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
shall be able by the worde of God euer to impugne it muche lesse to confute it In the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians Ephesi 1. the Apostle sayeth thus Blessed be god the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs wyth all maner of blessynges in heauenly thinges by Christ accordyng as he hath elect or chosen vs in hym before the foundation of the world was layed that we should be holy and without blame before hym through loue and hath predestinate vs or ordeyned vs thorough Iesus Christ to bee heyres vnto hymselfe accordyng to the good pleasure of hys wyll to the prayse of the glory of hys grace wherwyth he hath made vs accepted in the beloued by whom we haue receyued redēption thorough hys bloud and the forgeuenes of our sinnes accordyng to the riches of hys grace which grace he hath shed on vs aboundauntly in all wisedome and vnderstandyng and hath opened vnto vs the mysterye of hys wyll accordyng to hys good pleasure which he purposed in hymselfe to haue it declared when the tyme was full come that he myght gather together all thynges by or in Christe as well the thynges that be in heauen as the thynges that be in earth euen in or by hym by or in whome we are made heyres beyng thereto predestinate accordyng to the purpose of hym whiche worketh all thynges accordynge to the decree or counsayle of hys owne wyll that we which hoped before you in Christe shoulde bee vnto the prayse of hys glory in whome ye also hoped after that ye heard the word of truth the gospell of your saluation wherein ye also beleuyng were sealed wyth the holy spirite of promyse whyche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vntyll the redēption or full fruition of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of hys glory These be the wordes of Paule which I haue faithfullye translated accordyng to the very texte in the Greeke as by the iudgement of all that be learned I desyre herein to bee tried Out of the which wordes of Paule we may wel perceiue euerye thing affirmed in my propositiō as I wil geue occasion plainly to them that wil to see it The cause of gods election is his grace good will First that the cause of gods election is of hys good wyll the Apostle sheweth in saying that it is throughe hys loue wherby we are holy and wythout blame also accordyng to the good pleasure of his will according to his good pleasure purposed in hymselfe accordyng to hys purpose which worketh all thynges after the counsel of his owne wyll The tyme of gods election was from the beginning Secondly that election was before the beginnyng of the world the apostle plainely sheweth in sayeng that we were chosen before the foundation of the world was laid and afterwardes in callyng it the mysterye of hys wyll purposed wyth hymselfe in tyme to be declared Election is in Christ Thirdly that election is in Christ the Apostle doth so flatly and plainly set it forth that I nede not here to repete it We sayeth he are chosen in him we are heyres by hym wt are accepted by him we are gathered together in him c. Electionis not of all men Fourthly that election is of some of Adams posteritye and not of al we may plainly see it if we cōsider that he maketh the true demonstration of it beleuing hoping and hauing the earnest of the spirite In whom yea hoped saith he after ye heard the word c. In whom ye beleued wer sealed vp c. Agayne in attributyng to the electe forgeuenes of synnes holynes blameles liuyng being in Christ c. That we shold be holy saieth he c. we haue receyued forgeuenes of sinnes c. Who seeth not that these are not common to al men 2. Thess 3 Act. 13. 1 Iohn 1 Math. 13 Al men haue not faithe saieth Paule elsewhere None beleued saith Luke but suche as were ordained to eternall life None beleue but such as be borne of god None beleue truly but such as haue good hartes and kepe gods seede to bring forth frute by patience Fayth is a demonstratiō of election to such as be of yeres of discretion Psal 125. So that it is plain faith being a demonstration of gods election to them that be of yeres of discretion that all men are not elect because all men beleue not For he that beleueth in the lord shal be as mount Sion that is he shal neuer be remoued for if he bee remoued that is finally perish surely he neuer truely beleued But what go I about to lighten a cādell in the cleare sonne light whē our sauiour plainly saith that all be not chosen but few Many be called saith he but few be chosen Mat. 20. And in the 2. chap. to the Ephes the Apostle plainly saith that the greate riches of gods mercy through hys exceding great loue hath saued thē before their parentes many other Gentiles whiche were excluded from Christ and straūgers from the promise hopeles godles c. Rom. 11. Psal 144. Wherthrough we may be occasioned to cry oh the depth of the iudgements of god which is iuste in all hys doynges and holy in al hys workes extendyng his mercy after hys good pleasure wyll aboue al his workes Fyftly that god hath predestinate these Election is to eternal life thus elect vnto euerlastyng lyfe in Christe the apostle dothe also in the wordes before writen declare in saying and hath predestinate vs through Iesus Christe to be heyres vnto hymselfe Agayne by hym sayth he yeare made heyres and predestinate to the prayse of hys glorye Rom. 8 So sayeth the Apostle elsewhere whom he hathe predestinate them hath he predestinate to be lyke fashioned vnto the shape of hys sonne Luke 10 And therfore Christ sayeth reioyce in thys that your names are writen in heauen Syxtlye The ende of election is to the prayse and glory of god that the ende of election is to the prayse of gods glory and grace the Apostle sheweth here in saying we are predestinate to be holye without blame before god c. In saying we are predestinate to the glory of hys grace And in saying also vnto the prayse of hys glory so that nothing can be more manifest Seuenthly Election is not without vocation and iustificatiō in time that predestination is not without vocation in gods tyme and iustification the Apostle here dothe teach in bringyng vs to the consideration of hearing the word of truthe beleuing receiuing the holye spirite remission of synnes c. In whom saith he ye haue hoped after that ye heard the word of truth c. Againe by whome ye haue redemption that is remission of synnes thorough the sheding of hys blood c. Also he hath in hys full tyme declared the mystery of hys wyl c. Vnto the Rom. the apostle sheweth it moste
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
of it to the behoofe of the church or of the house And moreouer I had not only no part of his moueable goods but also as his old receiuer then min called M. StauÌ„ton caÌ„ testify I paied for him towards his seruantes coÌ„moÌ„ liuertes and wages after his deposition 53. li. or 55. pouÌ„des I canot tel whether Notwithstanding these godly and iust requestes no iustice could be had vntil that now of late some of these shameful iniuries by order of law haue bene redressed In al these matters I besech your honourable maiesty to heare the aduise of meÌ„ of conscience and especially the archbishop now of Yorke which for that he was continually in my house a yeare and more before myne imprisonment I suppose he is not altogether ignoraunt of some part of these things and also hys grace doth know my sister for whose succour and some relief now vnto your highnes I make most humble suit The .xvi. day of October Anno. 1555. N. R. ¶ An aunswer to a letter written vnto him by West sometyme hys Chaplayne I Wish you grace in god and loue of the truth without the which truely stablished in mens hartes by the mighty haÌ„d of almighty god it is no more possible to stand by the truth in Christ in time of trouble then it is for the waxe to abide the heat of the fyre Syr know you this that I am blessed be God perswaded that this world is but transitory and as sainct Iohn saith the world passeth away the lust therof i. Iohn 2 Math. 10. I am persuaded christs worâ—es to be true whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father which is in heauen and I beleue that no earthly creature shall be saued whom the redemer and sauiour of the world shal before his father deny This the lorde graunt that it may be so graffed established and fixed in my harte that neither thinges present nor to come high nor low life nor death bee able to remoue me thence It is a goodly wish that you wish me depely to consider thynges pertaynyng vnto gods glorye but if you had wished also the neither feare of death nor hope of worldly prosperity should let me to maintain gods word and his truth which is his glory and true honour it would haue liked me well You desire me for gods sake to remember my selfe In dede syr now it is tyme so to doe for so farre as I can perceiue it standeth me vpon no lesse daunger then of the losse both of body and soule and I trowe then it is time for a man to awake if any thyng will awake him He that will not feare him that threatneth to cast both body soule into euerlasting fier Luk. 12. whom will he feare With this feare O Lord fasten thou together oure fraile fleshe that we neuer swarue from thy lawes You say you haue made much suite for me Sir God graunt that you haue not in sauyng for my worldly deliueraunce empayred and hindered the furtheraunce of Gods worde and his truthe You haue knowen me long in dede in the which tyme it hathe chaunced me as you say to mislyke some thynges It is true I graunt for sodayne chaunges wythout substantial and necessary cause and the heady setting forth of extremities I did neuer loue Canfession vnto the minister which is able to iustruct correcte comforte and enforme the weake wounded and ignoraunt conscience in dede I euer thought myght do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think euen at this day My doctrine and my preaching you saye you haue heard often after your iudgement haue thought it godly sauyng onely for the Sacrament whiche thyng although it was of me reuerently handled and a greate deale better then of the rest as you say yet in the margeÌ„t you write warely and in this world wisely and yet me thoughte all sounded not well Syr but that I see so many chaunges in thys worlde and so much alteration els at this your saying I would not a lyttle maruayle I haue taken you for my frend and a man whom I fansied for plainesse and faith fulnes as much I assure you as for your learnyng and haue you kept this so close in your hart from me vnto this day Sir I consider mo thinges then one and will not say al that I thynke But what nede you to care what I think for any thing that I shal be able to do vnto you either good or harme You geue me good lessons to stand in nothyng against my learning to beware of vayne glory Truely sir I herein lyke your counsel very wel and by Gods grace I entend to follow it vnto my liues ende To write vnto those whom you name I cannot see what it wyll auayle me For this I would haue you know that I esteme nothyng auailable for me which also wil not further the glory of God And now because I perceiue you haue an entire zeale and desyre of my deliueraunce out of this captiuitie and worldly misery if I shoulde not beare you a good heart in god agayne me thynke I were to blame Sir how nighe the daye of my dissolution and departure oute of thys world is at hand I can not tel the Lords wyll be fulfilled how soone soeuer it shall come I know the Lordes wordes must be verified on me that I shall appeare before the incorrupt iudge and be countable to him of al my former life And although the hope of his mercye is my shooteanker of eternall saluation yet am I perswaded that whosoeuer wittingly neglecteth and regardeth not to cleare his conscience he caÌ„not haue peace with God nor a liuely fayth in his mercye Conscience therefore moueth me consideryng you were one of my familye and one of my householde of whom then I thynke I had a speciall cure and of all them which were within my house whiche in dede ought to haue bene an example of godlinesse to al the rest of my cure not only of good lyfe but also in promotyng of gods word to the vttermost of their power but alas now when the tryal doth separate the chaffe from the corne how small a deale it is god knoweth which the wynd doth not blowe awaye this conscience I say doth moue me to feare least the lightnes of my family shal be layd to my charge for lack of more earnest diligent instruction which should haue ben done But blessed be god which hath geuen me grace to see this my default and to lament it from the bottome of my heart before my departyng hence This conscience doth moue me also now to requyre both you and my frend Doctour Haruy to remember your promises made to me in times past of the pure setting forth preachyng of gods word hys truth These promises although you shal not nede to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world
me vp to heauen where I shal loke continually for your cōming and others my faithful brethrē in the kinges Bench. And though I tel you that I am in hel in the iudgement of thys world yet assuredly I feele in the same the consolation of heauen prayse god And thys lothsome horrible prison is as pleasaūt to me as the walke in the gardē of the kings Bench. You know brother Careles that the way to heauē out of this life is very narrowe we must striue to enter in at a narrow gate If God do mitigate the ouglenes of mine imprisonment what wil he do in the rage of the fier wherunto I am appointed And thys hath happened vnto me that I might be hereafter an ensample of cōfort if the like happen vnto you or to any other of my deare brethrē with you in these cruel daies in the which the deuil so rageth at the faithful flocke of Christ but in vaine I trust againste any of vs who be persuaded that neyther lyfe neither death is hable to separate vs from the loue of Christes Gospell which is gods high treasure cōmitted to our brittle vessels to glorify vs by the same God of his mercye make vs faythful stewardes to the end geue vs grace to feare nothing whatsoeuer in his good pleasure we shall suffer for the same That I haue not written vnto you erste the cause is our straite keping the want of light by night for the day serueth vs but a while in our darke closet This is the first letter that I haue writen since I came to prison besides the report of mine examinatiōs I am faine to scrible it out in haste Comend me to al our faythful brethren byd them with a good courage loke for their redēption and frame thēselues to be harty souldiers in Christ They haue taken his prest money a great while now let thē shew thē selues readye to serue him faythfully not to flye out of the lords campe into the world as many do Let them remember that in the Apocalips the feareful bee excluded the kingdome Let vs bee of good cheare for our lord ouercame the world that we should do the like Blessed is the seruant whō when the Lord cōmeth he fyndeth watching O let vs watch and pray earnestly one for an other that we be not led into temptation Be ioyfull vnder the crosse prayse the Lord continually for this is the whole burnt sacrifice which the lord chiefly delyghteth in Cōmend me to my father Hunt desire him to loue continue in the vnitie of Christes true church which he hath begon then shall he make me more more to ioye vnder my crosse with him Tell my brother Clements that he hath comforted me muche by his louing token in significatiō of an vnfayned vnitie with vs let him encreace my ioye vnto the end perfectly The Lord of peace be with you all Salute all my louing frendes Maister Meryng Maister Crooth with the rest specially Maister Marshall and hys wyfe with great thankes for hys kyndnes shewed vnto me Fare well my deare Careles I haue dalied with the deuill a while but now I am ouer the shooes God send me well out Out of the Colehouse by your brother Iohn Philpot. An other letter written to Iohn Careles out of the Colehouse of darkenes whereby he geueth lighte and heauenlye comforte to hys heauy and troubled mynde THe God of all comfort and the father of oure Lord Iesus Christ send vnto thee my deare brother Careles the inwarde consolation of hys holy spirite in al the malicious assaultes and troublous temptations of our common aduersarye the Deuill Amen That god geueth you so contrite a harte for your sinnes I can not but reioyce to behold the liuely marke of the children of god whose propertye is to thinke more lowlye and vily of themselues then of any other and often tymes doe set their sinnes before them that they myghte the more bee styrred to bryng forth the fruites of repentaunce and learne to mourne in thys worlde that in an other they myghte bee glad and reioyce Such a broken heart is a pleasaunt sacryfyce vnto God O that I had the lyke contrite harte God mollifye my stonye harte which lamenteth not in such wise my former detestable iniquities Praised be god that he hath geuen you thys sorrowful hart in respect of righteousnes I praye you let me be pertaker of these Godly sorrowes for sinne which be the testimony of the presence of the holy ghoste Dyd not the sword of sorrow pearce the harte of the elect and blessed mother of our Lord Did not Peter wepe bitterly for hys sinnes which was so beloued of Christ Dyd not Mary Magdalene was the feete of oure Sauiour with her teares and receaued therwithall remission of her seuenfold sinnes Be of good comfort therfore mine own deare heart in thys thy sorrowe for it is the earnest peny of eternall consolatiō In thy sorrowe laughe for the spirite of God is with thee Blessed be they sayth Christ that mourne Math. 15. Psa 125. psal 51 Luke 7 for they shal bee comforted They went forth and wepte fayth the Prophet such shall come agayne hauing their gripes full of gladnes And althoughe a sorrowfull harte in consideration of hys sinne be an acceptable sacrifice before God whereby we are stirred vp to more thankefulnes vnto God knowing that much is forgeuen vs that we might loue the more yet the mā of god muste keepe a measure in the same leaste he bee swallowed vppe by to muche sorrowe Sainte Paule woulde not the Thessalonians to be sory as other men whiche haue no hope Such a sorow is not commendable 1. Thess 4. 2. Cor. 7. but worketh damnation and is farre from the children of God who are continually sorrowfull in god when they loke vppon theyr own vnworthynes with hope of forgeuenes For God to thys end by his spirite setteth the sinnes of hys electe still before them that where they perceaue sinne to abounde Rom. 5. there they myght be assured that grace shall superabounde bringeth them downe vnto hell that he myght lift thē vp with greater ioy vnto heauē Wherfore myne own bowels in Christ as long as you are not voyde altogether of hope be not dismayde throughe your pensiue harte for your sinnes howe huge so euer they haue beene for God is hable to forgeue more then you are able to sinne yea and he wil forgeue him which with hope is sory for hys sinnes But know brother that as oft as we do go aboute by the helpe of Gods spirite to do that is good the euil spirit Sathan layeth hard wayte to turne the good vnto euill goeth about to mixe the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart You be not ignoraunt of hys malicious subtelty and how that continually he assaulteth that good which the grace of
be geueÌ„ vnto god our father for hys excedynge greate mercye towardes me through Iesus Christ our lord But perchaunce ye wil say vnto me what is the cause for the which you are coÌ„demned we heare say that you deny al prefeÌ„ce of Christ in his holy supper so make it a bare signe common bread nothing els My derely beloued what is said of me wil be I cannot tel It is told me that M. Pendleton is gone down to preach with you not as he hath recaÌ„ted for ye al know how he hath preached contrary to that he was wont to preach afore I came amongs you but to recaÌ„t that which he hath recaÌ„ted How he wil speake of me report before I come wheÌ„ I am come when I am burned I much passe not for he the is so vncertain wil speake so ofteÌ„ against him selfe I cannot thinke he wil speake wel of me except it make for his purpose profit But of this enough In dede the chiefe thing which I am condemned for as an heretyke is because I deny the sacrament of the altar whiche is not christes supper but a plaine peruertyng of it beyng vsed as the papists now vse it to be a real natural corporall presence of christes body blood vnder the formes accidents of bread and wine that is because I deny transubstantiatioÌ„ which is the derling of the deuil and doughter and heyre to Antichrists religion wherby the Masse is mainteyned christes supper peruerted his sacrifice crosse imperfected hys priesthode destroyed the ministery taken away repentance repelled and al true godlines abandoned In the supper of our lord or sacrament of christes body and blood I confesse beleue that there is a true very presence of whole Christe god man to the faith of the receauer but not of the staÌ„der by or loker on as there is a very true presence of breade and wine to the senses of him that is pertaker therof This faith this doctrine which coÌ„fenteth with the word of god with the true testimony of christes Churche whiche the popyshe church doth persecute will I not forsake and therefore am I coÌ„demned as an heretike shal be burned But my derely beloutd this truth which I haue taught ye haue receyued I beleued do beleue and therin geue my life I hope in god shall neuer be burned bound nor ouercome but shal tryumphe haue victory and be at liberty manger the heade of all gods aduersaries For there is no counsell against the lord nor no deuise of man can be hable to defeate the verity in any other then in such as be children of vnbeliefe which haue no loue to the truth and therefore are geuen vp to beleue lies From which plague the lorde of mercies delyuer you and all this realme my deare hartes in the Lorde I humblye beeseche hys mercye Amen And to the ende ye myght be delyuered from thys plague ryght deare to me in the Lorde I shall for my farewell wyth you for euer in thys presente lyfe hartely desyre you all in the bowels and bloode of oure moste mercifull Sauioure Iesus Christ to attende vnto these thynges whiche nowe I shall shortlye wryte vnto you out of the Holy scriptures of the Lorde Ye know an he â—aye plague or rather plagues of God is fallen vpon vs in takyng away our good kyng gods true religion Gods true prophetes and ministers c. and setting ouer vs suche as seeke not the Lorde after knowledge whose endeuoures GOD prospereth wonderfullyâ— to the triall of manye that hys people maye bothe better knowe themselues and be knowen Nowe the cause hereof is oure iniquities and greuous synnes We did not know the tyme of our visitation we were vnthankefull vnto god we contemned the gospell and carnally abused it to serue our hypocrisie our vayne glory our viciousnes auarice ydlenes security c. Longe did the lord lynger tary to haue shewed mercye vppon vs but we were euer the longer the worse Therfore most iustly hathe God dealt with vs and dealeth with vs. Yea yet we may see that his iustice is tempered with much mercy wherto let vs attribute that we are not vtterly consumed for if the lord should deale with vs after oure deserts alas how could we abide it In his anger therfore seyng he doth remember hys mercy vndeserued yea vndesyred on our behalfe let vs take occasion the more spedelye to go out to mete him not with force and armes for we are not so able to withstand hym much lesse to preuaile against hym but to beseche hym to be mercifull vnto vs and according to his waÌ„ted mercy to deale with vs. Let vs arise with Dauyd and say Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. Enter not into iudgement oh Lorde with thy seruant for in thy sight no flesh liuyng shall be iustifyed Let vs send ambassadors wyth the Centurion and say Lord we are not worthy to come our selues vnto thee speake the worde and we shal haue peace Let vs peniteÌ„tly with the Publicane loke down on the earth knocke our hard hartes to burst them and cry out oh god be merciful vnto vs wretched synners Let vs with the lost sonne returne and say O father we haue synned against heauen and earth before thee we are vnworthy to be called thy children Let vs I say do on this sort that is hartely repente vs of our former euill lyfe and vnthankefull gospelling past conuert turne to god with our whole hartes hopyng in hys great mercy through Christ and hartelye calling vppon his holye name and then vndoubtedly we shall fynde and feele otherwyse then yet we fele both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly we shal fele peace of conscience betwene god and vs which peace passeth al vnderstaÌ„dyng outwardly we shall feele much mitigation of these miseries yf not an outward taking of theÌ„ away Therfore my derely beloued in the lorde I your poorest brother now departyng to the Lord for my vale in aeternum for this present lyfe pray you beseche you and euen from the very bottome of my hart for al the mercies of god in Christ shewed vnto you most earnestly begge and craue of you out of prison as often out of your pulpittes I haue done that ye will repente you leaue your wycked and euil lyfe be sory for your offences and turne to the lorde whose armes are wyde open to receiue and embrace you whose stretched out hande to strike to death stayeth that he might shewe mercy vpon you for he is the lord of mercy and god of all comfort he wyll not the death of a synner but rather that he should returne conuert and amend he hath no pleasure in the destruction of men hys long suffryng draweth to repentaunce before the tyme of vengeaunce and the daye of wrathe which is at hande doth come Now is the axe layed to the roote of the tree vtterlye to
we be ashamed hereof for losse of life frendes or goodes he wil be ashamed of vs before his father and his holy Angels in heauen Therfore take hede for the Lords sake take hede take hede defile not your bodies or soules with this Romish AntichristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ set vp amoÌ„gest vs again but come away come away as the Angell cryeth Apoca. 18. from amongest them in their Idolatrous seruice least you be partakers of their iniquitye HarkeÌ„ to your preachers as the ThessaloniaÌ„s did to Paul that is conferre their sayinges with the Scriptures and if they sound not therafter Esay 8. the morning light shal not shine vppon them Vse much and harty prayer for the spirit of wisedome knowledge humblenesse mekenesse sobrietye and repentauÌ„ce which we haue great nede of because our synnes haue thus prouoked the Lords anger agaynst vs but let vs beare his anger acknowledge our faultes with bitter teares and sorowful sighes doubtles he wil be merciful to vs after hys wonted mercy The which thing he vouchsafe to do for his holy names sake in Christ Iesu our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghoste bee all honoure glorye prayse and euerlastynge thankes from thys tyme forth for euermore Amen Out of prison by yours in the Lorde to commaunde Iohn Bradford To my dearely beloued in the lord Mystres VV. and Mystres VV. ALmighty God our deare and most mercifull father be always with you both my entierly beloued mother and Syster in the Lorde and as hys babes he for euer kepe you vnto hys eternal kingdome throughe Christe our Sauiour Amen I purpose not to go about to render thankes to you for gods great goodnes towardes me by you because I can not Either of you hath so heaped vpon me benefits that it were hard for me to recken the tythes He for whose sake you haue done it and all the good you do one daye recompence you after your hartes desyre in hym In the meane season I beseche hym to reueale vnto you more and more the ryches of hys grace and loue in Christ by whom ye are beloued and were before the worlde was and shall be doutles worlde wythout ende Accordyng to the reuelation your sense or fayth herein so wyll you contend to all pietie and godlines as S. Iohn saith he that hath thys hope wyll purify hymselfe as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3 For howe should it otherwyse bee but if we bee certainlye persuaded that heauen is ours and we citizens therof but I say we should desire the dissolution of our bodies and death to dispatche vs and to do hys office vpon vs If we dyd certainly beleue we were members of Christ and gods temples how should we but flie from all impuritie and corruption of the worlde whiche commeth by concupiscence If we dyd certainly beleue that god in dede of hys mercy in Christ is become our father in that hys good wyll is infinite and hys power accordyng therto how coulde we be afrayde of man or Deuil Howe coulde we doubte of saluation or any good thynge whiche myght make to Gods glorye and our owne weale Now that we shoulde be certayne and sure of thys that we are Gods children in Christ marke whether all thynges teache vs not Beholde the creation of thys worlde and the gubernation of the same doe not these teache vs that God loueth vs And is gods loue out of Christ the beloued If not his loue as he is vnchangeable Iohn 13. Doth not S. Iohn say that he loueth to the ende whom he loueth Therfore I say the very creatures of god concernyng both their creation conseruation tell vs that god loueth vs that is that we in Christ be his childreÌ„ and dearlinges although in our selues and of oure selues wee bee otherwyse namelye chyldren of wrathe Agayne loke vpon the law of god and tell me whether it do not requyre this certainty of you namely that you be gods dere childreÌ„ in Christ Doth not god plainly affirme say I am the Lord thy God Doth he not charge you to haue none other gods but hym How then can you perishe if god be your god psal 143 Doth not that make god no god Doth not Dauid say that those people be happy which haue the Lord for their God Besides this loke on your beliefe do you not professe that you beleue in God your father almighty whiche wanteth no power to helpe you as he wanted no good wyll in Christ to choose you Do you not say that you do beleue remission of synnes resurrection of the body life euerlasting felowship wyth the sainctes c. But how doe you saye you beleue thys geare and be not certayne therof Is not fayth a certaintie Is not doubtyng against fayth as S. Iames sayeth Pray in faythe and doubte not for he that doubteth obteyneth nothyng Math. 8 When Peter beganne to doubte he had lyke to haue bene drowned beware of it therfore Moreouer for to certifye youre consciences that you be gods childerne shal neuer finally perish through gods goodnes in Christe beholde your heade your Capitaine I meane Christe Iesus Wherefore came he into this world but to redeme you to marry you vnto hymselfe to destroye the workes of Sathan to saue and seeke that whiche was loste Wherfore suffered he so greate and bytter passions Dydde he it not to take awaye your synnes Wherefore dydde he ryse from deathe Dyd he it not to iustifye you Wherfore dyd he ascende into heauen Dyd he it not to take possession there for you to leade your captiuitye captiue to prepare and make ready all thynges for you to appeare before the father alwayes praying for you If these be true as they be most true why theÌ„ stand you in a doubt Do you not therby deny Christ Wherefore were you borne of Christian parentes and in gods churche but because you were Gods chylderne by Christ before you were borne For thys cause you were baptised and hetherto the Lorde hathe thus delte wyth you sparyng you correctyng you and blessyng you but why Verely because you be hys children and shal be for euer through Christ Tell me why hath God kepte you till thys tyme but that he wyll for hys sake haue you euen here made lyke vnto Christ thâ—t elsewhere you may so be Why hathe he opened youre eyes from Popery but because you be hys childerne in deede When you do praye doe you not call hym father Why doe you doubte of it then Why wyll you beleue the Deuil more theÌ„ God your father the Sonne and the holy ghoste more then the holye worde of GOD bothe in the lawe and in Gospell more then all the blessynges and castigations of God Do not all these preach to you and tell you that you are gods babes throughe Christ Therefore my derely beloued beleue it and geue not place to the Deuill but withstand hym strong in fayth Marke 9 Luk.
10. Heb. 6.10 Mar. 8. Luke i1 that they returne not to their vomyte stumblyng on those synnes from the which there is no recouery causing thee to deny theÌ„ before thy father making their later end worse theÌ„ the beginning as it chauÌ„ced to Lothes wife Iudas Iscariot FrauÌ„ces Spira and to many others But rather strengthen them and vs all in thy grace and in those thynges which thy worde teacheth that we may here hazarde our lyfe for thy sake and so shal we be sure to saue it as yf we seke to saue it Math. 6 we cannot but loose it and that beyng lost what profyte can we haue yf we wynne the whole worlde Oh set thou alwayes before our eyes not as reason doth thys lyfe the pleasure of the same death of the body and prysonment c but euerlastyng lyfe and those vnspeakable ioyes which vndoubtedlye they shall haue which take vp the crosse and follow thee and eternal hell fire and destruction of soule and bodye for euermore which they must nedes at leÌ„gth fal into the which are afrayde for the hoare froste of aduersitye that man or the Deuil styrreth vppe to stoppe or hynder vs for goyng forward our iourney to heauens blisse to the which do thou bryng vs for thy names sake Amen Your owne in the Lorde Iohn Bradford ¶ To my deare frende and brother in the Lorde Maister George Eaton ALmightye God our deare father geue to you dailye more and more the knowledge of hys truth and a loue and lyfe to the same for euer in all thynges throughe Iesus Chryste oure Lorde Amen I shoulde begynne with thankes geuyng to god and to you as hys steward for the great benefites I haue oftentymes receyued from you and speciallye in this tyme of of my most nede farre aboue my expectatioÌ„ but because thankfulnes lyeth not in wordes or letters and because you loke not to heare of your wel doyng of man I am purposed to passe it ouer wyth sylence and to geue my selfe presentlye to that whiche is more profitable vnto you that is as god shall lend me hys grace briefly to labour or at least to shew my good wyl to helpe you in gods gifte to me as you by your doyng the lyke in gods gyfte vnto you haue as alreadye done so occasioned me greatly hereto I woulde gladlye haue done it heretofore but I haue bene discouraged to write vnto you leaste hurte thereby mighte come vnto you which is the only cause I haue not hetherto writted nor now would not haue done but that I stand in adout whether euer herafter I shal haue liberty to write vnto you And therfore whilest I somthing may I thought good to doe thus much to declare vnto you howe that as I thynke my selfe muche bounde to God for you so I desyre to gratifye the same as God should enable me The dayes are come and more and more do approch in the whych tryal wyl be of such as haue vnfainedly redde and hearde the gospel for all others wyll abyde no tryall but as the worlde wyll But of you because I haue better hope I cannot but as pray to god in hym to confyrme you so to beseche you of the same I knowe it will be a daungerous thinge in deede to declare that whiche in woorde you haue confessed and in harte haue beleued speciallye concernyng the papisticall Masse but notwithstandyng we must not for daungers departe from the truth excepte we wyll depart from God For in as muche as GOD is the truth and the truth is God he that departeth from the one departeth from the other Nowe what a thyng it is to departe from God I nede not to tell you because you know it is no lesse then a departyng from all that good is and not onely so but also a coupling of your selfe to all that euill is for there is no meane eyther we departe from god and sticke to the deuill or departe from the deuyll and sticke to God Some men there be whiche for feare of daunger and loâ—le of that they must leaue when where and to whom they knowe not doe deceaue them selues after the iuste iudgement of God to beleue the deuill because they haue no luste to beleue God in harkenyng to Sathans counsaile of partynge stake with God as to be persuaded that it is not euyll or elles no great euill inwardlye in harte to conceale the truth and outwardly in facte to betraye it And therefore thoughe they know the Masse to be abhomination yet they make it but a strawe in going to it as the world doth in whiche thynge the Lorde knoweth they deceaue them selues to dampnation dreame they as they luste For surely the bodye departyng from the veritye and so from god wil drawe and drowne in dampnation the soule also For we shall receaue accordyng to that we doe in the body good or badde And therefore the matter is more to bee considered then men make of it the more it is to bee lamented But I trust my ryghte dearely beloued you wyll consider thys with your self and call your conscience to accompt as gods word maketh the charge Beware of false Auditours which makyng a false charge can get no quietnesse of the conscience after gods woorde Therefore caste your charge and there shall you see that no beliefe of the harte iustifyeth whiche hath not confession of the mouth to declare the same No man can serue .ii. Maisters He that gathereth not with Christ as no masse seer vnreprouyng it doth scattereth abroade Gods chosen are such as not only haue good hartes but also kisse not their hands nor bowe their knee to Baal Christes Disciples are none but such as deny theÌ„selues take vp their crosse folow him He that is ashamed of Christ his truth in thys generation must loke that Christ wil be ashamed of him in the day of iudgement He that denyeth Christ before men shal be denyed before God Now two kindes of denial there be yea three kindes one in hart an other in worde the thirde in deede In the which kindes al masse gospellers be so bitten that all the Surgeons in the world can laye no healing playster therto till repentaunce appeare and drawe out the matteâ— of vsing the euill and resorting to the Masse For pure should we be froÌ„ all spottes not onely of the flesh but also of the spirite And our dutye is to departe not only from euill that is from the Masse But also from the appearaunce of euil that is from coÌ„ming at it Woe vnto theÌ„ that geue offence to the children of God that is which occasion by any meanes any to tarye in the church at Masse time much more then they which occasioÌ„ any to come therto most of all they which enforce any therto Assuredly a most heuie vengeaunce of goâ— hangeth vpon such Suche as decline to their crokednes God wil lead on with wicked workers whose portion shal be snares Psa 11. fyre
sufferyng hys passion crucyfyed dead and buryed to the entent to bring vs again into fauour with god the father almighty to be a sacrifice host oblation Esa 48.43 Gen. 1.22 Esay 53. Act. 10. Math. 8. not only for original sinne but also for al actuall sinnes of the whole generatioÌ„ of mankind For al the works merites deseruings doings obedieÌ„ce of maÌ„ towards god although they be done by the spirit of god in the grace of god yet being thus done be of no validitye worthynes nor merite before god except god for his mercy grace accompt theÌ„ worthy for the worthines merites of Christe Iesus The same Christe went downe to the hels and trulye rose agayn the thyrd day and ascended into the heauens that he mighte there stil reigne haue dominioÌ„ ouer al creatures froÌ„ theÌ„ce shall come c. I beleue in the holy ghost coequal with god the father the soÌ„ne proceding froÌ„ theÌ„ both by whose vertue streÌ„gth operation the true catholike church which is the comunioÌ„ societie of Saints is guyded in al truth veritie kept froÌ„ al errours false doctrine the deuil all power of sinne Which church is sanctifyed hallowed with the precious blood spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ Iohn 10.8 Galat. 1. 1. Timo. 3. which hath also her signe and marke that she heareth foloweth the voyce of her only true pastour christ no straungers Thys church also is the house of god the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the liuing god the pyller of truth the liuely body of Christ a church both in name in dede I beleue the remission of synnes by the only meanes merites of christs death passioÌ„ who was made vnto vs of god that only sacrifice oblation offered once for al for euer for al theÌ„ that be sanctifyed I beleue the resurrectioÌ„ of the body wherby in the last day al meÌ„ shal ryse again froÌ„ death the soules ioyned againe to the bodyes the good to euerlastinge lyfe the wycked to euerlastyng payne punyshment And nothyng may more certaynly stablysh confyrme our fayth that we shal ryse agayn immortal both in body soule theÌ„ the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ our Sauiour fyrst fruites of the dead Now that Christ our head is rysen we being his body meÌ„bers must folow our head Death hell and synne can not sunder nor plucke vs from him For as the sonne can not be deuyded nor sundred froÌ„ the father nor the holy ghost from them both no more may we being the faythful meÌ„bers of Christ be seperated froÌ„ christ And for a confyrmatioÌ„ of our resurrection christ wold be sene after his resurrectioÌ„ in his most gloryous bodye hys wouÌ„des being handled felt speaking teaching eating drinking c. We looke sayth S. Paule Iohn 10 Iohn 1. Phil. 3. for Iesus Christ our Sauiour which shall transfygure our vile bodies conforme theÌ„ to his glorious body by the same power vertue wherwith he is able to subdue all things euen like as the grayn of wheate soweÌ„ in the grouÌ„d Iohn 12. is fyrst putrifyed brought as into a thiÌ„g of nought yet after that it spriÌ„geth vp freshly with a goodlyer colour forme beautye then it had before The bodye is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruptioÌ„ 1. Cor. 15 it is soâ—en in dishonour riseth in honour Thus I verely knowe and assuredly beleue the resurrection of our bodyes to haue lyfe eternal by Christ for Christes sake Verely verely I say vnto you sayeth Christe he that heareth my woorde and beleueth on hym that sent me Iohn 5. hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into dampnation but is escaped from death to lyfe It is Christ that died once for our sinnes Roma 10 Ose 13. and is rysen agayne neuer more to dye it is he that swallowed vppe death and hath caste it vnder hys fete for euer What nowe can death doe vnto vs Verely nothyng ells but for a little tyme seperate our precious soules from oure wretched bodyes that diuyne substance from a Masse of synne that eternall lyfe from a bodye of death and so send our soules out of this miserable wretched sorrowfull lyfe cumbred wyth all calamities vnto that most blessed felicitie and ioyes eternall As concerning the holye and reuerente sacramentes of Christes Church whiche be in number .ii. the Sacramente of baptiseme and the Supper of the Lord I beleue them to be as Saint Paule calleth them confyrmations or seales of Gods promises whiche haue added to them a promyse of grace and therefore they are called inuisible signes of inuisible grace The Sacramente of baptisme is a marke of Christes Churche a seale and confirmation of oure acceptation into the grace and fauour of God for Christes sake For hys innocencye hys ryghteousnesse hys holynesse hys iustyce is ours geuen vs of God and our synnes and vnryghteousnesse by hys obedience and abasing of hymselfe to the death of the crosse are hys whereof baptisme is the signe seale and confirmation Baptisme is also a signe of repentaunce to testifye that we be borne to the waues of perilles and chaunges of lyfe to the entent that we shoulde dye continuallye as longe as we liue from sinne and ryse agayne like new men vnto ryghteousnesse Rom. 6. The other sacrament which is the Supper holy maundy of our Sauiour Christ wherby the church of Christ is knowen I beleue it is a remembraunce of Christes death passion a seale confirmation of his most precious body geueÌ„ vnto death eueÌ„ to the vile death of the crosse wherwith we are redemed deliuered from synne death hel damnation It is a visible word because it worketh the same thing in the eyes which the word worketh in the eares For like as the woorde is a meane to the eares wherby the holy ghost moueth the hart to beleue Ro. 10 so thys Sacramente is a meane to the eyes whereby the holy ghoste moueth the harte to beleue it preacheth peace betwene God and man it exhorteth to mutuall loue and all godly life and teacheth to contemne the world for the lyfe to come when as Christe shal appeare which now is in heaueÌ„ no where els as concernyng thys humaine body Act. 1.3 â–ª Yet doe I beleue assuredly that hys very body is present in his most holy supper at the contemplatioÌ„ of our spirituall eyes so verely eaten with the mouth of our fayth For as sone as I heare these most comfortable heauenly words spoken and pronounced by the mouth of the minister thys is my bodye which is geuen for you when I heare I say thys heauenly harmonye of gods vnfallible promises truth I loke not vpoÌ„ neyther do I behold bread wyne for I take beleue the words simply and plainly euen as Christ spake them For hearing these words my senses be rapte vtterly
caÌ„not abide that we shoulde altogether hange and depend vpon god our most deare father with full trust and confidence He woulde not haue vs thoroughly persuaded of his great loue kindnes towards vs yea of his most fatherly care prouideÌ„ce for vs his dere childreÌ„ For the enemy knoweth that whosoeuer hath faithfully conceiued this true opinion of God shall by the same be allured yea forced and constrained to set all his loue and hartes delighte vpon the lorde agayne and in respect of the same onely be willing to serue him in true holines and righteousnes all the dayes of hys lyfe yea of loue and childlye feare seke to please him be lothe to offend hym redy with good wil to suffer all thyngs for his sake which be the points and properties belonging to the lordes elect Therefore aboue all thinges â–ª Sathan seeketh to darken and make dymme this doctryne of oure saluation yea cleane to quenche it out if he could and to bryng vs from this persuasion of gods spirite vnto distrust and infidelitie which is the very roote and fountayne where hence al other wickednes doth spryng for whatsoeuer is not done of thys faith and godly persuasion is sinne in the syght of god how glorious soeuer it doth appeare in the syght of men Let vs therfore aboue all thinges praye for the encrease of faythe by the lyghte whereof we doe perfectlye see in oure good Christ God to be presently ours with all that euer he is or can be and shall be for euermore Let vs hold thys faste as the sure shore ancker of our soule and though Satan styrre vp neuer so many stormes and teÌ„pestes of trouble and persecution or neuer so many foule and foggy mistes of darkenes and heresies yet shall our shippe sayle in safety for god himselfe is our lodes man and his holy and mighty spirite is the Maister marriner and both can and wil guide conduct vs into the hauen of health and port of euerlasting safegard Therfore let vs say with Dauid that though the waues and ragyng surges of the seas be meruailous yet the Lord is more mighty and meruailous and can styl them wyth a word Alas I am here constrained to make an ende eueÌ„ in the middest of my letter truly I haue bene faine by occasioÌ„s that hath come to lay aside this letter vi or vij tymes since I begaÌ„ Therefore take it in good worth as it is an other time I trust to finishe the same to your comfort and to the accoÌ„plishyng of my dutye towardes you to whome I doe owe my selfe and all that I can doe as knoweth God to whose most mercifull defence I doe hartely commit you my deare brother V. al the rest of his deare darlinges whom I loue as myne owne soule and thanke God for your loue to me The blessyng of God be with you all Amen Yours vnfainedly Iohn Careles prysoner of the Lorde at all tymes abyding hys moste mercyfull wyll and pleasure Pray for me for gods sake â–ª as I wyll neuer forget you To my most deare and faythefull brother T. V. THe euerlastyng peace of god in Iesus Christ the continuall ioy and comforte of hys moste pure holye and mightye spirite with the encrease of faith and liuely feling of his mercy be wyth you my deare hart in the Lorde and faithful louyng brother T. V. to the ful accomplishing of that good worke which he hath so gratiously begonne in you that the same by al meanes may be to the setting forth of his glory to the coÌ„moditie of his poore affliced congregation and to the swete coÌ„fort and quietnes of your conscience in hym now and euermore Amen With such due honour loue and reuerence as it becommeth me to beare vnto the swete saintes and dearely beloued children of god I haue me most hartely coÌ„mended vnto you my dere brother V. wyth al earnest and faythful remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of you in my daily praiers thanking God right hartely that you do likewyse remember me in yours assuryng you that my poore harte dothe dailie feele greate consolation thereby GOD onely haue the praise for the same and all other his benefites Ah my deare harte in the lord well is me that euer I was borne that God of hys great mercy and infinite goodnes hathe vsed me moste miserable wretche at anye tyme as his instrument to minister anye thyng vnto you either by worde or writing that might be an occasion of your ioye and comforte in the Lorde and a prouoking of you to praise and thankesgeuing vnto GOD for the same as your most louing and godlye letter seemeth to importe Oh happie am I that the Lorde hathe appointed me vnto so good a grounde to sowe his seede vpon but much more happy are you whose harte the lord hath prepared and made so meete to receiue the same so effectuouslye geuing thereto the sweete showres and heauenlye dewes of hys grace and holye spirit that it may bring forthe fruites in due season accordingly the encrease wherof we shal shortly reape together with perfect ioy gladnes that continually Therfore my deare brother I say vnto you as good Elizabeth did to her dere cosin Mary happy are you Luke â— happy shal you be for euermore because you haue beleued The most swete faithful promises of your redemer Iesus christ you haue surely laid vp in the treasury of your hart His coÌ„fortable callinges you haue faithfully heard his louing admonitions you haue humbly obeyed and therfore you shall neuer come into iudgement your synnes shal neuer be remembred for your sauiour hath cast them all into the bottome of the sea Miche 7 Psal â—03 he hath remoued them from you as farre as the East is froÌ„ the West hath geuen you for an euerlasting possession his iustification and holines so that now no creature neither in heauen nor in earth shal be able to accuse you before the throne of the heauenly kyng Satan is now iudged he is now cast out froÌ„ you he hath no parte in you you are wholy geuen vnto Christ which wil noâ— lose you your stedfast fayth in him hath ouercome that sturdie bragging prince of the worlde Christ hath geuen you the final victory ouer him and al his army that they shal neuer hurt you What would you haue more Oh my deare hart how great treasures are layde vppe in store for you and howe glorious a crowne is already made prepared for you And albeit the holy ghost doth beare witnes of all these thynges in your hart maketh you more sure and certayne therof then if you had all the outward oracles in the worlde yet I beyng certainly perswaded fully assured by the testimony of gods spirit in my coÌ„science of your eternal sure saluatioÌ„ in our swete Sauiour Iesus Christ haue thought it good yea and my bounden duty not only at this tyme to write vnto you and to shew my ioyfull
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
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