beleue that Christs natural body is made of bread that the godheade by by is ioyned therunto so that immediatly after the words called the wordes of consecration there is no more bread and wine in the sacramēt but the substance only of the body and bloud of Christ together with his godhead so that the same being now Christ both god man ought to be worshipped with godly honour to be offred to god both for the quicke and the dead as a sacrifice propitiatory and satisfactory for the same This matter was not long debated in words but bycause I denyed the foresaid papistical doctrine yea rather plainly most wicked Idolatry blasphemy and heresye I was iudged an heretike I dyd also affyrme the pope to be Antichrist poperye Antichristianitie and I cōfessed the doctrine of the Bible to be a sufficiēt doctrine touching al singular matters of Christian religion and of saluation I also alledged that the othe against the Supremacy of the byshop of Rome was a lawful othe and so was the othe made by vs all touchyng the kings or Queenes preeminence For Chrisostome saieth that Apostles Euangelistes and all men in euery Realme were euer ought to be euer touching both body goods in subiectiō to the Kingly authority who hath the sweard in his hand as gods principall officer gouernour in euery Realme I desired the Bishops to repent for bringing the Realme frō Christ to Antichrist frō light to darkenes from verity to vanitie Thus you know a sūme of my last examination condemnation Pray for me I wil pray for you God be praysed since my condemnation I was neuer affraid to die Gods wil be done If I shrinke frō gods truth I am sure of an other māner of death thē had iudge Hales But God be praysed euen frō the bottome of my heart I am vnmoueably setled vpō the rocke nothing douting but that my dere god wil performe and finish the worke that he hath begon in me other To him be al honour both nowe and euer through Christ our only whole Sauiour Amen R. T. A letter which he sent to his wife and children and other of his frends in Hadley as his farewel and last testament I Say to my wife to my children the Lord gaue you vnto me the Lord hath taken me from you and you frō me blessed be the name of the Lord. I beleue that they are blessed which die in the Lord. Apoc. i4 Luke 12. God careth for sparowes and for the heares of our heades I haue euer found him more faythfull and fauourable then any father or husband Trust ye therfore in him by the meanes of our deare Sauiour Christes merites beleue loue feare and obey him pray to him for he hath promised to helpe Count me not dead for I shal certainly liue and neuer die I go before ye shall followe after to our long home I go to the rest of my childrē Susan George Ellē Robert and Zacharie I haue bequethed you to the only omnipotent I say to you my deare frēds of Hadley to al other which haue heard me preach that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine for the which I pray you thanke god with me for I haue after my litle talent declared to other those lessons that I gathered out of gods boke the blessed Bible Therfore if I or any Angel from heauen should preach to you any other gospel Gala. 1 then that ye haue receaued Gods great curse vpon that preacher Beware for Gods sake that ye denie not God neither decline from the word of fayth least god decline from you and so ye do euerlastingly perish For gods sake beware of popery for though it appeare to haue in it vnitie yet the same is in vanity and Antichristianitie and not in Christes fayth and veritie Beware of the sinne against the holy ghost now after such a light opened so playnly and simply truly throughly and generally to al England The Lord graunt all men his good holy spirit encrease of his wisedome encrease of contempning the wicked worlde encrease of desiring hartely to bee with God and the heauenly company through Iesus Christ our only mediatour aduocate ryghteousnesse lyfe sanctification and hope Amen Amen Pray Pray ¶ Rowland Taylour departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternal saluation I thanke god my heauenly father through Iesus Christ my certayne sauiour Amen 5. Februarye Anno. 1555. ⧠Letters of Maister Laurence Saunders parson of Alhollowes in Bredstrete in London who after faythfull testimonye of hys doctrine by long imprisonment was condemned to the fyre
heritike but not of others theÌ„ of heretykes whose prayse is a disprayse You are not able to reason agaynst the priestes but God wil that al they shal not be able to withstand you No body will doe so but you only In dede no matter for fewe enter into the narow gate whiche bryngeth to saluation How be it you shall haue with you I doubt not Father Traues and others my brothers and systers to goe with you therein but if they will not I youre sonne in GOD I trust shal not leaue you an inche but goe before you praye that I maye and geue thankes for me Reioyce in my suffetyng for it is for youre sakes to confyrme the truth I haue taughte Howe soeuer you doe beware thys letter come not abroade but into Father Traues hys handes for if it should be knowen that I haue penne and Inke in the pryson then wold it be worse with me Therfore to your selues kepe thys letter commending me to God and his mercy in Christ Iesus who make me worthy for his names sake to geue my life for his gospel church sake Out of the Tower of London the .6 day of October 1553. My name I wryte not for causes you know it well enough lyke the letter neuer the worse Commende me to all our good brethren and sisters in the Lord. How soeuer you do be obedient to the higher powers that is in no point eyther in hand or tong rebell but rather if they commaund that which with good conscience you can not obey lay your head on the block and suffer what soeuer they shal do or say By pacience possesse your soules To my very frende in the Lorde Doctor Hyll Phisition THe God of mercy and father of al comfort at this preseÌ„t and for euer engraffe in your hart the sense of his mercy in Christ and the continuance of his consolatioÌ„ which can not but enable you to cary with ioy what soeuer crosse he shall lay vpon you Amen Hetherto I coulde haue no such libertie as to write vnto you as I thinke you know but now in that through gods prouidence I haue no such restraint I can not but somthing write aswell to purge me of the suspition of vnthankfulnes towardes you as allso to signifie my carefulnes for you in these perilous dayes least you should waxe colde in Gods cause which god forbid or suffer the light of the Lorde once kindled in your hart to be quenched and so become as you were before after the example of the world and of many others which would haue bene accompted otherwise in our daies and yet stil beguile them selues still woulde be so accompted althoughe by their outwarde life they declare the contrarye in that they thinke it enough to keepe the harte pure notwithstanding that the outwarde man doth currye fauoure In which doing as they denye God to bee Ielous and therfore requireth he the whole man as well bodye as soule being both create as to immortalitie and societie with hym so redeemed by the bloude of Iesus Christ and nowe sanctifyed by the holy spirite to bee the temple of God and member of hys Sonne as I say by their partyng stake to geue God the harte and the world the body they deny god to be Ielous for els they would geue him both as the wife will do to her husband whether he be Ielous or no if she be honest so they play the dissemblers with the church of God by their facte offending the godlye whome either they prouoke to fal with them or make more careles conscienceles yf they be fallen and occasioning the wicked and obstinate to triumphe against god and the more vehemently to prosecute their malice against such as wil not defyle themselues in body or soule with the Romishe ragges now reuiued emonges vs. Because of this I meane lest you my dere Maister brother in the lord shuld do as many of our gospellers or rather gospell spillers doe for feare of man Esay 2 whose breath is in his nostrelles and hash power but of the body not fearing the Lorde whiche hathe power both of soule and body and that not onely temporally but also eternally I coulde not but wryte somethyng vnto you aswell because duty deserueth it for manye benefites I haue receiued of God by your handes for the which he reward you for I cannot as also because charitye and loue compelleth me not that I thinke you haue any neede for as I maye rather learne of you so I doubte not but you haue hetherto kepte your selfe vpright from halting but that I might both quiet my conscience callyng vpon me hereabout and signify vnto you by some thyng my carefulnes for your soule as painfullye and often you haue done for my body Therfore I pray you call to mynde that there bee but two maisters two kyndes of people two wayes and two mansion places The maisters be Christ and Satan the people be seruitures to either of these the wayes be straite and wyde the mansions be heauen and hell Agayne consider that this worlde is the place of trial of gods people and the deuils seruauntes for as the one will followe his maister whatsoeuer cometh of it so will the other For a tyme it is harde to discerne who perteyneth to god and who to the deuill as in the calme and peace who is a good shipman and wariour who is not But as when the storme aryseth the expert mariner is knowne as in warre the good souldiour is seene so in affliction and the crosse easelye gods children are knowen froÌ„ Sathans seruants â—or then as the good seruant will folow his maister so wyll the godly followe their Capitayne come what come wyll where as the wycked and hyyocrites will bidde adew and desyre lesse of Christes acquaintaunce For whiche cause the crosse is called a probation and triall bicause it tryeth who wyll goe wyth GOD and who wyll forsake hym As nowe in Englande we see howe smal a companye Chryste hathe in comparison of Sathans souldiours Lette no man deceyue hymselfe for he that gathereth not with Christe scattereth abroade No man can serue two maisters the Lorde abhorreth double hartes the luke warme that is suche as are bothe whote and colde he spitteth out of his mouthe None that halte on both knees doth god take for hys seruaunts The way of Christe is the strayte waye and so strayte that as fewe fynde it and fewe walke in it so no man can halte in it but nedes muste goe vpryghte for as the straitenesse wyll suffer no reelyng to thys syde or that syde so yf anye man halte he is lyke to fal of the brydge into the pit of eternal perdition Stryue therfore good maister Doctor nowe you haue founde it to enter into it and if you should be called or pulled backe looke not on this side or that side or behynd you as Lothes wyfe dyd but strayght forewardes on the ende which set
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
professours and through the grace of GOD the constaunte confessoures of the same are as it were the out swepynges of the worlde yet I say the veritye it selfe is a thyng not vnworthye for your eares to heare for your eies to see and for your hands to handle helpe and succour accordyng to that the Lord hathe made you able and placed you where you are for the same purpose Your hyghnes and honours ought to know that there is no innocency in wordes or dedes where it is enoughe and suffiseth onely to accuse It behoueth kynges Quenes and all that be in authoritye to knowe that in the administration of their kyngdomes they are gods Ministers It behoueth them to know that they are no Kinges but playne tyrannes whiche raigne not to thys ende that they maye serue and set forth gods glorye after true knowledge And therefore it is required of thē that they woulde be wyse and suffer themselueh to be taught to submit them selues to the lordes discipline and to kisse their Soueraign lest they perishe as al those Potentates wyth theyr pryncipalities and dominions cannot long prosper but peryshe in dede yf they and their kyngdomes be not ruled wyth the scepter of God that is wyth hys worde which who so honoureth not honoureth not GOD and they that honour not the Lord the Lord wyll not honour them but brynge them into contempte and at the length take hys own cause whiche he hathe most chieflye committed vnto them to care for into hys owne hands and so ouerthrow them and set vp hys truth gloriously the people also perishing with the Prynces where the worde of prophecy is wantyng muche more is suppressed as it is nowe in thys Realme of Englande ouer whyche the eyes of the Lorde are set to destroye it your hyghnes and all your honours yf in tyme you loke not better to your office and duties herein and not suffer your selues to bee slaues and hangemen to Antichriste and hys prelates which haue brought your highnes honours alreadye to lette Barrabas lose and to hange vppe Christe As by the grace and helpe of God I shall make apparante yf first it would please your excellent maiestye and all your honoures to take to harte gods doctryne whiche rather through the malice of the Pharisees I meane the Bishops and prelates then your consciences is oppressed and not for oure contemptible and execrable state in the syghte of the worlde to passe the lesse of it For it the doctryne I meane is hygher and of more honour maiestye then al the whole worlde It standeth inuincible aboue all power beyng not our doctryne but the doctryne of the euerlyuynge GOD and of hys Christe whome the father hath ordeyned Kyng psal 72 to haue dominion from sea to sea and from the ryuer vnto the endes of the worlde And truely so dothe he and wyll the raigne that he wyll shake all the whole earth wyth hys yron brasen power wyth hys golden siluery brightnes only by the rodde of hys mouth to shyuers in such sorte as though they were pottes of clay accordyng to that whiche the Prophetes doe wryte of the magnificence of hys kyngdome And thus much for the thyng I meane the doctryne and your dueties to harkē to propagate defend the same But now wyll our aduersaries mainly cry out against vs bicause no man may be admitted once to whist agaynste them that we pretend falsely the doctryne and word of god calling vs the most wycked contemners of it and heretikes schysmatikes traytors c. Al which their sayings how malicious and false they are though I myght make reporte to that which is writē by those men whose workes they haue condemned and all that reteyne any of them publikelye by proclamation yet here wil I occasion your maiesty and honours by this my writyng to see that it is farre otherwyse thē they reporte of vs. God our father for his holy names sake directe my penne to be hys instrumēt to put into your eies eares and hartes that which most may make to hys glorye to the sauegard of your soules and bodies and preseruatiō of the whole realme Amen Iohn Bradford To a faythefull and deare frende of hys entreatyng of this place of S. Paule to the Romaynes The feruente desyre of the creature wayteth when the children of God shal be delyuered GRace and peace wyth encrease of all godlynes in Christe I wyshe vnto you my dearely beloued Because thys morning I had some knowledge more then before I had howe that my lyfe stoode in greate danger that euen thys weke so farre as men myght both by the doynges and sayinges of such as be in authoritie attempted and spoken concernyng me iudge and perceiue I thought good my ryght dearely beloued in the Lord to go about somthyng whyche might be on my behalf as it were Cygnea cantio That is which myght be a speciall comfort to hym beīg thē ready to be burnt as the Swannes soung is swetest a little before his death a Swānes song and towardes you both a monumente of the kynde of my loue and also a helpe or at the leaste an occasion for you to profyte in that whiche I beare you recorde you moste desire I meane euerlastyng life and the state therof And thys will I attempt vpon the laste talke we had betwixt vs when you were here with me I know you haue not forgotten that we talked together of the place of S. Paule to the Rom. cap. 8. concerning the groninges of the Creature and hys desyre of the reuelation of the childrē of god You demaūd whether thys word Creature was to be vnderstand of man or no and I tolde you that though some dyd take Creature there for man because there is no kinde of creature whiche may not be acknowledged in man yet sayde I the texte it self considered with that which the Apostle writeth of Christ Eph. 1. Col. 1. the restorer and reformer of all thynges that be both in heauen in earth and with the argument which S Paule presentlye hath in hand there doth enforce a Godlye mynde to take euery creature there as also S. Chrisostome and. S. Ambrose do for the whole worlde and euerye creature both heauenly and earthly All thyngs I told you were made for man according to mans state so are they When man was without sinne in gods fauour there was no malediction curse or corruption But when mā by synne was caste out of fauour then was the earth curse For the wickednes of the inhabitauntes fruitfull landes are tourned into salte grounde as for their pietie barreine countreyes are made fruitfull Psae 107. The Angels them selues doe reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth thereby geuing vs notice that in their kinde they lament ouer the impenitent In readyng the Prophets you may see how that all thyngs do depende of man When they Prophecye any great blessing or plague to come to gods
grene and sappie tree and what followed then on the dry braunches Ieremye speaking in the person of God sayth in the City wherin my name is innocate Luke 14. will I beginne to punish but as for you meanyng the wycked you shal be as innocentes and not once touched Ieremy 15. for the dregges of gods wrathe the bottome of all sorrowes are reserued vnto them in the ende but gods householde shal drinke the flower of the cuppe of hys mercye 2. Para. 3. And therfore let vs saye with Ezechias play the men and shrynke not let vs comfort our selues for the lorde is with vs our helper and fighteth for vs. The Lord is saith he wyth you when you bee wyth hym and when you seke hym he wyl be found of you and agayne when you forsake hym he wil forsake you Wherfore we oughte not to be dismayde or discourage our selues but rather to be of good comfort not to be sadde but mery not sorrowful but ioyful in that god of his goodnes wyll vouchsafe to take vs as hys beloued children to subdue our sinfull lustes our wretched flesh and blood vnto his glory the promoting of his holy word and edifyeng of hys churche 2. Cor. 5. What yf the earthly house of this our habitation Paule meanyng the body be destroyed We knowe assuredlye we shall haue a building of God not made wyth handes but euerlasting in heauen wyth such ioyes as faith taketh not hope toucheth not nor charitye apprehendeth not They passe all desires and wishes Gotten they may be by Christ estemed they cannot be Wherfore the more affliction persecution the word of God bryngeth the more felicity greater ioy abydeth in heauē But the worldly peace idle ease wealthy pleasure and thys present pleasaunt transitory lyfe and felicity which the vngodly folishly imagine to procure vnto themselues by persecuting and thrustyng away the gospel shal turne vnto their owne trouble and at laste vnto horrible destruction and mutations of realmes and countreyes and after thys lyfe if they repent not into their perpetuall infelicity perdition and damnation 1. Regū 25 For they had rather wyth Nabal and hys temporal pleasures descend to the Deuyl then wyth poore Christ and his bodely troubles ascend into the kingdome of God hys father But an vnwise man saith the psalmist comprehendeth thē not negther doth the folish vnderstand them that is these bloody persecutours growen vppe and flourishyng like the flower and grasse in the fielde But vnto this ende do they so floryshe that they might be cut downe and caste into the fyre for euer Iob. 21. For as Iob saith their ioy lasteth but the twinklyng of an eye and death shall lye knawyng vpon them as doth the flocke vpon the pasture psal 4◠Mar. 9. yea the cruell worme late repentance as S. Marke saith shal lie gnawyng tormentyng and accusing their wretched conscience for euermore Let vs therfore good christians be constante in obeying God rather then men For although they slay our synfull bodies yea rather our deadly enemies for gods verity yet can they not do it but by gods sufferance and good wil to hys prayse and honour and to our eternall ioy and felicity For our bloode shedde for the gospell shall preache it with more fruite and greater furtheraunce then dyd oure mouthes lyues and writynges as dyd the bloud of Abell Steuen wyth many other moe What thoughe they laughe Christ and hys worde to scorne which sytte in the chayre of peruerse pestilent scorners To whom as to the wyse Gentiles of the world the gospell of Christe is but folishnes as it was to the Iewes a slaūder and a stumbling stone wherat they now beyng fallen haue prouoked the wrath and vēgeaunce of god vpon them Luke 2. These are the dayes of vengeaunce saith Luke that all thynges written may be fulfylled And surely it shall be no lesse then a huge storme of euylles that shall come vpon vs because that a longe and a cursed obstinate maliciousnes of vs hath gone before crying in the eares of the Lorde GOD of hostes who so manye tymes and so many wayes haue bene prouoked wyth the vnspeakable ryches of hys goodnes hys patience and longe sufferyng to amendment and haue neuertheles contemned the same Esay 3 and proceded forward to worse and worse prouokyng and styrryng the presence of gods maiesty vnto anger EZech. Now therfore sayth God by the mouth of hys Prophet I will come vpon thee and I wyl send my wrathe vpon thee vpon thee I say O Englande and punyshe thee accordyng to thy wayes reward thee after al thine abhominations Thou hast kyndled the fyer of gods wrathe and hast styrred vp the coales Esay 5. For thou wast once lyghtned and haddest tasted of the heauenly gifte and wast become pertaker of the holy Ghost and haddest tasted of the good worde of God Yea it is yet in thy mouth saith the Prophet Alas O England thou knewest thy Lord maisters wil but dydst nothing therafter thou must therfore saith he suffer many stripes many sharpe strokes walke on in the glittering whote flame of thyne owne fyer and in the coales that thou hast kindled This commeth to thee from my hand saith the Lord namely that thou shalt slepe in sorrowe yea euen so thou shalt The playne truth telleth the tale the immutable iustice of the euerliuing God and the ordinary course of hys plagues from the begynning confirmeth the same The ioy of our hart saith Ieremy is gone our glory is fallen away Ieremy 5. our mery singyng is turned into mournyng the garland of our heade is fallen Alas and weale away that euer we synned so sore Wo worth all abhominations and wyckednes wo worth cloked hypocrisie wo worth our carnall liberty wo worthe our most cursed Idolatry For because of these thynges sayth the Lord ye shall perishe wyth sword hunger and pestilence Wherfore let all the wycked enemies of Christ and all the vnbeleuers be afrayed to bee tormented and vexed wyth all hellish furies and cleane without hope at gods accountyng day which know not God in Christe to be theyr very rightuousnes their life Iohn 8. theyr onely saluation and alone Sauiour nor beleue not in hym They must saieth S. Iohn nedes abyde and perishe wyth their sinnes in death and in eternal damnation But we be the chyldrē of saints as the elder Toby dyd aunswer and loke for an other lyfe whyche God shall geue to all them which chaunge not their fayth nor shrynke not from hym Reioyce therfore ye christian afflicted brethern for they can not take our soules and bodies out of the handes of the almighty which be kept as in the bosome of our most swete and louyng father Matth. i0 and yf we abyde fast in Christe and turne not away lyke weathercockes surely we shall lyue for euer Christe affirmyng the same saying my sheepe here my voyce I knowe
miserable worlde aboue all thinges geue your selfe continuallye to prayer 1. Timo. 2 lifting vp as Saint Paul sayth cleane or pure handes withoute anger wrath or doubting forgeuing as he sayeth also if you haue any thing againste anye man as Christ forgeueth vs. And that we may be the better willing to forgeue it is good often to call to remembrance the multitude and greatnesse of our own sinnes which Christ dayly and hourely pardoneth and forgeueth vs then we shal as Saint Peter affirmeth 1. peter 4. be ready to couer and hide the offences of our brethren be they neuer so many And because gods word teacheth vs not only the true maner of praying but also what we ought to doe or not doe in the whole discourse and practise of this life What pleaseth or displeaseth God and that as Christ sayth the worde of god that he hath spoken shall iudge in the last daye let your prayer be to this end specially that god of his greate mercy woulde open and reuele more more daily to your hart the true sense knowledge and vndersteanding of his moste holy word and geue you grace in youre liuing to expresse the fruites thereof And for as muche as it is as the holye ghoste calleth it the woorde of affliction 1. Cor. 1. that is it is seldome withoute hatred persecution peryll daunger of losse of life and goodes and whatsoeuer seemeth pleasante in this worlde as experience teacheth you in this time call vpon GOD continuallye for hys assistance alwayes as Christ teacheth casting your accomptes what it is lyke to coste you endeuoring your selfe throughe the helpe of the holye ghoste by continuance of prayer to laye youre foundation so sure that no storme or tempeste shall be able to ouerthrowe or caste it downe remembryng alwayes as Christe sayeth Lothes wyfe Luke 17. that is to beware of lookinge backe to that thinge that displeaseth GOD. And because nothing displeaseth GOD so much as Idolatrye that is false worshippyng of God otherwyse then hys woorde commaundeth looke not backe I saye nor tourne not your face to their Idolatrous and blasphemous Massing manifestly agaynst the word practyse example of Christe as it is most manifest to all that haue any taste of the true vnderstanding of Gods word that there remayneth nothyng in the church of England at this presēt profitable or edifying to the church and congregation of the Lord all thynges being done in an vnknowen tonge contrary to the expresse comaundemente of the holy ghost They obiect that they be the Churche and therefore they must be beleued My aunswere was the Church of GOD knoweth and reknowledgeth no other heade but Iesus Christe the sonne of GOD whom ye haue refused and chosen the man of sinne the sonne of perdition enemye to Christ the deuilles deputye and Lieuetenaunte the Pope Christes Churche heareth Iohn 10 teacheth and is ruled by hys woorde as he sayeth my sheepe heare my voyce If you abyde in me my worde in you you be my Disciples Their churche repelleth gods worde and forceth all men to follow their traditions Christes Church dare not adde or diminyshe alter or chaunge his blessed testament but they be not afrayde to take awaye all that Christ instituted and goe a whoring as the Scripture sayeth with their own inuentions letari super operibus manuum suarum to glorye Act. 7. reioyce in the workes of their owne handes The Churche of Christ is hath bene and shal be in all ages vnder the crosse persecuted molested and afflicted the world euer hating thē because they be not of the worlde But these persecute murther slaye kill such as professe the true doctrine of Christ be they in learning liuing cōuersation other vertues neuer so excellent Christ and his Church reserued the tryal of their doctrine to the word of god Iohn 5. and gaue the people leaue to iudge therof by the same word search the scriptures But thys Churche taketh awaye the woorde from the people and suffer neyther learned nor vnlearned to examine or proue their doctryne by the woord of God The true Church of God laboureth by all meanes to resyste and withstande the lustes desyres and motions of the worlde the flesh and the deuyll These for the moste part geue themselues to all voluptuousnesse and secretlye commit suche thinges whiche as Saint Paule sayeth it is shame to speake of Ephe. 5. By these and suche like manifest probations they do declare themselues to be none of the Churche of Christe but rather of the Sinagoge of Sathan It shall be good for you oftentymes to conferre and compare theyr proceedynges and doinges with the practyse of those whom the woorde of God doth teache to haue bene true members of the Churche of God and it shall woorke in you both knowledge erudition and boldnesse to withstand wyth sufferyng their doings I likened them therfore to Nemrod whom the Scripture calleth a mightye hunter or a stoute champion telling them that that which they coulde not haue by the worde they would haue by the sworde and be the Church whether men wil or no and called them wyth good conscience as Christ called their forefathers the children of the deuil and as their father the deuyll is a lyer and murtherer so their kyngdome and church as they call it standeth by lying and murtheryng Haue no fellowshyppe with them therfore my deare wife with their doctrine and traditions least you be pertaker of their synnes for whom is reserued a heuye dampnation wythoute spedye repentaunce Beware of such as shall aduertyse you somethyng to beare with the worlde as they do for a season There is no dallying with Gods matters it is a fearefull thynge as Saincte Paule sayeth to fall into the handes of GOD. Remember the Prophet Helias 3. Regū 18 Luk. 9. why halte ye on both sydes Remember what Christe sayeth he that putteth hys handes to the ploughe and looketh backe is not worthy of me And seing god hath hetherto allowed you as a good souldiour in the forewarde play not the coward Apo. 2. neyther draw backe to the rereward Saint Iohn numbreth amonge them that shall dwell in the fierye lake suche as be fearefull in gods cause Set before your eyes alwayes the examples of suche as haue behaued themselues boldelye in Gods cause as Steuen Peter Paul Daniell the three children the wydowes sonnes and in youre dayes Anne Askewe Laurence Saunders Iohn Bradford with many other faythfull witnesses of christ Phil. 1. Be not afrayd in nothing sayth S. Paule of the aduersaries of Christes doctrine the which is to thē the cause of perdition but to you of euerlasting saluation Christe commaundeth the same saying feare thē not Let vs not followe the example of hym whiche asked tyme fyrste to take leaue of hys frendes If we so doe we shall fynde fewe of them that wyll encourage vs to goe forwarde in our businesse
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
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